The Ball watch brand is famous for its stylish watches and amazing story. A tragic event in 1891 near Kipton, Ohio, facilitated the Swiss watchmaking company’s growth and success. Two trains had a head-on collision, and the company’s founder, Mr.Webster Clay Ball, was chosen to investigate timekeeping issues on the American railroad.
He was a chief time inspector, watchmaker and jeweler. Therefore, he used his expertise to create high precision watches that would aid in keeping accurate time. They could withstand extreme conditions. Plus, they were improved with time to meet the official railroad’s demanding expectations.
They boasted innovative technologies like cold temperature measurement, high shock resistance, and water resistance up to 600 ft. The pieces also underwent thorough Chronometer Certification, which involves seven tests.
The Ball watch review below looks at some of the best pieces from the brand in detail.
1. Ball Engineer II Moon Phase- Stainless Steel, Blue Dial Ref. NM2282C-SJ-BE
About
This is a rugged men’s watch that’s designed for adverse conditions. Its solid 41mm steel case offers the movement protection from impacts of up to 5000Gs. It also has a moon phase indication that changes according to the time of the day, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal over the blue dial, and patented gas tubes for reliable lighting.
Features
They include water resistance to 100m, an automatic Caliber BALL RR1801 movement, 28 micro gas tubes on the dial, hour, minute, and second hands for easier time reading at night, Arabic numerals at every 5-minute marker, an Amortiser patented anti-shock system, and a luminous moon phase indication.
Specifications
- Production Year: 2022
- Case Size: 41mm
- Materials:
- Dial – Sunburst blue
- Bracelet – Steel, with a concealed folding clasp
- Bezel – Fixed, smooth, domed, stainless steel
- Function: Moon Phase, Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds
- Mechanism: Self-winding Caliber RR1801 movement with 25 jewels, a 42-hour power reserve, and 28,800vph frequency
Why You Should Invest?
It appreciated in value by 2% between 2022 and January 2023.
2. Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT II- Stainless Steel, Black Dial Ref. DG2018C-S3C-BK
About
The Ball Ref. DG2018C-S3C-BK is a versatile men’s watch. It’s the epitome of elegance and functionality with its polished steel case and bracelet, rotatable bezel, and black dial with Tritium gas tubes. Its crown protection system prevents the crown from hooking onto your sleeve or sweater.
Features
Some of the main ones are a bidirectional sapphire bi-colored bezel that tracks up to 3 time zones, 43 micro Tritium gas tubes on the minute, second, and hour hands and bezel markers with different colors for different time zones, a self-winding COSC-certified Caliber BALL RR1201-C movement, a patented crown protection system, and a date window at 3 o’clock.
Specifications
- Production Year: 2022
- Case Size: 42mm
- Materials:
- Dial – Black
- Bracelet – Stainless steel, with patented folding buckle and extension system
- Bezel – Rotatable bi-colored (black and red) with illuminated markings
- Function: Three Time Zone Indication, Sweep Seconds, Date, Hours, Minutes
- Mechanism: Automatic Caliber BALL RR1201-C movement with 21 jewels, a 38-hour power reserve, and 28,800vph frequency
Why You Should Invest?
It’s a limited-edition timepiece, with only 1000 currently in the market. Moreover, its price increased by at least 3% between 2022 and 2023.
3. Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon NEDU- Titanium, Black Dial Ref. DC3026A-SCJ-BK
About
Named after the American Navy’s Navy Experimental Diving Unit, the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon NEDU DC3026A-SCJ-BK is a handsome diver’s watch that can survive almost anything.
It checks all the boxes for life in the deep seas, from its titanium case and bracelet to its bidirectional bezel, helium escape valve, and two chamfers in the flange supporting the bezel to let excess water out.
Features
Its most impressive features are an automatic COSC-certified Caliber BALL RR1402-C movement, water resistance to 600m, a unidirectional ceramic bezel, a solid case with two chamfers in the flange supporting the bezel, subdials at 6,9, and 12 o’clock positions, a patented automatic helium escape valve, and a dial with H3 Tritium gas tubes with a neon-like glow for unbeatable readability.
Specifications
- Production Year: 2013
- Case Size: 42mm
- Materials:
- Dial – Black
- Bracelet – Titanium, with a concealed folding clasp
- Bezel – Unidirectional, ceramic, with 60-minute markings and contours for a firm grip with gloves
- Function: Chronometer, Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Small Seconds
- Mechanism: Self-winding Caliber BALL RR1402-C with 25 jewels, a 42-hour power reserve, and 28,800vph frequency
Why You Should Invest?
Its price increased by at least 20% between 2013 and 2022. Experts expect the number to be higher in 2023.
4. Ball Fireman Racer- Stainless Steel, Black Dial Ref. NM2088C-S2J-BKWH
About
This watch from Ball’s Fireman collection may look simple, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Its durable steel case, bracelet, and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal make it suitable for daily wear. Plus, its Tritium-applied thick hands and oversized red Arabic numerals make time telling a breeze despite the environment.
Features
Some of them are red Arabic numerals at 6,9, and 12 o’clock positions, red Arabic numerals at every 5-minute marker, a red seconds hand, water resistance to 100m, 15 micro gas light tubes on dial and hour and minute hands, an automatic ETA 2824-2 movement, and a date window at 3 o’clock with a magnifying lens over it.
Specifications
- Production Year: 2019
- Case Size: 40mm
- Materials:
- Dial – Black
- Bracelet – Stainless steel, with a hidden butterfly-style clasp
- Bezel – Fixed, stainless steel, smooth
- Function: Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds
- Mechanism: Automatic Caliber ETA 2842-2 movement with 25 jewels, a 42-hour power reserve, and 28,800vph frequency
Why You Should Invest?
It appreciates in value with time, with its price rising by approximately 10-15% between 2019 and December 2021.
5. Ball Engineer II Marvelight- Stainless Steel, Blue Dial Ref. NM2026C-S6J-BE
About
This is another men’s ball timepiece in our review that looks deceptively simple. It has enough weaponry in its breathtaking horological arsenal to suit the modern man.
For starters, it has Tritium-applied sword hands and hour markers. The markers emit a satisfying blue glow, except the 12 o’clock marker that gives out a bright green light along with the hands. It also has a comfortable, well-polished stainless steel bracelet and houses a COSC-certified movement that promises accurate timekeeping for years.
Features
Its most impressive ones are water resistance to 100m, a muted sunray blue dial, 14 micro gas tubes on the sword-shaped hands and hour markers, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with a Cyclops magnifier lens, a self-winding Caliber ETA 2824 movement, water resistance to 100m, and a date window at 3 o’clock.
Specifications
- Production Year: 2021
- Case Size: 40mm
- Materials:
- Dial – Muted, sunray blue
- Bracelet – Stainless steel, with polished center links and hidden foldover clasp
- Bezel – Fixed, smooth, stainless steel
- Function: Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds
- Mechanism: Automatic Caliber ETA 2824 movement with a 38-hour power reserve and 28,800vph frequency
Why You Should Invest?
It’s doing impressively well on the financial front since it’s rising in popularity among watch enthusiasts. For example, its price rose from S$960 in 2021 to S$1,818 in January 2023.
6. Ball Fireman Storm Chaser Pro- Stainless Steel, Slate Gray Dial Ref. CM3090C-S1J-GY
About
As the name hints, this modern sports chronograph from the Ball brand is every tornado chaser’s trusted companion.
It has an aesthetically-pleasing stainless steel case and masculine metallic slate-gray dial, color-coded pushers on the pushers-black for reset and enamel orange for the chronograph’s start/stop, a telemeter scale for determining lightning strikes, and an enduring Caliber RR1402 movement to keep storm chasing possible for years.
Features
Some of its mouthwatering ones are skeletonized baton hands and hour markers with T-25 Tritium Tubes, an automatic movement, a crown flanked by color-coded pushers, a bezel with a telemeter scale, water resistance to 100m, chronograph subdials at 12 (30-minute counter) and 6 o’clock (12-hour counter) positions, and sub-seconds at 9 o’clock.
Specifications
- Production Year: 2019
- Case Size: 42mm
- Materials:
- Dial – Metallic slate gray
- Bracelet – Calfskin black leather rally strap with a concealed butterfly-style deployant clasp
- Bezel – Black, with a telemeter scale
- Function: Chronograph, Day, Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds
- Mechanism: Self-winding Caliber Ball RR1402 (Valjoux 7750) movement with 25 jewels, a 42-hour power reserve, and 28,800vph frequency
Why You Should Invest?
Its average market price increased from S$1,479 on July 15, 2022, to S$1,653 on January 8, 2023.
Summary
The table below summarizes the major points of the Ball watches we’ve picked in the Ball watches review above.
| Model | Key Features |
| Ball Engineer II Moon Phase | • Automatic Caliber BALL RR1801 movement • 28 micro gas tubes on dial, hour, minute, and second hands for easier time reading at night • Amortiser patented anti-shock system |
| Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT II | • Bidirectional sapphire bi-colored bezel that tracks up to 3 time zones • 43 micro Tritium gas tubes on minute, second, hour hands and bezel markers with different colors for different time zones • Self-winding COSC-certified Caliber BALL RR1201-C movement |
| Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon NEDU | • Automatic COSC-certified Caliber BALL RR1402-C movement • Water resistance to 600m • Patented automatic helium escape valve |
| Ball Fireman Racer | • Red Arabic numerals at 6,9 and 12 o’clock positions • 15 micro gas light tubes on dial and hour and minute hands • Automatic ETA 2824-2 movement |
| Ball Engineer II Marvelight | • 14 micro gas tubes on the sword-shaped hands and hour markers • Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with a Cyclops magnifier lens • Self-winding Caliber ETA 2824 movement |
| Ball Fireman Storm Chaser Pro | • Crown flanked by color-coded pushers • Bezel with a telemeter scale • Chronograph subdials at 12 and 6 o’clock positions |
The most expensive timepiece on the list is the Ball Fireman Storm Chaser Pro CM3090C-S1J-GY (S$3-4K plus). Meanwhile, the Ball Engineer II Marvelight NM2026-S6J-BE (Less than $2,000) is the most affordable.
The Ball Fireman Storm Chaser Pro’s telemeter scale feature for determining lightning strikes is impressive, but our favorite feature is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT II DG2018C-S3C-BK’s bidirectional ‘Pepsi’ bezel.
This bezel has markings with Tritium lume. Plus, you can use it to tell the time in three different time zones! All you should do to get started is use the 24-hour graduated bezel with the 24-hour hand.
FAQs
Is Ball watch a good brand?
Ball watch company is a good brand. It uses superior materials to create its pieces. Additionally, its watches are extremely high-end, boasting complex and advanced technologies and having undergone the necessary tests. They achieved an official RR Standard certification. The tests ensure accurate and uniform timekeeping.
Is Ball a luxury watch brand?
No, Ball isn’t a luxury watch brand. It strives to create railroad-friendly watches, and that’s evident in all its pieces from every collection. The ‘RR’ logo sits delicately on the dial of most of its watches.
Others even have the RR insignia on the crown and end of the seconds hand. From the patented anti-shock system feature to the high visibility numbering, it’s clear that the brand prioritizes safety on railroads.
Are Ball watches made in China?
Ball watches aren’t made in China. They might be exported there, but they’re created in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
How accurate is a Ball watch?
Ball watches are all about accuracy. To that end, they’re highly accurate, with the latest movement delivering a precision of -2/+5 seconds daily, which is over 20 percent more than what’s usually required among chronometers!
Final Word
Ball watches have left an indelible mark on American horological history and railroad history in general. These Swiss watches meet all the requirements, have the necessary components and features, and keep improving every year.
Key Takeaways
- Ball watches have transformed horological history for the better.
- The timepieces are crafted from premium materials and ensure precise timekeeping with their advanced technologies and features.
- They’re a worthwhile investment since they increase in worth with time and are built for adverse conditions.
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