Why do some Tsar Bomba models look so different from each other?
I've been looking at pics of Tsar Bomba skeleton watches and some have a clean open dial with just the movement, while others have a huge globe or cage structure covering the front. Are these different model lines or just revisions? I'm new to the brand and trying to figure out which is which.
The globe ones are usuall the Tsar Bomba Fighter or the Tsar Bomba Mars. The plain open dial ones tend to be the Tsar Bomba Black or the classic Tsar Bomba. Very different design languages, even though they share the skeleton theme.
I think people also mix in the Tsar Bomba Tsar Bomba. That one has a very distinct case shape. The naming is a mess.
Are you comparing gens or reps? Because that changes the answer a lot. Some of the cheap ones on AliExpress just slap a skeleton movement in whatever case they have lying around.
Mostly looking at gen listings on their site and some used ones. Not really interested in reps. I just see wildly differennt case shapes and front structures under the same brand name.
The brand has released a lot of limited editions. Some of the differences are just colorways or strap changes, but the big structural differences are usually different mtodel families. You have to look at the reference number, not just the listing title.
The cage/globe ones are heavy. i had one and sold it because it felt like wearing a paperweight. The open dial ones are much more wearable. That's the biggest difference for me.
Can you post a couple of the pics you're looking at? Otherwise it's hard to know wxactly which models you mean. 'Tsar Bomba' gets used for a lot of different stuff.
I don't have pics saved, but the main contrast I'm seeing is the big globe front vs a simple open-work dial with a small seconds subdial. Both are sold as Tsar Bomba.
The subdial ones are often the older versions with a different movement. The newer ones moved to a different layout. I think they switched suppliers at some point, which explains a lot of the inconsistency.
Also check the case size. Some are 42mm and some are 44mm or bigger. The 44mm globe model looks completely different on the wrist compared to the 42mm open dial. That alone makes them look like two different lines.
I've noticed the same thing. Their marketing doesn't help because they reuse the same model name for different generations. It's not unique to Tsar Bomba though, lots of microbrands do it.
If you're buying used, ask for the reference number on the caseback. That's the only reliable way to know what you're getting. Otherwise you're just guessing from photos.
Right. And don't assume all Tsar Bomba skeleton watches have the same movement just because they look similar from the front. Some have decorated bridges, some don't.
The naming is the real problem. 'Tsar Bomba' is a brand, but they also us it as a model name on some listings. That's why it's confusing.
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