Kiss is currently out on the End of the Road, the last world tour the iconic rock band will ever embark upon.

Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition II with yellow checkered bezel

While the rock and roller in me is sorry in a way to experience any of the tour’s shows due to the finality of their meaning, the watch freak in me was ecstatic to catch up again with drummer Eric Singer and talk watches. And one of the watches we talked about was the latest edition of the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Singer co-designed with Topper Jewelers’ Rob Caplan.

The magnificent Kiss show during the End of the Road tour

The duo designed the first edition of Zodiac Super Sea Wolf models in 2018, and to my eye these were a fun mix of affordability, wearability, and vintage style. Apparently, I was not the only one to think this as the two limited editions of 20 pieces each sold out quickly.

Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition II collection

This new edition – now a trio of timepieces – contains all the same values of the first but offers three lively new designs. “These are fun for watch fanatics,” Singer, who relishes working with the Caplan brothers, owners of Toppers, remarked. “They don’t reinvent the wheel, but their entertaining colors, cool looks, and retro style mix it up in a fun way.”

Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition II on the wrist

Eric Singer and Toppers: watch fanatics unite

Singer loves to hang out with Rob Caplan of Toppers. “Rob’s like me,” the drummer laughed, “he’s nucking futs about watches!” (Yes, that’s an actual quote – too good not to include!)

He met Caplan, whose store is located just outside San Francisco, many years ago through a watch company executive. “He’s a real watch fan, really part of the community,” says Singer, a quality I know from experience is important to him.

Back of the Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition II

He relates that he and Caplan also for the most part have the same taste in watches. “And I’m not a watch snob,” he insisted

The 75-year-old watch retailer has been issuing small series of personalized versions of popular timepieces for years; the Zodiacs are the latest in a long line of such timepieces – “Topper Editions” – that have included such popular brands as Nomos, Bremont, Oris, and Seiko in addition to Zodiac.

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf Topper Edition lume shot

Zodiac Sea Wolf Topper Limited Edition Rally versions

“Like last time, we went back and found amazing versions from Zodiac’s colorful history and did modern interpretations of them,” Caplan told me. “Also like last time, we didn’t do linear reissues but really tried to make each one a unique piece for today.”

Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition II

What that means is that while the details of these Topper Editions are completely in line with the so-called DNA of Zodiac, some of them have never before been seen on a Zodiac watch in the same combination. Caplan and Singer were inspired by history, but have not re-created any specific watch from the brand’s past.

Singer, who generally changes his own watch two to three times a day, was immediately attracted to the look of a variety of watches in the 1960s and 1970s. He is partial to both colorful watches and retro styles done well – not unlike Kiss when you think about it.

Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition II with blue dial

The Sea Wolf Rally versions get their names from the bold checkered flag patterns on their mineral glass-topped bezels. Decidedly retro in their coloring, they likely had a couple sources of inspiration: motor racing, of course, but also “no-decompression” dive bezels made popular by other brands like Doxa.

And whether you take them diving or not, these will certainly make for great summer watches.

Topper Edition Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf

The Topper Edition Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf represents a first in Zodiac history: a “flag dial” (the flags being the four raised triangular hour markers at 12, 3, 6, and 9) paired with a mineral glass-topped bezel like those found on the Rally watches above.

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf Topper Edition

It would appear that using this material is Zodiac’s answer to Singer’s desire to see a Bakelite-style bezel on these designs. Bakelite was an early plastic, but due to its brittle nature and durability issues, it experienced only a short window of production as a bezel material back in the 1950s.

However, Singer has always had an appreciation for the look of these bezels, particularly after having been exposed to daylight for many years, which Caplan explained yielded a “ghost-white bezel color and a cool, monochromatic aesthetic.”

A detailed look at the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf Topper Edition

“This watch has a great bracelet too,” Singer enthused. “Perfect for ‘desk divers’ like me.”

All three of the watches limited to 82 pieces each – a number alluding to the 1882 founding date of Zodiac – are powered by the Fossil group’s automatic caliber made by Swiss Technology Production and have been precision-certified by C.O.S.C., the Swiss office for chronometer testing. In my experience, chronometer precision at this price point is extremely unusual.

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf Topper Edition

This backs up Singer’s statement that he is in it more for the fun and ability to be creative in a field he loves than for any financial return. To me, it is obvious that Singer he has no other agenda; he really loves doing this. And that joy is reflected in these watches.

For more information and how to purchase, please visit www.shop.topperjewelers.com/collections/zodiac-le.

Quick Facts Zodiac Super Sea Wolf White Wolf Topper Edition (Ref. ZO9208)
Case: 40 x 11 mm, stainless steel, screw-down crown, water-resistant to 200 m, mineral glass bezel
Movement: automatic Caliber STP 3-13-3 with 44-hour power reserve and official C.O.S.C. chronometer certification, swan-neck fine adjustment
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Limitation: 82 pieces
Price: $1,495
Remark: two-year warranty

Quick Facts Zodiac Sea Wolf Rally Topper Edition
Case: 40 x 11 mm, stainless steel, screw-down crown, water-resistant to 200 m, mineral glass bezel
Colorways: Ref. ZO9272 with yellow bezel and black dial; Ref. ZO9273 with black-and-white bezel and blue gradient dial
Movement: automatic Caliber STP 3-13-3 with 44-hour power reserve and official C.O.S.C. chronometer certification, swan-neck fine adjustment
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds
Limitation: 82 pieces in each colorway
Price: $1,495
Remark: two-year warranty

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