Overview of the UBIQ DUAL Series 01

Every aspect of the DUAL (bar the movement) is designed in-house at UBIQ headquarters in Singapore. At the time of launch five colour options are available, all injected with colour and personality. Each colour is limited to just 100 pieces and has been assigned a suitably fun name. My review watch is the Applesour, with a dual-tone green bezel over a warm grey dial. You can also choose from Beetred (purple and silver bezel with red accents over a Purple dial), Bumble (black and yellow bezel over a Black dial), Navysilver – (silver and navy bezel over an off-white dial with yellow highlights, Seaset (teal and orange bezel over a teal dial). Aside from colour, the design is the same across all five. UBIQ’s Kickstarter campaign is already underway and the DUAL series 1 is price at $519 USD. This figure will increase to $649 after the Kickstarter campaign ends on 8 March 2024. The warranty is two years, and each watch comes with a stainless steel bracelet and additional FKM strap inside a custom-crafted coloured pouch. 

The Case and Wearing Experience

The 316L stainless steel case is a crowd-pleasing 39mm diameter, with a lug-to-lug measurement of 47mm and an overall thickness of 11.8mm on my prototype watch. UBIQ has since managed to slim down the case even more and all production models will be just 11.5mm thick, including sapphire!

A mix of finishes is used for the case and bracelet. When viewed from top down, the case is visually nearly all lugs. The slim lugs and caseback feature circular brushing, whilst the case sides are sandblasted and recessed, flanked top and bottom by two lovely, wide, polished chamfers. These give the watch a lovely side profile and provide some distinction. What’s not immediately apparent is that the lugs have a lovely additional design flourish; small sculptured, sandblasted cut-outs where they meet the case, kind of like a reduced take on the Omega twisted lugs. Now that’s attention to detail with your finishing! Finally, the case is vertically brushed between the lugs, which you only see when the strap is removed. The end links are an extremely good fit to the watch and when you run your fingers over the join, it’s almost imperceivable.

The flat link bracelet is longitudinally brushed with polished sides and wide chamfers on the upper clasp. Although it has the appearance of a three-link design, each link is one solid piece. However, the bracelet is good quality and tapers down from 20mm to 16mm, so it’s comfy too. Thankfully, it’s also quick-release so even those new to watches can easily swap the bracelet out for the excellent, and very pliable, supplied colour-matched FKM rubber strap to give the watch a completely different look. No tools required! Another plus in my book, is that the bracelet links are secured by single-sided screws. Finally, the clasp is signed and has five micro-adjustment holes to help achieve the perfect fit.

The dual time bi-directional bezel with matt aluminium insert is where the colour pop begins. The bezel inset is split into two. The outer segment is a dark green and printed with a 12-hour scale for help tracking a second time zone, whilst the inner segment is a lighter green and printed with Arabic numerals at every 10, in the manner of a traditional dive watch countdown bezel. Alternate hour markers on the bezel have lines leading to the main dial indices for easy reference. An oversized 12 o’clock triangle in golden yellow completes the picture and aids orientation at night. All bezel markings have a green C1 luminescent compound applied. The bezel itself has a polished u-shaped coin edge (a nod to the U of UBIQ) for easy grip, and I’d describe the rotating bezel as solid. Being a 60-click bezel there is nowhere to hide with alignment, but I’m glad to say that the bezel on my review watch lined up perfectly.

The flat sapphire which has a rounded edge and sits slightly proud of the case, and has an effective anti-reflective coating applied to the inside. The polished 6mm crown bears the UBIQ ‘U’ logo within a contrasting bead-blasted relief. It’s well-proportioned, engages positively and is easy to turn thanks to the u-shaped knurling which mimics the bezel. Being screw-down it also helps the DUAL achieve its 200m water resistance rating.

The stainless steel screwdown caseback simply features engraved typography which lists the essential info (brand, model name, automatic, designed in Singapore, and xxx/100). This info sits within a squared circle border, which carries over the design language used throughout the DUAL.

I’d say the watch wears ever so slightly bigger than the 39mm diameter and 47mm lug-to-ug would suggest. Why? Although the case sits close to the wrist due to its very slim caseback, the profile of the case and lugs is almost completely flat, with just the tinniest hint of curvature (almost imperceivable), so can’t say it hugs the wrist.

UBIQ has said it will smoothen the case profile chamfers for production models. I can only assume this means that the very bottom edge of the case sides will be smoothed off slightly so the case feels smoother against the skin, as I couldn’t see any other need for improving the chamfers. Other improvements that will be made to production watches include polished finishing to the crown edge, improved QC on the bezel printing and shortening the female end link to decrease gap. Again, I couldn’t see any major issues with any of these things, so the fact that UBIQ are making these improvements is testament to their high standards.

Dial and Hands That Pop!

The Applesour sits somewhere between the vibrancy of the Seaset and the comparatively subdued Navysilver colourway.

The dial is deliciously simple on the face of it, but like everything on this watch, it’s clearly been thought about. The dial itself is a lovely warm grey colour, which reminds me a lot of the ‘taupe’ dial found on the Tudor Black Bay 58 925. On the outer edge of the dial is a minute track printed white on black, with no fractions of seconds, keeping with the ethos of clean design. The hash marks at the five minute/hour markers are extended and lead the eye to meet the oversized polished ‘inflated square’ applied hour markers, with blue BGW9 lume.

Rounded rectangles are used for the 3, 9, and 12, and at six sits one of the best executions of a date window I’ve ever seen. At first glance it just looks like another index as it features the same frame design as the other indices, and it doesn’t break the radial alignment. What’s more, because the main indices are pure white in colour, the black on white doesn’t break the colour continuity either. Very clever. Even the date-haters will struggle to complain about this one!

The custom hour hand has a surround that’s colour-matched to inner bezel and filled with C1 lume. The arrow-tipped minute hand has a polished silver-coloured surround, and the lollipop-style seconds hand has a green tip and framed lume pip which glides directly over the hour markers.

I love the dial execution. The applied indices are tall and help bring considerable depth to the face of the watch and the AR sapphire copes well with reflections. Add in crisp, clear bright-white lume and it all comes together to bring great legibility and freshness to the face of the watch.

The lume design is also appealing, but whilst initially the brightness is good, it does fade quite quickly. However, UBIQ will be upgrading all lume to Grade A set for production models. UBIQ will also be improving the quality of the date printing on production models.

Finally dial text is kept simple, with just the brand name, model name and water resistance rating being printed in white.

The Movement

The UBIQ DUAL Series 1 is fitted with the Miyota 9015 movement, which is probably my favourite of all the affordable movements typically fitted to microbrand watches. It’s nothing exceptional but is extremely reliable and reasonably accurate (within =/-). This movement beats at 28,800bph so the sweep is smooth and the power reserve is 42 hours. UBIQ have fitted a customised date wheel, and the seconds also hack, so you can stop the movement and precisely set the time to a reference time.

Final Thoughts

The UBIQ DUAL Series 01 is a breath of fresh air, with a very appealing design and a perfect suite of colour palettes. The whole package is so well conceptualised and executed even down to the packaging and it puts a lot of big names brands to shame.

I’ve been so impressed with the DUAL that I’m going to break with tradition here and get the negatives out the way first. Try as I might, the truth it’s proved difficult to come up with much of any significance especially when you consider the £400 asking price and the list of improvements that UBIQ has already promised for the production models. So it boils down to just two things for me. No case curvature, and no on-the-fly toolless bracelet adjustment. That’s it! By the time you read this an on-the-fly micro adjustment might even be included, as it’s a stretch goal. I’m sure some people may have preferred a ceramic bezel for extra durability, but you need to remember the DUAL isn’t really marketed as a full on ‘ready for battle’ watch, or even a dive watch, despite it’s 200m water resistance and rotating bezel. Plus, it would be a huge technical challenge to achieve a dual-coloured ceramic bezel.

I really appreciate great design and thoughtful details, and this watch hits all criteria on that front. You can absolutely tell that founder Drayson is a Creative Director! This versatile watch has great specifications, is a crowd-pleasing size and puts fun front-and-centre with its fresh, unique design. All-in-all it’s one of the most ‘complete’ debut watches I’ve reviewed to date, and it most certainly will not leave a sour taste in your mouth!

If you like what you see, I wouldn’t hang around as I think these will prove to be very popular. And remember there is just 100 of each colour available!

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Golby Watches is owned by Craig Golby, a midlands-based UK watch enthusiast and ETSY watch strap retailer who has taken the brave step of launching the Aquareef, a 41mm dive watch aimed firmly at the budget end of the microbrand spectrum. Craig is very open and transparent about the influences. He is a Christopher Ward fanatic and a regular of the Christopher Ward Enthusiasts Facebook Group, so it’s understandable that the Aquareef’s wave pattern dial is influenced by the earlier Christopher Ward dive watches that he loves. But whilst Christopher Ward has continued to move upmarket, the Aquareef rolls back the clock to where CW began and aims to offer the same affordability and value for money of these early watches.

Six Colourways to Place Your Hands On!

There are six colour variants of the Aquareef Dual Timer to choose from, said to be inspired by the UK coastline. Three feature white outer rotating dive bezels with colour-matched inner 12-hour bezels/chapter rings and hands (orange, teal or navy), and three feature black outer rotating bezels with colour-matched inner bezels and hands (orange, teal or yellow).  My review watch is the black dial with orange chapter ring.  Incidentally, the origins of the name Aquareef isn’t as obvious as you first think (well, only one half is!). It comes from Craig’s love of all things water (the aqua part), but get this, the ‘reef’ part comes from his love of the 90s English rock band, Reef, most famous for their hit ‘Place Your Hands’. ! Bet you didn’t see that one coming!

The Case and Wearing Experience

The Aquareef’s 316L stainless steel case is entirely brushed and measures 41mm in diameter (42mm including the bezel) and has a lug-to-lug of 50.5mm. Overall thickness is 13.1mm, not slim but perfectly reasonable for a dive style watch. The true lug-to-lug measurement on my prototype review watch is slightly longer at 54mm, due to the non-articulating male end links. The male end links also cause the outer sections of the second row of bracelet links to protrude from the lines. However, don’t let this put you off as Golby watches have already taken this feedback onboard and production watches will all come with female end links. This will not only look better but will add to the comfort factor and ensure that more wrist sizes can be accommodated. In all honesty though, I’d still say this watch is still most likely to appeal to those with medium to large wrists.

The case shape is simple, with no bevelling or polished elements, but the mid-case is vertically brushed, which is a nice touch. The case is curved between the lugs and the lugs are brushed longitudinally and have a slight downturn. Unlike most watches there are two crowns. The main screw-down crown used for adjusting and setting the time sits at 3 o’clock and is signed with the Golby ‘G’, whilst the 2 o’clock crown adjusts the colourful internal bezel.

The uni-directional outer diving bezel overhangs the case slightly allowing for easy grip when setting the countdown. On my prototype watch the bezel has 90 clicks, which is a bit puzzling. However, production watches will have a more conventional and useful 120 clicks, for precise operation and alignment. The bezel features a uniform coin edge and a tough ceramic insert with gloss finish, another great addition at this price point and something that will help the watch look good for longer. A conventional mix of numbers and hash marks are engraved into the ceramic insert. Bezel action is good but should be improved further with the addition of the new, more refined, 120-click bezel. 

Being a compressor-style dive watch, the Aquareef is a sort of hybrid between a dive watch and a GMT. One of the most noticeable differences of the Aquareef when compared to a true compressor dive watch is that the typical countdown scale found on the coloured rotating chapter ring is replaced with a 12-hour scale. The second crown, positioned at the 2 o’clock position is used for turning this ‘clickless’ inner bezel, which is used to help track a second time zone. This second crown doesn’t screw down, but the watch does still provide a reasonable 100m of water resistance, so it’ll be fine for swimming and skin diving, which let’s face it is all that most dive watch owners will ever do.

The three-link oyster style bracelet has fitted end links to perfectly match the contour of the case between the lugs. Links are secured by push pins and the strap can be quickly removed and changed thanks to the quick-release spring bars. A nice surprise, and something that’s not expected at this price is the inclusion of a rapid-adjust clasp. The clasp has several micro-adjustments slots, allowing ample range for making on-the-fly adjustments to ensure the perfect fit for your wrist. No tools required! Whilst on-the-fly adjustment is not uncommon now, at this price this is a wonderful addition. The clasp is also impressive in its design, being low profile, especially at the safety-lock clasp end. The adjustment mechanism works very well indeed. And run your finger over the safety clasp and you’ll quickly realise that it sits completely flush with the main body of the clasp, so much so that it’s virtually imperceivable, lovely! The only slight negative here is that the edges on the top part of the clasp would benefit from being smoothed off a bit more. However, again, Craig at Golby Watches has confirmed that this is being improved for the production models.

Case and bracelet finishing is generally excellent though, with consistent fine brushing and good tolerances. Dive watch purists might make an argument to forgo the exhibition caseback for a solid stainless steel one (which may also help reduce the case’s overall thickness), but then others will appreciate seeing the movement, so this is purely down to personal preference.

The Dial

The dial is an interesting mix of styles, some successful and some less so. As mentioned in my introduction, the main dial features an oil pressed wave pattern. This is paired with a wide and deep, slanted chapter ring which rotates and is printed in black with a 12-hour scale, comprising Arabic numerals for the hours and simple hash marks for the increments between. This inner rotating bezel is used to help track a second time zone. It has a metallic sheen and is operated by the crown at the 2 o’clock position. I think legibility here could be improved by using a larger font (Golby Watches has since confirmed that the Arabic numbers will be made ever so slightly larger on production models). However, in addition to this I’d also consider printing in white for more contrast and doing away with the incremental hash markers altogether.

The only applied dial furniture is the main hour indices, which are simple gun metal grey batons with strips of RT9 luminescent compound to help aid legibility in low light. Minute markers and micro-markers on the main dial are printed white on black or black on white, depending on which colourway you choose. Dial text comprises the Golby logo at 12, ‘limited edition’ either side of the 12 o’clock marker. Aquareef is printed in same colour as the chapter ring, and ‘Automatic’, ‘10ATM Water Resistant’ is printed above the 6. The framed date window, positioned at 3 o’clock, is colour-matched to the dial, another lovely touch and something that is often overlooked when designing budget-friendly watches.

I don’t think the Golby logo will be to everyone’s taste, me included. I’m not sure why, but for some reason I don’t think ‘boxed-in’ logos work particularly well on watches. However, with this being Golby’s inaugural watch, I don’t think it’d be too late to change this ahead of any further releases. Purists might not like the decision to go with a 12-hour inner GMT bezel or may prefer a 24-hour internal bezel, but for others it will be a useful addition that provides more functionality, after all you’ve still got the dive bezel as well!

I’m a big fan of a large handset on a dive watch, so the Aquareef’s oversized sword-style hands, which are also the perfect length, are welcome here. They feature colourful painted frames, colour matched to the chapter ring and have wide strips of RT9 luminescent compound. I’d not heard of this compound before and had to ask Craig about it. It turns out that it’s a Japanese compound which glows blue at night. I’d describe the lume as ‘reasonable’ at night, especially where you need it most, i.e. the hands.  However, to my eyes, in daylight it has a slightly murky greyish appearance rather than a bright, clean, high contrast white. For this reason, I’d probably like to see a different compound used.

The dial is protected by a flat sapphire crystal. My protoype watch didn’t have any anti-reflective coating applied and suffered from quite a lot of glare, but again Craig from Golby is already on the case and all production models will thankfully have five layers of internal anti-reflective coating. Obviously, I can’t pass comment on how effective this will be, but it should certainly help. I can’t help thinking that if improved lume was used and the hour indices were made bigger, it would lift the dial considerably and improve legibility even more.

The Movement

The Aquareef is fitted with a Seiko NH35a automatic movement, a popular choice at this price point due to its reliability and robustness. It has 24 jewels, beats at 21,600 and has a power reserve of 41 hours. Accuracy isn’t this movement’s strong point at -20s/+40s per day, but it’s perfectly adequate and the NH35a is a good solid movement for this watch at this price point and the right choice here, I think.

Final Thoughts

At the Kickstarter price of just £299, or £280 if you’re one of the first 100 backers, the Aquareef is a very solid alternative to mass market watches such as Seiko 5 sports watches or lower-end Orient, whilst offering better specifications and the feel-good factor that comes with supporting a small business. Everything is of a decent quality, and whilst it may not have a fully resolved design language…yet, this is understandable with a first watch and I’m hoping that any future Golby Watches will improve on this.

Of course, no watch at such a competitive price is going to perfect, but by the time customers receive their watches, the most significant negatives will have already been addressed (lack of AR coating to sapphire, bracelet end-links, and number of bezel clicks). Other improvements I’d like to see would be bigger applied hour markers and improved lume. Aside from these, my gripes mostly relate to styling, and of course this is subjective. I’d like to see the main crown moved to the four o’clock position, to bring more symmetry to the case and I’d revise the logo, or at least lose the square ‘containing box’, as I think it cheapens the look of the watch. Other than that, there’s very little to complain about given the very competitive launch price.

Golby Watches owner, Craig is a very straight-forward, honest guy and this is perfectly reflected in his first watch release. There is no pretence here. What the Aquareef lacks in originality and design flair, it gains in being an honest, capable, tough and well-specced watch that should prove to be reliable and all for an incredible price (around the same price as many quartz fashion watches!). And when you put it like that, it’s a no brainer! Who knows, Craig at Golby watches might even consider making further refinements ahead of the delivery of production watches, based on my feedback. If this does happen, the Aquareef 1.1 should be a very interesting proposition indeed, putting it high on the list of top affordable dive-style watches!

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As the name suggests, this is Alkin’s third watch design, although in some ways it could actually be their third and fourth, as the Model Three comprises two styles, a Dual Time and a Diver, based on the same case shape and internals. The key differences are the dial designs, bezel type and colourways.

The GMT comes in three colours, yellow, powder blue and the brushed copper featured here. The diver also comes in three colours, blue, green and my review colour, black. The GMT features a steel 12-hour bezel for tracking a second-time zone, whereas the Diver features a countdown bezel which either matches the dial colour, or in the case of the green, contrasting black bezel.

The Model Three is available for pre-order now, priced at £375, after which the price will increase to £445. Estimated shipping is January 2024.

The Case

The 316L stainless steel case has a diameter of 40.5mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 48.5mm. Overall thickness is 12.5mm. These are certainly crowd-pleasing dimensions, which provide a good balance between wrist presence and wearability, so the Model Three should look right at home on a wide range of wrist sizes.

The modern, angular three-section case is entirely brushed for a tool watch vibe and features elegant lugs, sharply cut. The bulk of the watch is in the mid-case, which is straight-sided and vertically brushed (from dial-side to caseback). This suits the design of the watch perfectly and helps give the profile a distinctive look. The tops of the lugs feature longitudinal brushing from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock and the low-profile caseback helps the watch to sit flush on the wrist.

The case is weighty, and it feels and looks precisely engineered. The brushing is carried out to perfection and the transition lines are crisp and precise. The standard here is very high and the perception of quality is far beyond its price point.

The screw-down stainless steel caseback and grippy, well proportioned, screw-down crown help provide an ample 200m water resistance. The caseback has a circular brushed finish and is engraved with the key specifications and model name, including a nod to the brand’s Bristol heritage. The 6.5mm crown sits at the 4 o’clock position, something which I personally love as it means that there’s no chance of it digging into your wrist. The crown is engraved with the brand’s logo, and it engages confidently, winds smoothly and pops out freely.

The 120-click rotating bezel is unidirectional on both the Dual Time and the Diver models. The three Dual Time watches feature a brushed stainless bezel insert with BGW9-filled lume pip at 12 o’clock and laser-etched Arabic numbers denoting hours, which are filled with black paint. Whilst you couldn’t call these watches GMTs, the 12-hour dual-time feature does at least speed up telling the time in a second time zone, although I’m not sure as to the reason why a 24-hour bezel wasn’t used.

The Diver variants have traditional elapsed-time dive bezels with lumed Arabic numerals at 15, 30, 45 minutes, and lumed hash markers for every five minutes between. A black bezel is used for the black and green dials, whereas the blue dial features a matching blue bezel. The brushing on bezel insert of my black Diver prototype was off axis, but Charlie is already on the case and I’ve every confidence that he wouldn’t let a production model be sent out to a customer with such an issue. Bezel alignment on both of my review models was accurate with no backplay, although the bezel action on the GMT felt slightly smoother, more refined and ‘lower-pitched’.

The bracelet

All versions of the Model Three will be supplied with a brushed stainless steel bracelet that tapers nicely from 20mm down to 18mm. It has solid end links and a milled clasp. Adjustment links are secured by single-sided screw pins and there are six-stops of micro adjustment so it’s easy to achieve the perfect fit.

Much like the case, the bracelets on my review watches were engineered beautifully and brushed to perfection. However, on my prototype Diver I did have some issues. The security fold-over catch wouldn’t stay shut under tension from flexing the wrist, and the main outer clasp didn’t want to lock into place either. Whilst these two things combined are significant negatives, I’m sure these are prototype niggles rather than inherent design faults. Charlie at Alkin has been very receptive to my feedback and offered assurance that production watches will be thoroughly inspected as part of quality control process and not released to customers like this.

The only negative for me in terms of bracelet design is that the end links of the bracelet have a slightly soft, rounded finish which is at odds slightly with the sharp geometry of the lugs and case.

The dial

The dial is where the main differences lie between the Dual Time and the Diver, and where each sibling finds its own personality. I feel that the Dual Time is a modern design, whereas the diver has a more vintage-inspired dial. Both versions featured dual-layered dials, but the execution is completely different. On the Dual Time the centre of the dial is cut out purely to add depth and interest to the dial, with the base layer being the same colour and featuring the same vertically brushed finish as the upper layer (the blue and yellow version aren’t brushed). The diver features a sandwich dial construction with the hour markers cut out to reveal the white of the layer beneath.

The hands and applied markers on the Model Three Dual-Time share a ‘stadium shape’ design language, giving the watch a more clean, modern look. The black frames of the hands and applied indices contrast nicely against the dial, and they are filled with Super Lumi-Nova BGW9 which glows strongly at night. The indices also have considerable height which brings a sense of depth to the dial. These factors combine to ensure excellent legibility in any lighting conditions. Dial text is kept nice and simple, with just the brand name above the pinion and ‘Automatic’ below. Attention to detail is evident in a few nice design touches on the dial. Firstly, the outer rounded end of the minute hand perfectly aligns with each index as it passes over. Secondly, the length of the hour hand perfectly reaches the edge of the centre dial cut-out. And lastly, the simple stick minute hand has a lumed lollipop disk, the centre of which perfectly aligns with where the inner and outer dials meet. It’s all very pleasing to the eye, symmetrical and satisfying!

Indices on the Diver are a mix of circular hour markers and larger triangular markers at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 positions. The indices at 3, 6 and 9 are also printed with black Arabic numerals. The Diver has an all-white handset, with an arrow-shaped hour hand, a pointed sword for the minute hand, and a stick seconds hand with circular lume pip. The green dial variant of the Diver features Super Lumi-Nova X1 C3 for hands, indices and bezel markings,whereas the blue and black dials have Super Lumi-Nova BGW9. Again, lume application is consistent and glows brightly, lasting well into the night. Dial text on the diver comprises brand name above the pinion and ‘Automatic, 200m/656ft’ below.

The flat sapphire crystal on both models has an anti-reflective (AR) coating to the underside which does a reasonable, but not exceptional job.

Dial execution is impressive on both variants, with precise printing, well applied/cut-out indices, consistent brushing on the copper dial variant of the Dual Time, and nicely textured upper dial layer on the Divers.

Movement

The Model Three is powered by the Miyota 9039 Japanese automatic movement, from global brand, Citizen. This extremely reliable movement beats at 28,800 vph / 4Hz, which gives a smooth 8 ticks per second, and it’s a close competitor to the Sellita SW200 in all respects bar accuracy, which is within -10s / + 30 seconds per day.

Final Thoughts

The Alkin Model Three offers plenty of choice for buyers, with two core styles and six variants. To my tastes, the design of the diver is more successful when combined with the colourful and playful blue and green dials, which also have contrasting colour accents courtesy of the seconds hand. I feel the black and white is just a little austere for the retro design. However, there will aways be buyers for more conservative dial colours, so I’m not at all surprised that black is offered as an option. The GMT works well in all colourways and I love them all, but if I had to choose, I’d probably pick the brushed copper dial variant.

Provided Alkin can resolve the niggles that were evident with my prototype models, it’s difficult to find much to complain about considering the price point. About the only negative I can find is the end-link design, which I feel could be sharpened up a bit to better match the sharp lines of the case. A nice-to-have would be on-the-fly bracelet adjustment, but it’s certainly not expected at this price point. And I guess some people might like to see quick-release bracelet, but again, as the lugs are drilled this is not really a big negative as strap changes are relatively easy.

The Model Three offers great value for money at the full retail price. At the pre-order price of £375, it’s virtually theft! It’s solidly built, very well-designed, fit and finish is impressive, and it’s comfortable to wear. Add in strong lume and 200m water resistance and you could argue that there’s no need for another watch. However, on the flip-side, although every Model Three shares the same core attributes, the Dual Time and the Diver are sufficiently different that you could have one of each and feel like you’re not wearing the same watch!

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Design and Dial

The PerpetuaL Chronograph C-08 immediately catches the eye with its deep blue dial adorned with a mesmerizing waffle texture. This intricate pattern adds a touch of uniqueness and sophistication to the watch, setting it apart from the crowd. The dial is further elevated by steel applied Roman numeral hour markers and Breguet-style steel hands, both exuding a timeless elegance.

At 3 o’clock, a 30-minute register stands ready to record elapsed time, while a small running seconds hand resides at 9 o’clock, maintaining perfect balance on the dial. One of the most striking design features of the C-08 is the pointer date indicator positioned beneath the 12 o’clock marker—a departure from the ordinary and a testament to PerpetuaL’s commitment to innovative design.

Adding to the watch’s charm, a moonphase indicator graces the 6 o’clock position, imparting a touch of celestial beauty to the ensemble. The overall design is elegant and classy, with the deep blue dial beautifully offset by the polished indices and hands.

Case and Strap

The C-08 features a sensible 41mm diameter case with a thickness of 13mm, making it an excellent choice for a dress watch. The case is fully polished and impeccably finished, showcasing PerpetuaL’s dedication to craftsmanship.

The strap lugs, measuring 20mm in width, seamlessly integrate with the case and allow for easy strap changes. The included deep oak brown leather strap is a highlight in itself—thick and of high quality, with sturdy stitching that signifies its craftsmanship. The standard tang buckle is highly polished to match the case, with the PerpetuaL logo discreetly engraved in the center of the top bar.

Screw-in strap pins with large feature screw heads on either side of the lugs ensure a secure fit and add a touch of robustness to the watch. With a weight of 93g, the C-08 exudes a sense of quality that’s instantly noticeable when worn.

Functionality and Features

The PerpetuaL Chronograph C-08 boasts a respectable 30 meters of water resistance, suitable for daily wear and protection against unexpected splashes. Its detailed push-pull onion-shaped crown, complete with the brand’s logo engraved at the end, is a delightful touch that demonstrates PerpetuaL’s commitment to detail.

The chronograph pushers are precise and reliable, allowing for precise timing without any fuss. An anti-reflective coating on the domed sapphire crystal provides excellent visibility and reduces glare, ensuring that the dial remains easy to read in various lighting conditions.

Behind the transparent caseback, the ST1908 movement reveals its intricate beauty. This hand-wound mechanical chronograph movement may garner mixed reviews for its accuracy and reliability. However, PerpetuaL Watches stands by its performance. Founder Alex reassures customers that, when properly checked, adjusted, and maintained, the ST1908 can be highly performant and durable. This movement features a manual-winding mechanism, a 2-register chronograph with a column wheel, operates at 21,600 beats per hour (BPH), boasts 22 jewels, and offers a generous 48-hour power reserve. While it may not be the most renowned caliber, its beauty and functionality shine through when set up correctly.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the PerpetuaL Chronograph C-08 upholds the brand’s tradition of delivering sensational build quality and meticulous attention to detail, all while remaining incredibly affordable. Concerns regarding the ST1908 movement may arise, but in my experience, I have never encountered any issues. Furthermore, PerpetuaL’s rigorous testing ensures that each watch performs at its best.

The C-08 offers a remarkable combination of elegance, functionality, and affordability. With its innovative design features, exquisite craftsmanship, and transparent caseback showcasing the ST1908 movement, this timepiece is a standout in its category. If you are seeking a mechanical chronograph that doesn’t break the bank, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than the PerpetuaL Chronograph C-08.

PerpetuaL Watches continues to prove that luxury and affordability can coexist in the world of horology, and the C-08 is yet another testament to their dedication to providing exceptional watches for watch enthusiasts of all backgrounds.

The post PerpetuaL Watch C-08 mechanical chronograph review appeared first on 12&60.

Overview

The Tsuyosa (Tsuyosa being the Japanese word for ‘strength’) is an integrated sports style watch aimed at the budget conscious. The retail price is £299 and it’s available in a huge array of colours, from the vivid to the understated. It’s a versatile everyday watch that could easily be your only watch. Equally, if you’re a collector, pick a bold colour and you’ll have a fun summer watch from a legendary Japanese brand, which doesn’t break the bank.

Case and Wearing Experience

The 40mm case has an overall thickness of 11.9mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 45mm. These are certainly crowd-pleasing dimensions, however, it’s worth bearing in mind that the bracelet has ‘male’ end links which aren’t articulated, so this does add slightly to the overall span across the wrist. Generally though, the Tsuyosa is a very comfortable watch to wear.

The mid-section of the case has straight sides and is thin, with much of the overall height taken up by the caseback. This is a trick that watch brands frequently employ to minimise the perceived thickness of the case. When used in moderation this can be a clever move, however I feel Citizen has pushed this concept close to its limit here. This could be either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you like your watch to look and wear. I personally found that the watch sits slightly high on the wrist rather than bedding down into it, but this is something that you’ll quickly get used to.

The mid-section of the case has polished sides and chamfered edges to the top which run the entire length of the case including the downturned lugs. The dial-side is brushed, and the bezel is angled and polished. A tough, scratch-resistant flat sapphire crystal protects the dial and has an effective anti-reflective coating. The screw-down caseback comprises a polished stainless steel outer and an exhibition window at its centre.

The three-link bracelet tapers from 22mm to 18mm and combines rounded-top, polished centre links and brushed outer links with polished edges. The engineering tolerances for the bracelet aren’t exactly tight and it’s a bit jangly, but no more so than many watches at this price point. And in all honesty, the flexibility does bring fluidity and probably help somewhat with comfort. The simple, fold-over style stamped clasp bears the Citizen logo and has three micro-adjustment holes to help ensure a good fit. Finally, I can’t help thinking that the rounded links of the bracelet are at odds slightly with the sharp angular design of the lugs.

The push-pull crown is probably my least favourite aspect of the Tsuyosa’s design. I love the placement at the 4 o’clock position, however it’s heavily recessed into the case, so despite a having finger-nail cut-out in the case, it’s still relatively difficult to release the crown, and even more difficult to grab hold of and set the time, or wind. If it’s your only watch this probably won’t be a significant downside, however if you don’t wear it often, resetting the time could become frustrating. Of course, the trade-off is that a heavily recessed 4 o’clock crown certainly helps ensure a comfortable wearing experience!

Water resistance is 50m, which is fine, but given the versatile style of this watch it would have been nice to see a 100m rating for added confidence when using in water. 

Citizen Tsuyosa –  Dial and Hands

This is truly where the magic happens. Citizen have absolutely nailed the colour options available for the Tsuyosa, with something to please everyone. The yellow has proved to be so popular that it’s been difficult for Citizen to keep up with demand. This isn’t surprising as the yellow watches aren’t always easy to get right, but Citizen’s gorgeous, deeply saturated yellow, which leans towards orange end of the spectrum, is perfection. The light blue has also proved popular. However, the green reviewed here is a sleeper and should not be overlooked. The deep, rich emerald green with perfectly executed sunray pattern is honestly stunning in the flesh. Other colour options are more subdued: blue, black and the most recent release, a fumé teal.

The dial layout is simple, but pleasing. Classic baton-shaped applied indices, faceted to three sides, are used for the hour markers, with a double baton at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions   and a date window at 3 o’clock. The minute track is simple with no fractional markers, and printed lume squares denoting the hours. Dial text is simply the brand name and ‘automatic’, refreshingly simple. Whilst it’s inevitable that people will compare the Tsuyosa dial style to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, it’s worth bearing in mind that this is a widely used design for a reason, it just works!

Only the protruding magnifier for the date interrupts the otherwise unfussy, well-balanced approach. For most people the magnifying ‘cyclops’ will be a love it or hate it thing. I’m actually neither one way or the other on a magnifier per se. However, in this instance I didn’t find the cyclops to all that effective at enhancing the visibility of the date. For this reason, if Citizen ever brought out a no-date version, I’d opt for that!

Date window aside, legibility is truly fantastic on this watch in the daytime and at night. A strong application of Citizen’s proprietary lume ensures that that the baton-shaped hands and indices glow green well into the night. Only the seconds hand isn’t lumed.

The Movement

Flip the watch over, and through the exhibition caseback you’ll see that the Tsuyosa is powered by Citizen’s 8210 automatic movement, which has a power reserve of 40 hours and a beat rate of 21,600 vph (3Hz). You can also hand wind and hack the movement for precise setting of the time. Whilst it’s not a particularly sophisticated or accurate movement, it’s supremely reliable and the perfect choice for a watch at this price point. Citizen has chosen to finish many visible parts of the movement in a gold colour, which provides some interest and contrast to an otherwise plain-looking movement. All in all, you couldn’t really expect any more, given its price point.

Final Thoughts On The Citizen Tsuyosa

Whilst it may sound like I’ve found many shortcomings, in reality some of my negatives are subjective and the rest are minor niggles, especially given the bargain £299 retail price. The Tsuyosa is already proving to be a best seller for Citizen and it’s easy to understand why. With a stunning array of dial colours to choose from, a reliable movement made by Citizen themselves, and a versatile style that will see you right in most situations, its wide appeal is undeniable. Add to that Citizen’s five-year warranty (six if you register your watch online) and the reassurance that buying a high street brand brings, and it’s clear the Tsuyosa is a fantastic value proposition for both watch enthusiasts and mainstream buyers who are looking for their only watch. I could see some collectors buying two or three for the dial colours alone. Initially I was disappointed that I couldn’t get the yellow for review, but having lived with the green for a few weeks now I can say that, in my opinion, it doesn’t play second fiddle to any of the other colours.

Given the popularity of this watch I expect it to remain a staple watch in the Citizen line-up. Therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more colours added in the future. Even at the time of writing, Citizen has released a new fumé version in teal, which is very tempting!

Who knows, maybe we’ll even see an Eco-Drive version down the line?

There are now more integrated bracelet sports watches on the market than you can shake a stick at. However, when you’re looking for an automatic on a tight budget the choice narrows considerably, and for me the Citizen is the best option currently available at this price point from a mainstream brand. Whether that will still be the case in 12 months-time, only time will tell!

The post The Tantalising Citizen Tsuyosa – Strength in Colours! appeared first on 12&60.

Rosenbusch is a company formed in Munich by three friends with a passion for mechanical watches, and founder Eli has a background in architecture and engineering, so we’re off to a promising start. Let’s dig in and take a deep dive into what this watch has to offer…

THE CASE

The style here is ‘refined sports watch’, something suitable for almost any occasion. The three-section 316L stainless steel case has a wonderful mix of alternating finishes and Gerald Genta inspired geometry. The hexagonal bezel very much reminds me of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with its vertical brushed finish and small, polished screws at the softened corners. However, being six-sided rather than eight-sided actually makes more sense to me as it means that each screw sits precisely in line with alternate hour markers. The sides of the bezel are polished and flare out towards the mid-case.

The mid-case is brushed to the dial side and comprises a longitudinally brushed top section which transitions to a polished bottom section with sides that angle in towards the caseback. The caseback is hexagonal to mimic the bezel design, a nice touch! It’s affixed with small screws and features an engraved maze design with a rose at its centre.  You’ll also find some of the specifications engraved on the caseback, including reference to the ample 10ATM (100M) water resistance rating.

The integrated lugs angle down to meet the quick-release bracelet, which tapers from approx. 25mm to 18mm and comprises polished oval links and brushed H-shaped links. The sides of the bracelet are entirely polished. The signed screw-down crown is the perfect size and easy to operate.

Completing the case is a tough, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal which has an anti-reflective coating applied to the inside.

THE DIAL AND HANDS

There are four dial colours to choose from – Emerald Green, Stirling Silver, Deep Black, and the Midnight Blue featured here – all crafted from brass. When the light hits the dial, the Midnight Blue springs to life and the colour is rich and deep. In other lights it can almost appear very dark, almost black. The dial has a real radiance to it, thanks to what Rosenbusch describe as a ‘sunburst radial grind’.

Two design elements are deserving of a special mention here. The first is the applied indices used for the hour markers, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen a design like them before. Rounded baton-shaped polished frames surround solid blocks of lume, and both the frame and the lume itself appear to come to an apex. This impressive design is also carried over to the applied indices on the small centre dial (minus lume). Sadly, it’s something that’s very difficult to capture on camera.

The second unusual design element is the secondary inner dial, which brings with it a novel way of tracking the passing seconds. A simple stick seconds hand ticks around a fluted track, which also has tiny, applied indices denoting every five seconds. Think of it like a small-seconds sub dial, but placed centrally on the dial around the pinion. It’s a quirky feature which echoes the shape of the main dial and bezel, but also adds texture and symmetry to the face of the watch.

The hour and minute hands are a simple baton shape, and each has a centre strip of high quality Super-LumiNova BGW9 which glows blue for excellent legibility in low light. BGW9 is also used for the applied hour indices. Dial text is kept simple with just the brand name, applied logo and ‘automatic’. A nicely framed black-on-white date wheel sits at the three o’clock position. Finally, on the outer edge of the dial is a minute track on a colour-matched rehaut, with ‘Made in Germany’ printed at the six o’clock position.

THE MOVEMENT

The Quest RB35 is fitted with the Seiko NH35A automatic movement, which you can hand-wind and hack. This ultra-reliable Japanese movement beats at 21.600vph and has a 41-hour power reserve. Whilst the NH35A is not famed for high levels of accuracy (-20/+40 seconds per day) it’s a great choice to help keep the price down and many buyers will opt for this option. If you love the Quest, but want a more accurate movement, Rosenbusch has got your back, as they also offer The Quest RB200, which is fitted with the Sellita SW200, accurate to +/- 7 seconds per day.

HOW DOES THE QUEST WEAR?

The Quest is certainly a watch with wrist presence. It measures 42mm, is 11.7mm thick and has a lug to lug of 49mm. However, the oval-shaped end links are fixed and protrude slightly from the lugs, so the true maximum span is more like 53mm. The case and end links do have a downturn though, which mitigates this extra length slightly. I’d suggest it’s a watch for medium-large wrists, and in my opinion, it wears true to size or maybe even slightly larger than the dimensions suggest. Sized for my 7 ¼ inch wrist, it weighs 167g.

The stainless-steel bracelet is of excellent quality and features a double fold-over deployant clasp. This will probably be a love it or hate it thing, depending on your preferences. It’s certainly looks great, but it does mean that there are no micro-adjustments. However, on the plus side, half links are supplied, so you should be able to get a pretty good fit. A rubber strap is also included in the price, but this wasn’t part of my review package, so I can’t attest to its quality. The steel bracelet and rubber strap both feature quick-release mechanisms, so you won’t need any tools to swap out as often as you like.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Rosenbusch brings increased competition to the integrated bracelet watch market and The Quest is sure to appeal to those looking for an affordable integrated bracelet style watch. For the Kickstarter price of €469 (€669 at full retail) you’re getting a watch made in Germany with a three-year warranty that offers a good balance of specification and build quality. You get a beautiful dial and reliable movement, nice mix of finishes and some design flourishes which help it stand out from the crowd. Quick release straps are a welcome feature too.

Are there things I’d like to see changed or improved? Yes, of course, as always. From a subjective point of view, I’d love to see a 40mm diameter version. Reducing the case thickness and adding bevelled edges to the bracelet would also bring an extra level of refinement. Finally, whilst the central small seconds design brings a unique aesthetic, from a functional point of view I prefer a full-size centre seconds hand.

If you like the design of The Quest, but you place high accuracy near the top of your list of priorities, you’ll be pleased to hear that Rosenbusch also sell a premium version, called the RB200. The RB200 uses a Sellita SW200 Swiss automatic movement and has an exhibition caseback so you can view the nicely decorated Elaboré grade movement. It also beats at a higher rate, so you’ll get a smoother sweeping seconds hand. Or, if you’re after something more exclusive, then check out The Quest RBX, a limited-edition skeletonised variant!

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There are four different models in the collection, each named after a different capital city. There’s the white-dialled London, the blue-dialled Sydney, and the New York, which has a white dial and gold-coloured steel case. There is also a fourth model which is an all-black special edition called the Hong Kong. 

The Specifications

On paper, these GMTs have some pretty standard specifications, with a flat sapphire crystal that has an anti-reflective coating on each side, 50m of water resistance, and a quartz movement. I can already hear the disapproval from those who would prefer a mechanical movement to a quartz one, but the fact is that quartz is the more practical choice out of the two options. And, given that the Iota GMT is just £265, I think that a quartz movement is a perfectly fine choice for a watch at this price point. The movement in question is the Ronda 515.24H, a 1-jewel Swiss movement with a 45-month battery life and an accuracy of -10/+20 seconds per month. 

The Iota GMT’s Minimalist Design

The dial that sits above the quartz movement is an excellent example of how to design a minimalist watch. It’s simple and easy to read and has some nice design elements that separate it from poor-quality minimalist watches. The hour markers are simple batons, and on the London and New York models, these have polished surfaces that catch the light rather nicely. Meanwhile, on the Sydney, they are painted a light grey that contrasts with the rich blue dial. To break up the uniform ring of markers, the ones at twelve and six o’clock are shorter, and either black or white depending on the model. They also have an “O” at their tips that further helps to break up the dial, and together with a debossed line running down the centre of the dial, they create the illusion of two waypoints joined by a line. 

Around the hour markers is printed a simple 24-hour scale for use with the GMT hand. And, though it is pretty plain, there’s nothing wrong with that because it means that it’s easy to read and use. 

The last element to the dial is that the top half is printed with diagonal lines. These create a subtle shading effect across the dial that’s somewhat reminiscent of the bi-colour bezels seen on other GMT watches. It’s a subtle touch, but one that gives the Iota GMT a more distinctive look than it would otherwise have. 

The hour, minute and seconds hands on the Iota GMT are clean and uncomplicated sticks, with polished surfaces. The hour and minute hands are also bevelled, and this helps to make the hands appear more sophisticated than they would if they were simply flat. However, it’s here that we come across the only two negative things I have to say about the dial. The first is that the hands could be better finished. Though they look fine when I glance down at any of the watches on my wrist, up close I can see that they have marks across the polished surfaces. The second negative is that seconds hands on all three samples also don’t hit square on the hour marks, but fortunately, as there is no minute track, this isn’t too noticeable. It’s a shame because these two points are the only flaws I can see on any of the watches, but at this price point, it’s hardly the end of the world. 

Meanwhile, the GMT hand is skeletonised and coloured to blend in with the dial, with the exception of the tip, which is either black or white so that it’s easy to pick out against the dial. By having only the tip contrasting with the dial, it prevents the GMT hand from cluttering up the face, whilst not impacting the usability of the GMT function. 

Individually each element might not seem like much but brought together they make for an attractive cohesive design.

The Case & Wearability

In keeping with the simple dial, the case of the Iota GMT is equally straightforward. The finish varies between each model, with the Sydney’s case being almost entirely polished apart from the tops of the lugs. Meanwhile, the New York’s and London’s cases are almost entirely brushed, other than the sides of the bezel. It’s down to you which you prefer, but the finishing is pretty good and the case slopes inwards which stops it from being overly simple. 

The case measures 40mm across, with a 46mm lug length, and it’s just 8.5mm thick. With these dimensions, the Iota GMTs are very wearable, and they can easily slip under a shirt cuff. 

I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the leather straps the GMTs come on. They’re made from Italian Nappa leather and are noticeably nicer than the leather straps you usually see on watches of this price point. They’re very soft to the touch and are quite supple despite also being nice and thick too. As a finishing touch, they come with quick-release spring bars so that you can change them out with ease. 

Final Thoughts

Now, I know that we watch enthusiasts can often be quite dismissive of quartz watches. After all, more often than not they’re overpriced watches designed to appeal to the general consumer. However, with these GMTs Iota reminds us that we shouldn’t dismiss quartz watches outright. Because these watches show that with a bit of care and attention to detail, it’s possible for a brand to offer a well-designed and well-built quartz watch at a reasonable price. 

You can read more about the GMT collection on Iota’s website here.

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What French watchmaking looks like in 2022 is this: there are a few historical brands that strive to remain relevant and others that pushed their own boundaries and evolved, meanwhile there are a few independent brands that appeared in the past decade that have become synonymous with uniqueness in design, fine watchmaking, and approachable from a financial standpoint. Amongst these brands, one can find Baltic, Serica, and Charlie Paris. Adding to the French heritage of watchmaking is now Manime, the brainchild of Édouard Paris, a French ex-pat living in Bangkok.

Today we’re going to be taking a look at Manime’s first model, La F., which stands for “La François.” It was named after one of Édouard’s oldest and closest childhood friends.

La F. in Numbers

La F. inscribes itself on the register of reasonably-proportioned watches with a case coming in at 40mm in diameter, a lug-to-lug distance of 45mm, a thickness of 10.2mm and a lug width of 20mm. Within its thin body, one will find the Miyota 9039 movement, one of Miyota’s best movements that won’t make you break the bank. The 9039 comes with 24 jewels, 42 hours of power reserve, and beats at 28,800 BPH (4Hz.) It’s a good movement with a proven track record of accuracy and reliability. Two key features that sit comfortably within the requirements for a daily wearer. La F. is indeed an everyday timepiece that comes with modern angles and delicate finishing.

The case and mesh bracelet are made of 316L stainless steel and are adorned with fine brushing and polishing. (More on that later.) The crystal is made of a domed piece of sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating and one will find another piece of sapphire on the back of the watch. Indeed, La F. comes with a see-through case-back made of a flat sapphire crystal. This is impressive for a watch that only measures 10.2mm in thickness. To finish off the section about the specifications: the markers are applied and highly polished, and the dauphine hands are also polished and equipped with thin sections of C1 SuperLuminova. La F. comes with 50 meters of water resistance, a screw-down case-back, and a push/pull crown.

The Star of the Show: The Case

If you look at the catalogues of all micro/independent/craft brands that were created in the past decade, you will see that many of them first released a dress watch. Although I won’t point fingers at any brand, I’ve seen the same quartz-powered, thin dress watch with polished markers and dauphine hands define many brands’ debut collections. So in a sense, Manime went the same route by creating La F.: we see dauphine hands and polished markers. However, Manime went a step further than most new brands by putting a sturdy automatic mechanical movement inside the case and by endowing the latter with some serious angles.

The case of La F. is what I like the most about this model: the sides are reminiscent of yesteryear’s tonneau-shaped watches while the top and bottom sections (here understand the portions at the lugs) come with dramatic vertical cuts. It looks as if someone decided to remove part of the case with a laser while taking the time of rounding off the edges. Looking at the case from the side, we notice how straight these angles are. I absolutely love it. Which means the corners of the case are angular, and these dramatic angles are accentuated by a circular satin finish on their top and side.

Having a thickness of 10.2mm, La F. sits flat on the wrist and is comfortable to wear. The mesh bracelet is light and complements the style of the watch, and if you don’t like mesh bracelets you can easily swap it out for a strap thanks to the drilled lugs. The short lug-to-lug distance means La F. will fit many wrists not only from a wrist-to-watch-length ratio perspective but also from a visual one: the lugs are short and point down toward the wrist, following a natural flow with the mesh bracelet which contours the wrist nicely.

The Second Star of the Show: The Dial

Going back to my original point that many brands go for lacklustre dress watches for their first collection, I would like to point out the intricate—yet subtle—dial layout La F. comes with. First, we see the imposing highly polished dauphine hands, then the applied and equally highly polished markers. So far, there are a lot of polished surfaces, which indicates elegance and conservatism. Then we notice the satin, radial finish on the grey and black sections of the dial which contrast with all of the polished surfaces. These brushed surfaces create visual continuity outward looking onto the case, since the flat sections of the latter are also adorned with the same finish.

La F. might look more dressy than utilitarian but it doesn’t shy away from having some serious specifications, as we’ve seen above. Staying on the dial we notice circular lume plots on the farthest edge of the dial. These are made of C1 SuperLuminova, making La F. legible in low-lit conditions. As any proper tool watch would have, La F. has double lume plots at 12 o’clock to aid with orientation in the dark. The dial, therefore, is an intricate cross between pure horological dressiness and useful utilitarianism of tool watches that come together into a timepiece that looks just like any other one at first glance but that impresses upon closer inspection.

The Third Star of the Show: The Bracelet

I would be remiss if I were not to mention the unusual sizing feature of the mesh bracelet. 80% of the bracelet is your standard mesh bracelet affair: indeed a mesh construction with straight links and a double-deployant clasp. But Manime wanted to make the bracelet easy to adjust while being different. (Normally, mesh bracelets are adjusted with old-school-looking clasps that require you to lift a tab with a screwdriver to adjust the length.) La F. is equipped with small, high-polish links that can be removed to adjust the bracelet. This is not unique (it comes on high-end German mesh bracelets) but is rarely seen for a watch at this price point.

Final Thoughts

At first glance, La F. appeared to me as being just another dress watch. But upon taking a closer look at the specifications, I realized there was more (much more, actually) than meets the eye. From the angular case to the fine circular brushing on the various sections of the dial and case, to the convenient drilled lug holes and useful adjustment systems on the clasp. Édouard packed a lot of useful features and serious specifications in a watch that retails for a mere €339 (£229) on pre-order and €399 (£351) thereafter. I encourage you to visit the brand’s website to read more about La F. and their pre-order campaign.

The post The Manime La F. – An Affordable And Stylish French Dress Watch appeared first on 12&60.

I’ve owned two G-Shocks over the past few years, one was a 5600 variant, and the other was a 5610, both with a negative display. Which is one of the reasons I think I ended up selling both watches in the end. Whilst I liked the stealthy look of a black G-Shock with a negative display, the reality is they’re harder to read. The other reason was that, even though I know both watches were very tough, they were too light for me, and therefore they felt a bit cheap. I know that it’s a fallacy to equate weight with quality, but nonetheless, there’s something reassuring about a watch with a bit of heft to it. 

After these two brief flirtations with G-Shock, I thought that it just wasn’t a brand for me. But, a few months ago I came across the GW-5000U, a G-Shock model that seemed to fix the problems I’d had with other G-Shocks. The GW-5000 is the direct descendant of the first ever G-Shock, the DW-5000C, and in 2021 the model received an upgrade with a new module, which is denoted by the addition of the U to the model number. It’s also not a model that’s actually available in the UK, and I had to do a bit of hunting to source one from a retailer in Europe for around £200-250. 

What Separates The 5000 From The 5610? 

As you can see it’s pretty much the same classic square G-Shock design you get with the 5610, but there are a couple of minor differences. The main difference is that the GW-5000U features a steel inner core, with a screw-down case back, whereas the 5610 only has a plastic core with a steel back plate held down by four screws. This means that the GW-5000U is considerably heavier than the 5610, weighing 74g compared to 52g. The strap on the GW-5000U is also softer, which further helps it to feel more premium than the 5610. Lastly, not that it really matters, but the GW-5000U is made in Japan, and the 5610 is produced in Thailand. 

How The Casio G-Shock GW-5000U Wears

On the face of things, the GW-5000U sounds rather large, with a 43mm wide case, a 49mm length, and a thickness of 13.5mm. However, the iconic square G-Shock case is surprisingly wearable. Sure, it’s got a strong presence on my skinny 6.25-inch wrist, but it doesn’t overwhelm it. Plus, as I just mentioned, it has a high-quality polyurethane band that makes the watch very comfortable to wear. 

Of course, in addition to its wearability, the GW-5000U is also as durable as you’d expect from anything bearing the G-Shock name. In addition to its renowned shock protection, the watch is water resistant to 200m and charges off solar power. This last feature is a must-have in my book, as it eliminates the minor inconvenience of having your watch unexpectedly stop every couple of years when the battery runs out. 

The Legibility Of The Casio G-Shock GW-5000U

For legibility in the dark, the GW-5000U has a white LED backlight. This is activated by pressing the top-right button, but there’s also a neat function where if you look at the watch in the dark the watch automatically senses the movement of your wrist and switches the light on. You’re also able to adjust the length of time the light is on to either 1.5 or 3 seconds.  I know that there are those who will miss the classic electro-luminescent backlight seen on the older generations of G-Shock, but personally, I think the LED light provides excellent contrast and legibility, so it’s not a bad upgrade in my opinion. 

Speaking of legibility, the latest modules feature the clearest display seen on a G-Shock Square yet, but that doesn’t stop the GW-5000U from suffering from the same problem all digital watches have, and that’s the viewing angle for the display. By which I mean, that you can’t read the display from a wide angle, and that you need to look at it square on for it to be at its most crisp. This is the one area where I think an analogue watch has an advantage, as it’s much easier to tell the time from an oblique angle. It’s a minor point in the grand scheme of things, but one that I think is worth noting if legibility is your main concern. 

A bigger problem for me is that the GW-5000U uses a mineral crystal. Whilst the model isn’t at a price point where I expect a watch to always have a sapphire crystal, it’s an upgrade I really wish Casio would make to this model. Though the raised case of the G-Shock does offer some protection to the crystal, mineral crystal simply scratches too easily. In fact, I even managed to foolishly scratch it whilst filming outside for this review. 

You Can Never Have Too Many Features

Just like the latest 5610 model, the GW-M5610U, the GW-5000U is equipped with Casio’s 3495 module, which has more features than you can shake a stick at. I won’t list every little feature the module has, simply because I don’t want this review to just be me listing specs and features. However, to give you a broad outline of what the watch can do in addition to telling the time, it has:

• Radio-controlled timekeeping
• A day/date indicator
• World time in 48 cities across 31 time zones
• A stopwatch
• A countdown timer
• Up to five alarms
• A power-saving mode

Given that the watch can do so much, it’s pretty hard to argue that this isn’t the perfect choice of watch to take with you into the great outdoors. In fact, the only reason I can come up with to not choose a G-Shock is that I can’t connect with it on the same emotional level as an analogue watch. And that’s because there’s a certain old-fashioned charm to using a mechanical watch as a tool that really appeals to me. Perhaps it’s because they’re a reminder of a “golden age” of tool watches when the first iterations of iconic watches like the Submariner or Speedmaster were made to actually be used in adverse conditions, rather than to don the wrists of desk jockeys like myself. 

However, whilst I think it’s important to embrace those emotional connections with our watches, I think it’s also important to remember to pick the right tool for the job. Because, whilst I’ll always be attracted to the romantic idea of taking my mechanical tool watches out on an adventure, the simple fact is that this G-Shock is a much more practical and affordable watch to take on those trips. 

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re after a proper beater watch, you know that you can’t go wrong with a G-Shock. Though whether or not you should choose this GW-5000U is another matter. Because, whilst it’s a great watch, it will cost you in the region of £250, which is significantly more than a new 5610, which can be bought for around £100. Given that both models use the same module, it really comes down to whether or not you’re willing to pay 2.5 times more for the small improvements the GW-5000U offers over the 5610. Personally, I’d say, that if you’re after a G-Shock purely for its functionality, then stick with the 5610. The GW-5000U is more for those after a slightly nicer G-Shock square simply for its own sake. 

But whilst the GW-5000U might be a debatable value proposition at best, it’s still a very nice G-Shock, with a classic, understated design paired with a rock-solid build. Which is why it will remain my go-to beater for a long time yet.

You can read more about the GW-5000U, and the history of G-Shock, on the G-Shock website here.

The post I Finally Found The Best G-Shock For Me! – The Casio G-Shock GW-5000U appeared first on 12&60.

Buy the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 at Goldsmiths.

I regretted this decision until two months ago when the first images and specifications of the new Seiko 5 GMTs came out. I thought it was the perfect move from Seiko: using the iconic SKX case design and adding a GMT hand. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better beater watch and Seiko fulfilled my dreams that even I was not privy to. So let’s take a look at the black dial Seiko 5 GMT SSK001! 

The Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 Spec Sheet 

I don’t know why but I used to be intimidated by the dimensions of the SKX007 and 009 which I thought would be too big for my skinny wrist. This concern didn’t even come to mind when I made the decision to acquire the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001. Coming in with a diameter of 42mm, a lug-to-lug distance of 46mm, a thickness of 13.6mm, and a lug width of 22mm, the SSK001 fits rather nicely on my 16cm (6.25”) wrist. It does command a certain wrist presence, however, it does so in just the right way. Thankfully, the watch is quite light thanks to having a jingly Jubilee bracelet and a pressed clasp. Speaking of which, I adore the clasp, although many moan that it’s not of the milled variety. (A pressed clasp is, in my experience, more comfortable than a milled one as it sits flatter on the wrist.) 

The big aesthetic departure from the old SKX line resides in the fact that the markers are applied (not painted,) and that the aluminium bezel insert on the friction-fit bezel is covered with Seiko’s proprietary Hardlex, making the insert look like ceramic. The crystal atop the dial is also made of Hardlex and comes with generous amounts of anti-reflective coating. Furthermore, the crystal is equipped with a cyclops which makes reading the date a breeze. (I’m not even 40 and I appreciate that little detail.) Aiding in the overall legibility of the watch is the application of Seiko’s proprietary Lumibrite which glows green and bright (pun intended.) 

Inside the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001—and this is the big star of the show for me—is the 4R34 GMT movement. In typical Seiko fashion, this movement beats at 21,600 BPH (3Hz,) it has 24 jewels and comes with 41 hours of power reserve. That’s a lot of specifications for the modest price tag of $475 (480 EUR) which many would argue isn’t. This makes the SSK001 (and its colourful siblings the SSK003 and SSK005) the first in-house GMT automatic watch under $500, which is something that we were all dreaming of seeing for a long time. Seiko did it and I for one think that they did a pretty darn good job at it. 

A Very Handsome Watch 

As mentioned above, the hour markers are applied and come with highly polished surrounds. So do the hour and minute hands. Combined with the Hardlex crystal affixed on the bezel, the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 shines and the way it does varies based on from which angle you look at the watch. From the sides, all reflections become more subdued and the mirror-finish on the second half of the bezel insert majestically appears. From other angles, it’s a reflection show (in a good sense!) and the entire bezel insert looks pitch black. So there are a lot of things happening visually, whichever angle you look at the watch. Luckily, Seiko went for a matte dial and not a glossy one to balance things out. 

A distinct visual characteristic of the old SKX and its modern replacements is the design of the hour markers and hands. For the lack of a better description, the hands are very “SKX” like (I usually compare the design of the hands to something else we are familiar with) in that they are legible and come with pointy bits, akin to the end of a musket. (The shape of the hour hand looks like a truncated Sword hand while the minute hand looks like an actual arrow.) The line at the tip of the hands can also be found in the hour markers at the cardinal positions. The one at the 12, more specifically, is an inverted triangle while the ones at the 6 and 9 o’clock are oblong. The rest of the hour markers are circular. 

It would be hard to miss the broad and flashy red GMT hand. Critics say it’s a Rolex GMT hand (and they add to this comparison the date magnifier) but I would say that whoever came up with this design first, it works so very well on the SSK001. It has a distinct pointy end and reaches further than the minute hand, creating additional contrast between the two. The GMT hand points confidently at the rehaut where we can see one of the two 24-hour scales. The second one is printed on the bezel, making it possible to track two additional time zones in addition to local time. 

Random tidbit: I think the SSK001 (and the SSK003 and SSK005) are the first Seiko watches with a triple Hardlex construction. The proprietary Seiko material can be found on the bezel, atop the dial, and on the case back, letting us see the simply-finished 4R34 movement. 

Last but not least, the finish shows a nice balance of polished surfaces on the case side, the centre links of the bracelet, the coined-edge bezel, and the case back. Everywhere else the finish is of the brushed variety. This means the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 does not appear too toolish (by having brushed surfaces only) nor does it look too dressy (by having polished surfaces only.) This aspect of the watch’s construction adds to the versatility of the SSK001, which also can be found in its functionality as well as reasonable dimensions. 

Functionality, Functionality, Functionality 

The Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 is a watch full of functionality. I omitted a couple of specifications at the beginning of the review to reinforce this point. Not only does it come with a GMT complication which is useful to people who like me have family in different time zones and/or whose clients live in different parts of the globe. It also displays the date which is a must-have as I like to know how far I’ve gone in the month. It also comes with 100 meters of water resistance (with a push/pull crown) which is enough water resistance for 99% of the situations I find myself in. Lastly, the 4R34 movement is a robust piece of mechanical engineering which keeps good time (+ 4 sec/day for me.) 

Final Thoughts 

Seiko hit a home run with the new line of Seiko 5 GMT watches. They preserved the well-loved case design of the old SKX and adorned it with applied indices, a triple Hardlex construction, a poppy GMT hand, and a date magnifier. The icing on the cake is the GMT complication which adds functionality to an already functional timepiece. Although some would moan about the lack of a sapphire crystal and click bezel, I think that Seiko is giving us a lot of bangs for our bucks with this new release. As many do, I hope that the 4R34 movement will appear on other models of the Prospex line.

You can read more about the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 on Seiko’s website here.

Buy the Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 at Goldsmiths.

The post The Seiko 5 GMT SSK001 – All The GMT You Need For $500 appeared first on 12&60.

Therefore, naming this watch after him seems a fitting choice, given that it looks to pay tribute to the Hawker Hurricane and its pilots. There are three versions of the Clowes available in steel, with a retail price of £295, and a plated bronze-coloured version priced at £330. 

The Clowes Automatic Is Not For The Small-Wristed

Now, the first thing that struck me about the Clowes is its size. The steel case is a whopping 46mm in diameter, which makes it the largest watch I think I’ve ever reviewed. It’s got a lug to lug of 55mm, and a thickness of 13.5mm. As soon as I strap the watch onto my 6.25-inch wrist it’s obvious that it’s too big for me. However, the Clowes Automatic will be perfect for anyone with larger wrists after a watch with real presence. Sizing aside, the case is nicely finished, with sharp edges and even brushing. The crown is also pretty big and therefore really easy to grip. 

A Dial Packed With Details

After the overall size of the Clowes, the next thing to hit you is the dial, which is protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. The watch has a Type-B layout, but Avi-8 have taken that standard Flieger design and completely overhauled it so that the Clowes Automatic is a far cry from a basic pilot’s watch. 

Firstly, the oversized minute markers are applied 3-dimensional blocks that really pop out at you and give the dial some impressive depth. The dial itself has a bit of depth too, as it’s embossed with a camouflage pattern that evokes that used on the Hawker Hurricane. Besides the camouflage pattern on the dial, the Clowes Automatic has a ton of other nods to the Hurricane and the RAF. For starters, the counterweight on the seconds hand is the silhouette of a Hurricane. Then, above the date window, there’s the aircraft identification code for Clowes’s Hurricane – JXB, with the RAF Roundel. Above the minute track at six you’ll find the inscription: “In Omnibus Princeps”, which is Latin for “First In All Things”, the motto of the RAF’s No.1 Squadron. Another nod to the squadron can be found on the 12-hour scale, where the one is highlighted orange in contrast to the other red numbers. Lastly, the minute marker at twelve is red, white, and blue to mimic the fin flash painted on the tail of RAF planes. 

Looking at the Clowes and taking all these elements in, I think they might all be a bit much. Less is often more, but that’s just my personal opinion, and I’m sure there are many people who’ll appreciate and enjoy these touches. Plus, whilst the dial isn’t really my cup of tea, in Avi-8’s defence the Clowes is still very easy to read. The lume is also surprisingly good, and I was pretty impressed with the steady even glow that emanated from the hands and numerals. 

As a pilot’s watch, the Clowes doesn’t have a particularly high depth rating, and it’s only water resistant to a mere 50m. This is referenced across the top of the dial where the equivalent imperial measurement of 165ft is printed. 

The Clowes Automatic comes on a 22mm leather strap that tapers dramatically down to 18mm. It’s nice and thick so it pairs well with the watch, and though it’s not of the highest quality, it’s pretty much what I’d expect for an affordable watch like this. 

The Movement

Inside the Clowes beats a Seiko NH-series automatic movement. It has 21 jewels, a 3Hz beat rate, and a 41-hour power reserve. Seiko’s NH-series of calibres are well-known for their reliability, and in that regard, this is a solid choice of movement. However, the movement doesn’t have a hacking feature, so the seconds hand keeps ticking even with the crown pulled out. In this day and age, it’s a minor feature that most movements have, and I feel that one of the newer Miyota 8-series calibres would be a better choice, as they have similar specs and hacking. 

Final Thoughts

As you might’ve guessed from my comments about the Clowes’s size and dial, this isn’t a watch for me. However, those are purely subjective reasons, and there are a number of features that I really like about the watch.  I am rather fond of the 3-D markers. They aren’t something I’ve seen before at this price point, and I think they go a long way to helping the Clowes feel fresh. The same goes for the camouflage pattern on the dial. Together with the markers, it makes the dial feel very contemporary and gives it some real depth, something that’s often missing from pilot’s watches. 

My own tastes aside, the Clowes is undoubtedly a well-made watch and a strong value proposition. Avi-8 has done a good job of putting an original spin on a classic pilot’s watch, whilst maintaining the design’s legibility. The finishing of the watch is excellent, and I think that if you appreciate all the little references to the RAF and the Hurricane then this is a great watch to get. Again, whilst those references aren’t for me, at £295 the Clowes is a  well-rounded watch for the money, and it’s a solid pick for an entry-level pilot’s watch.  

You can purchase the Clowes Automatic from Avi-8’s website here.

The post The Avi-8 Hawker Hurricane Clowes Automatic – An Exceptionally Contemporary Pilot’s Watch appeared first on 12&60.

The new model is called the Spence and it’s a mere 10.9mm thick, which makes it one of the thinnest divers on the market, and certainly at this price point. The watch retails for £500 and there are five colours to choose from.

The Spinnaker Spence Feels Great On The Wrist

The sample the Spinnaker sent me is the Hickory Brown colourway, and as I said it’s a very comfortable watch on the wrist. In addition to being very thin, the steel case is 40mm across with a lug-to-lug measurement of 48mm. These dimensions are an ideal sweet spot for most wrists, and it means that the Spence doesn’t feel too big or too small. When I’m wearing it the Spence feels very reminiscent of the Black Bay 58, which is unsurprising, because as you can see from the design it’s really channelling that big crown Submariner vibe. 

Speaking of crowns, the large screw-down crown on the Spence is nice and easy to grip and use. The same goes for the uni-directional bezel, which has absolutely zero back play and turns with a very satisfying series of smooth clicks, though unfortunately it is slightly misaligned. The overall finish of the case is pretty decent too, with nice even brushing, but I think that the case chamfers could be a bit sharper. 

You Get Two Straps For The Price Of One

The Spence comes with two strap options – a steel oyster bracelet and a water-resistant leather strap. The bracelet is of good quality for the price point and the links are nice and thin so that they don’t overpower the watch. The bracelet uses male end links, which makes the Spence wear a bit larger on the wrist, however, they curve sharply downwards, so they don’t make a massive difference compared to using female end links. But I do think that I’d have preferred it if the Spence had female end links. 

The clasp is the standard design found on many affordable watches, and it’s got six micro-adjustment positions, making it easy to find a comfortable fit for the bracelet. If I had to be picky, I’d say that the clasp is a bit big given the size of the watch, but then again I don’t expect a custom clasp at this price point.  

The leather strap is supple and has a nice buckle, but the material isn’t the best quality. Fortunately, the lugs are 20mm, so you’ve endless aftermarket options if you’d prefer to try the Spence on another strap. Personally, I think the Spence looks fantastic on an olive green NATO, which gives the watch a bit of a military vibe. I would have liked to have seen the Spence come with drilled lugs to help with strap changes, but their absence isn’t the end of the world. 

The Spinnaker Spence Isn’t Just For Show

In addition to being incredibly thin, the Spence also has some decent specifications. Firstly, it’s water resistant to 300m, which is pretty impressive given its size. It’s also got a sapphire crystal and is powered by a Miyota 9039 movement. Most of us will be familiar with this Japanese automatic calibre as it’s widely used by brands after an affordable and reliable movement. It features 24 jewels, a 4Hz beat rate, and a 42-hour power reserve. 

The lume is probably the one area that lets the Spence down. It’s bright enough when charged, but it soon dims to a faint glow. Its only saving grace is that as the hands and markers are fairly big, they’re easier to read in the dark. 

A Design That’s Familiar But Not A Homage

When it comes to design, the key elements of the Spence are all fairly standard. The dial follows the classic Submariner layout, and it’s paired with a simple broad arrow handset. However, Spinnaker has added a few extra touches that make the design feel fresh. 

For example, the use of brown is an obvious reference to “tropical” vintage dive watches that have patinaed with age, whilst the dial has a subtle sunburst to it that creates a range of shades, rather than a flat block of colour. A couple of other nice touches are that the hour markers have a white border, and the lollipop on the seconds hand is orange. 

All these things help the Spence to feel familiar whilst not being too derivative of any specific watch. The resulting design is both simple, attractive, and legible without looking boring. Often watches like this can look very similar to one another, but I think that Spinnaker has done a great job of putting a bit of a spin on a classic dive watch styling. 

The one element of the design that I’m not particularly fond of is the lumed inserts on the bezel. The colour of the lume doesn’t match that on the dial and hands, and the finishing of them isn’t great. Whilst I like the concept, I think the Spence would look a lot cleaner if all the markings on the bezel were silver instead. 

My Thoughts On The Price Of The Spinnaker Spence 

Regarding the £500 price tag, I think that there are some people who are used to Spinnaker pricing their watches a bit cheaper than the Spence, and who will find its asking price a little on the high side. It’s completely understandable as the Spence is definitely at the top end of Spinnaker’s catalogue, with most of the brand’s watches priced well under £500. Personally, I think the Spence could be slightly cheaper to make it a more tempting affordable value proposition. However, the price of the Spence compares pretty favourably to similarly specced thin dive watches like the Baltic Aquascaphe, which costs approximately £676 including tax, or the NTH Subs, which cost £650. The Spence also has a very similar case design to the NTH Subs, so it’s a good alternative to the NTH if the price of that watch is a bit steep for you. 

Final Thoughts

I think it’s fair to say that the Spinnaker Spence is not without its flaws. In my opinion, there are a few minor things here and there that hold it back from being a truly incredible piece. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still a good watch. 

It’s got some good specifications, a solid build quality, and it’s powered by a reliable movement. And, as I keep harping on about, it really is exceptionally wearable. I’m also a big fan of this brown version. Brown is a colour that I think is very underused in watch design. It might sound odd, but it allows for a more unusual look without coming off as gimmicky. 

Overall I think that the Spinnaker Spence is a solid pick for anyone after a fun, easy-to-wear diver at an affordable price. It ticks a lot of the boxes whilst managing to offer an original look to a classic design. 

You can read more about the Spence 300 on Spinnaker’s website here.

The post The Spinnaker Spence 300 – One Of The Thinnest Dive Watches You Can Get appeared first on 12&60.

A couple of weeks ago they got in touch about their new Iron series, and yearning for something different to my usual watches, I agreed to take a look. The watches have just launched on Kickstarter, and are priced at a very reasonable $550 or $319 on pre-order. 

The Specifications 

The Iron X features a sapphire crystal, a dial applied with Super-LumiNova, and 50m water resistance. The movement is an automatic Miyota 82S7, which has 21 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve. All of which is pretty standard for an affordable field watch from a microbrand. 

Of course, if you take one look at the Iron X you’ll see its design is anything but standard. 

A Striking Design

Pretty much every aspect of the Iron X breaks the mould. The design is supposedly influenced by the Jeep, and Olto-8 have sought to reference the vehicle with elements like the split circles at the corners of the case, and the X-shaped skeletonised dial. In all honesty, I don’t really see the connection between the two, and I think the Iron X can stand on its own without needing to shoehorn a reference to Jeep into the copy. 

Putting the overblown marketing material to the side, what we do have is a pretty striking skeletonised watch. The square case is reminiscent of a Bell & Ross, and I think it’s pretty well finished. The brushing is very regular and there’s lots of curves and angles that make the case visually interesting. Square and rectangular cases can often be quite dull, and it’s nice to see that Olto-8 haven’t been lazy in this regard. 

That said, as nice as the case is, it’s the dial that’s the talking point of the watch. It’s semi-skeletonised with multiple layers that add some fantastic depth to the watch. The dial is well-finished for this price point too, with just a few miniscule marks visible on the hands and markers. 

It’s often the case that skeleton dials are difficult to read, but I’m pleased to say that that’s not the case here. Olto-8 made the smart decision to give the Iron X bold rose gold hands and markers that are easy to distinguish against the black dial. 

The watch has two sub dials. The first is a running seconds dial located above 6 o’clock. The second is a 24-hour sundial next to 9 o’clock. Both operate by using a transparent disc to pass underneath a circular cut out. It’s an interesting idea but unfortunately both are a little hard to read, which makes them a bit redundant. 

There’s Lume Everywhere!

The Iron X is also a pretty impressive spectacle in the dark. When it came to applying the Super-LumiNova, Olto-8 chose to put it on everything from the hands and markers to the dial text. They even lumed the split circles on the case, which glow blue in contrast to the green lume on the dial. The overall effect is rather striking in the dark, and the lume lasts a reasonable amount of time thanks to the amount used on the hands and markers. 

However, I don’t think Olto-8 should have bothered luming the dial text and minute track. The reason being that the print here is so fine they’ve clearly struggled to get an even application of Super-LumiNova, and it’s noticeably patchy in places. And, as they couldn’t get much on those areas anyway, it doesn’t glow that brightly either. 

How It Wears

The case of the Iron X measures a pretty daunting 46mm across, but it actually wears surprisingly well thanks to a very short lug to lug of 43mm. Combined with a very reasonable thickness of 12.5mm, this makes the Iron X surprisingly wearable, even on dainty-wristed guys like me. Of course, it’s still pretty large, and it’s definitely a watch for people who want to wear something large. The watch comes on a brown leather strap, that’s pretty supple and very comfortable. I was pleased to see that it also has quick release spring bars for easy strap changes. The strap is of average quality overall, but it’s perfectly fine for a watch at this price point. 

Final Thoughts 

Olto-8’s Iron X is one of those watches that won’t have universal appeal. Its design is simply too far off the current industry trends for that. But that’s by no means a bad thing, because it’s doing something different at an affordable price point. For $550, or $319 on pre-order, you can get an interestingly designed watch with decent specs and build quality. 

If you’re after a well-priced statement piece that’s got an original design, then I think the Iron X is a solid choice. It wears well on the wrist despite its size, and it’s also easy to tell the time on, despite the complexity of the design. 

You can pre-order the Iron X from Olto-8’s Kickstarter page here. 

The post Olto-8 Iron X Review – A Futuristic Skeletonised Field Watch appeared first on 12&60.