Case and Wearing Experience

The CLAVIUS comes in a choice of two finishes, Black (Black dial with titanium case), or the Black Edition tested here, which features a black PVD case for a stealthy monochromatic look. The large 44mm diameter case of the CLAVIUS is a bold choice for such a simple watch with not much going on. However, don’t for one minute think that this is a bulky watch, far from it! With an overall thickness of just 9.1mm and no lugs to speak of, although it looks large, this can be worn on a surprising range of wrist sizes. It’s comfortable too, weighing in at a featherweight 42g without the strap, thanks to its Tri-Titanium case. As the name suggests, three different compounds of aluminium are used, with each alloy specifically chosen for its unique qualities best suited to the section of the case it’s used for – the bezel, the mid-case and the caseback. This makes the watch extremely light, strong, resistant to corrosion, anti-magnetic and hypoallergenic. Most of the case has a brushed finish, but sandblasting has been used to the undercut sections of the rear.

Whilst the case comprises three sections, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a two-section case as the integration of the thin bezel and mid-case is virtually seamless. The caseback doesn’t protrude from the mid-case either as the entire depth of the movement, sapphire crystal and slim caseback outer ring are entirely sunken into the internals of the casing. This is discrete and a nice touch.

Another point of distinction is the geometry of the case, which is best appreciated when viewed in profile so that the attractive architectural arc of the rear is visible. A small, signed crown sits at three o’clock, which is surprisingly grippy thanks to the deep knurling and easy to grab hold of thanks to the undercut case design. However, this does also leave it somewhat more vulnerable to accidents!

The sapphire crystal is very slightly domed and has anti-reflective (AR) coating on both sides. The AR does a reasonable job, but for a minimalist watch that’s nearly all black, I feel that there is still too much reflection. Water resistance is just 50m, but this is fine as it’s not really the sort of watch you’re likely to take into the water anyway.

The lug width on the CLAVIUS is a broad 22mm and BOTTA offers a choice of six different straps, including stainless steel options. My watch came on a black unpadded organic leather strap with matching stitching, two keepers, and a simple black pin buckle. It tapers from 22mm to 20mm, and the leather is incredibly soft and supple with zero wear-in period needed. Whichever strap option you choose, they all continue the minimalist, ‘nothing unnecessary’, design language. Plus, with a 22mm lug width, it’ll be relatively easy to pick up an aftermarket strap if you prefer.

The Dial and Legibility

Working from the outside in, the main lower dial is a matt dark grey with simple, but slightly raised, printed batons for each hour marker, which are slightly thicker and longer for each of the cardinal points. The bright green hour and minute hands are only visible in this sector of the dial. The visible part of the hour hand is a stubby isosceles trapezoid shape which extends halfway across the outer dial, and the minute hand is a thin tapering triangle which extends nearly to the edge of the dial.

A large matt black disc obscures most of the lower dial and is raised to the underside of the sapphire crystal adding much needed sense of depth. This disc also conceals the stems of all three hands and the pinion. Arabic numerals in grey can be found at 6, 9 and 12 o’clock positions. Rectangular apertures are precisely cut out from the centre disk, through which you catch glimpses of the white seconds hand as it jumps from window to window in one second increments, in a manner somewhat reminiscent of a dead-beat seconds complication. This is very much the party trick of the CLAVIUS and what makes it unique. It’s ingenious in its simplicity and mesmerising to watch! Even though you know that underneath the floating dial, the seconds hand must be moving regularly at 8 beats per second like a normal automatic watch, no matter how hard you try, you can’t perceive it and you’d swear it’s only ‘ticking’ once per second. The BOTTA logo and ‘automatic’ text are cut-out at the 3 o’clock position, and this text fades in and out when the white seconds hand passes once a minute. 

Although the dial is uncluttered, I wouldn’t say legibility is a strength of the CLAVIUS. Even though the hands are bright, only small sections are visible. And whilst, of course, this is part of the design, I think the overall aesthetic could be retained whilst decreasing the size of the centre floating disk slightly to allow for larger visible sections of the hour and minute hands. Similarly, in low light, it can be difficult to see the time at a glance as the Super-LumiNova is fairly poor and doesn’t glow very brightly. For a watch such as this, I feel that the lume should be exceptional, but it’s sadly not.

Finally, whilst the CLAVIUS does have an anti-reflective coating applied to both sides of the sapphire crystal, I’d like to see reflections reduced further still. With a big expanse of all-black/dark grey dial and a domed shape crystal reflections are bound to be more prominent than on most watches.

Movement

BOTTA has opted for a Elaboré grade Sellita SW200-1 to power the watch, which can be seen through the exhibition sapphire caseback. This simple, but robust and accurate Swiss automatic movement has also been ‘individually adjusted by hand’, although BOTTA doesn’t elaborate any further on this. A custom rotor has also been fitted and bears the ‘CLAVIUS’ name acid etched in a gold colour. A nice design detail has also been etched into the rotor which mimics the cut-out dial apertures for the ‘digital’ seconds track on the front of the watch.

Final thoughts…!

I imagine the CLAVIUS will be a bit of a ‘marmite’ watch that will appeal to a narrow cross-section of buyers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it means that it’s daring to be different and stands out from the crowd. I can see it appealing to lovers of modernism, younger generations who have been raised on smart watches but have an interest in mechanical watches, and seasoned watch enthusiasts and collectors looking to add some novelty to their collection. However, given the CLAVIUS’ $1953 / €1830 price tag (at time of writing), it’s a big ask to expect the CLAVIUS to tempt people away from more conventional historied Swiss brands such as Oris, Longines and Hamilton at similar price points.

With a reliable Swiss movement, sapphire sandwich and titanium case, the CLAVIUS offers solid specifications, but nothing out of the ordinary. So, I guess its appeal will lie in its design-led, Bauhaus-inspired modernist aesthetic. BOTTA certainly puts out some distinctive watches, and CLAVIUS with its ‘digital’ seconds is perhaps one of the most unique of the brand’s two-handers. But the watch’s simplicity might be a stretch too far for some, and it could be argued that with such a large expanse of negative space on offer, a 40mm case might have sufficed.

With a watch this stripped down, I feel that what remains needs to be amplified. More extravagance could be lavished by way of top-tier engineering such as an oil-filled dial for the ultimate legibility, flawless execution of solid luminescent blocks for the hands, or applied indices cut with precision.

I admire BOTTA for doing things a little differently and the brand certainly has a niche. The CLAVIUS is a very clever design, without being complicated or expensive to manufacture. It’s a strikingly modern watch and a unique conversation piece, with a party trick certainly intrigues!

The post BOTTA CLAVIUS Review – The Bauhaus Watch With A Party Trick Up Its Sleeve! appeared first on 12&60.

At first glance, the C1 Moonphase’s dial, crafted from aventurine—a glass infused with reflective flakes of copper oxide—draws you into its mesmerizing celestial display. Each piece of aventurine being unique, every watch becomes an individual masterpiece. The starry night sky effect, a result of the reflective copper oxide, grants the dial an ethereal quality that is simply breathtaking. Capturing the shimmering stars at varying angles, the dial is the heart of this timepiece, outshining everything else.

The decision to strip the dial of unnecessary embellishments, including the logo, directs your attention to the elegant handset and the oversized, perpetually moving moon. Notably, the highly polished and meticulously crafted hands complement the watch’s overall aesthetic, creating a captivating visual allure that is hard to resist.

A standout feature of the C1 Moonphase is its Globolight moons, which rotate on an aventurine disc. These moons, coated with a four-color print of the actual moon, present a three-dimensional appearance with enhanced accuracy. Unlike its predecessor, the C1 Moonglow, the C1 Moonphase emits a pure white glow in the dark, owing to its ceramic and Super-LumiNova composition.

Behind this celestial spectacle lies the genius of Calibre JJ04, an in-house modular movement, seamlessly linking the moon’s phase to the hour hand. With a power reserve that can faithfully track the moon’s phase for an astonishing 128 years, the craftsmanship of the JJ04 movement is an ode to the magic of traditional mechanical watchmaking. Advancing the position of the moon is as simple as pulling the crown out to the first position and rotating it counterclockwise.

Christopher Ward’s attention to detail extends to the watch’s construction as well. The inclusion of a box-sapphire crystal, coated on both sides with an anti-reflective layer, ensures unparalleled clarity and visibility, elevating the wearer’s experience to new heights.

On the wrist, the smooth leather strap, equipped with a quick-release system, offers an understated yet refined touch. The suppleness of the leather and the seamless functionality of the Bader clasp contribute to an overall luxurious wearing experience. However, the buckle’s design may result in a slight top-hang on the wrist, a minor but noticeable detail.

Crafted with a 40.5mm case featuring a seamless blend of brushed and polished surfaces, the C1 Moonphase exudes a level of finishing comparable to renowned luxury brands. The well-proportioned crown with a simple yet effective grip and the deeply embossed twin flags motif add a touch of sophistication and elegance.

Considering the price, one might question whether the adoption of the Sellita SW288-1 could have reduced the cost compared to the custom JJ04 module. Nevertheless, when juxtaposed with its contemporaries like the Farer Moonphase, retailing at a comparable price, the value proposition of the C1 Moonphase becomes evident. In comparison to other moonphase watches, such as the Meistersinger Lunascope, priced at more than double, the C1 Moonphase provides exceptional value for money, showcasing Christopher Ward’s commitment to delivering a superior timepiece.

In terms of specifications, the C1 Moonphase impresses with a 40.5mm diameter, 13.3mm height, 47.9mm lug-to-lug, and a lightweight 67g build. The Sellita SW200-1 movement with the JJ04 module speaks volumes about the craftsmanship and functionality of this masterpiece. With a power reserve of 38 hours, 26 jewels, and a tolerance of -20/+20 seconds per day, the C1 Moonphase ensures reliability and precision for the discerning wearer.

Retailing at £2,120/$2,475/€2,655 on a bracelet and £1,995/$2,325/€2,495 on a leather strap, the Christopher Ward C1 Moonphase undoubtedly represents a new pinnacle in the brand’s commitment to excellence and innovation. With its celestial charm, meticulous craftsmanship, and exceptional value for money, the C1 Moonphase stands as a testament to Christopher Ward’s unwavering dedication to the art of watchmaking. Whether you’re an ardent collector or a discerning enthusiast, the C1 Moonphase promises to be a timeless addition to any watch connoisseur’s collection.

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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.

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We have been spoiled by Spinnaker for some time; in that, they consistently create pretty great diving watches for a very reasonable price; usually under £250. This new Croft Midsize Limited Edition made me take a second glance at the RRP though, as it’s been a little while since I saw one of their watches cost £310. Granted, these are limited editions – with a run of 1000 watches over 3 models, and offer a slightly more special appearance thanks to the skeletonised Seiko NH70 movement. However, all is not lost, as if you use my code WIAA20, you’ll get 20% off it, making it a more reasonable £248.

Without further ado, let’s check it out.

Spinnaker Croft Midsize Specs

• Dimensions: 40mm diameter x 14.6mm height x 47mm lug to lug
• Weight: 100g
• Water resistance rating: 15ATM / 150m
• Movement: Seiko NH70
• Accuracy: 16.4 sec / day
• Lug width: 20mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: £310; use code WIAA20 for 20%, off making it £248
• Buy here: https://spinnaker-watches.co.uk/products/croft-mid-size-skeleton-automatic-hazy-sunset-sp-5095-01

This model is known as the “hazy sunset”, and it’s a delightful balance of vintage colours and finishes, the complexities that come with a skeleton dial, and the bold design requirements of an actual dive watch.

The base of the dial is purely exposed Seiko NH70 movement, with a smokey layer applied on top to increase the limited legibility. Legibility on a skeleton watch is always going to be an issue, however, they’ve attempted to get the best of both worlds here.

Talking about the movement, the NH70 is a skeletonised version of the ever-popular Seiko NH35, which you’ll find in the majority of affordable automatic watches. Whilst the NH35 is industrial at best with its finishing (read: plain and boring), the NH70 is certainly a step above, and they’ve done a great job in making it look surprisingly well finished considering the budget aspect of it. Specs include a low best rate of 21.6k bph, hacking seconds hand, hand and automatic winding, and an approx 41-hour power reserve.

Spinnaker has also added a custom application to the rotor, making the rear of the movement, visible through the exhibition caseback, appear a lot fancier than the plain stock option.

Moving back to the dial; the hands are thick and bold, ensuring optimum visibility on top of the complex movement; as well as the simple mix of disc and baton hour markers. They all have a brushed light bronze finish to them, continuing the vintage theme from the case.

The case is a great size and shape. On my approx 7” wrist, it fits excellently and I have no complaints at all. Whilst 14.6mm sounds tall, it wears a lot thinner thanks to the slender profile which contracts a lot from the sides to the top of the crystal and bottom of the caseback.

I must admit, I have questions about the case on this model. It’s described as steel, so either the description is wrong, or this is an applied coating, which might rub off in time.

The screw-in crown is a delight to use, with an effective grip and sturdy thread. Spinnaker used to sign their crowns with a motif based on the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, but now they opt for some sort of fancy N. It looks nice from a design standpoint, but I’m not sure of the connection. Whatever the case, it’s nicely finished and well engraved.

Moving on to the bezel; it’s a simple enough aluminium insert, but it’s wonderfully executed. Lume-filled numerals and dashes, little neat dents at each minute, and a tidy red triangle at 12 with lumed pip within.

This brings us on to the lume, which is excellent. Thickly applied on all elements, it charges quickly, glows brightly, and lasts a while. Why can’t some of the more expensive brands just get their lume right?

Finally, we come to the strap. I always find Spinakker straps to be nice and thick, supple and high quality. I’m pleased to say that’s not changed here. It has a rustic matte brown finish to it which will age well, topped off with some cream stitched detailing at the lug ends. The buckle seems to have had a slight revamp to their usual too, with a more angular approach. It’s got a matching finish / coating to the case, which works well with the brown. The logo is neatly engraved on the top bar.

Spinnaker Croft Midsize Limited Edition Final Comments

I applaud Spinnaker for trying something different. In fact, these are their only skeleton models available. From top to bottom, it’s a genuinely lovely watch too – with Spinnaker’s usual excellent build quality. I like the vintage / rustic aesthetic, which is tastefully done. It also provides some of the best legibility on a skeleton watch I’ve seen before thanks to the smokey opaque dial and bold hands and simple layout. So if you’re after a skeleton watch, but have concerns for readability then this could be just for you.

The RRP of £310 is a bit steep for me, but using code WIAA20 for 20%, making it £248, is much more reasonable. For that, you get a solid 150m diver with a flourish that’s not the norm.

The post Spinnaker Croft Midsize Limited Edition Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

The colourways of the Hitchcock Automatic are inspired by the various polo clubs Hitchcock represented over the years, which is a well-thought-out touch. This one being the “Cooperstown” blue.

At £275, is it worth it? Let’s check it out.

The specs

• Dimensions: 43mm diameter x 14mm height x 51mm lug to lug
• Weight: 91g
• Water resistance rating: 5ATM / 50m
• Movement: Seiko NH35
• Accuracy: -2.1 sec / day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: RRP £275, use code WIAB for 15% off making it £233.75
• Buy here: https://avi-8.co.uk/pages/p-51-hitchcock-automatic

There are two key standout features on the P-51 Mustang Hitchcock: the dial, and that eye-catching crown guard.

Firstly, the crown guard, which supposedly echos the engine exhaust of the aircraft this watch is in honour to. It’s slightly reminiscent of Panerai, however, this guard cannot be manipulated or opened in any way – it’s simply a bar over the crown, allowing you just enough room to pull it out to set the watch. Setting it is pretty fiddly too, as you have to navigate around the bar and use just the very tips of your fingers. But, it sure does look cool.

The second outstanding thing about this watch is the dial. The Hitchcock’s multilayered dial is drawn from both the cockpit and body of the P-51 Mustang, offering depth, texture, detail and all sorts of style wrapped into one. The sandwich aspects of a number of the hour markers exemplify the industrial feel, as well as the faux screws which look pretty good. The plate sitting on the top right corner of the dial is a neat touch too.

The hands are just the right size, width and length, with a bold border to provide great legibility.

The lume has surprised me too. It’s not stated what type it is, but it sure is strong and charges fast.

The case itself has a sleek contoured shape, which wears better than the 43mm diameter and 13mm height suggests. Whilst the mirror-like polished finishing on the sides is not going to stay perfect for long, it does impress on the wrist.

The domed sapphire crystal is very reflective, but you do get a pleasing flash of blue anti-reflective coating at certain angles, albeit not very effective.

The identifiable padded leather strap is a genius design, inspired by the style of the P-51 Mustang’s seats. It’s beautifully soft, supple and comfortable straight out of the box, with a complimentary deep blue colour and light blue stitching.

Found within the Avi-8 P-51 is the Seiko NH35 movement. A tried-and-tested movement that’s in nearly every sub-£500 automatic. In a tribute to Hitchcock’s heroics outside the cockpit, the case back features the words “Ten Goal Tommy,” referencing his 10-goal handicap in polo. It’s coming in at a pretty amazing -2.1 sec/day.

Final comments

I think it’s a strong watch for £233.75 with code WIAB. Very clever design, and above-standard execution for the price point. It’s going to appeal to aviation fans more than anyone else, of course, but I’m impressed by the thought that’s gone into the various aspects linking back to the P-51 Mustang plane itself, but also to Tommy Hitchcock too.

The post Avi-8 P-51 Mustang Hitchcock Cooperstown Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

I’d like to start by getting all of the cricket nods out of the way – and there are quite a few. Let’s begin with the stainless steel bezel. The markings on the bezel count down the remaining overs in a short form cricket match, such as T20 or up to 50 overs for One Day Internationals. If you’ve ever spent a lazy Saturday watching your local cricket side you’ll find it surprisingly easily to lose track of the overs among other things, so I can see the bezel actually being useful if you like to pay close attention to the match. The full markings, which are larger at each five minute interval, are entirely usable for whatever else you might want though.

I like stainless steel bezels, and especially ones with very fine circular brushing as seen here. Although a 60 click bezel (i.e. one click per over) might make more sense, Bangalore Watch Company have opted for a 120 click bezel due to the better feel. There is also a second, more subtle cricket reference with the knurling around the edge replicating the pattern of a bat’s grip. I could have missed this small detail if I hadn’t seen it mentioned elsewhere, but I feel it’s a good thing not to be smacked in the face with all of the details at once. That same pattern is also seen on the push/pull crown.

This is the second sandwich dial watch I’ve reviewed recently, and although I’m still not a great fan I have to say that it is again done well with crisp cut outs leaving large lumed areas. The three stumps at the 12 o’clock position represent the wicket, with only the indices at four and six being represented as numbers (four and six being the boundary scores in cricket). Again, this detail is just about subtle enough to be charming rather than clumsy.

The dial of this particular version of the Cover Drive, named ‘Outfield’, is a deep matte green with a matching chapter ring to mark out the minutes. The hour and minute hands are filled with C3 SuperLuminova, as is the sandwich dial. The hands are fairly conservative in style with the exception of the counterweight of the second hand which takes the form of a cricket bat.

On the reverse of the case is a lovely embossed image of a cricketer performing a cover drive. I’m happy to go on record and say I prefer an interesting engraving on a case back rather than a view of a rotor of a stock movement. The finishing of the case is up to the same standard as the bezel, with excellent brushing from top lug to bottom and a polished chamfer running along each edge.

At 40mm in diameter and 48mm from lug to lug this hits my sweet spot. Height is listed at 12.5mm to the top of the domed sapphire, but on my wrist I would say it doesn’t feel as tall as that. In fact, the whole package feels slightly more compact than the specs suggest. The leather strap provided is of good quality, but I’d probably look to pair this watch with something less formal. Bangalore Watch Company market this as a ‘go anywhere, do anything’ watch and that’s fair. It’s not a dive watch despite the rotating bezel and not really a tool watch either, but it’s smart enough on leather to be worn with a formal shirt. With a 20mm lug width there should be plenty of other options out there to dress the watch down a bit if required.

So, with the over-counting bezel, cricket bat grip knurling, wicket and boundary dial markings, cricket bat seconds hand, outfield dial colour and the case back imagery, the Cover Drive does go quite far with the theme. Somehow it doesn’t feel too far though. Aside from the bezel markings, most of the details would draw inquisitive looks rather than seeing just a ‘cricket inspired’ watch. With the Swiss automatic Sellita SW200 and excellent dial and case finishing, Bangalore Watch Company are certainly backing the design up with quality.

Oh, and I’ve just spotted the cricket ball at the top of the chapter ring too.

The Cover Drive is priced at around £550 and available from https://www.bangalorewatchco.in/

Specs

• 40mm case diameter
• 48mm lug to lug
• 12.5mm height
• 20mm lug width
• 100m water resistant
• Sellita SW200 movement
• Sapphire crystal with internal AR
• 120 click bezel
• Push/pull crown

The post Bangalore Cover Drive Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

In this special edition, the multilayered and skeletonised dial of the watch incorporates a unique piece of Harrier XV741’s fuselage, under the index at 12. The standard versions are £360, so I feel a premium of £35 is pretty good for something that cool.

Limited to 741 pieces, it’s a stunning, uniquely designed watch with one hell of a dial. Let’s check it out to see if it’s worth it.

The specs

• Dimensions: 44mm diameter x 13.5mm height x 52mm lug to lug
• Weight: 92g
• Water resistance rating: 5ATM / 50m
• Movement: Miyota 82s7
• Accuracy: +21.2 sec/day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: £395, 15% off with code WIAB – £335.75
• Buy here: https://avi-8.co.uk/products/xv741-automatic-blue-nylon-limited-edition

With a 44mm diameter, it does feel quite large for me and my ~7” wrists. With a height of 13.5mm and a pretty flat case, with no particular downturn on the lugs, I feel like it balances a bit like a saucer on the top of my wrist, unfortunately. Watch size is down to personal preference, but I think it would be a much nicer watch to wear had it been 42mm.

The case itself also doesn’t particularly reach out to me either, due to the finishing. Gunmetal is awesome, you can’t deny that – but the polished finishing Avi-8 have used is a little bit tacky looking in my eyes. It also picks up fingerprints like crazy.

One interesting feature is that the XV741’s takeoff and landing coordinates from the Transatlantic air race are etched into the case sides. The push-pull crown is easy to use with good deep grip, featuring the RAF roundel deeply and neatly engraved on the end.

Let’s face it, the dial is truly unique. I like it, it’s unusual without looking like it’s trying too hard – if you know what I mean. The bold hands are super – in terms of design, construction and legibility, and despite a complex and detailed dial with loads of depth to it, the dial as a whole is not overbearing at all.

The running seconds hand is located at 4:30, an interesting skeletonized disc, supposedly mirroring the front profile silhouette of the Harrier XV741. The “11.29 miles” on the seconds hand display represents the average distance per minute flown during the race (0.89 mach or 677.5 mph equates to 11.29 miles every 60 seconds).

The frame surrounding the 24-hour indicator at 9 is inspired by the shape of the Harrier’s cockpit, whilst the dial itself is not a hand, but rather a rotating disc with a detailed bridge over the top with an arrow.

The green metal bar positioned horizontally across the middle is striking, both in terms of a lovely injection of colour, but also in terms of construction.

Surrounding the dial is a lovely knurled rehaut, which looks fantastic and frames the dial so well. It’s a simple thing that shows impressive attention to detail.

The unique piece of Harrier XV741’s fuselage under the index at 12 is a marvellously unique aspect of the watch, done in a really tasteful way.

Avi-8 have labelled the lume as “Swiss lume”. This is likely Swiss SuperLuminova; the strength is average.

The movement is labelled as a “Miyota 8 series”, but after some digging, I identified it as the 82s7 https://miyotamovement.com/product/82S7/. It runs at 21.6k bph, has a 42-hour power reserve, and 21 jewels. It does not have a hacking seconds hand. The custom rotor to mimic the Rolls Royce Pegasus engine on the Harrier looks fantastic and is very responsive.

The exhibition caseback is quite industrial looking with a load of specs engraved around the window. It has a brushed finish, which in my opinion looks a lot better than the rest of the case and I’d much prefer it if the entire case was finished this way.

The strap is as good as always for Avi-8; I find them thick, rugged and sure to put in a shift. It’s a little stiff out of the box but it’ll loosen up.

The XV741’s participation in the air race was given the code name “Operation: Blue Nylon”. Hence, an additional nylon and canvas strap has been included. This strap, however, is a bit of a conundrum for me.

Firstly, it’s like a strap I’ve never come across before. Once I figured out how to put it on, it was overly bulky, lumpy and generally a bit uncomfortable. Whilst it’s cool that you get a free strap, it’s not one that I’ll end up wearing.

Final comments

I’ve been struggling to make my mind up about this watch for a while now. But, I feel my concerns do not overpower the positive points of the watch. The case as a whole makes me utter a hard “meh”, but the sensational dial completely makes up for it.

Whilst I don’t particularly care too much about whether it has the unique piece of the Harrier XV741’s fuselage under the “0”, I appreciate the historical relevance it would possess to many watch and aviation aficionados. I do find it pretty cool and it would certainly be a talking point.

With code WIAB, £335.75 is a fair price to pay. Whilst it’s not completely for me, I certainly believe those who are interested in the aeronautical significance that this watch is portraying will enjoy it. It’s a real feast for the eyes and is sure to impress.

The post Avi-8 XV741 Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

Their first offering – the Chronicle is a vintage-inspired field watch that draws from field watches of old and blends that with newer modern design elements that bring these watches right into the modern era. But can old meet new in perfect harmony?

Prototype Specs

• Lug-to-lug: 43.5mm
• Lug width: 20mm
• Thickness: 12mm
• Case: 316L stainless steel
• Crystal: Domed Sapphire with 2 layers of AR / 1 under & 1 over
• Dial: Metallic Blue Sandwich dial
• Lume: Swiss Super-Luminova
• Movement: Sellita SW-200-1
• Water resistance: 100m
• Strap: Full-grain vegetable-tanned Italian leather

Retail Specs

• Case: 36.5mm
• Lug-to-lug: 43.5mm
• Lug width: 20mm
• Thickness: 12mm
• Case: 316L stainless steel
• Crystal: Domed Sapphire with 5 layers of AR
• Dial: Metallic Blue Sandwich dial
• Lume: Old Radium Swiss Super-Luminova
• Movement: Miyota 9039
• Water resistance: 200m
• Strap: Full-grain vegetable-tanned Italian leather
• Leather watch roll for up to 3 watches
• Buy from: https://mitchmason.com/products/chronicle-steel-blue
• Price: $449

It’s easy to see where the inspiration for the dial comes from though Mitch Mason has put their own twist on it thanks to its vintage flourishes that are merged some more contemporary elements. Starting with the main dial – it’s metallic with some fine brushing that disappears in certain lighting and pops in others. The numerals at 3,6,9 and 12 are cut into the dial in a sandwich style that not only looks great but helps to give it some depth, these are then filled with a vintage-esque style cream luminescent compound that I’m not usually a fan of, but for me it works. The rest of the numerals are printed in a contrasting white and are double-digit, this is an important choice as the designers wanted there to be a strong sense of symmetry. Below the 12 you’ll spot the printed branding and model name in a high contrast white and orange. Bordering the main dial you’ll find a train-track style minute track with four large areas of lume and smaller batons that again give that perfect symmetrical look. Finally is the rehaut which is clean and is done in a brushed finish, this was the right choice as anything else would simply detract from the dial too much.

When it came to designing the hands, the inspiration there might surprise you – I know it did me, the designers at Mitch Mason drew from something not to be expected and that was a knot of twine. The goal here was to showcase that the watch intertwined both the contemporary and vintage. The design is – as far as I’m aware, unique, this is something you don’t see all that often and it’s very nice to see that they clearly haven’t just picked a set from a supplier. The hour hand is anything but boring and clearly has had a lot of thought put into it. The minute hand by contrast a little simpler yet still fits the overall aesthetic perfectly. Finally, the seconds hand; it’s long, slim and bright orange which gives the dial that pop of contemporary and of course some colour interest. And it’s to be noted that this will slightly change in the final production units. The styling will remain though the hand will be slightly shorter.

I’m honestly a fan of the dial and it’s truly so much nicer in the metal than you’ll experience simply looking at the photos. The hands are however a little more polarising, though they are growing me the more time I spend with it.

When picturing a field watch, what comes to mind? A Hamilton Khaki, a CWC perhaps or maybe even a Rolex Explorer and what do they have in common? A traditional field watch look that is distinct. Mitch Mason didn’t want that, they wanted something different, is that risky? A little, but in my opinion, it paid off. Instead of opting for the circular case and straight lugs, they took a leaf out of Seiko’s book – not literally, but their “Grammer Of Design” by Taro Tanaka. This principle, if you will, helped shape the design of Seiko’s, Grand Seiko’s and King Seiko’s throughout the late 1950s and well, to this day. If you’re interested in this, I’d highly recommend reading into more. But, how does this involve the Chronicle, well it’s clear that someone did their research and implemented some of the four tenants into the design of the case, this can be seen with the beautifully chamfered edges, the clean lines, the way the case finishes transition from one to the next and the overall profile. A simple circle this is not and I for one am glad they threw the rule book out here, it’s one of the most interesting cases I’ve had the pleasure of viewing in person. Of course, this prototype has a few rough edges that need a little refining, but I have been assured that the fit and finish will be improved. It’s hard to explain what the final watch will be like when you only have a prototype, but from I have had hands-on with, it’s great and will only get better. I did notice a bit of a gap between the caseback and mid-case, but hopefully, that will be an area that gets addressed, other than that, it looks well done though some areas need a few final touches.

The crown is another area that will be slightly tweaked, at present the crown has a turbine-style pattern cut into it for grip, I personally like this as is, but the team at Mitch Mason have decided to tweak it in order to improve the aesthetic and feel. The new design will feature fewer deeper engraved ridges which in theory will give more purchase on the crown for manual winding and setting the time. As far as I’m aware the crown will remain signed which is great as it’s very well done.

To the screw-down caseback and it’s probably one of the nicer ones I’ve seen to date, it features a highly decorated design with a lot of fine detail. Starting with the outer ring that’s high polish and houses the cut-outs for easy removal of the caseback, you then move inwards to an area that’s finished with some fine brushing and features some very cleanly done engraving that denotes some of the specifications. Now that’s all very nice but it’s the middle where things get interesting. The centre portion of the caseback is beautifully done with varying elements of design and finishes that show Mitch Mason really care about the small details. In the centre of the caseback, you can see a prominent coat of arms surrounded by mirrored floral pattern, a set of crossed swords perched above three stars and topped with the Mitch Mason name on a ribbon-style banner. Finally, just a finishing flourish there are some areas of a radial brush that captures and plays with the light.

It’s a fair amount visually to take in, but so well one and I really appreciate that they’ve carried the symmetry that was so prevalent in the dial and implemented it here.

We sometimes see that straps – in-particular leather ones fall by the wayside and get overlooked in favour of some off the shelf affair, but that isn’t the case here. Mitch Mason have gone that extra mile and provided a strap that is both well made and attractive. The blue leather we have is lovely, starting with a shade of blue that almost perfectly matches the dial, the ever-so-slightly textured outer layer, the smooth inner layer and some neatly done yet imperfect stitching that shows it’s hand-done; it’s brilliant. I also really appreciate the taper that gives the design some character and well class too. The buckle is top-notch as well and has elements that mimic the case, again another little detail that shows they care. The finishing is great and the buckle and tongue feel sturdy and solid. The final plus point is the inclusion of quick release spring bars, a real must-have for any strap in my opinion.

The only slight criticism of the strap I have found is with the solitary keeper, I’m just not a personal fan, don’t get me wrong it’s well done, I just prefer having two than one large. So, nothing against it, just a personal preference.

So, the style and build are great and I have no complaints on either front, however, it’s the size where I find it’s ever-so-slightly let down. I have a six-inch wrist and it does fit though I noticed it is quite tight, this isn’t helped as the next adjustment hole down is just a smidge too loose. Again this is a personal issue and won’t affect all, but it did need mentioning. I would also like to add that I think one extra hole would be great too as then those with slimmer wrists could enjoy the strap and not feel the need to swap it out.

Using the Chronicle daily has been mostly great, but with this prototype, I have one slight issue that I hope gets resolved, so let’s start with that. I found that the crown action doesn’t feel all that nice, it’s a touch rough feeling and a bit gritty; it could just be the prototype though it just doesn’t feel nice. It’s weighty too though that is more reassuring than concerning. Its again another area I can’t dive too deep as the movement, crown and stem mechanism will all change, so take this with a pinch of salt as it’ll be changing. Speaking of the crown I actually like it, it has plenty of grip and is a nice size to get a solid connection with it. This will change in the final model, though again I can’t really comment on that.

One thing that will not be changing is the comfort and well it scores highly. I know I said that the strap is a touch too tight and too loose but on the looser size it was extremely comfortable to wear. The strap wasn’t so loose that it moved freely, it just wasn’t as snug as I’d personally like, given that though, the strap is smooth, flexible and supple providing a really nice feel on the wrist, it’s one that I can comfortably say I’d be happy keep if a few minor tweaks were made. Of course, comfort is highly subjective as we’re all different, so it’s always worth having a backup if you need. The watch head is pretty spot on too, it’s not as curvy as some and the profile is the same, yet it conforms really well to my wrist shape and size. Speaking to Benedict on this he stated he was a fellow slim wristed man and wanted to design a case that would suit us as well as everyone else, this is not an easy task though I can say for me, it wears great. Normally watchmakers design the watch for the many which makes sense, so it’s really nice to see when a watchmaker considers those outside the most popular range.

It’s pretty amazing how much emphasis is placed on lume with companies going to extra lengths to ensure it’s up to par or better, so how’s the Chronicle? Well in a word, great. Mitch Mason and Benedict decided to opt for an old-style Radium lume from the Swiss. This lume – in the day, has a vintage hue that works extremely well, usually, I like crisp white lume, but I honestly don’t think it would have worked here. As for the performance, I am again impressed, it’s not Seiko good but it is impressive. The lume has a distinct blue-green hue that is so visually appealing, it may not be as bright as BGW9 or Lumibrite, but I would happily sacrifice that for the visual look of it. So it might not be torch bright but it does have some good staying power and lasts a significant amount of time, plus with the two easily distinguishable hands its so easy to tell the time when the sunlight starts to fade.

As you’ve noted from the spec sheet the movement in the prototype will change in the final production model, the prototype we have on hand features the well respected Sellita SW-200-1 whereas the retail model will see somewhat of a down-grade and house the equally respected Miyota 9039. Why this was decided is quite simple as a Ben from Mitch Mason kindly explained. Paraphrasing from our discussion, he said that Sellita movements are in high demand at the moment and are thus hard to obtain, they are considerably more expensive too. It also has a date wheel making it thicker and heavier than the Miyota, as well as having a phantom date position. As the Miyota has no date function this aligns perfectly with our model. The Miyota 9039 is a respected movement and the microbrand community appreciate that.

In terms of performance, both the Sellita and Miyota perform superbly as they both have fantastic levels of feedback which gives you a reassuring sense of longevity and durability. The Sellita does edge it however offering just a slightly heightened sense of this, though there isn’t much in it. I also noted that previous 9 series Miyota’s I’ve had experience with seem to have less resistance when turning the crown, this particular Sellita feels a touch more resistive though to be noted – it is a prototype.

Both the Sellita and Miyota are hi-beat (28,800bph) which provides a lovely sweep to the seconds hand that is just so nice to see, they also share more similarities and feature manual and automatic winding and hacking seconds. Where they differ is that the Sellita has 26 jewels whereas the Miyota has 24, the Sellita has a power reserve of 38 hours which is less than the Miyotas 42. The Sellita also has a date position which the Miyota does not, this is perfect as on the retail version there will be no ghost date position. In reality, the Miyota may feel like a step in the wrong direction, but on paper and the real world, there honestly isn’t that much in it, plus if anything was to go wrong down the line, a 9039 would be cheaper to repair or replace than the Sellita.

It’s clear that Benedict wanted to make an impact with his debut and it’s certainly left an impression on me. There’s honestly a lot to like about the Chronicle and only a few key areas of concern which are getting fixed with the final production model. As is, the Chronicle is such a strong offering for a very fair price, it manages to successfully merge its vintage-inspired past and all the new elements to create a watch that hasn’t been done before.

I’ll say it again, it’s so refreshing that Benedict hasn’t fallen into the safe zone and done something a little more daring and I respect him for that. I can imagine it’s a tough call to make, deciding to play it safe or risking it all and I’m glad that he’s took the risk and tossed out the rule book if you will, the industry needs more newcomers that aren’t scared to venture out of the safety zone and give us something new because, without brands like this, the industry would be a little stale. Hopefully, we’ll get hands-on with the production model and see how or if it’s been improved, but I have to say, Mitch Mason and Benedict are ones to keep a close eye on.

Words by Weston Dakin
Pictures by Joshua Clare-Flagg

The post Mitch Mason Chronicle Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

It’s clear that in their short history CIGA Design have made quite an impact and looking at their catalogue of products it’s easy to see why. They’ve taken a different approach to watchmaking and design, and it hasn’t held them back at all.

Awards and accomplishments aside, do their watches make sense on an everyday basis and do they provide good value for money or are they just showpieces?

SPECS

• Dimensions: 40.8mm wide
• Thickness: 12.3mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Lug-to-lug: 48mm
• Case material: DLC coated 316L stainless steel
• Crystal: 1.2mm thick Sapphire
• Dial: Skeletal
• Movement: Seagull ST2553JK
• Power reserve: Quoted up to 40 hrs / tested approximately 53 hrs
• Accuracy: -15/+30 per day
• Jewels: 25
• Water resistance: 30m
• Weight: 90g
• Strap: Standard silicone / Red ltd edition strap / leather strap for first 500 orders
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: £215
• Buy here: https://cigadesign.co.uk/collections/our-watches/products/z-series-dlc

The Z series is unlike any other watch I have had the privilege to get hands-on with during my time on WIAA, but is that a good or bad thing?

Well, the first grabbing attribute has to be the styling, it’s very unorthodox to say the least, but I like it. The immediate thing that draws you in is that the watch is transparent and you can see through most parts of it. This honestly took some getting used to as it’s my first real experience with a skeleton design watch, though I was taken back by the beauty of it all. You can see every little detail including the balance wheel, the jewels in the movement, even when the mainspring is fully wound or unwound and then even right down to the gear train that moves the hands, it’s quite marvellous actually. I mean I appreciated the art of an automatic before experiencing this watch, but now seeing all the minute parts adds a whole new perspective. Just by eye, it looks fantastic, but under macro, you see so much more. I even love the craft that’s gone into the framework, the skeleton of it all – it’s certainly not boring and adds to the complex beauty of it. I get why some dislike this as it somewhat a lot to take in, but I love it. Is it practical for telling the time, nope, not at all.

Enough of the fanboying, why don’t we get a bit more serious. Starting out and working in, we have the minute track and markers; these are nicely-designed and suit the aesthetic, though they are somewhat hard to see at a glance. The squarish nature does little to help matters either which can make telling the time a bit more difficult as you have to stop and look to get an accurate sense of the time. Looking towards the middle you’re greeted with the handset; these are partially skeletonised and feature a red-tipped arrow at the end. There is also a slight arrow of lume which is frankly all but useless as nothing else is lumed, so when they glow, it’s nigh on impossible to tell the time. Admittedly I do like the design of the hands and they perfectly mesh with the scheme, though they do little in the way of helping. The second’s hand is finished in a bright red and does stand out quite nicely – at the end of it, you can see a needle eye counterbalance which again is befitting. And finally, you’ll note the applied Ciga Design logo at the 3 o’clock position.

Honestly, there’s a lot to take in here, and it can be overwhelming and somewhat difficult to tell the time even in the best conditions, yet there’s still something that makes me want to gaze at it, and I can’t say that for many watches around £200. A final thing to note would be that there appears to be some minor dust particles inside the watch as well as a small imperfection in the red portion of the hands. This is more than likely an uncommon issue, though it does somewhat detract from the overall quality.

The heart isn’t the only interesting design element of the watch as the crystal is not dull either. The Sapphire crystal is 1.2mm thick which is impressive in its own right, but that’s not even the best thing about it. The crystal curves ever so slightly with the profile of the watch – flat just wouldn’t have worked here, and I’m glad Ciga have gone the extra mile to make the crystal flow so well with the profile.

There also appears to be some very slight AR coating on the inside of the crystal, though when the movement and hands catch the light, it doesn’t do a deal to reduce the glare from them.

To the case and again this is something full of little flourishes you don’t often see. Starting with the front, the first thing that takes you in is the exposed polished cube design elements, these don’t appear to have any function in terms of structure, but they do look pretty cool, and they tie in with a common theme which you’ll see further down in the review. These cube elements are set into two curved cut-outs in the case that allow you to see all the way through, again not necessary, but just another factor that adds to the coolness of this watch. Via these slits, you can also see part of the crown stem which is a design element all on its own. The top section is also very nicely brushed, which is done to a good standard. I’m also a fan of how the designers managed to blend the curves of the side of the case with the more angular components between the lugs, this is hard to do, but they pulled it off very well. For me, it just works, but I get not everyone will be a fan. One last thing to mention is that the case finish does pick up dust and lint quite easily, as well as showing fingerprints so keep that in mind as it can become a chore to keep clean.

4A

The right-hand side of the case is where you’ll find some very robust crown guards which are integrated into the side of the watch. These are then flanked by more of those shiny cubes. This is probably my only gripe with the design, and I think these two are probably not needed as they upset the balance somewhat. I think here they should have perhaps DLC coated them, so they blended rather than stood out so much. The crown is a simple push-pull affair and is signed as well as featuring a nicely knurled grippy texture which makes it easy to use. The guards don’t impact the crowns use either which is a big win.

On the left-hand side of the case, you’ll find some stealthy branding that in certain light you can’t see, but in the right light it stands out nicely. The design pattern mimics the crown guards without them being integrated there. The branding appears to be slightly embossed on a sand/bead blasted portion. It’s hard to describe, but it looks great and has a nice tactile feel. That isn’t all as Ciga has taken things up a notch with a carbon coating that adds an extra layer of durable protection as well as looking stunning too. This is achieved with a DLC (Diamond-like) coating on the watch head.

4B

To the back of the watch and here you’ll find a flat piece mineral crystal that acts a viewing window to see the rear side of the Seagull movement and the custom DLC coated rotor. The caseback is held in via four screws and features a similar finish to that found on the front of the case. You’ll also find some nicely engraved information on the watch.

Ciga’s movement of choice is the Seagull ST2553JK which is a 25 jewel movement that has a beat rate of 21600/hour, a hacking seconds, automatic and manual winding as well as a quoted power reserve of 40 hours. The accuracy is stated between -15/+30 seconds per day, and it’s easily within this tolerance. The big surprise here was the power reserve, the quoted time of up to 40 hours is great, though during testing it lasted closer to 53 hours when fully wound. That is pretty impressive as most barely manage 30 to 40 hours at this price point. The other great experience with this is watching it wind, usually, with a manually winding watch, all the components are hidden, whereas if you flip the watch and look at the back, you can see the cogs and gears turn as they wind up the mainspring, it’s quite a sight to behold. As for the winding, it feels reassuringly solid, and there is plenty of audible, tactile and visual feedback, yes you can see the spring tighten as you wind which means you can never really overwind the watch. In use, setting the time feels and looks great, you get some nice feedback that feels smooth and not grating, the hands turn smoothly and quickly yet not too freely, it’s just about bang on. As there is no date you only get two positions. One is pushed in and this allows you to manually wind the watch, the second is pulled out which hacks the seconds and allows you to set the time, it’s quite straight forward.

With the Z Series, you get a selection of straps. The main strap is a black silicone that has the same cube design as you’ll find throughout the watch. The second is a red silicone strap (only available for the first 300 orders, all are gone already sadly) which looks fantastic – and pretty funky, yet it has this weird texture inside: I didn’t so much like that. The build is great, however, the inner texture just didn’t do anything for me. The third and final strap is a leather one that is only available for the first 500 orders. The leather strap isn’t that great actually: it’s a black faux croc and feels a bit stiff and plasticky. Honestly, out of the three, the black silicone is the best of the selection, and that is what I used the most. The black silicone features the aforementioned cube pattern like the rest of the watch, but they’ve again gone a bit extra as the adjustment holes line up with the top of each cube, this little attention to detail is something you’d expect on higher-end watches let alone one under £250. It doesn’t stop there either as you’ll see an even more complex design inside the strap along with some quick release spring bars. The top section of the strap features the branding, two floating silicone keepers and a signed black buckle. Like the case, the strap is somewhat of a dirt and lint magnet as it gets easily stuck in the gaps and to the surface. Bit of a shame as the strap looks dirty most of the time. All in all – minus the dust/lint issue, the main strap feels well made, looks cool, but is it comfortable?

Well, it’s a mixed bag. The watch head is comfortable for me thanks to the short lugs, profile and weight, although does tend to sit on top of my wrist rather than conforming to it. It’s still comfortable though. The strap, however, is a different story. The strap silicone is nice and soft, smooth on the inside and very flexible, but for my wrist size (6”/15.4cm) it just doesn’t fit nicely. One adjustment is too loose, and the other is a bit too tight, there’s no happy medium for me though that would more than likely be different in your case. During wear, I noticed that the first few hours were okay but after three or so, it started to become a bit more bothersome, plus it gets quite hot too which is not so bad in the UK, but in warmer climates might be a bigger issue.

Strap options are sort of limited too, single pass and natos are likely not to work very well as the lugs are set high in respect to the caseback meaning they may fit, though would likely not be all that comfortable. So that leaves you with two-piece natos, silicone or leather, luckily it’s got 22mm lugs so strap options are aplenty and you may need to look at another option if you have a similar experience to me.

To sum up, I’m a fan, though that aside this watch is far from perfect. Starting with the time telling issue; this could be a big deal-breaker depending on what you want and need. There’s then the few design elements that I wasn’t so keen on, and finally, two of the bundled straps didn’t do anything for me in terms of comfort, but I can’t deny that the red one looks great. So some of these issues are a matter of preference, and one is likely not going to impact you though if it does, it’s an easy problem to fix. The big main issue for me is the legibility across the board. In the daytime, it’s hard enough to read at a glance, and when it gets dark, it’s almost impossible. Another minor complaint is the dust and lint build-up that happens quite often on both the case and strap. Not deal-breaking bad, but it can be tiresome trying to keep it looking pristine.

On the flip side, I love the design, the attention to detail is pretty stellar for this price point, and there’s honestly a design cohesion that you just don’t see that often. Yeah, there are a few things to nitpick, but you have to admit that they’ve taken a not uncommon design, and made it their own, then carried that theme throughout and made it work. Very few can claim to do the same. However, that doesn’t take away from the primary purpose, to tell the time and sadly it falls hard.

Yet, I still want to wear it and admire all the details. So great at time telling it might not be, but it sure is a fascinating piece and a definite conversation starter.

The post Ciga Design Z Series Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

Speaking of affordable, this brings me to the Defender MKI, a watch that made a big splash in the market as it took the tried and tested field watch formula and flipped it on its head. Unfortunately, I never got hands-on with the MKI (Gen 1) Defender, so I can’t comment on how much or how little it’s improved, but things have certainly changed in terms of it’s overall aesthetic and in its core.

The specs

• Diameter: 42.4mm
• Thickness: 12.2mm
• Lug-to-lug: 49.5mm
• Lug width: 22mm
• Case Material: Stainless Steel
• Crystal: Mineral
• Dial: Khaki
• Movement: Cal.F6B22
• Power reserve: Approximately 40 hours / tested at 44hrs 38mins
• Accuracy: -15/+25 seconds per day
• Jewels: 22
• Water resistance: 100m
• Weight: 82g
• Strap: Calf skin Leather
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: $330 (~£250)
• Buy here:
  • Orient: https://www.orient-watch.com/Collections/ORIENT/Sports/ORIENT%3A-Mechanical-Sports-Watch/p/RA-AK0405Y
  • Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gfoSyO

Let’s begin by taking a quick look at everything that is the same as the MKI and first up the crystal, it’s still mineral, it would have been nice to see a Sapphire upgrade, but that isn’t the case. What is pleasing is that Orient has kept the generous amount of AR coating as it helps with the legibility in bright environments.

The case finish remains identical as before too, which is brilliant. The crown is also very similar as both are screw-down though the MKII has had some visual tweaks. The MKI and MKII also both have 100m of water resistance and the same dial features (sub-dials) albeit in a different configuration. The case profile and style appear to be very similar too, which is a great thing as it’s an attractive shape.

So, what’s changed? Well for starters, the case diameter has increased by 0.4mm making it 42.4mm, the thickness has also altered and is now 0.2mm greater at 12.2mm. The lug-to-lug has also seen a significant increase from 48mm to a longer 49.5mm; an odd move really as this does somewhat alienate those of us with slimmer wrists, though we may not have been the target demographic in the first place. On my six-inch (15.24cm) wrist the MKII does wear big and the lugs tend to overhang slightly, though it’s still a comfortable watch to wear thanks to profile and design characteristics of the case. The lugs, for instance, flow down in a manner which helps the strap curve with the shape of my wrist. The screw-down caseback also isn’t a detriment to comfort as although it does somewhat extend beyond the bottom of the case – it doesn’t make the watch sit atop my wrist as some others have. The weight is nice too, striking a pleasant balance between solid feeling and lightweight. Of course, comfort is purely subjective, and it more than likely will wear different on you.

While we’re on how the watch wears let’s discuss the strap and if I’m speaking honestly, I prefer the style of the one found on the MKI, though I can’t comment on if it’s any good. The MKII’s strap, however, I can, and it’s a mixed bag. Aesthetically it just doesn’t work for me; the style looks more like what you would see on a casual dress watch rather than a field watch. The colour of the strap works fantastically with the Khaki dial though, but as mentioned the style just clashes. I’m also not a fan of the finish of the strap, it’s a little shiny looking and also feels a bit odd, not plasticky as such, it feels like it has some sort of wax coating on it. It’s a touch rigid too as it’s taking a fair while to break in and soften, though, given more time, this will improve dramatically. I did also note some heavy creasing where I have been wearing it, so you may want to invest in a leather care kit to keep it looking fresh.

The inner part of the strap feels great; it’s calfskin leather which is soft, smooth and feels great against your skin. The build and hardware are great as well, the stitching is uniform, clean and well done. The keepers follow suit too as they are cleanly cut and well made. The buckle is a highlight also; it’s solid, it’s signed and matches the finish of the case – thank you Orient. It’s a real bugbear when the buckle is mismatched to the case, but that’s probably just me.

Another sizeable departure from the MKI is the dial arrangement; the core features are the same, though Orient has opted to move things around. On the MKI the day sub-dial was on the right-hand side and was larger, now this is on the left and smaller. The 24-hour sub-dial is now the larger sub-dial whereas on the MKI it was smaller. Essentially, they’ve swapped places and size. The date window has also moved from the MKI’s six o’clock position to the three o’clock. And finally, the applied logo has moved diagonally upwards and across, and now sits between the five and ten minute markers. The minute track has also changed as the MKI had two sets – which looked a little cluttered and now on the MKII, there is one minute track which looks cleaner. The indices are somewhat different too as they feature a more prominent black border. You’ll also note that Orient has removed the frame bordering the date window. The final thing to change is the hands; on the MKI they looked more like hands you’d find on a pilots watch, and now they’re partially skeletonised and feature broad counterbalances. The second’s hand has been visually tweaked too as it’s now red, as is the hand on the 24-hour sub-dial. I’m all for adding colour, but here, it doesn’t mesh that well, and I prefer the all-white look of the MKI, it just suits the style better or maybe it’s that the red clashes too much with this Khaki dial? As a whole, though I like most of the changes and Orient has gone a long way to making the MKII more balanced and pleasing if you will.

As previously mentioned, the case hasn’t altered that much say for the size. This is a good thing as most like how the sandblasted finish works with this style of watch, and I agree, it works well, and it’s been done to a high standard. The build is top-notch too as the watch head feels dense and solid but not bulky. The side profile looks clean, by that I mean no major gaps can be seen, this not only looks good but is testament to their capabilities. I’m also a fan of how the bezel and side of the crystal are set to the same angle – it’s a nice little attention to detail. The layers at the side also helps break up the vertical profile as it’s not one continuous slab though horizontally there’s not much going on; honestly, that is usually par for the course with field watches. I also really appreciate how the lugs perfectly flow with the side of the case; it’s so pleasing and lends itself to a lovely profile. The lugs also curve down nicely, which adds a touch of elegance to this otherwise robust-looking watch.

The crown has seen an update too, it’s position has moved in line with the date window and now is signed with a satin-brushed finish. The crown is still a touch shiny when compared to the case, and it does somewhat stand out a little too much for my taste.  On the plus side the grip is brilliant and makes using it a breeze.

The caseback has also been altered yet down-graded in my opinion. The MKI’s had a bit more flair and design about it, whereas the MKII’s is a bit plain, though if one thing was to be altered negatively, I’m glad it’s the caseback as you don’t see it all that often anyway.

One more area that’s had a substantial upgrade is in the heart – the movement. Inside the MKI was the 46B40 which has 21 jewels and is 21600bph with a forty-hour power reserve. Now the MKII has the newer, better Cal.F6B22. This also is 21600bph but has an extra Jewel and now features hacking, hand-winding and a quick set date function – pretty much all the things missing from the MKI. I’m pleased Orient listened to feedback as this new movement is a step in the right direction and a real upgrade. First of all the power reserve, quoted at 40 hours and tested at 44 hours 38 minutes, it’s not revolutionary, but still pretty impressive given the complexity of the movement and price point. The hacking and hand-winding is a great addition too as it’s now way easier to set the time and get the watch going if you’ve not used it in a few days. The winding feels smooth with a reassuringly solid feel and has no horrible feedback either. To wind the watch you unscrew the crown, and upon this action, the manual winding is made available. One pull allows you to set the day and date, and two pulls will let you adjust the time. All in all, it’s an easy movement to use once you know how and it feels great. Time-keeping is pretty solid too, the accuracy is quoted between -15 to +25 seconds per day and I would say it’s within tolerance, though I can’t be certain by exactly how much. One slight drawback I’ve found is that there is some slight noise from the rotor, it’s not Miyota 8000 series bad, but it can be heard occasionally.

Finally, to the lume and it’s strong, gets very bright and lasts a long time. You’ll find it generously applied on all the indices and the hands in a slightly off-white colour which suits the style well. I’m not sure as to the exact compound used though it does look a bit similar to Seiko’s lumibrite.

As a whole I do like this watch, it’s dense – but in a good way, is very well put together and honestly feels like it would last a long time. The rest of the upgrades, improvements and changes – for the most part, are highly welcomed too, and I like pretty much all of them. The movement upgrade is a real step in the right direction as the MKII is right there with the best in class. There are some things on this particular model that I’m not a personal fan of. This is notably the strap and also the touches of red that clash with the colour scheme. The size increase is a bit of a let down too as it means those of us with wrists six inches or slimmer won’t be able to fully enjoy it – unless you aren’t phased by the slight overhang from the lugs and oversized look. I wish Orient would cater to those of use with slimmer wrists and make a 38mm or even a 40mm with shorter lugs, that may not be possible given all the features, but I and I’m sure many others would love this watch to come in a more compact size.

All in all, I’m very impressed with what you get for the money, and there’s little I’d change. Orient have essentially taken an already strong formula and added in extra goodness to make it even better, and at this price point, it’s quite hard to beat.

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The three watches I want to talk about today don’t stray very far from what has made AVI-8 a trendy brand at this price point. This isn’t a detailed review, but more of a teaser for the three of them and for one that I think stands out a little more and I’m sure will be very popular for the brand.

The Watches:

• Avi-8 Patriot Automatic Limited Edition P-51 Mustang
  • Price: £450; £382.50 using 15% off code WIAB
• Avi-8 Flyboy Engineer Automatic
  • Price: £225; £191.25 using 15% off code WIAB
• Avi-8 Type 300 Automatic
  • Price: £330; £280.50 using 15% off code WIAB

Firstly, what’s similar? Well, all three are three-hander automatics featuring a Japanese movement (NH35). All are made from stainless steel, all feature a date function, all of them have sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coating, and all have a very favourable lug width of 22mm. They all feature lumed hands and indices, so when things get dark, they will remain legible.

From here, the watches take similar but differing paths. Both the Flyboy Engineer and the Type 300 Automatic come in at 42mm in diameter and come on stainless steel bracelets. The Flyboys bracelet is almost a jubilee style while the Type 300 is in a more oyster style. Both have milled security clasps and overall are very solid in their feel. The Patriot, in this instance, is the odd one out in the bracelet category and comes on a very nice leather strap. The leather is very soft and supple but feels like it will last and is very comfortable on the wrist. The Patriot is also the biggest of the three at 43mm, but because of the leather strap this is also the lightest overall on the wrist

Other differences become apparent when you look at the back of the watches. In this instance, the Flyboy is the odd one out and features a solid case back with a lovely engraving of a pilots face and the Flyboy wording underneath. Both the Patriot and Type 300 feature a display case back with decorated rotor. For the patriot, this takes the form of a black rotor with the AVI-8 brand name on it and an American centre star for that patriotic reference. The Type 300 has a rotor that’s been cut out to look like a fighter plane which is a simple but nice touch on this one.

Dial wise this is where things again get different. Although all three use what is the same movement. Their approach to dial layout is very different. All three feature what I would call a brackish green colour tone with yellow details. But all three also have very different styles when it comes to finishing. AVI-8 always comes up with very complicated and sometimes busy dials, but they are always exciting and fun to look at, and these three are no different. The Patriots Dial has two sections to it one sitting slightly higher than the other, and the finish is a very fine brushing that runs in different directions for both sections. These are attached with tiny silver screws, and it’s reminiscent of aircraft body panelling. The indices float around the outside chapter ring with simple baton markers but then the twelve, or in this case zero, three, six and nine markers are recessed in a sandwich dial style. The hands are broad and sharp and fully lumed, and the second hand is finished in a bright yellow. As with most dials from AVI-8, this one is detail-rich and has a 3d effect that makes it fun to look at. The brushing is well done, and overall it’s a very nice dial.

The Type 300 is a drab, flat green with yellow details for the indices but again AVI-8 have added depth to the dial with 3d markers and indices and a central section that is recessed for the date and a small seconds sub-dial. The Type 300 does away with traditional one to twelve indices and mixes them with other markers at the minute markers of five, twenty-five, thirty-five, forty-five, and fifty-five. Between these sit more traditional hour markers but these are in grey and can be hard to see. It’s not a problematic dial to read by any means but is probably the least traditional. Although due to the sizing it’s highly legible like all AVI-8 watches tend to be.

Finally, the Flyboy Engineer, which is probably one of the most simple dials I’ve seen from AVI-8. The dial again is in the green colour, but this one is graduated out to darker tones as you reach the indices. It also has a fine-textured metallic effect like very fine sand which adds to the dial depth. Indices are again applied and run from zero at noon right around the dial with a 3d look, and all finished in yellow. Flyboy appears in text at the six o’clock position as does automatic but finished in red. The hands are a more traditional Flieger style, and again yellow lume filled. At the centre of the dial is a small, simple crosshair pattern and then moving out to just under the indices is the twenty-four-hour scale. This dial on the whole I think is very understated from AVI-8 but also has all their trademark styles and finishes in a simple to read and very traditional overall style.

Final Thoughts

As I said at the beginning, this is more of a look at, instead of a review of these three pieces. To review a watch, I like to spend time wearing it in different situations and get to know it and how it wears and functions over some time. In this instance, I didn’t have that luxury, but what I will say is there was one that I would reach for and would have liked to have spent more time with, and that was the Flyboy. At their heart, all three have the same movement and the NH35 is tested and proven, but from an appearance and aesthetic point of view, the Flyboy was the one that spoke to me the most. It has a more traditional Flieger look but with just enough of the AVI-8 twist to make it enjoyable and stand out from the crowd. Green may not be my first choice, but it’s available in multiple colours, and at 42mm, it’s a nice size for this style of watch. The engraved case back is nicely done, and although I’d probably remove the bracelet and put it on leather or a NATO strap, it’s nice the bracelet is there as an option. All of these watches have exotic dials, and it will come down to personal preference in the end. I’m expecting the Flyboy to be quite the hit for AVI-8 and that’s where my money would go if I had to choose one to keep.

For a full specification list head over to Avi-8 and check these and their other watches out.

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That brings us nicely to their first watch – the Albion which is so named after the country in which Povey resides. If you aren’t familiar with the name Albion, that is because it’s old, ancient in fact. Traces of the name can be found back to 320BC and can often be seen in literature by classical writers such as Peter Ackroyd’s ‘Albion – The Origins of the English Imagination’.

SPECS

• Diameter: 38mm
• Thickness: 9.6mm
• Lug width: 20mm
• Lug-to-lug: 45mm
• Case material: 316L Stainless Steel
• Crystal: Box dome Sapphire coated Mineral
• Dial: Sandblast White
• Movement: ETA 902.002
• Battery life: up to 10 Years
• Water resistance: 50m
• Weight: 48g
• Strap: Light Havana by Sedgwick & Co
• Warranty: 3 years
• Price: £125
  • Use code watchitallabout for 20% off! Making it £100
• Buy here: https://www.poveywatches.com/shop/the-albion-silver

Povey has taken a simple approach with the Albion opting to go with arguably the most basic of them all – a two-hander meaning there is no seconds hand, and admittedly, in this case, it works well. The handset is high polished fence post style that merges with the overall aesthetic very well, the indices, however, have a touch more flare. At the 12, 3, 6 and 9 you’ll find some well done faceted applied double indices with the rest being made up of a single design. All the indices are done in a high polish and look completed to a good standard. In-between the indices you’ll find a simple and unobtrusive printed minute track.

The dial is a simple affair too; as all you’ll find is some neatly printed branding, the dial also has some subtle texture to give it a bit of character, though not too much as to distract too heavily from the indices.

Mineral crystal that has a thin Sapphire outer coating. In theory, this should be the best of both worlds as you should get the scratch resistance of Sapphire and the impact resistance of mineral, but in reality, I’m not entirely sure it works that way. If it does, then it’s a perfect middle-ground and should be both highly scratch-resistant and less prone to shattering.

The box dome-style has another big draw too as causes some playful distortions of both the indices and hands. One thing I’m not so fond of though is the choice of anti-reflective coating. Povey has opted to use a generous amount of blue AR, and that isn’t bad as this crystal is highly reflective and it does help cut that however the blue is so prominent it does somewhat detract from the vintage esque design. In this case, clear AR would have been preferred.

For the case, Povey has again opted for the notion that simple is better and honestly it’s little underwhelming though does suit the overall aesthetic. The bezel is done in a high polish and is ever so slightly curved so that it hugs the domed crystal nicely leaving no visible gap. Like the bezel, the mid-case is polished though a touch slab-sided, luckily the mid-case is very slim so that it’s not too noticeable. Below the mid-case, the case heavily slopes down into the caseback creating a nice appearance. I wish they would have opted to curve the entire case as that would have been the icing on the cake for this vintage classic inspired design.

The caseback is completely flat and again high polished. It’s held in place with four screws which fits the design though does mean this watch only has 50m water resistance which to be honest is perfectly fine for a casual wear watch. Right in the centre of the caseback, you’ll note the embossed branding that sits in a lovely cleanly done portion of machining that adds a touch of interest. Surrounding that is the specs that have been well engraved and finish off the caseback, though not overly fancy, it’s well-executed.

In use, the Albion scores well as the watch is simple to use and is great to just grab and go. The crown is simple but effective as it has enough grip and isn’t too small to make it unusable. In action, the crown and stem mechanism turns very smoothly and feels very reassuring to use. It’s a simple single-stage push-pull crown which is perfect for this style of watch. There is no ghost date position and makes it that much easier to use whenever you need to adjust the time which is not that often thanks to the quartz movement.

Povey have opted to take a sensible route and go tried and tested sourcing a good quality ETA 902.002 quartz movement which features 4 synthetic jewels and has a theoretical battery life of up to 100 months (8 years) depending on the battery specifications and use. Poveys website lists a life span of 10 years which in theory could be achieved depending if the battery has been upgraded which is honestly unlikely so you’ll more than likely get closer to the 8 years stated on the ETA spec sheet. The accuracy of this particular ETA movement is stated between -10/+15 seconds per month which is pretty much standard.

Now we come to the reason why I felt this watch stood above the competition and that is the included Sedgwick & Co (https://www.poveywatches.com/british-leather) leather strap. Most of the time watches at around £125 come with a decent leather strap, but Povey has taken things up a notch and sought the expertise of a well-renowned leather tannery, Sedgwick & Co. Sedgwick & Co have been in the business for a very long time and are most known for their work creating Bridles for the equestrian industry as well as supplying very high-quality leather that in this case is used for the Albions strap. At present the Albion can be purchased with one of three leather straps – the one included with our Silver model is the Light Havana which is a beautiful rich brown. Starting with the inner portion of the strap, you’ll note the lovely soft tan leather inner that honestly feels great against your wrist and is one of the best inners I’ve ever encountered. It’s also stamped, donating both parties.

The outer layer, however, is not as impressive when compared to the inner, it feels too new and a touch plasticky, however, I have a feeling that this is the type of strap that will only get better with wear and age, so take this with a view that straps like this need to be worn and weather.

The stitching in the strap is very well done throughout and is tight, uniform and matches the strap perfectly.

The hardware is a mix of leather keepers -which are very well made and a different style of buckle. The buckle is Stainless though I’m not certain as to the grade. I do however really love the design as it has a few flourishes including the profile and branding that is done similarly to the caseback. The buckle is held in place using a spring bar and I have had no issue as it feels well secured in place.

The cherry on top of this whole experience is the inclusion of a leather care kit that comes with a pot of leather care solution and a cloth, definitely a nice bonus and will help keep the strap in good condition.

We’ve established that the strap is good, but does that lend itself to a comfortable wear? Well, sort of. For my case use, I found it to be reasonably comfortable for daily wear though it’s certainly not the most comfortable I’ve ever experienced. This is down to the strap and like mentioned it’s age, given more time the leather will likely soften while becoming more pliable and less rigid, because as is, it’s a little too so, then again it is fairly new. The watch design does help with this thanks to the slim profile, its low weight and the lug design. The lugs flow down very nicely and do help the strap flow around the wrist in a nice fashion. Thanks to its small diameter and short lug-to-lug the Albion is well suited to those of us with slim wrists. For reference, I have 6” inch wrist and this just fits on the strap, though if you were to swap out the strap it would comfortably fit if you have a 5.5” inch wrist.

To sum up, the Albion from Povey has been pleasantly surprising though unfortunately doesn’t do much to excite the inner watch-nerd. As is, the Albion is well specced compared to similarly priced rivals, nicely executed throughout with minimal issues, is solidly put together, attractive and great for daily use, plus the added extras further bolster this, but I’m just left not feeling much at all. Like mentioned it’s good – in fact a very good watch for the price point, yet I just am left with no strong positive or negative feeling, it just fails to resonate and stir up any emotion.

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You can go disgustingly expensive (some leather accessories can cost £500), or you can have a dig around and find some great smaller brands creating lovely hand made products at very reasonable prices.

Harry’s Watch Accessories are quite new to the scene, but what immediately struck me whilst browsing their store was the variety of products, with interesting and unique designs, as well as the reasonable price.

This Buttoned Leather Watch Case will cost you £34.99; so is it worth it?

The video review

Before we get into the product itself, there’s something I need to get off my chest. Everything about Harry’s Watch Accessories seems unequivocally British. Therefore, once I made my purchase I was expecting to receive the product in a few days, maybe a week. However, a number of weeks of passed before I enquired, which I was informed it was still in transit. I wasn’t the only one, a couple of guys on Instagram messaged me saying they were in the same situation.

I ordered it on 19th May, it was shipped on 21st May, and I received it on 8th June.

It turns out that they are being shipped from Minsk, Belarus. I know the pandemic has crippled international delivery, so it’s a shame for them. However, I feel I should have been informed – I don’t care if the products are dropshipped, or made by hand by someone internationally and sent directly to me – but it would be good to have that expectation of delivery time. As I said, I was under the impression it was all UK based, so this was a little confusing. My recommendation would be for them to get a batch made and sent over to the UK so they can post from here, thus avoiding this issue. Also, I think it would be good to let their clients know that it’ll be sent internationally.

Does my experience mean I won’t buy from them again? No, it does not; nor do I think it should put you off either. Just expect a longish wait.

Anyway, now that’s out of the way – let’s talk about the product.

Overall, I feel it’s a well made, cleverly designed product at a very reasonable price. I’m a little bit bored of the regular watch rolls you see everywhere, so a bit of clever outside-the-box thinking for this case is more than welcome.

The leather is thick, supple and smells great – it’s clearly good quality stuff. The grain on the underside is lovely and soft. It’s all very neatly cut and stitched, bar a couple of slightly messy end stitches (but only on the inside); but this reminds you that these are hand made to order, so I’m not expecting perfection.

The pouches themselves comfortably house watches up to 42mm in diameter, which should cater to the majority of clients. Anything bigger and it will be a bit tight. Of course, as it’s leather, it’ll likely stretch in time so that could change moving forward.

I like the inclusion of the caseback protectors, which would be used specifically for watches with bracelets – you slip this behind the caseback so the bracelet doesn’t scratch it up when flattened against it and slipped into the pouch.

When loaded with watches and closed, the whole package is rather neat and tidy. The three pushbuttons down the side are easy to use, solid and reassuringly secure. Personally, I feel this is a much better and intuitive way of closing it, rather than a length of leather which wraps around a couple of times as per a regular watch pouch.

All in all, am I satisfied with my purchase? Most definitely. Yes, it did take 3 weeks for delivery, but I’m sure that’s only due to the pandemic currently. I would have preferred to have known that it was being shipped from overseas, just to manage my expectations. It’s not a problem at all that it is, but if someone is after a gift for instance and needs quick delivery times then it could be an issue.

However, it’s a clever alternative to other travel accessories. Ingenious yet simple design, good quality leather, decent craftsmanship, and an affordable price makes this a solid option for anyone.

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