New Crowd Funded Watches, Part 1

It looks like the crowd funded watchmakers have been busy all summer because autumn has brought a bumper crop of watch projects. Some are genuine bargains ready to harvest, some are promising but not quite ripe, others are best left to rot into compost. Let's have a look.

Mercer Privateer and Voyager

The Mercer Watch Co. has already produced two successful models, the Brigadier and the Wayfarer. Now they are doubling their line with a pair of nautical-themed automatics. Privateer is a variant on a marine chronometer with a circular textured dial, feiulle hands, a 60-minute chapter index, and a small seconds dial offset at 5 o'clock. The brushed stainless steel case is 42mm wide, 12mm thick, and coin edged with a sapphire crystal, and 100m water resistance. A peek through the exhibition case back reveals a Miyota 8245 automatic. It is offered with a white dial and blue hands, or a navy dial and silver hands, on a padded calfskin strap.

The Voyager is a 300m diving watch. Like the Privateer, it also has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and 42mm stainless steel case, but it is polished with a faceted timing bezel. The case back is solid and decorated with the image of a square-rigged ship in high relief. The dial is distinguished by a wave texture and luminous, diamond shaped markers. Even with a logo and a full complement of dial text, the result is refreshingly open. My only complaint is that the hands seem slightly short, but this will be remedied in the final. The watch is offered on a steel bracelet or rubber strap. Three colors are offered: white with a red bezel, white with a blue bezel, or black with a black bezel. A Miyota 9015 runs the show.

Both models will sell for $349. Kickstarter backers can get theirs for $249.

Smith & Bradley Springfield Classic Field Watch

Kickstarter veterans Smith & Bradley are back with the Springfield, a vintage military style watch assembled right here in the U.S. of A. Clearly, they consulted the finest sources for inspiration. Check out their drawing board picture. That's my photo of the 1969 Benrus and 1979 Hamilton reviewed here.

Like the originals, the Springfield has a highly legible black dial marked for 12- and 24-hour time, but it has thoroughly modern specs: domed sapphire crystal, C3 SuperLuminova, 100m water resistance, and a Ronda quartz movement. It is offered in both brushed stainless and PVD finishes. The biggest departure from the original watch is its size. It is a whopping 48mm wide, large enough to swallow a 34mm Vietnam-era watch. This gigantic case is hooked to a relatively narrow 20mm strap. Those frying-pan proportions give me pause, but it looks good in the photos. Kickstarter backers can buy one for just $159.

Tusenö First 42

From Göteborg Sweden comes Tusenö Watches. Their debut offering is the First 42, a dress-sport chronograph driven by the popular Seiko VK64 MechaQuartz. The 42mm stainless steel case is brushed and polished. Rose gold PVD is an option. They have slightly domed sapphire crystals and are water resistant to 50m. Tusenö opted for a conservative dial design with Arabic numerals, a railroad index, and beveled lance hands.

Dials are white or sunray black. The brand name is a touch large to my eye, but the overall proportions are good and I appreciate that they chose balance over clutter and omitted the date. Three straps are offered: polished mesh, crocodile print leather, and suede with butterfly deployant clasps. In my opinion, the white/mesh and black/suede win the day.

Early bird pricing for the First 42 starts at kr2540, or $308 USD, $100 off retail.

JAGD Osterbrø

The folks at JAGD have gone out of their way to design a watch that you design. Confused? Well, we've got a round, lug less, stainless steel case measuring 43.5mm wide and 11mm thick, housing a basic Miyota quartz. It has a sapphire crystal, 24mm strap, and it is all dial. That dial is a blank slate, just waiting for your idea to be zapped into its surface with a laser.

We've seen "design your own" ideas before and they usually fall flat, but the Osterbrø has promise. For one thing, they offer a nice variety of dial materials. Want metal? The choose from brushed brass, steel, or copper. Feeling woodsy? Try cherry, bamboo, mahogany, or walnut. Going slick and colorful? Then the Gravoply plastic is for you. Choose the case color (steel or gunmetal), hands, and then roll up your sleeves for the fun part: designing your own dial. You can pick a supplied pattern or whip up your own from scratch using Adobe Illustrator and the JAGD design template.

Admit it, you've always thought you could design your own watch face. Here is your chance! For just kr1000 (about $150 USD), you might as well give it a shot.

TōR

Finally, we have TōR "gorgeous luxury watches." Have you ever wished somebody would make an homage to the Diesel Flare Chrono? Of course not. No one has ever thought that. It is an unbearably stupid idea, but that didn't stop TōR from trying. Looks like this one has already died on the vine.

All photos courtesy of the watchmakers.

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Manchester Watch Works Equinox Prototype

You know what the world needs now? I know what you're thinking, "Love, sweet love," and, yes, you and Burt Bacharach are right; however, I was thinking "1970's inspired watches." They were playing with some great designs back then; creative, envelope-pushing designs rich in color and shape. Granted, they weren't all winners, but there is so much material to draw upon that would look fresh and new today. Every time I see a new Submariner style diver, Panerai clone, or (God help us) "minimalist" watch, I wonder why more microbrands haven't tapped into the expressive concepts of the Me Generation. Some have already found this muse, like Chris Vail's Lew & Huey Spectre, Chip Yuen's Aevig Valkyr, Stephan Trimbos's Stuckx Bull, and Kyle Schut's Curve-Chrono. The latest micro to boogie on back is Doug Kim's Manchester Watch Works, whose new project, the Equinox, borrows elements from two 1970's Omegas. He provided a blue dial prototype for review.

The Equinox has its roots in the Omega Genève Dynamic, a slim, oval cased automatic that has long held a special place in my heart. Doug started sketching his version of that watch's "eyeball" dial, which soon evolved into a layout closer to the geometric, yet equally groovy, Omega Constellation Megaquartz. He ultimately settled on a circular index with long markers and a 6 o'clock date window inside a rectangular case with bowed sides, as if the pronounced ring was pushing the walls of its frame. All of the branding and text is kept within this ring, so there isn't much of it. Just the MWW name and logo up top, and "Automatic" at the bottom in a slightly elongated and lightweight font, which (and I admit, this is a nitpick) makes "MWW" appear blocky in comparison. Polished baton hands and a wedge-shaped, "speedometer needle" second hand echo those of the Dynamic. There are only two colors available: black with a light blue second hand, and royal blue with an orange second hand. Both dials have a sun ray effect. It is a lovely dial that is equally striking at night when the BGW9 SuperLuminova pops to life.  

The dial is set deep below a flat mineral crystal in a brushed stainless steel case. Micro brand buyers have come to expect sapphire as a matter of course, but that gets tricky when you have to cut a custom shape. Mineral keeps the cost down. The display case back is also mineral, secured with four screws. A sturdy, signed crown at 3 o'clock screws down, contributing to the watch's respectable 100m water resistance. I appreciate the crown's function, but I do wish it were slightly shorter. Its size and shape would be better suited to a tool watch than the more fashion-forward Equinox.

The case measures 37mm wide, 43mm long, and just 11mm thick. Rounded corners, a polished and beveled edge, and a fine channel surrounding the case edge all help break up what might otherwise be an imposing block of steel, but it is still a substantial watch. I had no issues wearing it on my 6.5" wrist, even with a suit, but I do wish it had a little curvature to its case back for a closer fit on the wrist. It's by no means oversized by modern standards, but it wears much bigger than its vintage counterparts. One important note: the circular brushing on the prototype was a factory error. Production watches will have the correct north-south brushing. This is a relief because everyone who has touched the watch has tried to wipe it off! 

A Seiko NH35 peeks through the case back. This 24 jewel, 21.6k bph automatic hacks and hand winds with a 40h-our power reserve. It's a quality unit, beloved by many a micro. The rotor was unadorned on the sample but will be signed with the Manchester Watch Works mountain logo when done.

The sample arrived on a leather-backed, tapered, black carbon fiber strap. Its 20mm lugs are hidden under the case. It's a nice choice for the Equinox, appearing at once edgy and neatly tailored. Using cutting-edge materials like this was very much the trend in the early-70's. In that way, the carbon fiber harkens back to the Omega Dynamic's original Corfam synthetic straps. While I like the strap, I keep imagining this watch on a bracelet. Yes, I know it would have been more expensive, but custom links that repeated the boxy case shape would have been an ideal complement. I am quite sure more than a few future owners will experiment with aftermarket options. Mesh is an obvious choice, but I'd try an Oyster.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Equinox. Doug's clever merger of retro cues and modern design sensibilities has created a refreshing watch that stands apart from the crowd. It is an attractive proposition made even more enticing by its value. Manchester Watch Works prices its products very aggressively, and this watch is no exception. Look for pre-order pricing to start under $200, which is outstanding in and of itself - but wait, it gets better. Time Bum readers can an extra 15% off of any watch any watch at ManchesterWatchWorks.com with the code TIMEBUM15. 

The Equinox will launch later this year, and I, for one, will be waiting.  

Pro: Fabulous style.

Con: Feels thicker than it is.

Sum: Groovy style at a great price. Love, sweet love.

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