The case side finish isn't raw, but deeper, according to the manufacturer. It's a design choice the reviewer knows and should have at least pointed out.
check you Jody's review of the Hamilton Khaki King. those watches have NO anti reflective coating. I have a Hamilton khaki with blue dial and I cannot read the time because of the glare. I bit of a disappointment.
According to this point, no brand other than the usually few known should exist. I think new ideas are always welcome, they can be upgraded or improved, but I personally welcome a watch that finally doesn't make me think "uhm, what do this mercedes hand remind me of?"
I don’t mind place names on watches. That’s why I’m currently happy wearing my Edinburgh/Auld Reekie, Arthur’s Seat,Dunsapie Loch Car Park, divers watch 😃 Entertaining vid as usual, mate 👍🏼😃👍🏼
@@echoneutra As always, what can at first glance seem strange, gives a new meaning when you understand the foundation. I think the name has a nice meaning. I suppose it has to grow on people before it can become a household name, just keep at it, i really love the seconds hand! Its a cool watch. Maybe the one thing I get stuck on is the "Date >" print, we all know its the date so its a bit superflous. What would also look better is if the date wheel would have the same font as the numbers on the dial. Otherwise really strong first watch! A Chronograph in the same style would be a real killer!
Thanks for the great review… !!! Not only are they Informing you that there is a date window… They’re even giving you a rate pointing arrow! As it to save you time searching the expenses of the dial looking for the… Well… Date! The dial reminds me of a German minimalist design… But with a bunch of Necessary text added....
The rough finishing was a conscious choice. Yes. Lovely finishing costs X. Rough as guts finishing costs 0.5 X. I'm consciously choosing rough as guts...
I think your assessment was spot on Jody. I really like the dial, (sans the date label) crown and movement but I think at $600+USD, they are stretching just because they have a Swiss 2824 clone.
Wow, am I ever in the wrong business! I need to source some cheap watches, have some name slapped on it, make up some story (inspired by the Dolomites?) and sell it for hundreds and hundreds of dollars. When you opened the box and mentioned the Dolomites I just rolled my eyes and said to myself this belongs on Kickstarter and just like that, it WAS a Kickstarter watch. Why am I not surprised? Has quick make-a-buck written all over it.
That might be a bit harsh mate. Most small brands do start on Kickstarter these days, with ambitions to grow and grow beyond the platform. But yes, too many similar stories based on a vague connection to a place. Cheers!
Hmmm the 'Karl diver' ... 'Karl Flieger' ... 'Karl Land Rover' - field watch of course ... made in the Octoberfest tents of Munich while the watch manufacturers were drinking beers and eating brats ... each watch comes with unique 'character' defects inspired by manufacturers inebriation levels. Catchy.
"One .. of .. THE MOST .. legible watches .. I have EVER encountered" ... come on bruv. Its markers are nice, but the font is light and thin. Very delicate reading numbers. Its about half way down the charge on readability, chap.
Agreed, give me a Citizen eco drive, vostok amphibia, or san martin bronze. All much more legible. This watch is also massively overpriced for what you get.
Like the design / love the blue on leather (ovest steel), / make it 40mm / 48mm lug / date window is just FAIL / drop the price a good bit if if they're leaving the hand grinder finishing / be less stingy with the lume / CHANGE THE bleeping NAME AND LOOSE any form of forward slash/ back slash/ dash/ dot/ tittle/ oblique/ diagonal/ solidus/ separatrix/ quotes/ parenthesis/ colons/ comma/ period/ this is a watch, not Javascrip, C++, Python, Perl or a file name. That being said, I do LOVE the blue on leather.
I own this watch. Purchased as early bird in Kickstarter campaign. I love the brand name, even the model naming and all the atmosphere of Dolomites projected into this watch. What I don't like is the lume and the hands & index design. It looked better in the campaign and renders. The minute hand should be more precise than it is now (thinner). Indexes at 3,6,9,12 are just too massive and it ruins the looks especially once the minute hand get close to them. I don't mind the finishing - it's a model inspired by outdoor, hiking, mountains. It can be rough. But still I'm happy with it. If you have questions before purchase feel free to ask :)))
I agree. Take the word "date" off the watch. We know what that window is for. It needs t100 tritium tubes. The finish looks iffy, but it may camouflage some scratches over time.
Great review as always my good man! No surprise this was a kickstarter watch. I don't know the ins and outs of these schemes but I'm sure the sales blurb went along the lines of "invest $600, you'll get a free watch, when we launch into the market we will be selling them for much more so you'll be getting something that gains in value" sorry, but there are far too many better options out there for that money. I sense another example of a micro brand that is pricing itself too high thinking it's something it isn't.
HELLOOOOOO Jody! That intro makes me smile every time, even if I'm having a bad day.👍 Another great review as always. I pretty much agree with all points here. For $600 I think this can be a great deal better. But I am intrigued by the movement choice.
I think your review is spot on. Aside from the lack of case polishing, it would have been nice to see drilled lugs. This watch has potential, but it's way overpriced for what it is.
I really, really like this watch. It is so different, yet eye-catching in its simplicity. Apart from the poor lume, the only complaint is that the dial is a little one-dimensional.
I like the watch specially its face it’s look different from others love those hands specially the second hand with the red tip yeah it is different 👍👌😎
I like the overall look of the watch and don't have an issue with the size, I like the style of the Seconds Hand but using the grey hands they should have just no bothered with the lume. Like other not sure about the DATE> moniker, don't think I have seen that on another watch before. OK trying to be different but that did not work. Cant comment on the "brushed" effect as would need to see it in person. Nice watch over all.
I have to admit, I don’t like anything about this watch. The name sounds like something we’d find on a cheap fashion watch. I don’t like anything about the dial (“Date”? Really? What sort of designer would think that’s a good idea?). I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a finish-even on the cheapest watches-as bad as that one. And the movement...gaudy and tacky-all I can say about that. As for the strap...looks like a $4.99 special from eBay. Some of these micro-brands really need to get it together. There are plenty of really good buys out there for far less money. This watch, however, I would not be interested at any price. Just my two cents!
a dot of white lume in the middle of 1/4 markers and at the end of the hands wouldn't change the dial look much and help solve the night time legibility
I would love to watch an episode about 10 years battery watches! I love them. I own some Timex, Casio and Victorinox with these 10 years battery but I want to know more models. Best regards from Brazil, Mário.
The Echo/Neutra Cortina 1956 model is pre-ordering starting at $440 US. It is a simpler, clean watch using the same movement sans the date feature ( which I just don't use anyway). Might interest some folks.
I love the dial and hand set, and I really like the strap. I would drop the bracelet altogether, the lume I would have a small square at the end of the indices so you don’t have grey it, that would give it better visibility.
I like the attempt at a clean dial, but personally, I don't think it's all that legible myself. When you have very bold indices at the cardinal ordinates but then a very fine and wispy, almost illegible font at the rest of the indices, it results in a visual struggle and in the end the whole thing seems out of balance to my eye. The rest of the printing on the dial just gets lost and overpowered, and frankly, there's also too much of it, so ironically it starts to get busy even though there's lots of "white space on the page" as we used to say. Totally agree about the naming convention and case finishing. And yes, that bracelet is trash. It's completely incongruous to the retail price of that watch. The whole thing should be shrunk down in size to about 39-40mm and especially the lug to lug length. If they could get it down to 46mm lug to lug, that would be great. As is, it barely looks right on your wrist Jody. I agree, the crown is sharp. And I like that they achieved 100m WR too. I think they're on to something, but the naming convention is hoaky and just too much on the nose. Similarly, the seconds hand is also a bit of a mountaineering gimmick. It's just too literal. But I think it's a good start. They just need to achieve a better balance I think. But, right now it's visually incongruous.
I like the crown.... that's it though. Actually the movement seems interesting, but only because there is a Sternglass with the same movement that looks interesting.
Agree whole ❤edly with your comments,Jody. The name sounds like something id add to my diet rather than watch collection. IMO, a fundamentally decent and interesting watch. Jeez....what were they thinking when they put 'DATE' on the dial??. If they ook your design suggestions on board, I believe the watch would be quite noticeable and attractive on wrist. Thank you for bringing this watch to us.☘.
Jody, you are spot on! Love the dial and hands. They shouldn’t even offer a bracelet if it’s going to be that horrible. At first glance, I love the watch, but at that price, they need to listen to you and fix some of those issues.
Has potential but leave the pressed clasps to Seiko, apply some finer grade sandpaper to case and get rid of the "DATE" wording. The price is a tad high too despite stp inside.
I have the Versante Ovest (blue soleil dial version), totally agree with you: legible and full of persobality but some design decisions... STP 1-11 movement is controversial in the community because they used an ébauche of a chinese movement when they started, I think it would be interesting for your audience if you could give more information about the real "swissness" of STP.
I have a Zodiac Sea Dragon using this movement... And it's super reliable! I dropped mine (i know i know..) couple of times and it's running at +3s/day without issues. And the "Swiss Made" thing got tighter lately so yeah, the STP had a rough start but it's more "Swiss" than before lol.
Here reference.grail-watch.com/family/stp1-11/ you can find some details about the chinese ébauche affair. At least Sellita was smart enough to not have a photo of their movements with ST2100 engraved on... I'm not a watch snob and personally I think that it would be pointless to be a snob about a sub-1000 euro watch, just wanted to talk about STP and the way enthusiasts look at it.
@@BarcaroGF Well, STP belongs to Fossil since 2012, and since then, they have ramped up their operations and facilities in Manno close to Lugano. The link states it clearly, legally, they can call them "Swiss Made". If you're concerned about that, never go down the rabbit hole of looking into the production of balance springs in so-called inhouse mouvements ...
There are things about the dial that I do love - the blocky clean indices, the orange on the second hand, and the modern font. But yeah, This ones half baked. I think I’ll keep my eye on a Nomos Neomatik.
My only qualm is that case finish. Aside from that I love everything about it. I’d be willing to finish the case myself if the watch were a little lower in price. The dial and handset are fantastic....minus the redundant date indicator near the date window. That seconds hand sells it for me though.
If you have to nitpick to find fault with a product you are reviewing, then they are doing something right. It means they have all the big important boxes ticked, and now it's just a couple little niggles. The name and case finish points are fair, though I give them extra props for that lovely movement being on display.
Agree with your points. As with this specific color model, perhaps bgw9 full lume dial for better low light visibility. Grey or black lume is generally pointless and useless. U may find this to be the case as used in white dial version of the Borealis Adraga and stealthy version(s) of the fairly new Seiko "5KX". As with the date window, agree no need to say and point DATE. And, reversing colors to be white background with black print would look better and match the overall visual look and continuity of dial design a lot better.
I like the watch. I have the Ovest Steel. What I don't like is the fact that to set the watch you turn the crown counter-clockwise. Set the time counter-clockwise, and wind the watch clockwise. It doesn't make sense to me. Also there is a lot of friction in winding the watch. A LOT of friction.
Spot on Jodi. Also, I have a watch with an STP 1-11. The movement died in it. The manufacturer sent me a whole new watch and the new watch has also developed issues. The STP 1-11 has not impressed me.
Slight suggestion for improvement: the numbers on the minutes track (outside) should also be horizontally aligned, just like the hour numbers. (ref. ECA Calypso for example).
Hi to all, just some more info: > DATE: of course we are aware that all of you know that that is the date window, it's just a graphic element to give the dial a "more technical" appeal; > ROUGH FINISH: this is how we wanted it to be, to give to the watch a raw appeal and "better survive" to scratches ;) > ECHO/NEUTRA: ECHO is referred to the echo effect on the mountains / NEUTRA is referred to Richard Neutra an Austrian Architect that has a particular meaning for us. And another famous brand that uses the / on the name is, for example, HARMAN/KARDON
Points two and three are acceptable. "A graphic element to give the dial a ""more technical" appeal": I do not understand this at all. Why not an arrow pointing to the crown saying "wind" or "crown" for that matter? It is absolutely superfluous and it really cheapens the look of the watch. It is definitely not appealing.
i assume the case finishing was supposed to evoke the roughness of the mountains in some way, but if you're referencing stone (and let's be honest, that's got to be the point behind the gray hands) why not just bead blast it? feels like that would be more in keeping with the aesthetic, holds up better than brushing, and may well be cheaper to boot.
I like the aesthetics; its a beautiful dial... the proportions, crown.. not the band. The price is high. There are many makers big and small putting ETAs in a package. The market is well informed and we understand a reasonable cost basis for a watch. Lose the "Date"
Brilliant video as usual Jody! Would love to see a review of one of the new-ish "Islander" brand watches from Mark at Long Island Watch. I gotta say they exceeded my expectations for features. Keep up the good work!
I think it's a wonderful design. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it's a very clean simple design. Edit. It is a bit rough around the edges though.
Really not a bad watch, but as some issues. Some things it needs. Needs better lume and breads it on all hour markers. Needs a better minute hand, one that has more of a point. Also needs a better braclet option. I have seen this movment before, I believe Fossel started it. Most of the currant Zodiac Automatics have this or the 3-13. Doxa also uses the different names for colorways, and I think they did it from the 1960s. The Professional models all have orange Dials, and I believe that was the first orange diver.
That is a good looking movement. The name Neutra is probably named for a mid century modern architect. On the web that brushed finish looks nice, but since you compared it to the Pagani design, it makes sense.
Jody, a solid review of an interesting, if disappointing piece. I, too, wonder about the Date>. Maybe in the next generation, they'll put Hours on the little hand and Minutes on the big one ;^). But I want to point out something about the echo/neutra name. To students of architecture, the name invokes Richard Neutra, whose buildings defined a good part of what we call Mid-Century Modern, esp in LA and Palm Springs. I checked the website and whoever wrote the overblown definition of purpose was clearly influenced by Neutra and I'm pretty sure this boiled-to-essence dial is an homage to his work.
I like the decorated movement. Looks like a bit like a German watch to me, nomos Glashutte palette maybe on that dial. Not really what you think of in terms of Italian design. Italians can make anything look stylish usually.
The more I look at this watch the more I think it looks like at best a £80 Diesel watch or Fossil. Case finishing aside (totally shocking you’re right lol), the dial and handset just shout fashion watch. I’ve nothing against fashion watches, I own a couple that look nice, but I expect more from a watch costing this much. Way more. Especially taking into account the strap and buckle being lifted straight from IWC.
"DATE>" = "Our customers are morons."
😆 what designer would ever think “Hello, ‘Date’ over here” was a good idea? Really bad design all around I think!
Also suitable for customers that are mentally ill.
White luminiscent dial would be super cool! That would solve the lume problem and would work with the design.
I was shocked that it wasn't a lumed dial, the black hands would have made way more sense with them blocking the lume.
@@JohnClarkW Right? Its kind of obvious when You think about it. Definitely makes more sense than trying to make black lumed hands work.
That's a perfect solution! If they also shrunk the case by 2mm, got rid of "date", and improved the bracelet, I think they'd have a winner.
They should have put the word "Time" with an arrow pointing at the hands.
Haha! I know right?! As if we don't know where the date complication is. *eye roll*
And "WIND HERE ->" with an arrow pointing towards the crown.
@@jb6027 You're right, I've always wondered what that thing was for. :)
They may as well put MY WATCH right across the dial.
The “date’ arrow just made the watch idiot proof. 🤣
We need more faceless "swiss made" watches. Crappy polishing of the case, crappy lume, cheapish hands and a 15$ Chinese bracelet for over 500 USD?
The case side finish isn't raw, but deeper, according to the manufacturer. It's a design choice the reviewer knows and should have at least pointed out.
@@giovannipadovani1866 well, it LOOKS rough to me, what do I care if it's some special technique?
I know I am pretty off topic but does anybody know of a good website to watch new movies online?
@@bjornhudson1699 CZcams or Netflix
Oh, so that's what the little flipping number on my watches has been saying for all those years…! 🤯
Nice dial but too much money for this watch. I’d buy a Hamilton for that money.
check you Jody's review of the Hamilton Khaki King. those watches have NO anti reflective coating. I have a Hamilton khaki with blue dial and I cannot read the time because of the glare. I bit of a disappointment.
Model Andrei I have a Khaki King myself with black dial. I love it. The lack of AR coating doesn’t bother me at all.
Same here, dark dial khaki mechanical and perfectly readable.
According to this point, no brand other than the usually few known should exist. I think new ideas are always welcome, they can be upgraded or improved, but I personally welcome a watch that finally doesn't make me think "uhm, what do this mercedes hand remind me of?"
Giovanni Padovani I’m not saying other brands should not exist. All I’m saying is that I don’t see the value in this watch.
I don’t mind place names on watches. That’s why I’m currently happy wearing my Edinburgh/Auld Reekie, Arthur’s Seat,Dunsapie Loch Car Park, divers watch 😃
Entertaining vid as usual, mate 👍🏼😃👍🏼
😂😂 Exactly!
I want the Duddingston Loch or Sheep's Heid version
Them's cool names. Does some brand really make them?
Shifty 1050 Yeah & I’m wearing I...Never...Vegetate...In...Central...Tasmania...Australia?... Oops I mean my INVICTA!!!🤪
But does it come with the GPS coordinates?
Otherwise, why not buy the "Josh Smith Old Ford Pickup in the Garage" driver chrono?
Moral of the story....Buy the $69 Chinese Pagani and give the $600 Italian "Croce Di Bottega Veneta" something something a pass !!!
Watch was not attracting at all to me.
Ok I understand there is different taste .
But 600 usd !!! No I will go for much better choices.
Echo/Neutra sounds like a homeopathic pill scam...
Yep! 🤣
ECHO is referred to the echo effect on the mountains / NEUTRA is referred to Richard Neutra an Austrian Architect that has a particular meaning for us
Elijs Dima It prevents the Corona!
I was thinking high end dog food brand.
@@echoneutra As always, what can at first glance seem strange, gives a new meaning when you understand the foundation. I think the name has a nice meaning. I suppose it has to grow on people before it can become a household name, just keep at it, i really love the seconds hand! Its a cool watch. Maybe the one thing I get stuck on is the "Date >" print, we all know its the date so its a bit superflous. What would also look better is if the date wheel would have the same font as the numbers on the dial. Otherwise really strong first watch! A Chronograph in the same style would be a real killer!
"The endurance of the parts (attach bend, fastening buckle, etc) is insured by our know how"
Sounds suspiciously like Chinglish to me...
Spencer Braithwaite - True. Should be ‘ensured’.
I love that seconds hand, it’s really a great looking watch. I wish it were more affordable, I’d be on that. Good looking movement as well.
Racist
@@throwingdartsandbreakinghearts ®eta®d
Thanks for the great review… !!!
Not only are they Informing you that there is a date window… They’re even giving you a rate pointing arrow! As it to save you time searching the expenses of the dial looking for the… Well… Date! The dial reminds me of a German minimalist design… But with a bunch of Necessary text added....
The rough finishing was a conscious choice.
Yes.
Lovely finishing costs X.
Rough as guts finishing costs 0.5 X.
I'm consciously choosing rough as guts...
I think your assessment was spot on Jody. I really like the dial, (sans the date label) crown and movement but I think at $600+USD, they are stretching just because they have a Swiss 2824 clone.
The indication where the date is roll me on the floor like a dropped toilet paper roll 😂
Thank you, Jody, for saving a lot of us from buying this timepiece with all those dislikes that you named here. Totally agree with you.
Wow, am I ever in the wrong business! I need to source some cheap watches, have some name slapped on it, make up some story (inspired by the Dolomites?) and sell it for hundreds and hundreds of dollars.
When you opened the box and mentioned the Dolomites I just rolled my eyes and said to myself this belongs on Kickstarter and just like that, it WAS a Kickstarter watch. Why am I not surprised? Has quick make-a-buck written all over it.
That might be a bit harsh mate. Most small brands do start on Kickstarter these days, with ambitions to grow and grow beyond the platform. But yes, too many similar stories based on a vague connection to a place. Cheers!
Hmmm the 'Karl diver' ... 'Karl Flieger' ... 'Karl Land Rover' - field watch of course ... made in the Octoberfest tents of Munich while the watch manufacturers were drinking beers and eating brats ... each watch comes with unique 'character' defects inspired by manufacturers inebriation levels. Catchy.
"One .. of .. THE MOST .. legible watches .. I have EVER encountered" ... come on bruv. Its markers are nice, but the font is light and thin. Very delicate reading numbers. Its about half way down the charge on readability, chap.
My thoughts too. If you think this watch is legible, you've never owned a Swiss made Mondaine railroad watch. Those are the epitome of legible.
Agreed, give me a Citizen eco drive, vostok amphibia, or san martin bronze. All much more legible. This watch is also massively overpriced for what you get.
Hands and major indices make it super legible. I don't need to read the '4' to know where 4 is on the dial.
For me, any watch with a blunt square hand(s) loses on legibility points
Other than the legibility and the movement there's nothing else about it I like. And the price? Nuts to that.
Like the design / love the blue on leather (ovest steel), / make it 40mm / 48mm lug / date window is just FAIL / drop the price a good bit if if they're leaving the hand grinder finishing / be less stingy with the lume / CHANGE THE bleeping NAME AND LOOSE any form of forward slash/ back slash/ dash/ dot/ tittle/ oblique/ diagonal/ solidus/ separatrix/ quotes/ parenthesis/ colons/ comma/ period/ this is a watch, not Javascrip, C++, Python, Perl or a file name. That being said, I do LOVE the blue on leather.
The lume may be a non-starter as the hands and indices are black...it's tough to have good lume on black.
@@joelombardi4907 True, true
I own this watch. Purchased as early bird in Kickstarter campaign. I love the brand name, even the model naming and all the atmosphere of Dolomites projected into this watch. What I don't like is the lume and the hands & index design. It looked better in the campaign and renders. The minute hand should be more precise than it is now (thinner). Indexes at 3,6,9,12 are just too massive and it ruins the looks especially once the minute hand get close to them. I don't mind the finishing - it's a model inspired by outdoor, hiking, mountains. It can be rough. But still I'm happy with it. If you have questions before purchase feel free to ask :)))
Well said, buy the watch you like. I am considering their new model the, Cortina 1956, because it is a decent movement and a good basic watch.
Personally can’t stand squared off hands. To me, that minute hand is atrocious.
Completely agree, I veto any watch with squared off hands. What's the point?!
Pun intended don't know but OK yup it doesn't have a point is the problem lol.
I agree. Take the word "date" off the watch. We know what that window is for. It needs t100 tritium tubes. The finish looks iffy, but it may camouflage some scratches over time.
I like it, it’s quirky and charming. But that price tag is bit much.
Another great review, another example of evidence of the microbrand market's reaching critical mass in my opinion.
Great review as always my good man! No surprise this was a kickstarter watch. I don't know the ins and outs of these schemes but I'm sure the sales blurb went along the lines of "invest $600, you'll get a free watch, when we launch into the market we will be selling them for much more so you'll be getting something that gains in value" sorry, but there are far too many better options out there for that money. I sense another example of a micro brand that is pricing itself too high thinking it's something it isn't.
Nice movement and..... well that's it really
HELLOOOOOO Jody!
That intro makes me smile every time, even if I'm having a bad day.👍
Another great review as always. I pretty much agree with all points here. For $600 I think this can be a great deal better. But I am intrigued by the movement choice.
I think your review is spot on. Aside from the lack of case polishing, it would have been nice to see drilled lugs. This watch has potential, but it's way overpriced for what it is.
I really, really like this watch. It is so different, yet eye-catching in its simplicity. Apart from the poor lume, the only complaint is that the dial is a little one-dimensional.
Although a little out of my price range i love the looks!
100% agree with all of your comments.
I like the watch specially its face it’s look different from others love those hands specially the second hand with the red tip yeah it is different 👍👌😎
The dial reminds me of the Mondaine Helvetica.
I like the dial and hands. The date thing is silly. I don't really care about the lume, since I don't sleep with my watch on the wrist.
Love that dial but you're right about the word "date".
I like the seconds hand. The date could use a magnifier. I don't mind waiting on a good watch via Kickstarter as the savings are substantial.
Agreed! I hope the manufacturer carefully considers your review. Thanks, Jody.
I like the overall look of the watch and don't have an issue with the size, I like the style of the Seconds Hand but using the grey hands they should have just no bothered with the lume. Like other not sure about the DATE> moniker, don't think I have seen that on another watch before. OK trying to be different but that did not work. Cant comment on the "brushed" effect as would need to see it in person. Nice watch over all.
That "Date here >" label really got me too. Also, the name is so weird. 100% agree.
Jody you nailed it. You covered every point perfectly. Please keep up the great work.
I have to admit, I don’t like anything about this watch. The name sounds like something we’d find on a cheap fashion watch. I don’t like anything about the dial (“Date”? Really? What sort of designer would think that’s a good idea?). I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a finish-even on the cheapest watches-as bad as that one. And the movement...gaudy and tacky-all I can say about that. As for the strap...looks like a $4.99 special from eBay. Some of these micro-brands really need to get it together. There are plenty of really good buys out there for far less money. This watch, however, I would not be interested at any price. Just my two cents!
Can you name a few I could look into please?
Echo/Neutra sounds like something you'd feed your pet Gerbil but I do like the watch at a distance
Beautifully finished movement for the price.
Geography references do suck on a watch. At that price, the lume should blaze all night long.
Lume on black hands and black indices is very hard to do, that's why you do not see it that much on many watches. The lume will never be as bright.
a dot of white lume in the middle of 1/4 markers and at the end of the hands wouldn't change the dial look much and help solve the night time legibility
I would love to watch an episode about 10 years battery watches! I love them. I own some Timex, Casio and Victorinox with these 10 years battery but I want to know more models. Best regards from Brazil, Mário.
The Echo/Neutra Cortina 1956 model is pre-ordering starting at $440 US. It is a simpler, clean watch using the same movement sans the date feature ( which I just don't use anyway). Might interest some folks.
Hello from Austin TX! Just got my Zelos Mako with the meteorite dial and I am absolutely in love!!
Hey mate! Good to hear from you!! All the best with the watch.
Just One More Watch thanks Jody! I’ll be in the honeymoon phase for a long time with this one lol
I have a Zodiac Sea Dragon using the STP 1-11 movement... And it's super reliable!
compass like the alpinist. More fun colours, make it a little smaller. I think a baby blue dial with red indexes would look beautiful.
The brand is designing a 39 mm, no-date, solid steel back, arrow-shaped minutes hand version that is going to be very interesting.
I love the dial and hand set, and I really like the strap. I would drop the bracelet altogether, the lume I would have a small square at the end of the indices so you don’t have grey it, that would give it better visibility.
I like the attempt at a clean dial, but personally, I don't think it's all that legible myself. When you have very bold indices at the cardinal ordinates but then a very fine and wispy, almost illegible font at the rest of the indices, it results in a visual struggle and in the end the whole thing seems out of balance to my eye. The rest of the printing on the dial just gets lost and overpowered, and frankly, there's also too much of it, so ironically it starts to get busy even though there's lots of "white space on the page" as we used to say. Totally agree about the naming convention and case finishing. And yes, that bracelet is trash. It's completely incongruous to the retail price of that watch. The whole thing should be shrunk down in size to about 39-40mm and especially the lug to lug length. If they could get it down to 46mm lug to lug, that would be great. As is, it barely looks right on your wrist Jody. I agree, the crown is sharp. And I like that they achieved 100m WR too. I think they're on to something, but the naming convention is hoaky and just too much on the nose. Similarly, the seconds hand is also a bit of a mountaineering gimmick. It's just too literal. But I think it's a good start. They just need to achieve a better balance I think. But, right now it's visually incongruous.
I like the crown.... that's it though.
Actually the movement seems interesting, but only because there is a Sternglass with the same movement that looks interesting.
I have started appreciate my modded (NH36) Seiko SNZG15 even more! its double deck dial is one of kind!
Agree whole ❤edly with your comments,Jody. The name sounds like something id add to my diet rather than watch collection. IMO, a fundamentally decent and interesting watch. Jeez....what were they thinking when they put 'DATE' on the dial??. If they ook your design suggestions on board, I believe the watch would be quite noticeable and attractive on wrist. Thank you for bringing this watch to us.☘.
I am buying hamilton khaki field all day long, thank for sharing Jody
Just bought a oris aquis so I'll have to wait until never before I pick this one up.
Stick with the Oris - this is no Oris
@@Yoshikaable I don't think you got the joke
@@A_Dude_And_His_Watch78 I totally missed it there first time 😆😆 thanks for the heads up
Jody, you are spot on! Love the dial and hands. They shouldn’t even offer a bracelet if it’s going to be that horrible. At first glance, I love the watch, but at that price, they need to listen to you and fix some of those issues.
Yeah it has some potential, but right now it’s like a rough draft of a potentially great watch.
Has potential but leave the pressed clasps to Seiko, apply some finer grade sandpaper to case and get rid of the "DATE" wording. The price is a tad high too despite stp inside.
The STP in my Zodiac Super Sea wolf is nuts accurate. They claim chronometer on all their watches.
I have the Versante Ovest (blue soleil dial version), totally agree with you: legible and full of persobality but some design decisions...
STP 1-11 movement is controversial in the community because they used an ébauche of a chinese movement when they started, I think it would be interesting for your audience if you could give more information about the real "swissness" of STP.
I have a Zodiac Sea Dragon using this movement... And it's super reliable! I dropped mine (i know i know..) couple of times and it's running at +3s/day without issues. And the "Swiss Made" thing got tighter lately so yeah, the STP had a rough start but it's more "Swiss" than before lol.
Here reference.grail-watch.com/family/stp1-11/ you can find some details about the chinese ébauche affair. At least Sellita was smart enough to not have a photo of their movements with ST2100 engraved on... I'm not a watch snob and personally I think that it would be pointless to be a snob about a sub-1000 euro watch, just wanted to talk about STP and the way enthusiasts look at it.
@@BarcaroGF Well, STP belongs to Fossil since 2012, and since then, they have ramped up their operations and facilities in Manno close to Lugano. The link states it clearly, legally, they can call them "Swiss Made". If you're concerned about that, never go down the rabbit hole of looking into the production of balance springs in so-called inhouse mouvements ...
There are things about the dial that I do love - the blocky clean indices, the orange on the second hand, and the modern font. But yeah, This ones half baked. I think I’ll keep my eye on a Nomos Neomatik.
My only qualm is that case finish. Aside from that I love everything about it. I’d be willing to finish the case myself if the watch were a little lower in price. The dial and handset are fantastic....minus the redundant date indicator near the date window. That seconds hand sells it for me though.
I've got to say...that design really gives me the fizz. I'm a fan!
If you have to nitpick to find fault with a product you are reviewing, then they are doing something right. It means they have all the big important boxes ticked, and now it's just a couple little niggles.
The name and case finish points are fair, though I give them extra props for that lovely movement being on display.
Just checked out their site, very nice vintage inspired chronos.
Agree with your points. As with this specific color model, perhaps bgw9 full lume dial for better low light visibility. Grey or black lume is generally pointless and useless. U may find this to be the case as used in white dial version of the Borealis Adraga and stealthy version(s) of the fairly new Seiko "5KX".
As with the date window, agree no need to say and point DATE. And, reversing colors to be white background with black print would look better and match the overall visual look and continuity of dial design a lot better.
I dig the face... it vibes DOXA. Love the fact mirco brands are doing some interesting watches at decent price.
The case finishing looks like my old Squale 1545. That watch was a complete bomb! It was sold very quickly.
The Pepsi-Rolex clock on the wall is amazing. Nice Video my dude 🔥
Yes I like the the Rolex clock too. I want one!
I like the watch. I have the Ovest Steel. What I don't like is the fact that to set the watch you turn the crown counter-clockwise. Set the time counter-clockwise, and wind the watch clockwise. It doesn't make sense to me. Also there is a lot of friction in winding the watch. A LOT of friction.
Super video, looks like a dress watch to me
I really like the handset and hour markers on this piece. I'd like to see this design language carried over to any further releases from the brand!
Spot on Jodi. Also, I have a watch with an STP 1-11. The movement died in it. The manufacturer sent me a whole new watch and the new watch has also developed issues. The STP 1-11 has not impressed me.
Slight suggestion for improvement: the numbers on the minutes track (outside) should also be horizontally aligned, just like the hour numbers. (ref. ECA Calypso for example).
Hi to all, just some more info:
> DATE: of course we are aware that all of you know that that is the date window, it's just a graphic element to give the dial a "more technical" appeal;
> ROUGH FINISH: this is how we wanted it to be, to give to the watch a raw appeal and "better survive" to scratches ;)
> ECHO/NEUTRA: ECHO is referred to the echo effect on the mountains / NEUTRA is referred to Richard Neutra an Austrian Architect that has a particular meaning for us. And another famous brand that uses the / on the name is, for example, HARMAN/KARDON
Points two and three are acceptable. "A graphic element to give the dial a ""more technical" appeal": I do not understand this at all. Why not an arrow pointing to the crown saying "wind" or "crown" for that matter? It is absolutely superfluous and it really cheapens the look of the watch. It is definitely not appealing.
i assume the case finishing was supposed to evoke the roughness of the mountains in some way, but if you're referencing stone (and let's be honest, that's got to be the point behind the gray hands) why not just bead blast it? feels like that would be more in keeping with the aesthetic, holds up better than brushing, and may well be cheaper to boot.
"Hands cleanser" haha! Nailed it Jodi😂. That rough case finish stood out straight away to me.
I like the aesthetics; its a beautiful dial... the proportions, crown.. not the band. The price is high. There are many makers big and small putting ETAs in a package. The market is well informed and we understand a reasonable cost basis for a watch. Lose the "Date"
YOU'VE HAD GOOD TIME AT....what? Where? We need to know!!!
POLISH CLUB!
I think the price is not related to what is offered here.
Should just have called it 'Dolomites' for the mountain range theme. For the price the lum definitely needs to step up a notch as does the bracelet.
Brilliant video as usual Jody! Would love to see a review of one of the new-ish "Islander" brand watches from Mark at Long Island Watch. I gotta say they exceeded my expectations for features. Keep up the good work!
I watched the whole video again just one hour after it was released. I have enough watches but I keep watching these videos, like have to find JOMW.
I think it's a wonderful design. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it's a very clean simple design.
Edit. It is a bit rough around the edges though.
Really not a bad watch, but as some issues.
Some things it needs. Needs better lume and breads it on all hour markers. Needs a better minute hand, one that has more of a point. Also needs a better braclet option.
I have seen this movment before, I believe Fossel started it. Most of the currant Zodiac Automatics have this or the 3-13.
Doxa also uses the different names for colorways, and I think they did it from the 1960s. The Professional models all have orange Dials, and I believe that was the first orange diver.
Fresh style, good specs. At 40/47mm case in better finish I would have been interested.
That is a good looking movement. The name Neutra is probably named for a mid century modern architect. On the web that brushed finish looks nice, but since you compared it to the Pagani design, it makes sense.
Has potential but I agree that there is some work needed before I would be ready to shell out over $500.
Love the legibility...needs more lume for sure.
Jody, a solid review of an interesting, if disappointing piece. I, too, wonder about the Date>. Maybe in the next generation, they'll put Hours on the little hand and Minutes on the big one ;^). But I want to point out something about the echo/neutra name. To students of architecture, the name invokes Richard Neutra, whose buildings defined a good part of what we call Mid-Century Modern, esp in LA and Palm Springs. I checked the website and whoever wrote the overblown definition of purpose was clearly influenced by Neutra and I'm pretty sure this boiled-to-essence dial is an homage to his work.
Maybe the name is for an updated game? You know....”Echo?...Neutra!...Marco?...Polo....!”😂🤪
I like the decorated movement.
Looks like a bit like a German watch to me, nomos Glashutte palette maybe on that dial. Not really what you think of in terms of Italian design. Italians can make anything look stylish usually.
I love the dial and hand set but 42mm seems excessive, and that price . . . but it is a handsome dial. Oh, and I don’t mind the date text.
Nice to see some unique hands rather than opting for some off the shelf ones, but the case finish, hmm.
The more I look at this watch the more I think it looks like at best a £80 Diesel watch or Fossil. Case finishing aside (totally shocking you’re right lol), the dial and handset just shout fashion watch. I’ve nothing against fashion watches, I own a couple that look nice, but I expect more from a watch costing this much. Way more. Especially taking into account the strap and buckle being lifted straight from IWC.
these arent just cons theyre pretty much deal breakers. i do like the styling tho. thanks!