Watch Review: Zoid MYSTERY

“Zoid Mystery, an avantegard collection that tells time in a unique way” Zoid Website. Unique is definitely a perfect way to describe this watch. I first saw this style of many years ago and I never took the time to really look deeper into it………Fast forward to 2019 now I had the chance to explore this style of time telling dial closely with Zoid’s Mystery.

The modified automatic miyota movement is housed within a 46mm x 12mm stainless steel 316L case.

Winding, setting the time can be accessed via the push/pull stainless crown that is decorated with an etched Zoid logo.

The Zoid Mystery caseback is done in the exhibition style allowing a look at the modified miyota movement.

Strapping the Mystery onto the wrist is done via a quick release style calf leather strap which features a stainless buckle with an etched Zoid logo.

The matte black dial is bordered by a fixed bezel and can be viewed through a sapphire crystal.

Telling time on the Mystery is done via one oversized minute hand that is attached to the hour wheel. The printed hour numerals are coated with superluminova as it the oversized arrow shaped minute hand.

I definitely enjoy the unique style of the Zoid Mystery, both in the unique time telling and in the unique design of the case & dial. As unconventional as the dial may appear, it is extremely easy to understand/read what time it is. The large arrow shaped minute hand functions just as any minute hand does, rotating clockwise 360 degrees around the dial in 60 minutes. The minute hand is semi skeletonized, allowing the obvious view of the dial underneath it and also acting as a frame for the hour to be viewed for time telling purposes. In other words, the printed numeral on the hour wheel that is in the frame, is the hour of what time it is. As the oversized minute hand makes it’s journey around the dial, the hour wheel is rotating slowly until eventually the next hour comes into “frame”.

I really like how the dial is designed to look like a bunch of individual industrial plates that are riveted in place, giving the dial depth. Also giving this dial even further depth is the open heart and the exposed small circular gear. I’m not a huge fan of open hearts on a dial, but it works well on this dial and occasionally it’s covered up by the hour wheel. You get the best of both worlds in my opinion.

The Zoid Mystery was produced in very limited numbers, only 18 of each color variation were produced giving you not only a unique piece but also a “rare” piece. (As my kids refer to getting mystery pack characters, “did I get the rare one?”)

The Zoid Mystery is well executed in terms of design and quality. Is it perfect? No, but a few changes can make it closer to perfect. I don’t like the leather strap at all. It’s thin, and it feels cheap to me. I think that the crown should have been done as a screw down style. I don’t care about the argument of does a screw down crown really offer more protection, but I care that a screw down crown feels more durable. I understand Zoid’s decision to make the fixed bezel polished(catches the light) but I personally think that it would have looked better as a brushed matte finish.

Zoid absolutely nailed this dial, I love every detail on this dial. The consistency of the using the electric blue as accentuating detail on the hands, numerals, minute markers and the arrow/circle. The blue looks absolutely stunning against the matte black dial.

I believe that this style of dial/hands layout is going to be the next thing for a while. Azimuth did it many years ago and as awesome as their watch was, it was a little ahead of its time. I think Zoid’s Mystery will be the first of others to come.

https://zoidhours.com/collections/mystery/products/mystery-blue

$888.00 USD Zoid Mystery

Thanks so much to Alex and Zoid for this opportunity.

A huge thanks as always for reading my review!

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Watch Review: EVOX DV1-05

Today we will be looking at a new release the DV1-05, from a new company EVOX. From the website: “Where heroes are made of, to fight, to conquer, to celebrate victory. To embrace victory, every timepiece is exquisitely designed and engineered to meet the demands of total defence of our homeland. We make sure our watches stay accurate and strong on your wrist.” Did EVOX live up to their promise? Let’s explore this watch and find out.

The watch is equipped with a raised, slightly domed sapphire crystal.

This version has my personal preference for a dial, which is glare resistant matte black. The applied markers and hands are coated with Superluminova. At the 9 o’clock position there is the orange bordered date window, a white date wheel with black print.

The case is 48mm x 15mm constructed out of 316L stainless steel black IP. The unique case shape is due to the large helium escape valve located on the right side of the case.

The watch features a large, oversized screw down crown that is signed with the EVOX soldier logo.

The screwed down stainless steel caseback features an embossed EVOX logo and some details about the watch, including the limited edition number out of 68.

The DV1-05 comes on an extremely soft orange silicone strap that is fitted with a case matching (signed) black buckle.

The DV1-05 is a nice debut piece for this new brand. Right now and for the next two weeks this watch can be purchased from http://www.evoxtime.com for $347 USD. There are a few areas for improvement in my opinion. The hour and minute hands are a nice size, shape and design while the second hand is undersized, has no lume and is mismatched to the hour and minute hands. In my opinion all watches that are specifically geared towards diving should have a lume coated second hand. My other area that would improve this watch in my opinion is to have eliminated the 1000m that is on the side of the case located where the helium escape valve is.

I do think that the watch features some details that make it a watch worth looking at, especially for those on that under $500 budget. The watch features a sapphire crystal, a large unique case, oversized screw down crown, and the 1000m depth rating. The bezel functions with precision, it’s easy to grip and lines up perfectly with the dial. At the 12 o’clock position on the bezel inlay is a lumed pip which is definitely helps when using the watch for diving or just timing in general.

Yes this is a large watch, but it wears comfortably especially because of the crown position on the left side of the case. This helps prevent anything digging into the back of your wrist/hand. The case is well constructed and extremely durable. As you can see in the pictures, the shorter lugs helps manage the 48mm case from wrist over hang. (I have 7 1/4″ wrists)

I wore the DV1-05 in several different environments during my review. It handled itself without fail in all environments from work, to the woods, to the water/beach. The dial was extremely legible no matter what lightning I was thanks to the large orange and white applied markers. The Miyota 8215 kept time within the movements time tolerance. The case and strap held up well as to be expected. Everything functions as I expect from a watch and quality control. Timing to the second would have been much easier had the second hand reached the chapter rings numbers. Despite the areas for improvement, the DV1-05 is a strong debut piece for the under $500 market. The DV1-05 is packed full of nice little details like the matching orange helium release valve to the orange on the bezel, the He stamped on the valve stem, just to name a few.

Pros:

Affordable preorder price

Well designed case

Legible dial

Everything functions without flaw

Cons:

Undersized second hand

No lume on second hand

Unique lugs makes changing to other straps difficult.

I want to thank EVOX. I also want to personally thank you for reading.

Watch Review: Advisor Ascent

On my journey to healing, I have found a lot of help thanks to meditation, exercise, self reflection and Buddhism. All of these have been an extremely helpful formula for me personally. There are days when I still struggle with PTSD, anxiety and panic attacks, but thankfully these things no longer control me. I wear a Tibetan skull prayer mala bracelet every day as a physical reminder to help keep myself centered. In Buddhism, the skull represents emptiness, which is regarded as a quality of this world. This usually means that has no character by itself. It is essentially saying all occasions are impartial – but we opt to magnify them. This is partially the reason why I was interested in seeing Advisors new Ascent watch, with this particular dial.

Without a doubt for me the open-heart layered skull dial is the attention grabbing center of attention on the Ascent. The brushed skull is set against a black background adding to the dials 3-dimensional appearance. The open heart is perfectly placed within the mouth of the skull. I am typically not a fan of skeleton dials or open heart but it works brilliantly here on the Ascent. Advisor kept everything else on this dial simple to allow the skull to be the obvious focal point. The gold hands are great accent details to the Ascent’s dial and case. The hands are not only perfectly sized to the dial but they are also coated with BGW9 lume. Protecting this dial and adding to the legibility is the scratch resistant sapphire crystal that is treated with an anti-reflective coating.

Advisor could have taken this dial one step further by adding lume to either the eyes of the skull or to behind the movement in “the mouth” of the skull. The details of the hands were done extremely well in terms of shape and overall execution. Both of the hands are segmented, almost in a cathedral style which adds to the completed look on the Ascent’s dial. The triangular tip of the hour hand, the sword shape of the minute hand and the arrow shaped second hand, all these details all the three to nicely accentuate each other. This dial is kept pretty clean as the text was kept to a minimum with just the Advisor logo and name located just under the 12 o’clock position.

The only numbers that can be found on this dial are on the rotating inner chapter ring. The top crown is responsible for operating the bi-directional chapter ring. I’m a little disappointed that this crown isn’t a screw down style crown, but it is full of beautiful detail as you can see from the pictures. Both crowns are easy to grip and operate because of both generous sizing and because of the edges of each crown. The bottom crown is screw down style and as you figured is responsible for setting the time and for manually winding the watch.

The case itself is 316L SS with IP rose gold plating and is 42mm x 13.5mm with a lug spacing of 22mm. The majority of the case has a brushed finish but does feature polished accents around the fixed bezel. The angular shaped edges of the bezel allow for the polished accents to be more pronounced especially when they catch the light. The angular shape of the lugs adds uniformity to the Ascent’s case, matching the angles of the bezel. The Ascent has a good hefty feel to it not anything like that toy watch feel of some titanium watches.

I absolutely love and appreciate the case back on the Ascent and you can see what I am talking about in the picture below. I am so glad that Advisor went this route and not with a sapphire crystal case back. A solid, engraved case back is much more interesting in my opinion.

The Ascent comes on a dark brown top grain calf leather strap and attaches to the wrist via a standard matching finish/rose gold coated pin style buckle. The strap and watch both wear comfortably on the wrist in all environments/conditions.

Currently the preorder price for this model is $310 and if you prefer the more classic style dial, that preorder price is $280. What should you expect for that price? I think if you are spending your hard earned money on any product you should expect quality first and foremost and if the quality isn’t there, then save your money for a quality piece. I definitely understand and respect wherever a person may fall into the financial affordability for watches. Not everyone can drop “big name” price amounts on a watch. The Ascent has some very nice details and specs for its price point. It also has some areas for improvement, not deal breakers, but areas to give a more finished product.

This watch is done in what Advisor refers to as a compressor case. Please note that the Advisor Ascent contains none of the actual compressor “technology” which would make it a true compressor case. Check out my review of the OWC 6538 for an more in-depth explanation of how a true compressor case works. https://www.google.com/amp/s/timetoblogwatches.com/2017/08/07/watch-review-owc-ms-6538-james-bond-crown/amp/

Thanks for reading my review and thanks to Advisor for the opportunity to explore the Ascent watch.

https://www.advisorwatches.com

Case Design: Custom-Made Case  

Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel(IP Plating with Rosegold)

Case Back: Screwed Down Embossed with Individually Numbered (limited to 150 pieces) 

Case Diameter: 42mm

Height: 13.5mm

Lug Width: 22mm

Dial: Open-Heart Layered Skull Dial

Bezel: Bi-directional Rotating Bezel

Date: With Date Function Index & Hands: Applied Index (BGW9 Luminous)

Crystal: Scratch Resistant Sapphire with Anti-Reflective Coating

Crown: Screwed Down

Movement: Automatic 82S0 (Miyota)

Water Resistance: 200m / 600ft

Straps: Top Grain Calf Leather

Watch Review: Fonderia Navale Stella

Variety is definitely the spice of life and when it comes to watches this is no different. I recently read something about bronze/brass watches being played out which I thought was a bit drastic. Why should we be limited to stainless steel and titanium? I personally love having a variety of choices in my collection and bronze/brass cases offer that variety in more ways than one. That variety can be taken further in terms of patina, forced, natural, or even if you prefer no patina, the fact that you can change the appearance of the case offers variety. I don’t consider bronze/brass watches as a trend, I consider them just another welcome option to case material.

Today we are looking at the newest dive watch offering from Fonderia Navale, Stella. For those of you who’s mind went to a Streetcar Named Desire you are not alone. But as iconic as that movie is, Stella in this case has a much older origin. Stella is the guiding spirit of the sea that is represented with Polaris the brightest star in the Ursa constellation. Polaris is notable for currently being the closest bright star to the North Celestial Pole. The pole marks true north, which makes the North Star important in navigation.

So let’s start with the immediate obvious here, that obvious being the case. Stella’s case measurements are 44 mm excluding the crown – lug to lug 53 mm and she is made up of CuSn6 bronze. When I received Stella she already had a good start on some natural patina. I personally love any kind of patina, therefore this was a welcome sight. The case is packed full of personality through design details.

I have to say that the fixed bezel is what truly caught my attention here on Stella. The bronze bezel held in place assisted by 6 steel screws. The steel is a nice contrast to the sea of bronze that makes up a majority of Stella’s case. Stella has a fantastic industrial shape to her case that makes her have a no nonsense appearance. At the ten o’clock position is the tin phosphor bronze screw down crown, measuring 10.5 mm. The material used was a conscious decision for the simple fact to avoid galvanic oxidation which would potentially negatively affect crown function/operation. The crown is extremely easy to grip and operate because of its generous size and edge design. The signed crown is nicely protected nestled close to the large angular drilled lug and single crown protector that extends out from the case itself. I personally love the crown itself and it’s placement on the watch case. Definitely works for me.

The screw down case back features a lovely compass rose that has been etched onto the stainless steel. A question that I have been asked quite a bit is why do bronze watches have stainless steel case backs? For those who haven’t experienced bronze/brass touching against the skin for extended period of time, the material will often cause greening on the skin. Certainly not life threatening but can be an annoyance to some people.

 When I saw the initial pictures of this dial, I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to like the shade of green FN chose once I would see the watch in person. The green actually works really well because of all the other accenting details on this dial. I wasn’t sold on the green initially in person either. The oversized white and orange hands help in breaking up the sea of green. The oversizing of the hands and hour markers allow for Stella’s easy legibility. The flat sapphire crystal makes viewing Stella’s dial extremely easy from different angles. I definitely grew to appreciate the dial because of what FN did with the overall design. The textured dial combined with the applied markers, assist with keeping the dial from becoming a flat & monotonous bore.

The orange border around the chapter ring offers a nice touch of contrasting color to Stella’s dial. The chapter ring features a very legible white printed minute track, allowing for ease of timing even when your wrist is at awkward angles. Personally I could live without a date window on any watch and I could have done without it here on Stella. Date windows interrupt the flow of a dial in my opinion.

Stella comes on a brown leather strap with a standard pin style buckle. The strap has a good amount of padding to it which adds to the comfort of Stella when on the wrist. The patina/off white stitching on the strap is a nice little accent of detail that pulls together the strap and watch with continuity. I like that companies such as Fonderia Navale continue to bring out bronze/brass watches because variety is much appreciated. What is also appropriated is Fonderia Navale’s commitment to improving quality with each of their releases. Stella is by far their best piece to date in terms of overall quality and overall design. Stella keeps beating thanks to her heart which is a Citizen Miyota Parashock movement. This piece would be darn near perfect in my opinion if the date window was eliminated. My favorite details are the ones found on the case itself. The thick, drilled lugs, the bold fixed bezel, the oversized crown, the caseback, all work perfectly together. For just under $500 you definitely get your money’s worth here.

Thanks to Fonderia Navale and thank you all for reading!

Watch Review: Feynman One Classic

There are so many unique designs in the watch industry that catch my attention for good reason. Unfortunately there are also designs that are not so unique that blindly follow the herd. Yes the submariner is iconic but extremely boring which makes 99.9% of sub inspired watches even more pedestrian/boring.

These boring, uninspired designs allow watches like the Feynman’s One Classic to standout. The OC is a great example of what I say about the how too much attention is paid to the size of a watch case and not to the actual design. The OC caught my attention immediately not because of the 39mm x 12.5mm case size, but because of the case and dial designs. The gray dial is simplistic yet has enough smaller details that add up to make a bigger impact.

The dial of the OC is made up of textures and layers, giving the dial depth despite it’s overall simplicity. The black honeycomb style of the lowest section of the dial creates a nice backdrop for the sharp, silver steel hands. The hour and minute hands are sized perfectly for this dial allowing for ease of legibility and for overall aesthetics. The seconds are counted by their own sub-dial which is located at 7/8 o’clock position. The position of the sub-dial is a welcome break from the typical and symmetrical choice of placing it directly center at the 6 o’clock position. The curvature of the second hand is quite a small yet beautiful detail. The gray and black color scheme of the dial is broken up with the welcome addition of the blue pinion cap.

Feynman allowed the textured details to create the overall unique beauty of this dial instead of packing it full of unnecessary printed details. There are very simple printed numerals on the very outer minute/hour track and on the inner track as well. Simple Roman numerals representing 12 & 6 on the outer track and Arabic 12 & 6 on the inner track. The exclusion of a date window helps keep the chi to flow throughout this dial brilliantly. One detail that is responsible for the initial grabbing of my attention is actually the small plaque at the 4/5 o’clock positions on the dial that has Feynman simply printed in black. I also appreciate the contrast in printing the second track in black on the silver backdrop and the white printed track on the dark gray backdrop on the dial and the chapter ring.

The highly decorated details of the mechanical ETA “Peseux” 7001 movement can be viewed via the OC’s exhibition case back. Mechanical movements will always have a soft spot in my heart because they remind me of my grandfather’s pocket watch. The case back isn’t the only detail on the OC case that is worth mentioning. The uniformity between the case side and the signed crown are some details that are definitely worth mentioning because they certainly are attention grabbers. The lines of both the diamond shaped crown and sides of the case are quite beautiful especially when the light catches them perfectly.

The angles of the solid lugs are just as unique as the other details found throughout the OC. Unique uniformity. The brushed finish on the lugs plays nicely off of the brushed finish on the fixed bezel. Light also plays nicely off of the polished portions of this case. The genuine lizard leather strap allows the OC to wear with all day comfort and the texture/color accents this piece perfectly. The OC is a versatile watch because it can easily transition from work to play. I definitely recommend this piece to anyone who is looking for a break from the monotony of watch clones that are over saturating the industry right now. The quality of this piece is fantastic and Feynman’s attention to detail is apparent throughout this watch.

https://feynman.watch

Case Diameter

39mm

Lug to Lug

45mm

Case Height

12.5mm

Lug Width

20mm

Case Water Resistance

100m / 10atm

From the Feynman website:

 

Who we are

Primarily, watch lovers. Feynman is a collective of collectors and artisans, who share a common passion for watches. We believe in the art of Mechanical Timekeeping, and work towards sharing our reverence with the world, starting with the communities closest to us.

What we aspire towards

1) Creating mechanical timekeepers for watch lovers

2) Inculcating an appreciation of watches in new watch collectors

3) Spreading the passion for mechanical timepieces

What we are inspired by

The prevalent beautify that is all around us, in both natural and urban environments, extracting aesthetic inspiration from all that is beautiful in our surroundings. We seek guidance from natural design principles, as well as architectural practices, creating silhouettes which are aesthetically pleasing, coupled with synergistic colour palettes, to create designs which will stand the test of time.

 

About the Feynman One collection

In the inaugural release, Feynman introduces the Feynman One, a mechanical hand-winding timekeeper which seeks to revive our interaction with our watch. The Feynman One is a modern interpretation of classic silhouettes and design cues, creating an entirely new visual take on the dress watch.

With the Feynman One, we were able to achieve our idealised vision of a modern dress watch, with a multi-layered dial design, unconventional case, and a venerable Swiss movement.

Watch Review: Bausele Pilot

Recently it was the anniversary of the Normandy invasion during WWII as I read articles and gazed upon the pictures, it caused me to do some deep reflecting. As I reflected I thought about the bravery, courage, fear, that the people involved in the invasion must have felt. I sat in astonishment as I read facts that these articles brought awareness to. An example of this was that Hitler was staying in his Bavarian home at the time of the invasion and his generals were afraid to order reinforcements without his permission and they were also afraid to call him to wake him, thus giving the allied forces the ability to overtake the beaches. The other thing that I learned that astonished me was that the weather almost canceled the allied invasion but the weather report stated that there was a 12 hour window in the weather that they acted upon. It amazes me that given the limited technology in the 1940’s, the weather report was that accurate, that trusted. I love history and it never ceases to amaze me as I learn about the past. Bausele did exactly that, reflected upon the past, learned from the past and set out to use this knowledge of the past to infuse it into our modern world.

The Bausele pilot watch is a blend of designs of yesteryear and designs of our modern world. The dial is the perfect visual example of what I am speaking of. “Inspired by the watches of aviation pilots back in the day the 12 on the face of the watch is situated at the traditional 2 position, allowing the advantage of telling the time without having to move your wrist. The same applies in the modern era of performance cars and motorbikes” Pilot watches of yesteryear had dials positioned in this manner so that the Pilot didn’t have to remove his hands during flight to tell the time. Especially when timing is absolutely crucial during a military mission. Once this watch was on my wrist it makes perfect sense. It took a minute to become used to this layout, but once I did, I was hooked. The large metal hour markers lend assistance to the ease of reading the time. I absolutely love how the silver catches the light and allow the black printed numerals to have an almost 3 dimensional appearance. There is an incredible amount of detail/depth on this dial but not too much to allow unnecessary busyness/clutter.

The Guilloché detail that is beautifully decorates the hour markers, it can also be found on the top side of the movement which is visible through the circular cut out in the center of the dial. The red X detailing on the dial is quite magnificent as it perfectly lines up with the hour markers at 11, 1, 5, and 7. Bausele commitment to uniformity can be seen in the use of red found consistently and subtlety. The second has my ideal length because it reaches the outer edges of the dial and with it’s red tip it makes it easy to time to the exact second. The tip of the second hand always matches the red stitching on the Kangaroo leather strap. Bausele got all the hands on this watch consistently perfect in my opinion because the hour hand reaches the hour markers and the minute hand reaches the minute track. The hands being generously sized makes telling the time extremely easy which when telling time matters especially when all you have is seconds time to glance at the dial.

The matte black ceramic case is beautifully badass. It’s extremely light weight, durable and stealthy. The case is quite simple in detail which plays well off the many details of the dial. One cool detail that I love on this case and it’s a detail that I have never seen on a watch before. Inside of the crown is red sand from Australia, home to Bausele. It’s such a unique and thoughtful detail that sets this piece apart for other pilot watches at this price point.

The watch wears extremely comfortable on the wrist with no wrist overhang whatsoever that the smaller lug to lug length. The lugs are slightly curved and are not drilled, but the kangaroo leather strap features quick release spring bars. The caseback displays the automatic movement via the sapphire crystal perfect for the people who like to watch the rotor spin.

Adding detail to the caseback are the 6 flat head screws that hold it in place. Some more detail worth mentioning here is that the crystal has the Bausele logo and name printed on the inside. Thankfully Bausele was mindful to give us some added detail to look at on the movement with the guilloche art that finishes the look brilliantly and it can be appreciated from dial side as well. Consistency through details.

I absolutely appreciate Bausele’s take on the pilot watch. They have taken all the good details of pilot watches of the past and merged them perfectly with modern details. It is a great little package with lovely details found at every angle. It’s nice that Bausele didn’t just rehash a pilot watch that we have seen a million times before. I am not a purist by any means and my blog is not for the purists out there. Most people understand that, unfortunately the fuck knobs at watchlords will never understand this. But hey, keep holding onto the 90’s with that 20 members forum. But I do appreciate the added traffic they give me to help bring you all my reviews. It’s only fair that I mention those miserable cynical fuck knobs.

Bausele has definitely given us a great option for an alternative to all the Bell and Ross clones out there. They used imagination and creativity which is sadly lacking in the watch industry. It’s all about the rehash right now and it’s so mundane. If I had to change anything on this piece I would have had drilled lugs with flat head screw bars to tie in the screws on the case back. I would have made the case larger as well despite the current trend going with smaller cases again. But there are a lot of great design details on this watch that the size really doesn’t matter honestly.

Bausele has produced a winner in my opinion. The ceramic case is badass which made my choice harder because the white dial version of this watch is beautiful in it’s own regards. I want to personally thank Arron from Bausele and of course I want to thank you all for your continued support. I couldn’t do this without all of you.

https://www.bausele.com

Watch Review: Achtung Shuttle

I have always been drawn to the Eastern cultures for as long as i can remember. Even as a small child I was drawn to cartoons/shows like Tesujin 28, Mazinger Z, Ultraman, Godzilla, etc…. I was in consistent awe of these shows, blown away actually. As I got older, it wasn’t just the shows that gave me these feelings. The cultures, the religions, the people, began to as well. Absolutely beautiful and awe inspiring. It eventually inspired me so much that I started and continue to practice Buddhism, meditation, martial arts.

Today’s review watch is definitely influenced and inspired by the culture of where it was conceived. The Achtung Shuttle is that watch and you can immediately take notice of it’s unique design. The large black case commands instant attention right out of the box. The red and black color combo has always been one of my favorite combinations since I was a kid. Voltron and Snake Eyes(his tattoo) immediately jumped into my mind.

The angles of the case give the Shuttle that space themes industrial feel. The case has these dramatic angles that being paired with the overall thickness adds some serious wrist drama that easily makes the Shuttle a conversation piece. Not to mention the two smaller dials that are located on the non-crown side of the case. I got the initial inspiration feeling of a cockpit instrument panel when I saw these smaller dials. Now the main dial is powered by a Miyota automatic movement and the two small dials are powered by Miyota quartz movements.

The two sub dials can be designated for multiple time zones if you do a lot of traveling for example. For me personally, I used them for my profession for timing my patients treatments. Operating the small crowns are a little tricky, especially for my wide fingers. Eventually I did get the hang of manipulating them, pulling them up first, them rotating the crown to set the time. The main crown is definitely easier to operate because of it’s edges and because of the size of the crown.

This watch is appropriately named because it’s the size of a shuttle, a 53mm diameter. 15mm thick shuttle to be exact. The red silicone strap does a nice job of balancing the large watch on your wrist and luckily the shuttle isn’t a watch that carries around much weight. This is definitely a good thing especially if you are one of those people who don’t like wearing a heavy watch. It’s a fun watch to wear, I really enjoyed pairing it with a cool t-shirt, jeans and some raw sneakers. It adds that extra detail to the outfit.

Speaking of details, the case has some nice little details that are definitely worth mentioning here for example the double screws that are strategically located at 12, 3, 6, 9 on the fixed bezel. I like the detail created by the 2 sub dials on the side of the case and that Achtung added some engraved detailing in between. For those of you that enjoy looking at the movement inside of your watch, the Shuttle will definitely tickle that fancy with a sapphire caseback.

The dial is as robust and full of detail just like the case itself. The hour markers are beautifully integrated into the chapter ring, with 4 large sections that ‘jet out’ which feature multi-color numerals 2, 4, 8, 10. The shape this creates on the dial is pretty awesome in my opinion, especially at the 3 and 6 locations on the dial. Don’t worry if you are the type of person who likes all 12 numbers represented on the dial, because Achtung has you covered. The rest of the numerals are printed in small white print along the inner sections on the chaper ring. Achtung choice of hands for the shuttle are perfect in design. They complement the depth of this dial brilliantly.

The hour and minute hand are matte finished with lumed white tips, semi skeletonized, and the second on is a beautiful shade of blue, simply straight featuring a “honeycomb” style center. It may be a very small detail, but it definitely has a big impact in my opinion. A common theme found throughout this watch which makes me truly appreciate this piece.

The deeper and longer that I immerse myself into the watch industry and community, I find my tastes changing/evolving. I also find myself becoming bored with the same old tired designs. These countless sub mariner clones make me wanna vomit from the absolute lack of inspiration and lack of individuality. That’s why my blog will always feature the obscure, unique, not for everyone kind of watches. These types of watches intrigue me, inspire me and completely earn my respect for the out of the box approach to design. The limited edition of 28 Achtung Shuttle falls into this category. I appreciate it’s large, robust design.

Achtung has really been focused on improving the quality of their pieces and it is quite apparent in their Shuttle watch. Is it perfect? No. Is there room for improvement? Yes. I would have made all 3 of the crowns larger to assist with ease of operation. The strap integration is extremely limiting where you can’t change up the look with strap changes which is kind of a big deal to me. Changing the straps always breaths new life into a watch. Are any of these deal breakers? Not to me honestly because the pros heavily outweigh the cons on this watch. $664 USD gets you a extremely unique and limited watch that is full of character. It’s a watch that has individuality and will definitely be a killer accent piece for those who love mixing it up in their personal style. I love matching my watches with my skateboarding hats and sneakers. That’s my jam. Perhaps the Achtung Shuttle will accentuate your style jam.

https://achtungtime.com/products/shuttle-red-and-black

Thank you all for reading and for the support. Thanks to Alex and Achtung.