For my first review, I am reviewing the Berkbinder & Brown T46 titanium v2 ‘Tool Watch’. For those not familiar with Berkbinder and Brown here is a little background information from their website.
The ethos of Berkbinder & Brown is to make products of rugged, functional beauty- a cool brand with a rich American Legacy. My grandfather owned a hardware and implement store in South Dakota that has provided the namesake and inspiration for the brand Berkbinder & Brown. The Tool Watch evolved out of a desire to have a watch for my active pursuits, a watch built for work, a “tool not a jewel.” The watches I own that are serviceable are ugly and my nice watches are too “nice” to withstand everyday abuse. I set out in 2008 to make a watch. This was more involved than I ever imagined. In that time, I have machined and hand-built prototypes, and received enough encouragement from friends to pursue a larger vision. Working with a talented team the Tool Watch has become a reality. The Tool Watch is not a mass production item, it is a finely crafted “timepiece for life.”
Ted Brown
Ted Brown, the founder of Berkbinder & Brown says his “mind is a shop that is always open.” He has spent the last 26 years professionally designing. First Brown enjoyed a successful 22-year history as founder of Traditional Concepts, Inc., an architecture, and construction firm. Brown has devoted the last four years pursuing his next creative effort, Berkbinder & Brown.
Company info:
Berkbinder and Brown
523 East Scanton Avenue
Lake Bluff, Il 60044
847-436-1737
email: ted@berkbinderandbrown.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzQYXnMIu5k
watch specifications:
Movement: Swiss ETA 2824-2
Case size: 46.3 mm diameter, 13mm height
Case material: T2 Titanium
Crystal: 3mm thick flat sapphire crystal
Case Back: Sapphire Crystal Exhibition
Dial Color: Black
Water Resistance: 10 ATM
The watch comes in an awesome leather travel case. I prefer this style of case over the traditional multiple boxes that a lot of companies use. I find those bulky and a waste of storage space. The B&B leather case is the perfect size that can easily fit in a desk drawer. The case features the Berkbinder and Brown logo.
My first impression of the watch itself is that it’s a no nonsense kind of watch. The case and bezel are what I noticed first. It just screams rugged to me.
The case:
The case is bead blasted titanium. The case is made from a solid stock bar of T2 titanium and is milled on a CNC lathe machine. It’s a tough as nails material which is complicated to mill, but it’s also tough enough to handle your every day abuse. The “tuna can” shape reminds me of an old diving helmet or a ship portal window. The glass bead blasted case is finished perfectly. It adds to the watch’s rugged, I can handle anything look. The bezel features 12 screws which align with each number on the dial. The screws hold the two part case together with an axial ‘O’ ring gasket inbetween. It’s a very unique bezel and I really like it. It’s not like any bezel I’ve seen on a watch that I have owned. The case is lugless. While the case is 46.3mm in diameter, it wear smaller due to having no lugs. The case is about 13 mm in height. It’s not too tall that you will be hitting it on door frames. Those used to tall dive watches know what I’m talking about. The case back is the exhibition style case back, that is also held down by screws. It’s water resistant to 10 ATM.
The Dial:
The dial is matte black featuring large Arabic numerals. The dial is very easy to read from all angles. There is the Berkbinder and Brown logo which is featured in red just under the ’12’ position. The red logo is a nice touch because it is tied in with a red triangle above the ’12’. There is a date window at the ‘4’ position. The hour and monte hands are black with white lume paint. They have a very military feel to them. I really like the hands on this watch. The second hand is a hacking hand which I do prefer in watches I own. There’s something very special about a second hand that hacks. The numbers are also coated with lume.
The Crystal:
The crystal is sapphire with AR coating on it. It’s 3mm thick and flat. The crystal sits slightly above the case, but the screws sit higher which offers protection to the crystal.
The Crown:
The crown is a screw down crown which features the B&B logo. It adds a nice detail to it. The crown is as knurled around the edges which gives a rugged feel and look to the watch. When setting the date and time it really has a smooth movement. Having the crown at the ‘4’ position makes it more comfortable. I’ve owned watches with the crown at the ‘3’ position and it has dug into my wrist.
The Movement:
A powerhouse, workaholic 2824-2 ETA automatic movement. The movement features shock resistance which is a must for a ‘tool watch’ This movement is used by a lot of higher end watches. It’s nice to see it in this watch. A daily tolerance of +/- 12 seconds.
The Strap:
The strap is a Horween Chromexcell leather. It’s super soft and very comfortable. It has nice white stitching. I can wear this watch to sleep in that’s how comfortable it is. I bought both the black and the brown strap. The brown has to be my favorite of the two. The brown tones are so rich.
The buckle:
The buckle is a very nice signed deployment style butterfly buckle. It’s made of stainless steel. It’s very easy to operate and has a sturdy, well built look. It would be really nice if it was made of titanium to match the case.
Wrist Shot:
For reference my wrists are 7 3/4″
Price: $2595 available via the Berkbinder and Brown website.
Sumary:
I love this watch. I have been looking for a everyday watch that can handle what I can dish out and what the elements can dish out as well. It’s that perfect weekend adventure watch. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for that watch companion that you don’t have to worry about if it can handle the job or not. Ted Brown is a great guy and his watches are top notch American watches. Built right here in the US. The customer service is easily available for help as well. The price is a good value for what you get. It might scare some people away because it is a new brand, but it’s a well built watch that is US made, which I believe justifies the price. Ted’s passion translates right into his watch. The more time I spend with this watch that passion becomes more and more apparent. This is one of those watches that continues to grow on you the more you wear it. When it’s on my wrist I can’t stop glancing at it. I really enjoyed reviewing this watch and I can’t wait to put it through some adventures.
pros:
rugged titanium case
comfortable
US made
Trusted movement
cons:
price for a new brand might scare potential buyers
stainless steel buckle doesn’t match titanium case
no lume on second hand
thanks for reading.
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