Deaumar Watches is a new venture that will sell its first model on Kickstarter February 18 [Update: early launch! The campaign kicked off on February 16].
The Ensign is a handsome, Seiko-powered, automatic diver's watch.
Deaumar founder Antony Villa sent me a prototype to evaluate ahead of
the launch. This is a very professional piece so I was not surprised to
learn that Antony had done this before. In 2004, he created the Bravus
Aquanaut. Yes, Antony was microbrand before microbrands were cool, but
sadly, not in a good way. The Aquanaut was a failure, but Antony learned
from his rookie mistakes. The Deaumar Ensign is attractive, well sorted, and represents a solid value.
The
Ensign is a dress diver that does not forget the "dive" part of the
equation. It is rated for 200m water resistance with a screw-down crown
and a domed, anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal. Opening
the package, I was greeted by the Ensign's shimmering blue sunray dial
and matching blue bezel. The watch is also available in black, orange,
or red with black bezels. It has a very traditional face, but it is
nicely executed. Polished applied markers and pencil hands are filled
with SuperLuminova, as is the tip of the bright
red, lollypop-tailed second hand. The hands are a proper length,
extending right up to the markers on the dial and chapter ring. A
polished frame surrounds the black-on-white
day/date discs at 3 o'clock. I was delighted to see the Deaumar brand
rendered in a tall, stylized typeface. It recalls a bit of 1930's
glamour and lends a measure of maturity to the name.
Antony wanted "a big watch for a
smaller wrist." Being on the smaller side myself, I can appreciate this.
I like chunky tool watches, but these designs often look heavy on my
6.5" wrist, so the watches are really only suitable for occasional,
casual wear. If I am to wear a diver style during the work week, it has
to be small to mid-sized and sufficiently tailored so that it does not
look out of place with a suit. The Ensign achieves this balance with a
brushed and polished stainless steel cushion case that tapers at its short, integrated lugs. Measuring 42mm
wide the case is a standard men's size, but it is only 46mm long, which
should allow it to fit neatly within the confines of all but the
smallest wrists.
The 120-click, unidirectional bezel
is surrounded with a polished, square-toothed edge that affords easy
grip. Its action is firm and positive without even the slightest hint of
back play. It has an aluminum bezel with silver printed markers and a
lume-filled triangle. I would have preferred a lighter weight font to
tie back to the thin lines of the dial text, but this is a minor
quibble.
Inside is a Seiko 4R36, a 24 jewel
automatic that hacks and hand winds. It is a solid, reliable unit common
to many micros. It may not be an exotic choice, but owners can expect
trouble-free operation and easy servicing. The unit's coin-edged, 4
o'clock crown suits the streamlined case. It screws down and is
decorated with the Deaumar logo.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento