The last time we were talking to you about Timex, it was for their AdSum collaboration (which you can see here). While we were working to get one in for review, the watch became totally sold out. So, what’s to do? Well, you find a similar-looking model (at least from dial layout) in the catalog, and you pivot to that. So, meet the Timex Expedition Sierra, which we’ve been spending some time with as of late.

The main similarity between the AdSum and this Timex Expedition Sierra is the military-style dial, which has the 12-hour scale printed large, and then the 24-hour scale printed smaller, inside of that. The case shape is somewhat similar, though not identical. Here, the case is made of brass, done in a hammered silver-tone finish. Not as robust as steel, but it feels nice on the wrist. One thing to note – a brass case does not muffle the sound of a movement like steel can, so you’ll be hearing the tick-tick of the quartz movement.

And yes, it is a quartz movement inside the Timex Expedition Sierra. And you know what? That’s just a-ok. With a watch like this, you know what you’re getting into. I mean, this is the sort of watch I would have gravitated towards back in my high school days. With quartz, it’s just going to keep working and keep accurate, the 40mm case gives a solid wrist presence, and it does the minimum you want a watch to do – tell you the time and the date.

The really great thing about the Timex Expedition Sierra – and it’s brethren – is the Indiglo backlight. This is an electroluminescent backlight that lights up the whole dial, making it a cinch to see the time in the dark, even if the luminous paint on the handset isn’t fully charged. To engage it, you just press the crown, and the light comes on. Release the crown, and the light goes off. This helps to preserve battery life (not that EL is that power hungry, but every little bit helps).

The Timex Expedition Sierra came on a Nato-style strap, which is certainly one of the more popular styles. With the 20mm lug width, finding another strap to swap in should be an easy thing to do, and it’s an easy way to freshen up the look of the watch.

Something like the Timex Expedition Sierra is an inexpensive ($89) way to put a watch on your wrist that will get the job done, and you’re not going to be worried about banging on through your day. Just be careful with water – the 50m WR rating means it’ll handle hand-washing and getting caught in the rain, you just won’t want to swim with it. If you want to check this one out (or the other color options), just head on over to timex.com

Tech Specs from Timex

• INDIGLO® Night-Light
• QuickDate® Feature
• Product: TW2V22800VQ
• Case Width: 40 mm
• Case Material: Low Lead Brass
• Band Color: Blue
• Buckle/Clasp: Buckle
• Case Color: Silver-Tone
• Case Finish: Matte
• Case Shape: Round
• Case Size: Full Size
• Crystal/Lens: Mineral Glass
• Dial Color: White
• Dial Markings: Arabic (Full)
• Watch Movement: Quartz Analog
• Water Resistance: 50 meters
• Case Height: 11 mm
• Strap and Lug Width: 20 mm
• Attachment Hardware Color: Stainless Steel

If you recall, it was not all that long ago that we brought you word about the Skagen x Soulland collaboration (you can ready about that right here). Since then, we’ve had one come in and have been spending some time with it. Read on for what all the Skagen x Soulland has in store for you.

Skagen watches are often known for their focus on minimalism, and the Skagen x Soulland certainly feels that way, almost to the verge of starkness. A lot of that comes from the very wide chapter ring that comes down from the crystal down to the dial. Everything under the crystal is tonal as well, with just the numerals/indices and the handsets standing out in stark contrast.

With things sort of feeling stretched out, dial-wise, the Skagen x Soulland looks like a much larger watch than the 42mm spec would suggest. Fortunately, it’s a fairly thin case (thanks to the quartz movement), and the lugless design means that the leather strap can hug in closely to your wrist, making for a fairly comfortable fit on the wrist.

While the Skagen x Soulland certainly will work as a watch (and even as a chronograph), it is definitely a design that focused more on the aesthetics of the piece than putting functionality first. That is not to condemn the watch – because if it’s style is what you’re looking for, and it speaks to you, then that’s a-ok. Just don’t expect to be timing hot laps down at the track with it, is what we’re saying.

If you want to pick up a Skagen x Soulland, it comes in two colorways – the silver/green that we reviewed here, and an all-black design as well. Regardless of the color you’re going for, they come in at $175. skagen.com

Tech Specs from Skagen

• Sku: SKW6850 (silver) / SKW6851 (midnight)
• Case Size: 42MM
• Movement: Quartz Chronograph
• Platform: GRENEN CHRONOGRAH X SOULLAND
• Strap Material: Leather sourced from LWG certified tannery
• Water Resistance: 3 ATM
• Case Material: At Least 50% Recycled Stainless Steel
• Case Color: Silver or Midnight
• Dial Color: Silver or Midnight
• Strap Width: 22MM
• Closure: Single Prong Strap Buckle
• Strap Inner Circumference: 200+/- 5MM
• Battery Type: SR621SW

When I first heard of the vantablack watch I was convinced we were on the brink of something meaningful. The watch itself was to use vantablack, the blackest black there ever was, and it was said that the material looked like the space time continuum had ruptured, sending a little piece of antimatter into our realm.

Looking at the Chronotechna SeaQuest Dive now, I’m not so sure.

Don’t get me wrong: this is a well made dive watch. It has interesting styling, a great case, and great lime. But the vantablack gimmick is just that – a gimmick – and you can easily ignore it when looking at Chronotechna’s offerings.

None More Black

I bought the “blackest watch ever made” on Kickstarter in August 2021. Those were heady days, if you’ll recall, and I decided to splash out on a $650 watch to see what the vantafuss was about. The watch arrived about a month ago and I’ve been thinking about how to write about it since, given my relative disappointment.

The watch runs a Sellita SW200-1 movement and features a dual-level face, one level of lume behind a vantablack plate. The SeaQuest Dive is exactly what it says – a dive watch rated for 30 ATM – and it has a one-way bezel and comes on a rubber strap. There is a smoked crystal exhibition back that shows off the stock Sellita movement.

Vantablack is the blackest black material there is. Created a researcher named Ben Jensen, the material is  “absorbs up to 99.965% of visible light perpendicular to the material at 663 nm.” It’s supposed to be super dark but on this watch it just looks a little messy. Further, the punched watch face looks oddly dirty, as if the logo wasn’t punched correctly. It’s a frustrating look for an expensive watch.

Chronotechna itself is a Czech company and it is a brand based on an older watch and clock brand that ran during the early 20th century. In theory the company has been around since 1946 but was only revived in 2018. The vantablack gimmick appeared last year, probably in an effort to give the brand a little boost and I’ll admit I was intrigued.

And, arguably, this is a nice watch. It is very well built and nicely styled. I personally am not a fan of “flat” unadorned faces – this model, for example, looks to me like a sheet metal shed in someone’s overgrown back yard – but your taste may vary.

As far as workmanship, Chronotechna did a great job. While the watch is a bit small for my taste, the whole thing is balanced and pleasant to wear. The lume is amazing as well, giving off a lovely, ghostly blue on the bezel, hands, and from the plate behind the face.

Now here’s the problem: at $600 this was a good watch. At $1,370 it’s not such a great watch. It’s fairly standard, vantablack notwithstanding, and as a Czech micro brand I would have priced this a bit more affordably. I agree that Swiss quality is worth a premium but it’s not work $1,370 of premium. They could have priced this at $800 or so and maintained my high opinion of the watch. As it stands, however, I can’t support this watch at that price.

Should you buy the Chronotechna SeaQuest Dive?

Not really. If you really like it and like the idea of a vantablack watch then you could do worse. As it stands, however, I’d let Chronotechna do a little more work on the watch to earn its $1,370 price tag. The whole tail is sloppily made while the case, band, and movement are lovely. But, we’ll all agree, if the face is bad it spoils the rest of the experience.

You can check out the watches here.

Over the summer, we brought you word of a new Timex x Pan Am collaboration that saw two new watches produced (you can read about that here). Since then, we’ve been spending some time with the day-date version, and have the full hands-on review ready for you.

As you would expect for the Timex x Pan Am Waterbury, the Pan Am logo features prominently. It’s there on the dial (at 6 o’clock), the crown, the case back, as well as two medallions on the strap that recreate the look of a riveted strap you’d expect to see on a flieger-style watch.

On the wrist, the Timex x Pan Am Waterbury wears much like its 42mm case spec would indicate. In another style of watch, the larger case would feel out of place (at least, to my tastes these days), but for a flight-oriented watch, it works. Back when pilots actually needed to use these as a tool in flight, a large case meant a large dial, which usually translated into a watch that was easier to read.

Given the relative sizing, it is a surprise that the handset wasn’t made a little bit larger. If these had been fully-lumed, then the size would be spot on. Since they’re lume-filled, though, the eye catches the painted surface more readily, so it makes them appear smaller than they actually are.

With the Pan Am logo showing up on the watch, the Timex x Pan Am Waterbury manages to feel vintage without feeling old (which this style sometimes can, given its roots going back to mid-century). The electric blue dial enlivens it, and the included goodies are sure to delight the Pan Am collector. And even if you’re not so into Pan Am, the price tag of $179 feels agreeable if you’re just looking for a dependable pilot’s watch. It’s currently out of stock, but they have a waitlist setup that you can add yourself to so you can be notified when it comes back. timex.com

Details from Timex

• Chrono or Day/Date Movement
• Stainless Steel Case
• Blue dial
• Date window
• Luminant hands
• Brown leather strap with “globe” logo accent plates
• Water Resistant to 50M
• 42mm Case; 20mm Lug
• Gift set with lapel pin
• Branded, beautiful packaging
• PRICE & AVAILABILITY
  • TWG030100: $179 (Day-date)
  • TWG030000: $219 (Chrono)
  • Launch: September

If you’re familiar with Mudita, you might think their stuff is more appropriate for Knapsack. Well, we have written about their phone and their clock over there. While those are designed to strip away distractions, they’re definitely a bit more tech-oriented. On the other hand, their watch – the Mudita Moment – is a no-electronics-required approach to mindful breathing.

At first glance, the Mudita Moment is a simple three-hander, done up in a more compact case (38mm by 10.8mm thick) that will fit a wide variety of wrists. And sure, that is what it is. Once you get past the stark cleanliness of the dial (not a logo to be seen), you might notice that the dots at the hour track seem a little out of place, given the stick handset and stick indices at the outer track.

At first, it seems that they give you an hour track, but then there are too many dots (15 of them) for that. A closer look reveals that the counterbalance on the seconds hand has a circular end that aligns perfectly to those pips. What’s it for? It’s all for giving you 4 second markers to do different breathing exercises.

Those photos of the manual show how the Mudita Moment can be used for those breathing exercises, just for general daily mindfulness, or in the period of stress. This way you’re not having to count in your head or deal with digital timers – just focus on your breathing pattern, and the seconds hand moving around the dial.

It’s a clever addition done all through the design, lending additional functionality to a three-hander that’s ready for wherever you need to wear it. Inside the case is the well-known Miyota 9015 automatic, so you moving around will keep it wound, and servicing over time should not be problematic. If you want to pick one up to remind yourself to slow down, they’re $299.99 direct from mudita.com

Tech Specs from Mudita

• Colors: Grey, White, or Black
• Mechanism: Miyota 9015
• Power reserve: Up to 42 h
• Case size: ?38 mm
• Case thickness: 10.8 mm
• Case material: 316L stainless steel
• Kind of glass: Sapphire glass
• Water resistance: 5 ATM
• Lugs bars: With a quick spring bar movement
• Strap width: 20 mm, with a 316L steel buckle
• Watch weight: 55.1 g without strap

If you recall, we just told you about the Field Watch version of the Zodiac Olympos (seen here), which itself was another version of the watch design we saw reintroduced earlier this year (and covered here). Since that original launch, we’ve been spending time with the most intriguing color option of the Zodiac Olympos.

That, of course, would be the royal blue with the hits of teal showing up on the seconds hand, date window, and lower text on the dial. Before we get into the colors and such, though, we need to really start with that case. The Manta Ray shape is definitely unique, and the first time you see the watch, that’s definitely what hits you. As you wear it, however, the contours you just get used to. And given that they’re done on a smaller case (officially a 37mm diameter) they’re not digging into your wrist. So, you get some good visual interest that’s not distracting.

We also really dig the fact that the case is only 10mm thick. When we think automatic watches, we’re just accustomed to stuff that’s 12-15mm thick, so 10mm just feels absolutely svelte. But you don’t have to take my word for it. My oldest took an immediate shine to the watch (she likes these shades of blue as well) and the the case sizing fit her wrist quite well. Perhaps a little large, but it still works, and it’s actually been on her wrist more the last month or two than my own.

Which is ok, because I do have one nit to pick with the Zodiac Olympos, and it has to do with the design feature that drew me to this specific model – the teal date window. Between the brighter color, the thinner white font used for the numerals, and just the overall smaller date window size, I had a heck of a time reading the date. I’ll admit, I need reading glasses more and more, but even with those, it was trickier. For my daughter, though, she reads it no problem. So, if you’ve got some vision issues, this may not be the one for you.

Fortunately, using the Zodiac Olympos as a timekeeper was no problem at all. Sure, there’s no lume, but the polished hands and indices stand out sharply so long as you’ve got a little light. And if you’ve got a lot of sunlight, well, they still stand out against the sectored sunray dial quite sharply. In other words, in a “you had one job” view of wristwatches, the Olympos gets it done and done well.

Those polished elements on the dial (indices and handset) extend to the bezel around the sapphire crystal, while the rest of the case and lugs have a brushed finish. I rather like this approach as the brushed finishing cuts down on smudges, while the polished elements give that bit of sparkle that allow a watch to come across as a bit dressier, when you need that sort of thing.

Oh, and out of the box, the included leather strap for the Zodiac Olympos is instantly comfortable (though why they didn’t go with teal for the contrast stitches, we don’t know). A note for you strap changers out there – it’s just a 19mm lug width. It fits with the overall dimensions of the case, but you won’t be able to slip your wealth of 20mm straps on there.

In the end, I (and my daughter) really like the looks and utility of the Zodiac Olympos. It’s vintage feel without hitting you over the head, and gives you a look that is unique to what you’re going to see from other brands. We’d put it also as firmly dressy casual, easy to mix across a variety of scenarios (and even more so if you go for a more conservative color combo). And while I hadn’t thought of it as a good “my first automatic mechanical” watch, that’s precisely what it’s turned into for my daughter. So, if you want to get one for you – or that responsible kiddo in your life – they’re going for $895 over at zodiacwatches.com

Tech Specs from Zodiac

• Retail: $895
• Case Size: 37mm
• Case Thickness: 10mm
• Lug Width: 19mm
• Movement: STP1-11
• 5ATM
• Sapphire crystal
• AR coating

This has been a pretty interesting year in terms of the watches that I’ve had cross my desk for review. It’s been a wide range of styles and looks, to be sure, and even the occasional foray into the luxury waters. The prior Laurent Ferrier we reviewed set a record in terms of a price tag I’ve set on my wrist, and then today’s review – the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto – managed to top even that.

As with our prior review, we’ll get this out of the way right up front – the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto commands $49,500. What does that feel like on the wrist? A well-sorted and solidly-constructed watch, that’s for sure. Though, being made of titanium (case and bracelet) it’s definitely not a heavy sport watch, and brings that unique feel that steel can’t quite replicate.

As compared to the prior Laurent Ferrier we looked at, this is definitely a sportier look from the brand, with all the luminous paint on the hands and indices, and cushion-style case and integrated bracelet. While most of the surfaces have a brushed finish, it’s got a bit of high-polish applied to around the edge of the bezel and on the crown, so this one could do double duty as a dressier piece if need be.

While you might thing of a sporting piece to be a bit blockier and all hard edges, the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto shows that doesn’t have to be so. The case is all curves, including the curved sapphire crystal up top. Even the bracelet links, those are rounded down, bringing more curves to the whole piece. In fact, the greatest amount of flat surfaces you’re going to see is in the micro-rotor movement. Two large plates dominate your view through the sapphire caseback, with a number of finishing techniques (and engravings) to be seen where the plates aren’t. In fact, a closer look at the micro-rotor reveals some wording related to the 1979 Le Mans race (a secret treat for the owner, to be sure).

Given our focus here (usually) on the more affordable end of the spectrum, why bring in the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto for a review? Well, for one, it never hurts to see what is out there in the luxury market, particularly if its a tastefully executed design like we have here. For another, I’ve long been enamored by micro-rotors, and could not pass up the chance to check it out in person. While they may not wind as efficiently as a full-sized rotor (due to being smaller, and less mass spinning around), I didn’t encounter any issues with the watch remaining wound and running in the days I had it in for review. The fact that you can have automatic winding with a slimmer case (12.7mm here), that’s all good in our book.

Now, is the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto going to keep you on time better than anything else you might have kicking around, or even that first digital watch you had as a kid? Not, it sure isn’t. But that’s also sort of like turning up your nose at a Bentley when you’ve got a perfectly serviceable Honda getting you from point A to point B. They both do the same thing, but there’s a massive difference in terms of the materials and build quality there to be accounted for. I’m not saying I’ll be buying a LF anytime soon, myself – those remain firmly in the dream category.

And that’s a key to many things in life – appreciating what is out there in the world (whatever the category) but being satisfied with what you have, and what makes sense for your own situation. The Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto demonstrates what can be done at the higher-end of sport watches, creating a design that’s both subtle and sublime, all while not blaring in your face that it’s a pricier watch. And frankly, it would be a solid choice for an everyday watch, or even one if you’re trying to have just one watch that works for everything.

The titanium will hold up to whatever you throw at it, and the 120m WR resistance means you don’t have to be afraid of getting the watch wet. With the brushed/matte finishes, the dings and dents of life shouldn’t show up too much, and if they do (and you don’t like that evidence of a life lived) should be a snap to have them re-brush those out. And with the pops of gleam from the polished bezel and white gold hands and indices, this is a watch that will easily work when it’s time to throw a suit and tie on. So, yeah – having the Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto on my wrist for a few days was a rare – and delightful – treat, and should prove out to be the case for anyone who adds it to their collection. laurentferrier.ch

Tech Specs from Laurent Ferrier

• Dial
  • Indications: Hours, minutes in the centre, small second at 6 o’clock
  • Material: Gradient shades of blue with an opaline finish
  • Indices: Drop-shaped 18K white gold 210Pd with green Super-LumiNova
  • Hour and minute hands: Assegai-shaped 18K white gold 210Pd with green Super-LumiNova
  • Second hand: Baton-shaped, 18K white gold 210Pd
• Case
  • Material: Grade 5 titanium
  • Diameter: 41,5 mm
  • Thickness: 12,70 mm
  • Lugs: 47,6mm
• Movement
  • Features:
    • Calibre LF270.01
    • Self-winding movement with micro-rotor
    • Micro-rotor winding system fixed between the main plate and the micro-rotor bridge
    • Swiss lever escapement
  • Diameter: 14’’’ = 31.60 mm
  • Thickness: 4.85 mm
  • Number of components: 215
  • Number of jewels: 31
  • Water resistance: 120 m – 12 ATM
  • Frequency: 28,800 vph (4Hz)
  • Power Reserve: 72 hours
• Bracelet
  • Material: Grade 5 titanium
  • Buckle/Clasp: Grade 5 titanium folding clasp

CIGA Design makes watches that should be much more expensive. Focused on high design, these watches take cues from Richard Mille and Uhrwerk but are priced well within the realm of possibility. The X Gorilla we tested is a mere $349 for a fully skeletonized watch in matte black steel. It has a bold 44mm case, great lume, and a CD-01 movement that I’m suspecting is a rebuilt Seagull ST2553JK.

The watch raised $1 million last February on Indiegogo and just started shipping. The orange and black model is the only one with lume which leads me to some of my criticisms of the design.

The Good

First, this is a cool watch. If you like the style at all you won’t be disappointed. It’s big, it’s bulky, it looks like a robot lymph node, and it runs well. It comes with two bands – a 3D-printed-style rubber model and a canvas strap – and even includes a shock absorption system to reduce jarring movements on the CD-01. As you can see it wears well and has no real protruding parts that might be uncomfortable. That’s rare in a big watch like this one.

The watch keeps acceptable time and has a solid power reserve. In general, a three-hander like this doesn’t have much to say about it – you either like it or you don’t – and if you’re into this kind of thing then you could do worse. It doesn’t look like anything else I’ve seen and I searched Alibaba for similar designs and couldn’t find anything. In short, you’re getting a solid, nicely-designed Chinese-made watch with excellent styling and size. This watch shows us that when you have inexpensive manufacturing, good materials, and good design you can make a cool watch without breaking the bank.

Finally, check out this box. It’s basically a magazine that holds a watch. It’s quite a clever design and holds the bands and the watch in one place and includes the instructions and design commentary.

In all, it’s really cool.

The Bad

Now for the bad news. It might just be me but this watch is very hard to read. The hands get lost on the movement and there are no numerals on the piece, which means you’re guessing when you set the time. CIGA claims you can “read” the watch using notches on the bezel and I agree that it kind of works. That said, you’re going to have a bad time if you really need to tell the time in a hurry.

The lume, on the other hand, is glorious. They did a great job of luming the hands and the bridges on this piece and it almost makes it more readable in the dark.

Finally, this beast is only water resistant to 3ATM which means you can’t hit the surf with this thing on. That’s not terrible but it’s something to consider before you go to the beach with this guy on your wrist.

The Bottom Line

I really like this watch. I’m surprised I do. It’s not my style and I wouldn’t wear it much but for an inexpensive statement piece, you could definitely do worse. Again, is might not be as rugged as the Gorilla monicker suggests but it’s nicely designed and the materials are excellent. And, at $359 on Amazon, the price is right.

Today, we’re going to be going through a watch that is very much not intended for the adults in the room. Nossir – the Blok 33 is very much intended to get kids used to wearing a watch, and telling time on an analog dial. Perhaps not of interest to everyone, but in my house, I definitely had kids ready to help test this one out.

The first thing to know about the Blok 33 is right in its name – the 33 refers to the 33mm diameter case, perfect for smaller wrists. The next kid-helpful part of the watch is the strap. Though it doesn’t have any stretch (which would be a nice add to the next version), it easy to adjust. It’s a man-made textile strap that adjusts through a single buckle and velcros into place. Easy on, easy sizing, and easy off at the end of the day.

They’ve also made the crown on the Blok 33 in a destro configuration. Meaning, the crown is on the left side of the case. For those who wear a watch on their left wrist, this keeps the crown from digging in. My daughter – who’s a lefty like me – tends to wear stuff on her right wrist (unlike me), and she really did not like the crown hitting her hand. So, for this review, she switched it over to her left wrist.

The other part of the Blok 33 that is kid-friendly in a big way is actually the dial. If you notice, the hour markers are actually slightly off of their indice. This is to give a clear indication of where things go from one hour to the next. For the minutes, those are plainly labelled (on the fives) with a block for each minute. Combine that with the color coding that matches the hand to which number they’re needing to look at, that goes a long way to helping them learn to tell the time.

Also helpful is the bezel on the Blok 33. It’s clicky, and bi-directional. What it’s for is to help them get a sense of some of the standard units of time (5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes). They can easily use it to time something out, and just set the start of the 5-minute marker at the minute hand, and then they’ll know when, say, 15 minutes have elapsed. Not quite the way we’d use a countdown bezel on a dive watch, but again, it’s to get new watch wearers used to the concept.

There are a lot of features on the watch that we liked, and I am all about having kids learn how to tell time on an analog dial. Both the plasticky case and the strap seem well-made, and we didn’t have any issues with it in our time with the watch. Which is good, because at $179, you don’t want it to feel cheaply made, even if it is “just” a kids watch. I mean, it’s got some grown up specs, with the sapphire crystal, ETA quartz movement, and 100m WR rating. Given all that, just make sure you’re getting the color palette your kid likes (there are six different ones), because this should last them a good long time. blokwatches.com

Tech Specs from Blok

• Case:  33mm Swiss bio polymer
• Bezel:  Rotating bi-directional with timer function
• Movement:  Swiss Made quartz ETA 3 jewel with anti-shock
• Bezel Marquetry:  316L Stainless Steel with contrast fill
• Dial:  Embossed brass with pad printed indexes + appliqués
• Hands:  Brass dauphine style
• Lens:  Scratch resistant sapphire crystal
• Crown:  Screw down 316L stainless steel
• Band:  17mm recycled woven polyester / alter-nappa leather liner
• Buckle:  316L stainless steel
• Water Resistance:  10 ATM / 100 metres
• Theoretical Battery life:  10 years
• Accuracy:  +/- 10 Seconds Per Month
• Provenance:  ‘Swiss Made’
• Warranty:  2 Years

Born in Texas, the Luca BR-1 is as big as the countryside. These watches, built out of steel cases and a solid Japanese chronograph movement, look like they could hurt if they fell on your foot. That’s a good thing.

Luca is a micro brand created by Joel Kennedy. His vision was simple: he wanted to make bold, Texas-sized watches on a budget. The results are surprisingly pleasant.

The watch we reviewed, the Luca BR-1 in black and red, features a textured face and red-tipped hands. The watch itself runs a Miyota 0S20 movement with 24-hour dial at 3 o’clock and running seconds at 6 o’clock. There is an elapses minutes display at 9 o’clock.

The case is waterproof to 10ATM and you can get multiple band styles including nice rubber diver bands and bolted leather bands.

The whole package costs about $298 – on sale for the holiday – which is on par with similar offerings from Yema and Undone. It’s definitely not a pricey watch, especially given the quality.

I was particularly impressed by the bold styling of the face, bezel, and case. The bezel itself looks like a manhole cover and the bezel/face combo fits the 45mm piece quite well. The whole thing is very nice if you’re looking for a bigger, badder chrono and it’s a nice entry-level piece for the watch lover in your life.

I didn’t love the lack of lume, however. This big beast deserves some glowing hands and pips. Unfortunately, this model is completely dark so you won’t be doing nay night flying any time soon. That said, with the cost savings you get from the price you can buy a flashlight.

Quartz watches aren’t my jam. While I wouldn’t wear this daily, I’m more than happy to say I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a bold chrono from an independent manufacturer. This is no Speedmaster and it’s not supposed to be. After all, they do things different in Texas.