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The TAG Heuer Carrera – a modern interpretation of the dress chronograph

TAG Heuer Carrera with Heuer 02 in-house movement, white dial and golden details represents sporty elegance at its best.

TAG Heuer, known for its sporty watch models, has recreated its skin over the past few years, and the results of the work are slowly starting to show. The Carrera watch collection in particular has been in the grip of a major change, and numerous colorful watch models have been overshadowed by the watch model (CBN2013.FC6483) to be presented next, which in my opinion belongs to the best A group of dress chronographs.

TAG Heuer Carrera

Inspired by motor racing

The history of the Carrera emphasizes TAG Heuer’s DNA heritage, which is strongly based on motor sports, as the watch model was created by Jack Heuer, the third generation representative of the Heuer watch brand, in 1963 as a tribute to the Carrera Panamerica car race organized in 1950-54.

The race in question was considered one of the most dangerous in the world by motor racing drivers, and against this background, Heuer developed the Carrera watch model to reflect the image of car racers who love speed racing. So it can be said that Heuer was already at that time, years before the creation of the Monaco watch model, ahead of its time when it comes to branding.

Later, the Carrera watch collection has been associated with the giant of motorsport, Porsche, with whom Heuer and later TAG Heuer has cooperated in various contexts, however officially unofficially, until a couple of years ago the giants of their respective fields found each other and formalized their cooperation with a long-term agreement. After this, numerous Porsche watch models have been brought to the market specifically for the Carrera collection.

TAG Heuer Carrera dress chronograph

However, the Carrera that is the subject of this article is not related to Porsche in any way, but reflects the history and present of the collection in a great way. The model bows to the past with its classic look, leaning on the watch design of the past, when the drivers dressed stylishly even when jumping into the racing car. Today is represented by the modern Heuer 02 in-house movement running inside the watch, which offers 80 hours power reserve.

The TAG Heuer Chronograph on the wrist.

The size of 42 millimeters, which is quite optimal for a chronograph, is also modern, which in the case of this Carrera means an extremely comfortable fit with the comfortable alligator strap. The same contemporary line continues in the form of a sapphire back cover that reveals the movement, as well as 100-meter water resistance, which is quite sufficient for everyday use today. But all of this became relevant only when I got my hands on the watch for the first time.

In a certain way, this model is a prisoner of its tradition. The pictures presenting the watch do not do it justice and among its colorful cousins it easily remains a wall rose. That’s why you have to see this watch for yourself and try it on your own wrist. When you do this and see with your own eyes how the golden details of the watch stand out when viewed from different angles, you understand what kind of gem it is.

Bang for the buck

At this point, a natural question comes to mind: how much does this watch cost? When you glance at the price tag with cautious curiosity, the spontaneous first reaction is in a certain way incredulous. 5650 euros seems very reasonable in the world of quality watches that are always getting more expensive, especially when it is reflected in the rich history of the brand and the collection, as well as the high-performance in-house movement. Emotion and reason strongly shake hands with each other.

TAG Heuer Carrera CBN2013.FC6483

I have to say that this watch positively surprised me. For a man who strongly loves Monaco, Carrera seemed like a desirable option for the first time. This watch would have everything needed for my own styles, from everyday to party.

“Finding” Carrera was once again a good indication of why you should do business in brick-and-mortar stores. Many thanks to LINDROOS KÄMP GALLERIA for the enlightenment. 🙂

Read more at tagheuer.com.

The BVLGARI Aluminium puts luxury at your fingertips

BVLGARI Aluminium is a personalized sports watch collection from a Roman luxury brand with an exceptionally attractive price tag.

The current generation of the Bvlgari Aluminium watch collection, launched in 1998, was presented at the Geneva Watch Days in August 2020, after which it has been supplemented with GMT model. What makes the collection interesting are two aspects; personal playful design language and the price range. Aluminium represents Bulgari’s most affordable line-up, offering excellent access to the luxury brand for less than three thousand euros.

BVLGARI Aluminium

The Aluminium watch collection is located under the manufacturer’s BVLGARI BVLGARI main collection, which is characterized by the BVLGARI text repeated twice in the bezel. Where the watches in the main collection are made of steel and/or gold, Aluminium models use an aluminum alloy as the name implies.

BVLGARI Aluminium watch weights only 71 grams.
The Bulgari Aluminum watch weighs only 71 grams.

The 40-mm-sized watch case of the Aluminium collection, which guarantees a watertightness of 100 meters, is made of a lightweight aluminum alloy. The case back of the watch is titanium and the titanium bezel is coated with rubber. The bracelet is made of rubber and is attached to the watch with titanium screws, so the whole package on the wrist is very light.

BVLGARI Aluminium Bulgari Aluminium

BVLGARI is known for its own thin in-house movements, but the Aluminium collection uses ETA or Sellita automatic movements, depending on the model. This has contributed to the interesting price level of watches, which starts at around three thousand euros, with an upper limit of just over four thousand euros for the chronograph.

BVLGARI Aluminium

The design of the Bulgari Aluminium collection is suitably personal, even playful, in line with the manufacturer’s DNA. What attracts the eye with watches is the unprejudiced combination of light materials and the clarity of the dials. An open-minded approach to the design can be seen in the end links of the bracelet, which, like the rest of the bracelet, are made of rubber instead of metal.

The rubber bracelets attached with titanium screws bring an angularity to the watch, which is a bit strange at first, but in some unspeakable way it reminds me of the subtle bending of an otherwise round watch to the design language of the Bulgari Octo collection.

Bulgari Aluminium on the wrist.

The style and feeling is right

BVLGARI Aluminium is a complete and high-quality watch collection. The dials are clear, the feel of the crown is sensible and the wrist fit and feeling is great. Combined with the attractive price level I mentioned earlier, even in the very successful 40 mm range, this is a very successful appeal from Bulgari to consumers looking for a younger and sporty quality watch for everyday use, regardless of gender.

The watch model in the pictures in the article is the cheapest in the collection, 3,100 euros. It is therefore a very attractive starting point to the world of Bulgari.

The Panerai Luminor Quaranta PAM01371

Panerai Luminor Quaranta (PAM01371) is a unisex sports watch that fits both men’s and women’s wrists.

With its Italian roots, Panerai is known for its spectacular diver’s watches that do not apologize for their existence. The name Radiomir, originally given to a radioactive luminance substance, eventually ended up as the name of the diver’s watches produced before the Second World War for combat divers of the Italian Navy. As an anecdote, we can also mention that the watches were manufactured by Rolex in Switzerland and Panerai had permission to modify them to meet the requirements of the Italian Navy.

The Luminor name saw the light of day in 1949, when Panerai patented a tritium-based luminance mass, which was used in all diver’s watches from now on. The Luminor name also became the name of the diver’s watch collection, which had and still has today Panerai’s signature – patented in 1956 – locking mechanism for the crown.

Today, the most common size category of watches in the Luminor collection is 44 millimeters, which fits most wrists – including mine – well, but is certainly a bit big. The step smaller size range has been 42 millimeters and then for bigger wrists there is a 47 millimeter size range in the collection. If you have wanted a more restrained size Panerai on your wrist, you have turned your attention to the more fashionable Luminor Due collection, the core of which is made up of watch models in the 38 millimeter size range.

Panerai Luminor Due Goldtech™ Madreperla – 38 mm (PAM01280)
Panerai Luminor Due Goldtech™ Madreperla – 38 mm (PAM01280)

The fashion of the Panerai Luminor Due collection comes to the fore in more colorful models, as well as 30-meter water resistance sufficient for the deck of a yacht.

Panerai Luminor Quaranta

Fortunately, Panerai has recognized the need for a watch model with a more modest size, but at the same time waterproof (100 meters), which it responded to in November 2021 with the Luminor Marina Quaranta (now simply Luminor Quaranta) model series. The model series includes three different colored dials (white, blue and black) with the sandwich dial made famous by Panerai and favored by die-hard Panerai fans. In addition to the hour and minute hands, the watch has a small seconds dial at nine o’clock and a date display at three o’clock.

The cushion-shaped case of the watch is satin-finished, except for the fixed bezel, which is polished. The watch has a vintage-inspired, slightly raised sapphire crystal. Underneath the steel back cover ticks the P.900 automatic movement, which provides the watch with a power reserve of three days.

Luminor Quaranta PAM01371 - The dial is balanced and easy to read.
The dial is balanced and easy to read.
The Panerai Luminor Quaranta fits perfectly on the wrist.

The luxurious ensemble is completed by a high-quality strap made of alligator leather with a steel buckle, the Panerai logo is engraved on the brushed surface. The strap is black in the white and black models, dark blue in the blue model. All straps have the same color on the edges of the stitching.

The Panerai Luminor Quaranta - Alligator strap
The high-quality alligator leather strap tapers from 22 millimeters to 20 millimeters, thus being comfortable on the wrist.

Summary

In my opinion, the Luminor Quaranta is the manufacturer’s most versatile watch with a size of 40 millimeters, because it can withstand carefree use in terms of its technical features, while at the same time being a successful alternative for everyday life and parties in terms of style.

Panerai Luminor Quaranta PAM01371

For its restrained size, the Luminor Quaranta is a great unisex watch that I can easily see on both my wrist and my wife’s wrist. My choice from the model series is the white PAM01371 shown in the pictures.

In a nutshell

  • Manufacturer: Panerai
  • Collection: Luminor Quaranta
  • Model numbers:
  • Movement: P.900 automatic
  • Frequency: 28,800
  • Power reserve: 72 hours
  • Watch case: stainless steel
  • Diameter of the watch without crown: 40 mm
  • Case thickness: 12.45 mm
  • Glass: sapphire
  • Water resistance: 100 m (10 bar)
  • Lug width: 22 mm
  • Strap: alligator leather
  • Price: €7,600
  • Retailer: Lindroos

The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black

Today on my wrist is the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black, which, as the name suggests, is a black-talking diver’s watch.

The Seamaster is Omega’s legendary diver’s watch collection, which offers plenty of options for demanding watch lovers in different model series. The manufacturer’s so-called The Seamaster Diver 300M, representing the entry level collection, is the most popular of these and it is the most extensive of the collection.

The brand’s collaboration with the James Bond franchise, thanks to which agent 007 has trusted Omega for three decades, starting with Pierce Brosnan’s first Golden Eye movie, has undoubtedly contributed to the collection’s popularity. The latest fruit of the collaboration is the titanium 007 Edition, part of the Seamaster Diver 300M model series.

The most interesting newcomer to the Seamaster Diver 300M model series is the black-talking Black Black.

Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black

Black Black is a full-blooded representative of the Diver 300M watch collection. The watch has a 300-meter water resistance, a screw-down crown, a METAS-certified anti-magnetic Co-Axial Master Chronometer Caliber 8806 movement with a power reserve of 55 hours, and a very comfortable rubber strap on the wrist. The feel of the watch’s crown is precise and setting the time is effortless.

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black

In contrast to the standard size of 42 millimeters (this is the basic size of the steel-cased Seamaster Diver 300M watch models), the Black Black is one and a half millimeters larger. The watch case, as well as the crown, helium valve, bezel and dial are made of ceramic material developed by Omega. The buckle of the rubber bracelet is also ceramic.

The rubber strap of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black has a polished ceramic buckle.

The ceramic and matte-surfaced bezel rotates only counterclockwise, and its raised scale with numerals, as well as the snow spot at 12 o’clock, have received an anthracite gray SuperLuminova treatment. The same snow mass has been used in the skeleton hands of the watch, as well as in the pvd-coated indexes of the dial. This, together with the sapphire glass with anti-reflection on both sides, makes the Black Black, perhaps somewhat contrary to expectations, easy to read, both in light and in the dark.

The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black is a pleasant acquaintance that feels slightly smaller on the wrist. Since the ceramic used in the watch is twice as light as steel, it makes the Black Black as light as titanium and, at least in this way, fits better than steel models on my wrist. The rubber strap, which allows the watch to sit in the middle of the wrist, also does its part for a better fit.

Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black fits exactly in the middle of the wrist.

In terms of style, Black Black is a sporty leisure watch that you can wear anywhere without worry.

The popularity of the Black Black model has been solid worldwide, so it has had to wait a bit in some places. The recommended price of the watch is 9900 euros.

The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Black Black

In a nutshell

  • Manufacturer: Omega
  • Collection: Seamaster Diver 300M
  • Reference: 210.92.44.20.01.003
  • Movement: Co-Axial Master Chronometer Caliber 8806
  • Frequency: 25,200
  • Power reserve: 55 hours
  • Watch case: ceramic (ZrO2)
  • Diameter of the watch without crown: 43.5 mm
  • Case thickness: 14.47 mm
  • Glass: sapphire (anti-reflective on both sides)
  • Water resistance: 300 m (30 bar)
  • Strap width: 21 mm
  • Strap: rubber with ceramic buckle
  • Price: €9,900
  • Retailer: Lindroos

About Us

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We ♥ Style on the Wrist

Stylefellow is a watch journal with strong sense of elegance. Our passion is to discover the joy of watches. Our way of looking at life is very visual, with feeling.

What we do in practice is get to know different watches and find the most interesting features that make their users enjoy them year after year and decade after decade. We call this our #StyleOnTheWrist journey.

You can find us at the center of events – where new products are presented and where you can buy them.

Please contact us: [email protected]

Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 – sporty titanium watch

The Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 is a sporty pilot watch that combines the high-performance Calibre 400 with the lightness of titanium.

One of the winners of the Watches & Wonders Geneva fair is the Oris, which introduced the titanium-case ProPilot pilot watch, which is powered by the manufacturer’s in-house Calibre 400 movement with five days power reserve, 10-year recommended service intervals and a 10-year warranty.

The set is packaged in a smart 39mm case and is available with three dials in different colors. Of these, after a little deliberation, the salmon red model became my personal favorite.

Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 - salmon dial

The gray model is a choice for those who appreciate monocratic style.
The gray model is a choice for those who appreciate monocratic style.

However, my choice is not easy, as the velvety dials are all very successful. With a gray dial, the ProPilot becomes monocratic and has the most distinctive titanium watch feel. The blue version is understated and probably appeals most to consumers. But there’s also a place for the salmon-red model, and it’s easy to make an Instagram favorite out of it – and precisely because of its color, it’s also a great choice for style-seeking points. But as has been said, none of these go wrong.

The dial is very harmonious, right down to the placement of the date display.
The dial is very harmonious, right down to the placement of the date display.

The Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 watches feel very light on the wrist, which is a great feature of the titanium watch. The design of the watch is based on a single unit, with the chamfers repeated uniformly in the watch case and in a high-quality titanium bracelet. The watch is 39 millimeters in size for most wrists and the thickness is also very reasonable at 11.8 millimeters and the lug-to-lug dimension (i.e. the height of the watch) is a moderate 47 millimeters.

The ProPilot dial has a beautiful matte-styled glare.
The ProPilot dial has a beautiful matte-styled glare.

The watch has a convex sapphire crystal that is reflective protected on both sides. This gives the watch good readability from all viewing angles. The operation of the movemenbt can also be monitored through sapphire glass. The novelty has a screw-down crown and a water resistance of 100 meters, so it is a very good watch for all kinds of use.

The ProPilot X Calibre 400 is a success

And, as I said in my preliminary presentation, the price range of the new ProPilot X Calibre 400 in-house and titanium Swiss watch is attractive, attracting just under four thousand euros (3,900 €).

Read more at Oris.ch

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic 10592 brings green style on the wrist

The green Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic 10592 is a wristwatch for a wide range of styles with an awesome five-day power reserve.

Baume & Mercier, part of the Richemont Group, is one of the oldest watch brands in the world, which represents entry level luxury. The manufacturer’s crown jewel can be considered to be the Baumatic movement, which operates with antimagnetic and chronometric accuracy and offers five days power reserve.

The in-house movement developed for Baume & Mercier exclusively at the Richemont-owned movement factory is an excellent demonstration of how the limited product development resources are being used wisely, even for the consumer. This has freed up the resources of the watch manufacturer to design watches that make the most of the benefits of the movement. At the same time, the price level of watches can be considered competitive.

A good example of this is Baume & Mercier’s new boom in the Clifton range, whose models based on the Baumatic movement are the best value for money on the market. In addition to the Riviera collection, the Clifton Baumatic collection has been Baume & Mercier’s spearhead.

Green-dialed Clifton Baumatic 10592

Every year, Baume & Mercier introduces a new world of colors to its top collections, of which the green-dialed Clifton Baumatic 10592 aptly hits the green trend on the crest.

The Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic fits nicely on your wrist.
The Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic fits nicely on your wrist.

The green Clifton Baumatic is a stylish ensemble that I personally consider to be one of the best in its genre. The reasoning for my opinion is partly familiar; the size of the watch is 40 millimeters and only 10.3 millimeters thick, making it a snug fit on the wrist. The darkening world of green tones towards the edges of the dial works well, being quite restrained.

The whole is complemented by a high-quality strap made of alligator leather, with a butterfly buckle that fits comfortably on even a smaller wrist. The strap is also easy to change thanks to the quick release.

The alligator leather s trap feels comfortable on the wrist.
The alligator leather s trap feels comfortable on the wrist.

As I mentioned earlier, the watch has 120 hours (five days) of power reserve, which is one of the best on the market. The COSC chronometer-classified movement is also completely antimagnetic, which introduces worry-free operation. The tactile feel of the movement via the crown is silky soft and sensitive, and there is no play when moving the pointers or pressing the crown down.

Style on the wrist at an affordable price

Clifton Baumatic 10592 is suitable for a wide range of clothing. The hair cross on the dial – which indicates the chronometer classification – gives a suitable edge to the watch, so that it does not feel like a dress. This relaxation is naturally enhanced by the green dial, so it doesn’t look foreign even in more casual styles. As with the gray sweater in the picture.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic 10592

The clear strength of the Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic collection is its price level, which is about three thousand euros. With this money, Clifton Baumatic offers plenty of performance, style and carefree.

Read more at Baume & Mercier website.

The Certina DS Action Diver 43mm

The larger 43mm size range of Certina’s popular DS Action Diver Powematic 80 diver’s watches was renewed and got new color combinations.

The DS Action Diver Powermatic 80 range is available in two different sizes. The smaller 38mm collection quickly grew in popularity alongside the 43mm collection previously on the market. Now, Certina has updated her larger collection to the same design language as her “little brother,” while bringing in new color combinations, of which the most interesting is – by permission – the highly Bond-inspired titanium model.

DS Action Diver 43mm

The most significant improvements in the revamped DS Action Diver range include the replacement of the aluminum bezel with a more scratch-resistant ceramic bezel, and the upgrading of the spiral material of the 80-hour Powermatic 80 to an Nivachron-titanium alloy for better magnetism and temperature resistance. This has improved the reliability and accuracy of the watch.

The new moss green DS Action Diver is a stylish diver’s watch.

The Certina DS Action Diver is a full-blooded diver’s watch with a bezel that only rotates counterclockwise, a screw-locking crown and a water resistance of 300 meters. The watch meets the international ISO 6425 standards for diver watches, which is also mentioned on the dial.

The physical dimensions of the watch have remained unchanged in the reform, i.e. the diameter without the crown is 43 millimeters and the thickness is 13.1 millimeters. The DS Action Divers have always adapted perfectly to the wrist, which is also the case with the new model.

Certina DS Action Diver 43mm Titanium
The titanium Certina DS Action Diver fits perfectly on the wrist.

The new 43mm DS Action Diver range was launched with seven models, the most interesting being the steel model with a moss-green bezel and dial, and the titanium model with a vintage-inspired color scheme. Both models fit well on a 17-centimeter wrist, with titanium being a notch more comfortable to feel due to its lightness.

Summary

The DS Action Diver range has long been Certina’s commercial success story, combining technical reliability and performance with a timeless design packaged in an attractive price tag for consumers.

The potential customer base of the collection expanded with the 38 mm watch models, bringing more trendy steel-gold color combinations to the collection. This trend is now shifting to larger watch models and is clearly driven by the manufacturer’s desire to offer consumers the same color combinations in two different sizes.

Certina DS Action Diver 43mm in steel gold and blue dial.
The readability of the DS Action Diver’s dial is state-of-the-art, ensured by clear and Super-LumiNova treated indexes and indicators, as well as anti-reflective sapphire crystal.

Deliveries of the new watch models will begin in February. The cheapest steel model is available for 915 euros and the most expensive full-titanium model costs 1,095 euros. So we can talk about a Swiss diver’s watch that is attractively priced for the consumer.

Read more at Certina.com.

The Seiko Prospex SPB143J1

The Seiko Prospex SPB143J1 is a modern interpretation of the Japanese manufacturer’s first 62MAS diver’s watch, launched in 1965.

The SPB143J1 diver’s watch with an anthracite gray dial is in the price range of just over a thousand euros in Seiko’s Prospex collection, for which Seiko has offered an exceptional amount of value with its Sharp Edged watch collection as well.

Seiko Prospex SPB143J1

Prospex SPB143J1

The watch bearing the model name Seiko Elite Prospex Diver’s 1965 Modern Re-Interpretation SPB143J1 is particularly attractive due to its moderate size range of 40.5 millimeters. Combined with a reasonable thickness of 13.2 millimeters for the diver’s watch, as well as a restrained height of 46.5 millimeters from lug-to-lug, the SPB143J1 fits perfectly on even the smallest wrist.

The fit is also emphasized by the well-made steel bracelet. If I have to complain about anything, it is a mechanism that requires the strength and finger dexterity of a diver’s extension that is essentially part of the wristwatch of watches. Some kind of more subtle adjustment mechanism would be a great improvement. Namely, my own wrist swells, especially during the summer, as the day progresses, when an easy way of relaxing would serve its purpose.

Seiko Prospex SPB143J1

The design of the watch represents Seiko’s distinctive DNA, which focuses not only on the dial but also on the design of the watch case. The line of the stainless steel case is curved, making it not only sedentary but also simply beautiful. The surfaces of the case are mostly brushed, which fits the tool-like style of the watch. The bevels on the watch case, on the other hand, are polished, which brings subtle life to the watch and helps to visually connect the three-row steel bracelet – the ends of which are polished – into the shape of the watch.

The SPB143J1’s anthracite-colored dial is sunray finished, giving it a subtle glow. The readability on the dial is excellent, as the heavily snow-massed indices and indicators are large. Elevated indices also stand out beautifully from the dial.

Seiko Prospex SPB143J1

The ensemble is complemented by a curved sapphire crystal that is protected from the inside, through which the dial is comfortable to look at. From this we also get to perhaps the most beautiful detail of the watch, which is the shade of the dial ranging from light gray to almost black, which varies with the light.

Technical features

The Prospex SPB143J1 relies on Seiko’s own 6R35 automatic movement with 70 hours of power reserve. The control feel of the movement is good, except for the small gap in the screw-locking crown. The watch is promised a water resistance of 200 meters and, like all diver watches in the Prospex collection, meets the requirements of the ISO 6425 standard for diver watches.

The watch has a 120-step, counterclockwise steel bezel with a strong Lumibrite snow mass at the 12 o’clock spot. The feel of the bezel is tight, so it does not move unintentionally during normal use.

Summary

The Seiko Prospex SPB143J1 is a low-key diver’s watch that works in any situation. Due to its style, it is a sporty watch for leisure time and due to its technical features, it is also a qualified watch for diving enthusiasts. The watch can also be recommended for a female wrist because of its size and understated style.

Seiko Prospex SPB143J1

The SPB143J1 has a suggested retail price of 1,290 euros and is sold by Seiko Elite dealers across the world. The watches are granted a 24-month international warranty.

In a nutshell

  • Manufacturer: Seiko
  • Collection: Prospex
  • Model: SPB143J1
  • Movement: Seiko 6R35 automatic
  • Operating frequency: 21,600
  • Power reserve: 70 hours
  • Watch case: stainless steel
  • Case diameter: 40.5 mm (without crown)
  • Watch thickness: 13.2 mm
  • Glass: sapphire (anti-reflection inside)
  • Case back: stainless steel
  • Water resistance: 200 m (20 ATM)
  • Bracelet: steel
  • Bracelet width: 20 mm
  • Price: 1290 €

The Sjöö Sandström Royal Steel Classic 36mm

The Swedish Sjöö Sandström Royal Steel Classic is a 36 mm multi-purpose watch that is suitable for both men and women.

After many years, the current trend in watches has turned smaller, with more and more manufacturers launching watch models that fit slimmer wrists. There is a general talk of so-called unisex models that are suitable for both men and women. Sjöö Sandström’s Royal Steel Classic, which has been available for many years in a restrained 36 mm size, is a perfect fit for this trend.

Sjöö Sandström Royal Steel Classic

The Royal Steel Classic watches are available in three different sizes, of which the smallest 32mm models are quartz women’s watches. The 36 and 41 mm models, on the other hand, are based on an automatic mechanism, of which the smaller models are great unisex watches.

Sjöö Sandström Royal Steel Classic 36mm wristshot

I have tested two Royal Steel Classic watches in different colors that are 36mm in size, although they are exactly the same except for the colors. It is a model with a champagne dial and a model with a black dial, the latter of which is the most versatile watch for everyday life in my own eyes, and also for formal wear with a leather strap. Strap changers will be delighted to learn that the lug width is a standard 20 millimeters.

The Royal Steel Classic represents Sjöö Sandström’s distinctive design, which draws attention to the three rings rising between the watch case and the sapphire crystal. According to Sjöö Sandström, these rings represent Stockholm, Sweden and the world.

Royal Steel Classic 36 side profile.

Royal Steel Classic relies on the automatic movement of the Swiss Sellita, which Sjöö Sandström has slightly modified to suit its own purposes, while giving the movement its own SS G7 name. The concrete change in the modification of the movement is reflected in the fact that the crown has been positioned at two o’clock. The operation of the movement can be examined through a sapphire crystal. The watch is promised a water resistance of 100 meters which is enough for everyday use.

Royal Steel Classic caseback and movement.

The unlocking mechanism of the steel bracelet can be found below the logo.
The unlocking mechanism of the steel bracelet can be found below the logo.

The steel bracelet that comes with the watch is of good quality and stylish, to which the polished middle pieces bring impression in a suitable way. The butterfly-shaped clasp on the steel bracelet is hidden under the bracelet, the opening of which can be found at the beautiful Sjöö Sandström logo. Opening the bracelet requires a little force, so it does not open accidentally.

Price and warranty

Sjöö Sandström watches have a two-year international warranty, which can be extended to three years through the manufacturer’s website. The recommended price of the Royal Steel Classic model with steel bracelet is 1,960 euros. The watch was sent for review by Salkari, Sjöö Sandström’s Finnish distributor.