The Time Bum is a big fan of Sujain Krishnan's Melbourne Watch Company.
His previous products, the Flinders and the Hawthorne, both had solid
specs and a traditional style that captured a certain elegant
simplicity. It seems word has gotten out as the latest Melbourne watch,
the Portsea, recently launched on Kickstarter and exceeded its $35,000 funding goal in the first day.
The
Portsea is a dress watch in the marine chronometer style. These watches
were originally used by sailors and are characterized by clean white
dials and Arabic numerals. Sujain reinterpreted this classic with a
triple calendar display featuring two sub dials for day and month, and a
date window at 6 o'clock. The numbers and sub dial rings are a ceramic
overlay, "floating" above the center dial that bears the Melbourne
brand, model name, and signature horizontal texture. The primary hands
are a long and slender index style. Sub dials have batons with lollypop
tails. The second hand has the Melbourne "M." Dial choices are white
with blue hands, or blue with silver hands.
The movement is the new 26 jewel Miyota 9120,
modified by Melbourne from a three register day/month/24 hour function
with a 4-5 o'clock date window to the Portsea's triple-calendar
display. Like its more common 9015 stablemate, the 9120 is a high beat
automatic with hacking and hand winding capabilities, a 40 hour power
reserve, and a smooth 28.8 bph.
The
case is 40mm wide, and 12.5mm thick, placing it comfortably in the
range of the modern dress watch. Polished stainless steel is standard,
and 50 rose gold plated cases will be offered. It has a flat sapphire
crystal with anti reflective coating and is rated for an impressive 100
meters water resistance. It will be supplied with two crocodile print
leather straps in blue and brown. The case back is stamped with an
intricate nautical design.
Only prototype images are available, but they show a truly stunning watch.
Pre-production changes include taller spacers to increase the layering
effect on the dial, a signed crown, larger "M" on the second hand tail,
enhanced texturing on the bottom dial layer, and the elimination of the
date window cutout in the upper ceramic layer.
Sujain describes the watch as the
next step in Melbourne's evolution, "a truly global timepiece with an
Australian design, Japanese movement and parts sourced from around the
world." The
watch looks gorgeous and while it costs more than the company's
previous models, it is still an impressive bargain. Complex elements
like the layered ceramic dial, modified high beat movement, and
intricately stamped case back are quite unexpected in a watch
with a $770 AUD (@ $720 USD) suggested retail price, let alone the
Kickstarter prices. As of today, the lowest pre-order price is $595 AUD
(@ $556 USD), and they are going fast.
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