Working within the watch industry i probably see far more watches than most, everyday there is a flood of new watches and designs all begging to be looked at and scrutinized. Repairing watches of all ages i also get to see what has come before, looking over old watches and the design ideas of the past also gives me perspective that others may ordinarily miss.
In today's world we are often bombarded with ever more complex ways to catch our interest, more complications, more jewels, more features, the list of " new " things could go on forever. Just last night i watched a presentation from Seiko about two of their new movements and all of the new improved features they have over existing movements , whilst these " Grand Seiko " movements are impressive they seem to blend in with the background noise that has become the watch industry.
Out of the blue i was contacted by Nordgreen to see if i would review one of their watches, after a brief look on their website i could tell there was something different going on, something much simpler and less noisy. Today is where we take a look at one of Nordgreens offerings in the form of the Philosopher, good design is not always the most complex and more features are not always the best. If this catches your interest then please read on.....
In today's world we are often bombarded with ever more complex ways to catch our interest, more complications, more jewels, more features, the list of " new " things could go on forever. Just last night i watched a presentation from Seiko about two of their new movements and all of the new improved features they have over existing movements , whilst these " Grand Seiko " movements are impressive they seem to blend in with the background noise that has become the watch industry.
Out of the blue i was contacted by Nordgreen to see if i would review one of their watches, after a brief look on their website i could tell there was something different going on, something much simpler and less noisy. Today is where we take a look at one of Nordgreens offerings in the form of the Philosopher, good design is not always the most complex and more features are not always the best. If this catches your interest then please read on.....
In this review we will go over all of the design features of the watch and then at the end discuss why ( if at all ) this makes for a good watch and furthermore if this is something worth investing your money in. We all buy things and later regret them, often feeling the idea was better than the reality, in my conclusion i will go over why i think this watch is one of those you will enjoy for a long time and why that is the case.
Model - Philosopher
Price - Starting from £154
Colors - Steel/Gun Metal/Rose Gold
Movement - Japan Made
Glass - Mineral
Casing - Stainless Steel
Strap - Choices of leather or mesh bracelet
36-40mm Sizing
20mm Lug
3ATM Water Resistance
Model - Philosopher
Price - Starting from £154
Colors - Steel/Gun Metal/Rose Gold
Movement - Japan Made
Glass - Mineral
Casing - Stainless Steel
Strap - Choices of leather or mesh bracelet
36-40mm Sizing
20mm Lug
3ATM Water Resistance
Design Features & Overview
The Philosopher is a three handed quartz watch with date feature, housed in stainless steel and finished with a mineral glass and choice of leather or metal bracelets. The watches can come in various color ways as well as a good selection of different straps to suit the user, you can chose between gun metal, stainless steel , or even rose gold plated and you can mix and match these to suit you.
The casing has an ever so slightly conical shape which means it is slightly larger at its base than the top, this subtle design draws attention more into the dial than if the casing were simply a tin shape. The lugs have been smoothly added to the casing giving it a more natural and organic form, this is not new though and can be found on older dress watches of the 1950's onward. The casing finish is very good with a nice even radial brushing around the outer sides and a linear brush finish to the back, only the upper bezel lip and case back have been given a polished finish to break up the lines. The lug positions along with the slight conical design have allowed the lugs to appear as if from no where when looking face on and this allows the watch to sit just a bit more comfy on the wrist.
The mineral glass sits flush with the top of the casing, although it can be prone to damage like any glass the lack of bevel and protrusion means it is less likely to get struck from odd angles. The glass type is not listed on their website but given the price point im assuming it is some type of hardened mineral glass rather than more costly Sapphire.
The casing has an ever so slightly conical shape which means it is slightly larger at its base than the top, this subtle design draws attention more into the dial than if the casing were simply a tin shape. The lugs have been smoothly added to the casing giving it a more natural and organic form, this is not new though and can be found on older dress watches of the 1950's onward. The casing finish is very good with a nice even radial brushing around the outer sides and a linear brush finish to the back, only the upper bezel lip and case back have been given a polished finish to break up the lines. The lug positions along with the slight conical design have allowed the lugs to appear as if from no where when looking face on and this allows the watch to sit just a bit more comfy on the wrist.
The mineral glass sits flush with the top of the casing, although it can be prone to damage like any glass the lack of bevel and protrusion means it is less likely to get struck from odd angles. The glass type is not listed on their website but given the price point im assuming it is some type of hardened mineral glass rather than more costly Sapphire.
The dial is a two part design, the main dial is flat in both finish and form with only the makers name & logo to show who made it, this may be simple but it keeps the dial clean. The second part is the opposing conical design of the outer chapter which draws the eyes inward to the again simple but effective hands. The outer chapter shape is quite pleasing and the indices are clearly marked with nicely polished batons and subtle printed minute markers. The dial is simplicity itself but cleverly designed to do exactly what it is supposed to do, tell time.
The hands are formed of rounded and polished batons with only the asymmetric seconds hand that sets itself apart. Whilst there is no lume on either the dial or hands they are still very legible and the offset seconds hand is a pleasing change from the typical straight standard offerings on most watches. The seconds hand is also not counter weighted so it feels as if it points more directly and with purpose.
The dial is a two part design, the main dial is flat in both finish and form with only the makers name & logo to show who made it, this may be simple but it keeps the dial clean. The second part is the opposing conical design of the outer chapter which draws the eyes inward to the again simple but effective hands. The outer chapter shape is quite pleasing and the indices are clearly marked with nicely polished batons and subtle printed minute markers. The dial is simplicity itself but cleverly designed to do exactly what it is supposed to do, tell time.
The hands are formed of rounded and polished batons with only the asymmetric seconds hand that sets itself apart. Whilst there is no lume on either the dial or hands they are still very legible and the offset seconds hand is a pleasing change from the typical straight standard offerings on most watches. The seconds hand is also not counter weighted so it feels as if it points more directly and with purpose.
The crown is often a part that manufacturers choose to use to make their watches stand out, with various designs that often do not lend themselves well to actual use. On this watch the design is kept simple with the logo etched into the face and only a few notches cut out in order to provide grip, the outer surface also featuring the brush finish that has been applied to the main case. The design of crowns is so critical to me as form must always come after function and looking at this crown made me think this was not the case, but after use the crown is very easy to use and no problems found in gripping it to change time or date.
The case back on this watch is a solid stainless steel snap back type, whilst i hate these with a passion in my working life they are nonetheless suitable for a watch of this type and price point. The finish is polished with the important information as well as branding added via etching, the profile is very low so as to not ruin the comfort of the watch on the wrist. During use i found no problems or discomfort in wearing the watch. The case back does have a small notch for removal and battery fitting but its position is less than ideal so battery changes must be done by a professional with the right tools.
The watch supplied came fitted with a branded but quality brown leather strap with both a branded buckle and quick release pins for easy change over. Most leather straps will perish within only a few years so the initial strap option is not always the most important, we often change or fit new straps immediately after purchase anyway but the straps provided are good enough for those who don't change straps often. Nordgreen do offer various colors of leather strap and even bracelets for those who prefer metal to leather, the option to chose here is always a good thing and im glad to see it offered.
Conclusion & thoughts
There are a staggering amount of watches out there in the wild and the number increases massively every year, with such choices it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Designs vary massively and the complications on offer can also make you feel unsure of whether your choice is the right one, design, complications, pricing, quality, so many things to consider. Designer watches are all too often cheaply made with some great looks but failing miserably in the area of function, often breaking and being unusable within only a few years.
Although this watch is very light weight it does not feel like it would break easily nor damage with the slightest touch, the construction feels solid despite the lack of weight and overall it feels like its built to last. Normally we require to " feel " substantial weight in order to feel secure that a watch is sturdy enough but the build in this watch will still be enough to satisfy that lack in heavy steel construction.
The Philosopher is one of those rare watches which is entirely understated, the simple design could easily go overlooked as being plain, the lack of features misunderstood as lack of imagination, but this would be a mistake. The watch is simple but yet charming, it is exactly what you need and nothing more, a watch that allows you to just know what you need to without singing or dancing about it. In such a mad world a little bit of calm is just what you might need.
The smooth organic form of the casing matched with the direct and subtle dial give the watch a sense of practicality with no fuss or loud colors. The hands are basic in form but well finished and interesting enough to read easily. The fit and finish throughout make the watch very comfortable to wear, it is both smooth and light and so does not cause any undue strain on the wrist ( unlike some heavy divers ). Overall the watch is a joy to use, its understated nature is a calm and refreshing change to a busy and hectic world, a quiet companion that is reliable and well made.
If your tired of scrolling through a sea of noise then it might be worth considering something different, Nordgreen have successfully made a great watch here, no complications, no fuss, just simple design with great quality parts and finish.
To view more of this watch or checkout their other models visit their website here > Nordgreen
watchmaKERS THOUGHTS
The Philosopher is a great little watch without doubt but as with any watch there are a few niggles that only a watchmaker would see. Most designer watches are made from a designers view point and often small things are overlooked, these things are the problems us watchmakers later find when it comes to repairing these types of watch. Fortunately this watch has so little in terms of potential problems that it is almost not worth mentioning but in the interest of fairness i will point them out.
Case Back - Given the watches price point this is only a minor niggle mixed with a pet hate, snap on backs are horrid to both hobbyists and watchmakers alike, battery changes should be simple but often end in damage due to the difficult nature of their removal. The tab on this watch is offset behind the lug making back removal slightly more difficult, a small niggle yes but worth a mention.
Future Problem - The casing design is very pleasing but ive noticed that should the movement fail ( which they do ) then the movement can not come out through the back. This means the front glass must come out and the movement is front loaded, for customers this will likely mean returning the watch to the manufacturer or a slightly more costly repair bill. Simply replacing the movement ( an easy job for most watches ) will be much more problematic should that issue ever arise.
These two issues aside you are getting a very good watch for your money and they should not take away from a decision to buy, my view is always to look at the worst possible situation and reality rarely favors that view.
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