Beans & Bezels Beans & Bezels

Disclaimer: this video/review was not sponsored by MB&F, M.A.D., Yinka Ilori or any other entity.

Video

Review

MB&F is one of the defining independent watch brands of this generation: a brand that treats horology like kinetic art, and one that’s essentially impossible to ignore if you care about modern high-end watchmaking. It’s also very much a “serious money” universe: pricing for their Horological or Legacy Machines typically starts in the ~$40,000 range and goes up fast. A big part of that magnetism is Maximilian Büsser himself: a highly prolific, hyper-visible figure in watchmaking, and especially in the indie scene, with the kind of cult following usually reserved for artists and auteurs. He’s not just the guy behind the concepts… his enthusiasm is genuinely infectious, and it’s helped MB&F grow into a creative ecosystem of collaborators rather than a conventional watch brand.

M.A.D. Editions is the more accessible pressure valve for all that energy… a parallel outlet where MB&F (and its designers) can express themselves at a lower price point while keeping Büsser’s eccentric design ideology intact. It’s meant to give mere mortals a real taste of what makes MB&F special, without pretending you’re getting a Horological Machine in terms of finishing or complexity.

Enter Yinka Ilori: a British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and designer known for bold color, patterns, optimism, and work that scales from objects and interiors to large public installations. He was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Design in 2021, and his work seems to always have a very positive and cheerful tone that is easy to identify, making this collaboration feel completely authentic, because that is exactly how I would describe my interactions with Max Büsser.

The M.A.D.1S x Yinka Ilori “Grow Your Dreams” collaboration is exactly the kind of joyful, coherent weirdness you’d hope for, released in three variants: Sun, Nature, and Water (the one I’m reviewing), with just 400 of each. Retail is CHF 3,250 (roughly $4,150 USD), and once you factor in the extra 15% tariff, it effectively lands around $4,800 USD.

Let’s check it out!

Case

The M.A.D.1S case is the kind of object that immediately reminds you this is still an MB&F creature, even if it’s wearing a “more accessible” price tag. I measured 41.75mm in diameter, 49.75mm lug-to-lug, and 14.80mm thick, with a 24mm curved lug width and a 7.6mm push-pull crown sitting at 12 o’clock. And unlike most watches where you mostly interact with the dial and and maybe bezel, the M.A.D.1S demands more of your attention – the top surface and the sides are integral to the experience, to the point where I’d argue the case is the single most important design element here.

It is made of stainless steel, capped by a slightly curved sapphire crystal that, thankfully, gets genuinely effective anti-reflective treatment (so you’re not fighting glare while trying to enjoy the spectacle underneath). MB&F’s own specs describe the watch as using both sapphire and mineral glass with AR coating, and I believe that the mineral glass lives on the flanks / barrel, though you’ll also see some references describing mineral glass on the back so I’m not entirely certain.

Visually, this “Water” variant is my favorite combination of colors: you’ve got green HyCeram inserts on the top and side that punch up the already sculptural silhouette, that contrast beautifully with the blue rotor and blue hour track inside.

The lugs are especially cool: they are an extension of the case-back architecture (if you can even call it that), curving upward into carved forms that mix brushed and polished finishing in a way that reads more “industrial sculpture” than “traditional lug”. And the 12 o’clock crown carries the “Grow Your Dreams” motif with what looks like yellow enamel fill, and it’s easy to grip and operate even while the watch is on the wrist. The watch is rated to 30m of water resistance, which sounds underwhelming on paper, but for something this design-forward, it’s also not unusual.

Dial

I’m going to be slightly heretical here and call the side of the watch, specifically that lower flank around 6 o’clock, with its lume-filled triangular reference marker, the “dial”. Functionally, that’s where the time lives, even if it’s been pushed to the periphery and turned into part of the sculpture.

The M.A.D.1S also makes its priorities very clear in what it doesn’t show. Earlier M.A.D.1 versions offered more explicit hours-and-minutes, but the 1S ditches the independent minute display for a slimmer, cleaner construction, and I’m completely fine with that; this isn’t designed for precise timekeeping so much as it’s designed to be worn as a piece of horological art. If that trade-off bothers you, I’m fairly certain this watch just isn’t for you.

On the Water variant, the hour ring is a brushed blue band with large white numerals, white dots for 15-minute increments, and a wonderfully un-serious squiggly “S” marking the 30-minute position. You won’t be nailing minute-perfect accuracy, but you can still get close… maybe within half of a 15-minute increment if your eyes are reasonably functional. Side-read time itself isn’t a new trick either: Urwerk has done it, and MB&F have played with the concept for years on pieces like the HM5 and HM8. And you have plenty of smaller brands like Amida, Xeric, etc. who have done this too. Overall, legibility isn’t sports-watch crisp, but it’s good enough… and more importantly, it delivers a genuinely fun experience every time you tilt your wrist and “find” the time.

Movement

When MB&F first announced M.A.D.Editions, especially that first run powered by a Miyota 8-series base, I was extremely dissatisfied with the choice. I’ve owned and reviewed enough Miyota 8-series watches to know that I don’t like them, and the Miyota 821A in the earlier pieces is pretty much entry-level in every sense, the sort of movement you typically find in $100-$300 watches. The irony is that MB&F’s choice still made conceptual sense: the uni-directional winding was essential to the high-speed rotor “party trick” that’s basically baked into the M.A.D.1 experience, but the Miyota 9 Series would’ve been a more appropriate option.

So when they announced the switch to the La Joux-Perret G101, I was genuinely thrilled… enough to finally want to buy one myself. The G101 is a movement I don’t just tolerate; I actually think it’s solid, reliable, and good-looking, and I hope it shows up in more watches over time. It has roots in the Miyota 9-series architecture (a far better foundation than the 8-series), and the G101 feels like that concept given the Swiss Made treatment, with upgrades in finishing and specs… including a 68-hour power reserve.

Because it’s uni-directional, spinning it the opposite way can produce that friction-less free-spin that turns the watch into the fidget spinner you’ve always wanted. There’s a guilloché-style teal base, a nameplate for the two collaborators, a gold-colored movement plate that seats everything in the case, and a movement presentation that’s clean and nicely finished. Above all of that sits the star, a three-blade rotor with a beautiful blue finish and lume-filled “Grow Your Dreams” sections, so your fidget spinner also performs in the dark.

The clever bit you don’t see is underneath: a module built on the La Joux-Perret G101 that allows the movement to drive the horizontally aligned hour disc visible on the side of the case. Overall, I’ve got no complaints with the movement choice here: it’s a real upgrade, and the execution is excellent.

Lume

Lume on this watch is both a little ridiculous and genuinely satisfying: very much on-brand. The headline is the rotor: each of its three blades has generously lumed sections, and in the dark it becomes a glowing fidget spinner that’s hard not to distract yourself with. There’s practical lume here too. The triangular reference marker on the case is filled generously, and the hour markings on the side-read barrel light up as well, so you can still find the time without much fuss.

Performance is reasonably potent: it charges easily, glows bright, and lasts through the night. It’s not blazingly bright like a hardcore tool watch, but it’s consistent and bright enough for solid legibility. And yes, with those green HyCeram inserts, it would’ve been cool if they were lumed too: though if it were up to me I’d lume every element of every watch, so maybe don’t take that too seriously.

On The Wrist

On paper, it looks like it should wear like a brick, but in practice it’s much friendlier than the numbers suggest. The 41.75mm overall diameter sits comfortably on my 6.75″ wrist, and while the nearly 50mm lug-to-lug measurement sounds a bit overwhelming at first, that figure is taken across the very tips of the lugs, and those lugs taper out quite a bit. Visually and on-wrist, it feels closer to 47-48mm, which is a meaningful difference in how the watch actually presents.

Thickness is similar: the quoted 14.80mm is technically true, but also a little misleading. The crystal has a noticeable curvature, and the skeletonized case-back adds height even though the “core” of the watch is much slimmer, so it ends up wearing more like a 13mm watch rather than something genuinely chunky. The shape also helps: the case feels sculpted and ergonomic, not like a big flat puck, and the upward-curving lugs do a lot of work to keep it planted and stable.

Strap-wise, the watch comes with two CTS-style rubber straps; one in a multi-color pairing and another in all white. I didn’t actually wear it on either of them and ran it on this leather strap instead. Either way, the bigger takeaway is that it isn’t nearly as intimidating as its proportions might imply, and I’d say most wrists 6.5″ and up will find it comfortable without it looking cartoonishly large.

Wrapping Up

At roughly $4,800 USD all-in, the M.A.D.1S sits in a funny place: it’s a much smaller number than the $40,000+ it typically takes to enter the MB&F universe, but it’s still a lot of money for a watch: especially one whose entire vibe is whimsical, playful, and intentionally unserious. And that price is genuinely competitive territory: $4,800 buys a lot of phenomenal watches new, and the pre-owned market only makes the alternatives more tempting, which makes this a tough segment to justify on specs alone.

But I don’t think the person seriously considering a M.A.D.1S is cross-shopping a Tudor or a pre-owned Speedmaster.. they’re either chasing something unusual, they’re enamored with MB&F, or they’ve simply been pulled into Max Büsser’s orbit and want to belong to the MB&F tribe (you can’t actually join the tribe unless you buy a real MB&F though, sorry). For the buyer who values creative design and originality, the kind of person who lives for the weirder corners of the hobby where out-of-the-box thinking is the point, this M.A.D.1S might actually be perfect.

text

The post M.A.D.1S x Yinka Ilori “Grow Your Dreams” appeared first on RK Watch Service.

Beans & Bezels Beans & Bezels

Disclaimer: This watch was sent to me to review, and I do not need to return it after my review is complete. This watch was given to me without restriction and is not contingent upon a particular outcome for my review. All opinions here are my own, and VERO had no influence over the opinions stated here.

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link (like the one below). If you click and make a purchase, I do not earn a commission, but it helps brands like VERO track the impact of reviews & articles like this one, so if you are interested in this watch, please use the link below to make your purchase. It will ensure that more VERO watches are reviewed here.

VERO Watches: https://verowatch.pxf.io/c/7068581/3091803/38163

Video

Review

VERO is a brand I have covered before, and my first experience with them left a strong impression. When I reviewed the VERO x WindUp Granite 38 over five years ago, what stood out most was the brand’s original ambition: to produce watches in America, to experiment with genuinely interesting technical ideas such as their proprietary piston-sealed crown system, and to offer something in the microbrand space that felt more engineered than assembled. That early positioning gave VERO a distinct identity.

This review, however, centers on a different kind of VERO. In the years since I last owned and reviewed one of their watches, the brand appears to have become considerably more successful and more commercially established. Their current production approach is also different, with VERO now describing its watches as designed in Portland and manufactured externally rather than pursuing the more vertically integrated American-made model that originally defined much of the brand’s appeal. That shift removes some of the novelty that first drew me to them years ago, but it has also coincided with a broader and seemingly very successful expansion of the brand’s catalog and reach.

The watch being reviewed here is the Smokey ’44, an officially licensed collaboration built around one of the most recognizable public symbols in the United States. Smokey Bear first appeared in 1944 as part of the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire prevention campaign, and he has since become an enduring symbol of wildfire prevention and stewardship of America’s forests and wildlands. VERO also states that 10% of proceeds from the Smokey Bear collection are donated to the U.S. Forest Service to support wildfire prevention education and forest conservation efforts, which gives the collaboration a more meaningful foundation than the average character-based release.

The Smokey ’44 is the more vintage-leaning execution of the concept, taking inspiration from field watches of the mid-1940s and pairing that with a dial centered around Smokey Bear himself. It is currently priced at $525, and VERO positions it alongside other Smokey Bear variants including the more modern Smokey ’64, the Campfire Edition, and the bronze-cased Smokey 80th Edition. The ’44 itself comes with both a leather strap and a canvas NATO, and on paper it sits in a very competitive part of the market where design, execution, and overall charm need to do a lot of the work. Fortunately, this is a watch that does a lot right.

Let’s check it out!

Case

The Smokey ’44 features a 38mm stainless steel case that I measured at 46.25mm from lug tip to lug tip and 12.15mm in overall thickness, with a 20mm lug width. The 7mm screw-down crown is signed and includes subtle polished accents, giving it a slightly more refined look than the otherwise utilitarian case design might suggest.

The case finishing is mostly matte, with a bead-blasted treatment across the mid-case and case-back that gives it a distinctly tool-watch character. In that sense, the overall aesthetic reminds me somewhat of watches from Sinn or Damasko, where functions take priority over decorative flourish. The watch is not especially thick on paper, but it is a bit slab-sided and does wear with a slightly stout visual profile. VERO helps offset that somewhat with a triple-stepped bezel that mixes matte and polished surfaces, which adds a bit of visual interest and does help break up the height.

A flat sapphire crystal sits on top with a good amount of anti-reflective coating, while the screw-down case-back sits nice and flat against the wrist. Combined with the screw-down crown, the watch carries a water resistance rating of 120 meters, which is more than adequate for the kind of field watch this is trying to be.

Overall, the Smokey ’44 feels well built and appropriately robust. Its design is mostly sterile and functional, but the few polished accents keep it from feeling overly plain. The proportions do lean a bit stout visually, even if the actual thickness is quite reasonable.

Dial

The ’44 has an excellent dial. The overall design is simple, highly legible, and thematically coherent, but it still manages to feel distinctive rather than generic. Just as importantly, the execution is excellent. The quality control on this example is remarkable, and noticeably better than the previous VERO I reviewed. The base of the dial has a fine matte texture that gives the surface a soft granular look, somewhat reminiscent of dials like the Patek Philippe 5226G, and it adds a subtle sense of depth without distracting from the utilitarian layout.

Legibility is handled very well. Around the outer edge is a brown railroad-style minute and seconds track, paired with large lumed circular pips at each hour and a small triangular marker at 12. Moving inward, Smokey Bear sits beneath 12 o’clock, acting as the thematic centerpiece of the watch. The main hour markers are large lumed Arabic numerals, while a muted red 13-24 hour ring sits further inward, reinforcing the military and field-watch character of the dial.

The handset is also excellent. I will admit that I am very biased toward cathedral-style hands, but these are beautifully executed. The hour hand reaches cleanly toward the numerals, while the minute hand aligns very well with the outer track, giving the watch a precise and easy-to-read display. Combined with the lume layout, it is both visually engaging and functionally strong.

From a design standpoint, I think this is a perfect dial. It takes a serious and highly usable field-watch layout, combines it with an unusual theme, and somehow makes the whole thing feel natural. That would already be impressive on its own, but the strong finishing and quality control elevate it further. Compared with the Granite 38 I reviewed previously, this feels like a more resolved and more confidently executed dial.

Lume

The ’44 delivers stronger lume performance than I expected. Given the watch’s overall style, I anticipated something more restrained, closer to the Buser Freres GSTP 38, but VERO has been much more generous with the luminous elements than that comparison would suggest. The dial is pad printed, yet the lume application is still notably dense. Each numeral has a substantial lume plot, with additional circular lume blobs marking the hours and a triangular marker at 12 o’clock. For a dial in this style, that is an impressive amount of luminous material.

The hands are also well executed. Both the hour and minute hands have large lumed sections with a generous fill, and the cathedral-style hour hand looks especially impressive in the dark. The seconds hand uses a printed lumed tip and base, which looks great, though it fades sooner than the rest, as expected.

In practical use, the overall performance is excellent for this type of watch. It glows bright, lasts a good amount of time, and remains fairly legible through the night. Compared with similarly priced watches such as the Vaer Solar Field (using ceramic lume blocks for its numerals), Buser Freres GSTP 38, and VIIS Flieger 42, the VERO performs very well.

Movement

The ’44 is powered by the Seiko NH38A, a no-date variant of the familiar NH35 architecture. Being a true no-date movement, it avoids the phantom date position, so that is always a welcome detail.

I’ve covered Seiko’s 4R/NH family many times at this point, and my broader opinion has not changed much. These movements are generally robust, inexpensive, and easy to service or replace, which helps explain why they remain so common in the micro-brand space. But Seiko’s official accuracy tolerances are still far too lenient for a modern mechanical movement, and the overall architecture is not interesting to look at or refined to operate. In general, once pricing begins moving toward the upper end of the affordable segment, I start expecting higher beat rates, and tighter regulation standards.

With the VERO, I think the choice is acceptable, though I would have preferred something like a Miyota 9 Series, which could have also helped make the watch slimmer overall. Most of my criticism here is directed at Seiko rather than VERO. VERO has regulated this example well, and in my testing it has run at around +5 seconds per day, which is a good result for it.

So while the NH38A would not be my first choice in a watch around this price point, the reality is that it performs well here, offers a clean no-date user experience, and brings with it the durability and serviceability that continue to make these Seiko calibers appealing despite their shortcomings.

On The Wrist

The ’44 wears well on my 6.75″ wrist, and with its 38mm diameter and 46.25mm lug-to-lug measurement, I would also feel comfortable recommending it to those with smaller wrists. The overall footprint is compact and sensible for a field watch, and it sits with the kind of balanced presence that should work across a fairly wide range of wrist sizes.

While the watch is not especially thick in absolute terms, it does wear a bit thicker than the specifications might initially suggest. That is mostly a result of its proportions and somewhat slab-sided case profile rather than any truly excessive height. So although it has a slightly stout visual presence, it never feels overly bulky on the wrist.

The head weighs a reasonable 63 grams, and the strap adds roughly another 9 grams. The supplied strap is quite thick and does require some break-in, but it feels durable and well suited to the overall character of the watch. Once softened up, it seems like the kind of strap that should hold up well to years of use and abuse, which makes it a fitting choice for such a tool-oriented design. I also appreciate the signed tip, though the buckle itself is a bit generic and could have been given a bit more attention.

Overall, the wearing experience is a positive one. Compared to the VERO x WindUp Granite 38, which benefited from a lighter titanium case and a thinner profile, the Smokey ’44 feels a bit more substantial, but it remains comfortable and well proportioned for everyday use.

Wrapping Up

Overall, I find the VERO Smokey ’44 to be a solid watch. It combines a highly distinctive theme with a genuinely strong field watch layout, excellent legibility, impressive lume, and very solid overall build quality. While I would still prefer a more compelling movement at this price point, VERO has regulated this example well, and the rest of the watch is executed strongly enough that the choice remains acceptable in practice.

Compared to the previous VERO I reviewed, this feels like a less technically novel watch, but in some ways a more complete and resolved product. The dial is better executed, the lume performance is far stronger, and the overall design comes together in a way that feels both charming and highly functional. For anyone drawn to the Smokey Bear theme, VERO has done a terrific job translating it into a watch that still feels serious, usable, and well considered.

text

The post VERO The Smokey ’44 appeared first on RK Watch Service.

Beans & Bezels Beans & Bezels

Disclaimer: This watch was sent to me to review, and I do not need to return it after my review is complete. This watch was given to me without restriction and is not contingent upon a particular outcome for my review. All opinions here are my own, and Horizon had no influence over the opinions stated here.

Horizon Spectrum “DotCom”: https://www.horizon-watches.com/product-page/horizon-spectrum-dotcom

Video

Review

Horizon is still a young micro-brand, co-founded in around 2021-2022 by Fred Bekher and Sugi Kusumadi, but the “new brand” label has never really fit the way their watches present in the metal. Bekher, in particular, is a seasoned watch designer, with a long track record of work for brands like Zelos, Arcturus, Velhelm, Gruppo Gamma, and Feynman Timepieces, while Kusumadi is also deeply embedded in the watch scene through his watch store in Singapore. And I’ll just say it up front: I personally love Fred Bekher’s work. I think he’s one of the most talented watch designers out there, full stop, not just in microbrands. He has a real sense of originality, and I have immense respect for designers who can break free from the mold instead of iterating on the same familiar templates.

Horizon’s earlier releases, like the Jules Verne inspired Nemo, already proved they could stand out, but the Spectrum feels like the moment they decide to turn the dial even further. It’s their boldest, most design-forward watch yet, and was submitted to the GPHG 2025, which is an audacious swing for a small brand. And I’m sure plenty of people will dismiss it for that very reason, because it is unapologetically graphic, colorful, and architectural. But I think it’s one of the most interesting releases I’ve seen from the micro-brand space in years, and I’m hoping my review and photography can communicate why.

Before the Spectrum, Horizon’s lineup moved in clear chapters: the -N- debut, the Pilgrim, and the Nemo (with offshoots like AnoNemo and Nemolithic). And then there’s the Horizon x Selten piece, which is especially cool here because it’s a genuine “watch-nerd” collab between two brands I’m a fan of, blending Horizon’s case design magic with Selten’s dial wizardry.

Pricing for the Spectrum is $1,150 USD, and that includes a very unique bracelet plus a premium FKM rubber strap that’s designed around the watch. The watch appears to be ready for immediate delivery. Note: if you sign up to the brand’s newsletter, you can get 10% off.

Let’s check it out!

Case

I measured the case at 37.85mm in diameter, 46.7mm lug tip to lug tip, and 11.75mm in overall thickness, and that thickness figure includes the roughly 2mm boxed sapphire crystal. Lug width is 20mm, which makes strap options easy, but the included bracelet and rubber strap are excellent to begin with. The case is entirely stainless steel, and it’s one of the most refreshing and original designs I’ve seen in a very long time. The level of sculptural intent here is rare at any price point, and especially so in the microbrand space. The detailing is so rich that I honestly feel like I could do an entire review of just this case, because every perspective reveals something new: a different transition, a new surface, a surprising cut, a bevel that catches the light differently than you expected.

The mid-case is the foundation of the whole thing: a perfectly rounded, pebble-like silhouette with a clean brushed finish that makes it feel smooth and organic. But then Horizon breaks that softness up with deep side recesses on both the left and right flanks, each framed by polished borders and finished with a brushed inner cavity. The depth and definition here are incredible, and it’s one of those details that makes the watch feel like an artifact from a sci-fi movie.

And then, integrated into that fluid mid-case, you get the four lugs, which are sharp, aggressive, and honestly a little bit outrageous in the best way. They dominate the personality of the watch, with a mix of brushed and polished finishing that gives the case a ton of personality. From a top-down view, the watch reads as entirely brushed, and the continuity is excellent: the vertical brushing on the bezel flows naturally into the top surfaces of the lugs, which makes the whole shape feel cohesive rather than pieced together.

From the side, it’s an entirely different aesthetic. Aside from that recessed pebble midcase, the profile is dominated by polished surfaces, and the way those polished planes interact with the brushing is masterfully handled. It’s a case that never looks flat, because the design and the finishing are doing all the work: separating forms, emphasizing curvature, and making those recesses look even deeper than they already are.

The crown is another highlight: a 7mm screw-down crown with excellent grip, paired with a well-machined crown tube that feels smooth in use. Flipping the watch over, the case-back continues that pebble curvature of the mid-case, and the lugs gently extend beyond it, almost like the feet of this little sci-fi machine. The case-back is screw-down, and the crown is screw-down too, but water resistance is rated at 50m. I’m slightly surprised by that, because all the ingredients feel like they’re here to push it to 100m, but honestly, 50m is more than sufficient for most real-world activities.

Dial

The dial is one of those designs that feels the least traditional in its intent, and more like a piece of modern graphic art that just happens to tell time. There are no applied indices, no numerals, and no conventional minute track. Instead, it’s built like a little piece of graphic architecture: loud, geometric, and disciplined; the kind of thing that genuinely wouldn’t feel out of place at the MoMA Design Store. The colours are bold and unapologetic, but the composition is controlled and perfectly balanced.

And a big part of that comes down to the fact that this isn’t just colors on a flat plate. It has a three-layer construction: the topmost layer is a single circular piece of CNC-machined stainless steel with crisp polished ridges that reflect light from the dial and the hands. Below it you have what Horizon calls the “pizza” segment: a four-section plate filled with different colours that gives the Spectrum its name. There’s also a raised inner section that creates an almost architectural “stage” for the hands, framed by the stainless steel ring, adding another plane to the design and making the whole thing feel dimensional rather than graphic. On the outside of the stainless steel ring is a glass overlay over the pizza segment, which offers a slight opacity to the colors, making sure your focus is always drawn towards the center, but without being obvious about it.

What really brings the dial to life, though, is the crystal. The boxed sapphire behaves like a lens at certain angles: the curvature and height catch and bend the geometry near the edges, turning straight stripes into curves and giving the whole composition a subtle sense of motion as you move your wrist.

The hands are the other key part of the equation, because Horizon is basically asking you to accept a slightly different relationship with legibility here. The hour and minute hands are bold, lume-filled batons that have a good amount of presence, and the seconds hand adds a bit of playful precision with a lollipop counterbalance and a lume-filled triangular arrow tip. And because there are no markers to “land” on, you’re reading the time by where the hands are in space rather than what they’re pointing at. I know that’s going to put off a lot of traditionalists, but after owning plenty of MINGs and other sci-fi-leaning watches without definitive markings, I’m quite comfortable with it.

Even the colour selection, according to Horizon, wasn’t left to chance. The three Spectrum variants were chosen with algorithmic help, using AI-assisted colour theory, so that each version maps to a distinct emotional tone.

Lume

Lume on the Spectrum is minimal in terms of where it’s applied, because only the hands are lumed, but the execution is solid. Horizon didn’t skimp on the fill: the hour and minute hands get a generous application, and even the seconds hand’s triangular tip is densely packed with lume that makes it easy to pick out in the dark.

Now, without any hour markers, you don’t get that instant “glance and go” readability at night, but if you can orient the watch on your wrist, it’s still legible enough to confidently infer the time from the hands alone. I do love how the lume on the hands plays with the stainless steel dial ring, creating some wonderful visuals. Personally, I would’ve loved to see a little more lume woven into the design, maybe a subtle lumed ring around the periphery to match the Spectrum’s architecture, but to be fair, I always want more lume in watch designs, so maybe don’t take me too seriously on that one.

Movement

The Spectrum uses the Miyota 9015 automatic, and while I used to have some reservations about the 9-series experience, mainly the uni-directional winding and that audible rotor spin, I’ve come around to it in a big way over the years. After handling a wide range of movements in this bracket from Miyota, Seiko, Sellita, and ETA, I’ve ended up preferring the 9015: it’s thin, robust, and consistently reliable, even if it doesn’t always deliver the “factory-regulated Swiss” romance some buyers chase. And for this watch in particular, I’m genuinely glad Horizon went with the 9015 instead of the Sellita SW200 they used in the Nemo.

The rotor continues the Spectrum’s dial theme in an impressive execution: it presents as a full, symmetrical design, yet it clearly has an asymmetrical weight distribution because the winding efficiency is excellent and the rotor spins exactly as you’d expect from a traditional layout. The clever part is that the mass is essentially “hidden” by the case-back architecture, so you get this striking, balanced look through the display back without sacrificing function. This particular watch was running at +4 seconds per day, which is excellent for this movement.

On The Wrist

The 37.85mm diameter and 46.7mm lug tip-to-lug tip distance put it in that sweet spot where it’ll sit comfortably on almost all wrist sizes. What’s interesting is that it doesn’t look like a 38mm watch at a glance, because the lugs are so bold and so expressive that they visually expand the footprint. It has real presence, just without the actual bulk usually associated with that presence.

The 11.75mm thickness includes the roughly 2mm boxed sapphire crystal, so on wrist it actually wears slimmer than you’d expect from the spec sheet. The mid-case feels more svelte, the watch is planted on the wrist nicely, and the crystal height adds intentional character.

And then there’s the bracelet, which is frankly excellent. It’s a 7-link design with no taper, but it flows perfectly and suits the watch’s design language in a way that makes the whole package feel cohesive. The build quality and finishing here is genuinely impressive: it is one of those bracelets that reminds you how far the micro-brand scene has come in the last few years. Each link has rounded bevels, a fully brushed finish, and really good articulation. The clasp is a butterfly-style deployant with a solid twin trigger release mechanism, and it feels secure and well made.

The end links are another standout detail. Cases like this, especially with an unusual shape and dramatic lugs, often struggle with bracelet integration. You tend to end up with something that looks “neither here nor there”, and tend to just feel you’ve had to compromise somehow (think the MING Universal Bracelet). Here, the end links sit flush with the curvature of the case, and there’s a groove in the end link that perfectly mates with the bottom of the case, creating a robust integrated feel without distracting from the case design. My only real criticism is that sizing uses a pin-and-collar system, but honestly, that 20-minute investment to size it is completely worth it.

Horizon also includes an FKM rubber strap that feels bespoke in the same way the bracelet does. I like that the bracelet doesn’t taper, but I do wish the rubber strap had a touch of taper from 20mm to 18mm. Still, it’s a really well-considered strap: it tapers in thickness from about 4.25mm at the case to roughly 2.75mm at the buckle. The buckle is another strong design detail and matches the case nicely; I just wish it were slightly smaller. Because the strap stays 20mm at the buckle, the overall buckle width lands at around 26mm, so it looks a bit large visually even though it wears great.

But honestly, these are all minor nitpicks. As a complete package, the Spectrum is a 10/10 for wearability: great proportions, an exceptional bracelet, and a high-quality rubber strap that feels purpose-built rather than tossed in as an accessory.

Wrapping Up

Fred and Sugi have created a bit of a masterpiece with the Spectrum, and I’ve tried throughout this review to communicate just how exceptional it is: especially that case design, and the way it flows so naturally into a bracelet that feels purpose-built rather than merely fitted. I also know it won’t be for everyone; it contradicts a lot of traditional ideas of watch design with its dial, and it almost feels seriously unserious in the way it tells time. But that’s exactly the point: a return to the fundamentals, reimagined into something genuinely new, and I’m glad Fred had the conviction to materialize those ideas into a real watch.

If you can appreciate originality and truly ambitious design execution, I can’t recommend the Spectrum highly enough. I’m completely smitten by it, and it’s honestly one of my favorite case designs in a very long time. I really hope Horizon builds on this platform, because it feels like they’ve struck gold here.

text

The post Horizon Spectrum appeared first on RK Watch Service.