Case Back
We’ve got an excellent Swiss Ronda movement under the hood of this bad boy so an exhibition case back isn’t welcomed this time around. Instead, it’s kept simple, which I don’t mind because the beauty of this watch is on the other side. Luckily, though, the back is also made of 316L stainless steel. Many companies aren’t composed of idiots and keep 316L stainless steel throughout the design like Helgray did, but I’ll let you know something.
Some people use really crappy metal (if that’s what you want to call it) on their case backs. They figure nobody will ever pay much attention to it, but guess what? This is what touches our skin all day! I don’t want some kind of crap metal that gives my skin a reaction like it’s made out of melted down rings from a vending machine at the mall. I want uniform quality and Helgray provided. You’ll learn that my only beef with Helgray is the crown…yikes it’s tiny! I would prefer it to be just a little bigger and maybe stick out a bit more too. Perhaps it would help, maybe not…but it’s worth a shot. I usually mention if a watch can independently set the date and of course, Helgray can…another prayer answered!
Strap and Buckle
As I always begin the strap section of my reviews: “I’m a huge watch strap fan. I love custom straps made by old guys in their garages, NATO straps from Europe, and odd straps like denim, ostrich, or stingray. Just one beautiful strap can create multiple new looks for your collection.” Talk about a cool strap…genuine leather with basically a buffalo imprint in it. Cut down cost, keep a cool pattern, and it’s still quality.
That’s the kind of thing I would want to hear if I was the boss at some watch company…excellent. Practical points went up and style points did too. The strap fits really well and the holes are the perfect size for the buckle, which is nice. The buckle is stainless steel, marked with the logo, and sits right next to two matching keepers that are sized perfectly. Overall the strap adds to the design tremendously. For example, the color matches the luminous dots sitting on the face just inside each number 1-12. Very smart!
The Verdict
A WWII/aviation inspired design that didn’t take any shortcuts. Flawless. Also…check out that price tag…Not bad. At. All. Practically making stuff up here…but let’s see…oh yeah, just make the crown a millimeter larger. That’s all! For more info, please visit helgray.com
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Mark Wisdom Phillips – Contributing Writer
Mark largely collects practical watches, but never hesitates if he can snag a deal good enough to call it an economical decision. He loves taking photos of his collection and participating in the tight-knit watch community on Instagram. You can see his photos and follow him here. He is highly opinionated and expects nothing but the best and at the cheapest price possible. In his eyes, a watch needs to have a superb and bold design to be worthy of anybody’s wrist. To him, organization creates valuable time and so you should expect it from him in his reviews. Wisdom is his middle name and he is here to share it with you. Read his articles here.
