By Jovan Krstevski
I’ve been wearing one of Brellum’s Duobox Chronometer Chronograph watches and I did a hands-on review of this awesome watch not long ago. As for today, I would like to revisit what I wrote about it and add another surprising addition from Brellum itself which is the latest Duobox Chronometer “Black Edition.” I shared how this company prides itself into building what Swiss Watches should be albeit price-friendly and I can tell you, they are very close to that promise with this fascinating watch release. Behind the company doors are, of course, Sebastien Muller armed with his over 25 years of experience in the industry. You can work so hard but without delving into all the nitty gritty details of watchmaking, you would just be one of the unlucky guys which is not the case with Brellum’s creator so yeah, this is something to be grateful for if you are a Brellum fan.
The only change with the Brellum Black Edition is just the addition of a new dial design, you might just say it is just a new color but come on folks, is it not what we are looking forward to? I remember wanting a black dial since what I got before was a silver dialed one but I had no regrets with the silver dialed version of course. Now though, there is the black dial version which certainly adds more punch to the Duobox in my opinion. When paired with the domed curved design, the black dial looks fantastic. I love how the sunshine pattern black dial deflects sunlight or all available there is. Mind you when you are at a dressy occasion, you will love how this dial behaves… not to shy or too subtle, just the perfect presence. Of course the rest of the dial elements have been gloriously tweaked to match the “Black Edition” label. The calendar disc is now of the same color plus the red big hand tip has been suppressed. So what happened to the chrono hand? Well, I think the design is all about confering a very clean and dynamic style to this special version. The only “unusual” labeling you will see on the dial is the mention of “Chronometer officially certified” which is proudly dressed-up in red.
We see many versions of the Duobox but what really makes the “Black Edition” truly unique is its unique utilization of a fascinating sunshine patterned black dial. To be honest, I see mnay black dials everywhere but nothing compares with what the Duobox has acheived for this version. The styling is very luxurious and at the same time very readable. Sometimes black dials missed out on clarity but not this watch. The clarity is superb with the appliques and luminescent material on the hands standing out so easily. I remember saying that these elements are only seen on the higher end brands which is pretty much true by the way. Well I can only be so proud of what Brellum has achieved with the Duobox Black Edition, I want it.
Since there are really no big changes, we still get the same cool 316L stainless steel case at 41.8mm. Compared to the silver dial version I have, the black edition blends so well with the case adding a more refined look. Of course with the view from the back, we have a numbered caseback with Box type sapphire crystal sporting anti-reflective treatment so that we can appreciate more its powerhouse that is the magnificent BRELLUM BR–750–1 Chronometer automatic (base Valjoux 7750). If you remember me saying that my first impression of this very case was fat, well that was my first impression. The more I wear the watch, the more I appreciate its solid yet smooth feel. It’s only at 16.2mm thickness and being a chronograph, it’s all perfect. I like the subtle crown and the sporty pushers blending so well with the lugs and bezel.
Moreover, the movement of the watch is not just your typical Swiss Made, it’s COSC certified. It sports 46 hours of power reserve which is more than enough for my needs plus I really dig into this certification. We all know what it entails and as usual this belongs to higher end watches but Brellum changed this reality with the introduction of the Duobox. For more info, please visit brellum.swiss
