BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
In case you are a regular reader of WristReview.com you would know that it is one of our constant endeavors to make our audience aware of some of the best value-oriented brands and their offerings out there. Andersmann in our opinion is one such brand that makes some nice utilitarian tool watches that offer a great blend of quality and tech at their price point. Last year I reviewed the Andersmann Oceanmaster II and came away quite impressed and was certainly looking forward to experiencing more watches from the brand. So, I got all excited when I recently got a chance to go hands-on with the Andersmann Classic, a watch that represents Andersmann’s elegant take on a tool watch. So, did this watch stand true to my high expectations? Read on to find out.
Case and Wearability
The case on the Classic has been crafted from Grade 2 Titanium and has a three-part construction. It measures 44mm in diameter, has a thickness of 12.4mm, and a lug to lug distance of around 51mm. As the dimensions suggest, the Andersmann Classic is not a small watch, but it certainly wears quite comfortably on the wrist, which is primarily because of a couple of things. First and foremost is the use of Titanium, which helps in keeping the overall weight of the watch down to a modest 117 grams on the supplied black rubber strap. And second, is the relatively low height, which gives the watch more stability on the wrist and helps avoid that top-heavy feeling that one gets from many other tall dive watches. Finishing is another area where I feel Andersmann has done a good job. Almost the entire case has a nice bead blasted finish and I liked the full black DLC treatment on the review unit as it gives the watch a nice tactical vibe. However, in case you are not a big fan of the all-black look, the classic is also offered in many other variations that feature a mix of steel and DLC finishes.
The case is water-resistant to 300 meters which is further ensured with the help of a grippy threaded crown at 3, which is also protected by crown guards. A sapphire crystal on the front protects the dial, but what is more interesting is that this watch has an exhibition glass on the back as well giving a view of its mechanical internals which I will address a little later. As mentioned above, the watch comes attached to a black rubber strap (we used an leather strap in the photoshoot) which I feel is of high quality and does a good job of snuggly wrapping the watch around the wrist. While I found the case to be nearly perfect, one area which I feel needs some improvement are the lugs. Now, don’t get me wrong the lugs blend very well with the overall design of the case, but I found them to be a little sharp, causing some discomfort when wearing the watch for a longer duration of time. That said, this is just a minor gripe and not a deal-breaker.
Dial
As much as I liked the case on this watch, I think it is the dial that justifies the ‘Classic’ name. Presented in black with a Matt finish and a nice texture, the dial on this watch follows the familiar Panerai style design seen on many other Andersmann watches, albeit with a few key differences. The dial is still characterized by Arabic numerals at 12,3,6 and 9, but Andersmann has done a good job in keeping them pared down and making them stand out a little less. The numerals and square-shaped markers have still been cut out to expose the lower layer of superluminova. Another detail that contributes to the slightly elegant look of this watch is the handset. The baton-style hour and minute hands have been presented in white to match the white Superluminova and look understated.
The slender arrow tipped seconds hand complements the other hands very well and has been painted black to complete the monochromatic look. However, in case you are like me, who enjoys a little bit of color on their watches, you might want to look at other variants within the Classic collection that offer the seconds hand in vibrant colors. The handset is well proportioned, and I never faced any difficulty in reading the time on the watch be it day or night. Showing nice attention to detail the minute and seconds hand extends to the beginning of the sloped minute/seconds chapter ring on the outer periphery. There is a small circular date window at 4, which I am not a big fan of, but I would say that it did not bother me much during my time with the watch as it blends well with dial because of the black base that matches the dial color.
Movement
Powering the Andersmann Classic is the trustworthy ETA 2892- A2 movement. This is an automatic movement that operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers a power reserve of around 42 hours. This movement is often referred to as the more accurate and refined cousin of the venerable 2824. One major advantage of the ETA 2892 is that it is quite slimmer as compared to the ETA 2824. The movement has been beautifully decorated with Perlage and blued screws and features a nice skeletonized rotor with Andersmann branding. And every time I took the watch off the wrist, I enjoyed looking at the movement through the slightly tinted glass.
Conclusion
To conclude, I would say that I had a great time wearing the Andersmann Classic on my wrist. So, who is this watch for, you might ask? The answer to this is quite simple. In case you are the kind of person who wants to buy a good-looking tool watch that is not too overwhelming in both looks and wearability and is affordably priced. Speaking of affordability, the retail prices for the Andersmann Classic watches begin at USD 1,280 and go all the way up to USD 1,380 for this full DLC review unit (Reference ANN0198), which in my opinion is a great deal for what you get.
