BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
In the past decade or so, the microbrand space has witnessed unparalleled growth and has gone from being a river to an ever-expanding ocean. While a majority of the microbrand universe is dominated by bold, colorful, and utilitarian dive watches, today we are looking at HESILI, a young brand, that has focused on the other end of the horological spectrum and has attempted to create an affordable modern dress watch. Offered in four colorways, the Original Series One is Swiss-made, powered by a Swiss automatic movement, and comes at a fair price. Let’s dive a little deeper.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, HESILI watches was born out of one watch enthusiasts’ passionate endeavor to create a high-quality dress watch that offers the combination of elegance and quality craftsmanship at an affordable price point. The journey of the brand started in 2018, and after four years, the result of their hard work has taken shape in the form of the new Original Series One collection.
The formal nature of the Series One is immediately emphasized by the high gloss lacquered dial. Presented in deep forest green, royal blue, black, or cream, the dial features a nice sheen and provides a perfect backdrop for the mirror-polished applied elements. The Arabic numerals lend the dial a traditional outlook, whereas the circular plots and faceted markers at the quadrants add a slightly casual vibe. A printed railroad-style minute track runs on the outer periphery and the double-digit numerals at every fifteen minutes make it a breeze to read the time using the elegant alpha hands. A circular date window sits at the 6 o’clock position to keep the symmetry of the dial intact. And while I am not an advocate of date windows, I feel HESILI’s execution blends seamlessly with the rest of the dial, and my favorite bit is the polished circular border that would play nicely with light.
The 40mm stainless-steel case on the Series One features a nice, rounded profile that looks a bit conventional at first. However, like the dial, it is the brand’s attention to detail that makes it stand out. To begin with, the case is CNC machined and finished in Switzerland, the mecca of watchmaking. Furthermore, to enhance the luxury quotient and, to add more character to the watch, HESILI has given the case a blend of polished and brushed surfaces instead of just going for a fully polished case. So, you get a wide polished bezel on the top that holds the AR-coated sapphire crystal in place, finely brushed downward curving lugs and mid-case, and shiny polished bevel on the sides. A grippy push-pull crown at 3 completes the case, and water resistance is limited to 50 meters which sounds apt for a watch of this type.
Ticking underneath the brushed case back of the watch is the STP 1-11 automatic movement. Beating at 4 Hz, the STP 1-11 comprises 26 jewels and offers a power reserve of around 44 hours when fully wound. Every movement is tested in five positions and regulated if needed to ensure excellent timing accuracy.
Every HESILI Original Series One watch is accompanied by a high-quality Italian pebble grain leather strap with contrast stitching. Finally, the watch retails for USD 595, which, in my opinion, is more than fair for what is being offered here.
