In May I published an article entitled ‘More Style on a Budget’ featuring five superb timepieces under the $1,000 threshold. As well as writing about really exclusive watches (which I find highly enjoyable) I wanted to make a concerted effort to feature more affordable options. For that reason I have been delighted that brands like Briston, Rec Watches, Terranaut, TW Steel, The Melbourne Watch Company and Égard have sent me watches for review. Although most of these timepieces are now manufactured in China, I still feel they offer the consumer good value for money.
A few months ago I featured a superb timepiece called the Skell from Swiss watchmaker N.O.A (an abbreviation for ‘None Of The Above’). As I mentioned in the article this a company that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Nevertheless all their designs show a certain level of sophistication and are highly original. During recent conversations with company owner Daniele Andreatta I could see how passionate he is about the brands future. For that reason he was keen for me to review the Skandar Chrono. This superb timepiece is one of N.O.A’ s latest models and was unveiled at Baselworld 2014.
When the Skandar Chrono finally arrived I was very impressed at the quality and appearance of the timepiece. Dimensionally the watch is slightly larger than the Skell and has a diameter of 45mm. I feel these proportions will largely appeal to masculine buyers. Generally I found the watch very comfortable to wear and I didn’t experience any friction from the pushers and lugs. Primarily this is down to the stylish case design and choice of 316L stainless steel in production. In an ideal world I would have preferred the use of high performance materials like ceramic or titanium. Realistically the watch could be worn for most occasions and definitely on a daily basis.
Visually the Skandar Chrono has all the distinctive characteristics you would expect from N.O.A. What makes this watch so appealing is the stylish multi-layered façade. I love the raised three-dimensional silver numerals and indexes. This detail perfectly interacts with the open worked hour/minute hands and matt black dial. Other successful features include two chronograph sub counters (located at 3 and 9 o’clock) and a robust bezel with eight steel screws. Overall the composition has been well planned and executed.
At the heart of the watch is a Swiss made Ronda Quartz 5020.B. movement. Mostly I think the timepiece is really cool but am a bit disappointed that N.O.A haven’t equipped it with a mechanical caliber, especially at this price point. That is just my personal opinion and I am sure not everybody will consider this a major issue. Functionally the Skandar Chrono features hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph facility. The watch is also water resistant to a depth of 100 meters.
The Skandar Chrono has a black caoutchouc strap with matching engraved stainless steel buckle. Priced at: CHF 1,350 (approximately $1,502).
For more information visit the company’s website: http://www.noawatch.com