Over the last few weeks I have made a concerted effort to feature more affordable watches on my website. On Total Watch Reviews it has always been my prime objective to showcase original and innovative design. However finding suitable watches around the $1,000 price point is sometimes harder than it seems. Normally if you want to buy a Swiss made watch with a mechanical movement, the price could run into thousands. For example many stylish timepieces I have reviewed by companies like Omega, Longines and even Rado are well beyond most buyers’ budgets. Ultimately this had led me to write about smaller lesser-known brands like Choisi.
In previous articles I have written about Choisi Suisse, I mentioned the fact the company has been given a complete facelift. When the current owners bought the business in 2011 they invested a lot of time and money in marketing. This involved designing a distinctive new website and releasing a range of new watches. Choisi Suisse was always well respected inside the industry but their visibility with consumers (prior to the recent takeover) was very low. Many well-respected pundits I have spoken to, mention about their fabulous skeletonised Art Deco Unitas movement. This patented mechanism has recently been used to great effect by Azimuth (SP-1 Predator) and Tourby Watches.
Over the last year I have written two reviews featuring watches by Choisi Suisse. In March 2013, I tested the elegant Heritage Docteurgraph and in July of the same year, the sporty 1929GT. Dimensionally the Heritage Military Original has a slightly smaller case diameter measuring 42mm. I feel these classical proportions will undoubtedly appeal to a broad range of buyers including the unisex market. Generally I found the watch sat comfortably on my wrist and I didn’t experience any friction from the lugs or crown. For that reason I would definitely recommend this watch for daily usage.
Visually the appearance of the Heritage Military Original is a lot more understated than the Heritage Docteurgraph and 1929GT. I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing and feel the watch has many noteworthy attributes. The black dial perfectly contrasts with large orange markers and bold white numerals. I love the small second counter (located at 6 o’clock) and the elegant polished 316L steel round case. Other features include an outer chapter ring, sapphire crystal lens delicate hour/minute hands. Overall I feel the composition has been well considered and highly executed.
At the heart of the watch is a manual winding movement that dates back to the 1950’s. The Calibre Unitas 6498 comprises 17-jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5Hz). Functionally the Heritage Military Original features hours, minutes and small seconds. The timepiece also has a power reserve of approximately 36 hours and is water resistant to a depth of 50 metres (5ATM).
The Heritage Military Original has a high quality brown calf leather strap with matching polished steel buckle. Priced competitively at: $1,230.
For more information visit the company’s website: http://www.choisiwatch.com
