When I first established Total Watch Reviews I was primarily featuring luxurious watches. As my website has evolved I have tried to present my readers a comprehensive selection of watches at all price points. Like most bloggers I have my own preferences and my main objective is to celebrate great design. Certainly there are some extraordinary timepieces on the market but these are not necessarily available to the majority of buyers. Fortunately there are now many aesthetically pleasing entry-level watches from brands like Briston, REC Watches, Melbourne Watch Company, Lew & Huey to name but just a few.
About eight months ago a well-respected contact in the industry introduced me to the owner of a relatively new brand called Deutsche Master. The very youthful and dynamic Mark Cheong founded the company. From many recent conversations with him I have come to appreciate how obsessed he is about watches. Ultimately this immense passion led him to start manufacturing his own range of timepieces. Initially the watches were derivative of well-known brands like IWC and Panerai. However recently the company has had a complete makeover and the designs are now more original and distinctive. Presently there are three exciting ranges to choose from called the Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine and Heer collections.
Although I hope to feature many more Deutsche Master watches in the forthcoming months I thought I would start with the Panzer V from Heer Collection. On first inspection the timepiece looks really stylish and is presented in a cool military style metal rectangular case. With a diameter measuring 45mm the watch should appeal to a wide variety of buyers including the unisex market. Generally I found it sat very comfortably on my wrist and I would certainly be happy to wear it on a daily basis. Primarily this is down to the elegant cushion shape case and choice of 316L stainless steel in production.
Visually the Panzer V has the same high quality appearance normally found in watches several times the price. The design is inspired by WW2 military watches produced in the 1930’s. Sure it hasn’t got the trimmings like sapphire crystal or a Swiss made movement but if you want style on a budget this watch offers it in abundance. What makes this timepiece so attractive is the matt black dial with contrasting gold numerals. Other interesting features include intricate hour/minute hands and a distinctive silver small second counter (located at 6 o’clock). Overall the composition has been delicately handled and well executed.
At the heart of the watch is a Chinese made manual winding movement, which looks very reminiscent of the Unitas 6498. The Caliber 9130 comprises 17-jewels and oscillates at a frequency 18,000 vibrations per hour. This decorated mechanism is clearly visible through the mineral glass exhibition case back. Functionally the Panzer V features hours, minutes and seconds. The watch also has a power reserve of 36-hours and is water resistant to a depth of 50 metres.
The Panzer V has a high quality black leather strap and matching steel buckle. Priced very competitively at: $410US.
For more information visit the company’s website: http://www.deutschemaster.com
You can also check out the exciting new project they have launched on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewatchatelier/deutsche-master-military-timepieces-redefined?ref=discovery
