I have always had a passion for great design and that is why I launched Total Watch Reviews. Originally I was inspired to write about horology because of Avant Garde brands like Urwerk and MB & F. I was truly delighted when Maximilian Büsser announced that he had won the ‘Best of Best’ award (shared with Apple) from Red Dot for his phenomenal Horological Machine No°6. A few years before I relocated to South Australia (from the UK) I visited the Red Dot museum in Essen, Germany. Ever since that day I became fascinated with products that have been awarded this coveted prize. What makes this organisation even more special is that they base their selections purely on merit. This means that new brands as well as very established ones have the same chance of winning.
Recently I joined a Facebook group called 44XL+ on the recommendation of Christian Seidel from Vintage VDB. The page is essentially a forum for people (mostly guys) to post pictures of large watches. Some of the designs are really sophisticated and are unlike anything else on the market. It also is a good testing ground to showcase new prototype watches. Whilst I was browsing through the site I came across a trendy new brand called DELTAt. They had just posted an image of a magnificent new timepiece called the MK1-CRG. Immediately I contacted the owner Hiro Cheng and asked if he would send over a watch for review. Fortunately he was very receptive to the idea and shipped over a timepiece forthwith.
When the MK1-CRG arrived I was pretty blown away by its appearance. Even though the images on Facebook look pretty cool it actually is much, much better in the metal. Dimensionally the timepiece exudes massive proportions and measures 49mm x 20.5mm. Certainly this watch won’t appeal to the faint hearted but I think it is exceptional. Considering the size it also feels pretty comfortable and lightweight on the wrist. Primarily this is down to the innovative case design and choice of Aluminum Bronze in production. For that reason I would say this watch is suitable to wear for most occasions.
Visually the MK1-CRG is pretty amazing and the design is absolutely unique. In fact I was so impressed with the aesthetic that I suggested Hiro Cheng should submit it for the Red Dot award. What makes this watch so distinctive is the minimalistic part skeletonized (triangular format) mahogany brown dial. This characteristic gives the recipient a glimpse of the fine mechanical workings of the watch. Other features include luminous coated markers and a fixed bezel with three oversized 316L stainless hex screws. Overall I love the industrial façade and applaud the meticulous attention to detail.
At the heart of the watch is a Japanese self-winding Miyota Movement. The Caliber 8N24 comprises 21-jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 21, 600 vibrations. Although I personally prefer Swiss alternatives this mechanism has become a popular choice for brands like SevenFriday and Dietrich. Ultimately it enables them to deliver sophisticated designs at affordable prices. Functionally the MK1-CRG features hours, minutes and seconds. The timepiece also has a power reserve of 40-hours and is water resistant to a depth of 1,000 metres.
The MK1-CRG is limited to 300 pieces worldwide and comes with two straps (brown leather and canvas). For a watch of this quality I feel the suggested retail price of $1,400 is very competitive.
For more information about DELTAt visit the company’s website: http://www.deltatwatch.com
