Approximately eight years ago I visited in Essen, Germany to celebrate a friends 40th birthday. The party was fantastic and absolutely our generous hosts catered for our every need. As a special bonus, we visited the Red Dot museum the following day, which rewards excellence in design. Recently I discovered that Australia has an equivalent organisation called ‘Good Design Australia’. Since 1958, they have recognised the importance of design in business, industry, government and the general public. That is why I was massively interested to hear Swiss brand DWISS have submitted their RS1-SG into the competition.
DWISS is the brainchild of the enigmatic Rafael Simoes Miranda. His CV makes pretty impressive reading and perfectly outlines his expertise in horology. Previously his accomplishments include stints as a successful freelance industrial designer and owner of a Brazilian inspired watch label called Copacabana. Certainly, this experience has gained him recognition from his peers and global watch appreciators. In my opinion, the RS1-SG is his most refined creation to date.
Over the last, the watch industry has massively changed and nowadays you can purchase a decent mechanical timepiece for a realistic price. Ultimately this is because there is a lot more transparency about the cost of parts and in particular movements. With that in mind, I feel the RS1-SG is exceptional value for money ($1,590). In fact, when my review sample arrived I was very impressed with the overall quality and aesthetic. Visually this timepiece has a very bold identity and is designed to attract positive attention. Notable features include a multi-layered part skeleton white dial with vibrant green accents, anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a screw down crown. I also love the oversize central singular hour hand, which has a minimalistic architectural appearance.
Beneath the 45mm brushed steel bespoke case is a high-grade ETA 2824-2 Swiss made movement with Incabloc® shockproof protection. The calibre comprises 25-jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. This exquisite mechanism is brilliantly showcased via the sapphire crystal exhibition case back. Functionally the watch features hours and minutes (displayed by a rotating green disc) and date indication (located at 3 o’clock). The RS1-SG also has a power reserve of 42-hours and is water resistant to a depth of 200 metres.
My review model is equipped with a matching brushed steel bracelet but the watch is also available with leather straps. For more information about DWISS follow this link
