Approximately 10-years ago I travelled to Australia from England to visit a good friend who was living in Adelaide. Prior, to this the furthest I had ever ventured was Goa, in South India. Therefore, I was very nervous about the journey and the time involved actually getting to this country. It is also pertinent to mention I can’t sleep on planes, which added to my overall anxiety. As it happens I was in very safe hands because I booked through Singapore airlines. The service was absolutely impeccable and the staff were incredibly professional. At this stage, I couldn’t have envisaged that I would be a writer reviewing a stylish watch made by an ex-employee of the company.
One of the main aspects I enjoy about my job is telling the story of the brand. To establish a watch company involves a huge personal and financial commitment. On top of this, you have to have a clear vision and a high level of design skills. Fortunately, the owner of Spectre Time Gulshan Singh possesses these attributes in abundance. Within the space of 4-years, he has established a successful Singapore based watch business.
A few years ago I decided to create a bespoke timepiece to fully understand the challenges brands encounter. Spectre Time has gone a stage further by creating several different models including the Phantom II Blue. This is my personal favourite and I was delighted when Gulshan Singh agreed to send one over for review purposes. Certainly, I was highly impressed when I saw the watch in the metal and it definitely exceeded my expectations. This ‘Swiss Made’ timepiece has an enormous amount of character and charm for a realistic price ($1,009.45).
Dimensionally, the Phantom II Blue has a brushed steel case measuring 39mm x 11.2 mm (Lug-to-lug 48.5 mm), which is small by modern standards. Normally, I am used to wearing much larger pieces but was very impressed with how comfortable it felt on the wrist. Aesthetically, the watch is reminiscent of the iconic Royal Offshore Oak by Audemars Piguet. However, it certainly isn’t a replica and Gulshan has created several distinctive features. I love the vibrant dual layer blue dial with tapisserie pattern and a sunburst finish. Other interesting details include raised indexes, sapphire crystal, silver polished hour/minute hands and stylish satin steel bracelet.
At the heart of the watch is a ‘Swiss Made’ self-winding movement manufactured by Swiss Technology Production (Fossil Group). The Calibre STP 1-11 comprises 26-jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. This decorated mechanism (laser engravings on the rotor) is visibly showcased through the sapphire crystal exhibition case back. Functionally the Phantom II Blue features hours, minutes, seconds and date indication (positioned at 6 o’clock). The watch also has a power reserve of 44-hours and is water-resistant to a depth of 100-metres.
As a perfect finishing touch the Phantom II Blue comes in a stylish presentation box with additional black alligator pattern strap, 2-year warranty card and resizing/strap changing tool. For more information about the company follow this link