Hello, thank you for this review 🙂 Most WW2 watches were chromed, so this is equivalent to polished stainless steel 😉 I agree, it would be better with a longer seconds hand (many of them were not lumed either back in the day), a domed sapphire crystal and a hacking movement. Then this watch would be close to perfect for the price. If it is running slow or fast, which depends on each individual watches, you can simply fine tune it with by adjusting the small +/- lever on the balance spring. Personally, I recently choose the Tandorio 36mm in bronze. I gave it a nice internal and external patina (I removed the movement to do this), added a bronze pin buckel, brushed the leather strap to make it matte, and replaced the flat sapphire by a domed acrylic. This watch is now gorgeous !
I wouldn't call the glass used as disappointing at all. The original didn't have sapphire. But I would prefer if the watch was 36mm , close to the original. The 60 sec hand is ok too. You're right about the mirror polish for sure. For 100 euro it's pretty good though. Nice case back. You can also buy a different strap very cheaply if wanted. I actually like this strap, because I don't like Nato's. I also love a manual wind. I like the hands also. I have a Baltany Dirty Dozen which has cathedral hands which I dislike. The lume is pretty good. Great Review 😊😊. Plus 20 wouldn't be great. You can't wind a VD78 and that's what this movement is all about, a Dirty Dozen WW2 watch
UGH I accidentally deleted my comment, I was just saying how I have the Merkur salmon dial and I thought it was really well made. The strap is crap and I don't care, for $101 I'm thrilled with the quality. Mine has a really nice dial, the movement is really well finished (I regulated it of course) and it has a steel movement holder. The hand are gorgeous too. You know when it comes to a watch like this I can forgive a lot for the price, and I think I'll get this one.
The minute hand on my Rolex Explorer 214270 jumped back half a minute when the crown was pushed back in place. I wouldn’t be too hard on a decent looking £ 100 timepiece.
I was between buying this one or the baltany D12 quartz in 36mm. I ended buying the baltany D12 and looks like I took the right decision hahaha. Thanks for the review man!!
I own and wear this watch on rotation and enjoy it on NATO’s I think you’re being harsh, and while a quartz alternative would make a great grab and go watch the manual wind gives the connection to watch owning and wearing. The case finishing has been covered by another poster and is essentially true to the originals.
Just compared this, a Tandorio, and a Baltany. I came to the same conclusions as you. The best value was the Tandorio with the sapphire and nh35 for $55 but not as authentic d12 without the subdial and a busier dial. I went to Baltany D12
