In its relatively brief history, Sujain Krishnan's Melbourne Watch Company has
proven to be remarkably disciplined. Since 2013, Melbourne has released
five highly successful models and each successive watch has further
developed what I would call their signature style: a mid-sized watch in a
conservative style, embellished with rich texture and elegant detail.
The Portsea captures this aesthetic perfectly. I fell for it the minute I
saw the initial 3D renderings, but I only recently got to see one in
person. Three actually. Sujain lent me a complete set to review.
The
Portsea was inspired by traditional marine chronometers, but that form
has been reimagined as an everyday dress watch. The broad uncluttered
dial, black Arabic numerals, and railroad index are all there, but with
the addition of day and month sub-dials. A Miyota 9120
drives the watch. It is modified from a three register day/month/24
hour function with a 4-5 o'clock date window to the Portsea's triple
calendar display with 6 o'clock date. The movement retains its hacking
and hand-winding capabilities, 40 hour power reserve, and smooth
28.8k bph vibration rate. Day and date are set with the crown; the month
is set by means of a recessed button at 2 o'clock. As is usually the
case with such watches, no setting tool is provided. Before you jab it
with a paper clip or ball point pen, I urge you to find a more suitable
implement with that will not scratch the case if you slip.
The
round stainless steel case is 40mm wide, 48mm long, and 12.5mm thick
with curved, tapered lugs. These are healthy proportions, even in a
world where 42mm cases are the norm. Three versions are available:
polished steel or rose gold finishes with white dials, or steel with a
navy blue dial. Smooth character lines create clear borders between the
bezel, barrel, and lugs, breaking up the case and preventing the watch
from appearing overly heavy. A modest bezel frames the flat sapphire
crystal and large dial - and oh, what a dial it is.
A railroad index occupies the
outermost ring. This steps down to a ceramic overlay on which the
numbers and registers are printed. The sub dials are rings connected to
the same overlay and cut away, revealing a final, lower surface
decorated with deep horizontal grooves that remind me of a sailboat's
deck. It is a fitting theme for a marine watch. The effect of the
elevated overlay is quite pronounced. It is much taller than the usual
layered dial, so much so that at most angles, the rings appear to
float.
With such dramatic architecture
there is is no need for further splash, just subtle accents like the
peaked blue index hands (silver on the blue dial) and the "M"
counterweight on the second hand. The
date window is just below the model name, mirroring the arrangement of
the brand name and logo at the top of the dial. The hours are rendered
in sans serif, the date, and all other text are a serif or script
typeface, which reinforces the Portsea's old-world theme. Striking
as it may be in its execution, the dial does not shout. Rather, the
watch presents a tasteful, elegant face that reveals its secrets upon
closer inspection. It is simply brilliant.
After
lavishing such praise on the dial, you would think there would be
little to say about the case back, but you would be wrong. Sujain went
the extra mile on the flip side as well. It is embellished with a
nautical crest sculpted in great detail and stamped in high relief. Like
the layered dial, it is another pleasant surprise that increases the
perception of quality. This heavy back plate is secured with four
screws, which in conjunction with the sealed and signed push-pull crown,
provides 100m water resistance. I would not recommend it for an
America's Cup crew, but it should be more than sufficient for most
semi-aquatic adventures.
The
Portsea arrives on a lightly padded, crocodile-embossed leather strap
with matching stitching and a signed buckle. It is attractive,
comfortable, and fit even my smallish wrist. It is also 21mm wide at the
lugs. I understand the desire to achieve the perfect proportion between
case and lugs, and I know at a single millimeter makes a huge
difference on a wristwatch, but would 20mm really have been so bad? It
is hardly a deal-breaker, but I do enjoy swapping straps and odd sizes
are not exactly plentiful.
On
the wrist, the Portsea stands neatly astride the dress and casual camps.
I liked all the color combinations although I did find the silver hands
on the blue dial were harder to read in low light than the high
contrast blue-on-white. The mid-sized, polished case and classicly
stylish design pair easily with a suit and tie, but the clear, prominent
dial and sturdy thickness of the case make it an easy companion on the
weekends as well. Indeed, the watch is all about balance. The symmetry
of elements on the dial, the rings seemingly suspended in mid-air, and
the proportions of the case and dial achieve a delicate equilibrium; it
attains a mid-point by perching on a peak, not by stooping to
mediocrity.
At
current exchange rates, the steel Portsea lists for $587.37 USD, the
gold for $605.56. The white dials are out of stock, but Melbourne has a
pre-order sale on the next batch so you can get the white/gold for
$485.06 and the white/steel for $469. The watch is well priced at list,
but The Bum likes a bargain, so I would recommend snapping up the sale
price while you can.
Pro: Beautiful detail, flawless execution.
Con: Navy dial can be difficult to read in low light, odd strap width.
Sum: The best Melbourne yet. The Time Bum enthusiastically approves.
[Update: Sujain tells me the new batch of Portseas will have 20mm lugs.]
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