As I turn into extra conversant in the Sternglas model, I understand I’m not as tuned in as I believed. On the face of it, this Hamburg-based watch model embraces minimalism in its designs, albeit with thought of bursts of shade. The favored Hamburg line of watches, named after the model’s house metropolis, is a typical instance. It’s a collection of time-only watches with pencil palms, thin-bezel circumstances, and petite dial markers however with numerous dials that carry heat and character to every. The daring use of shade shouldn’t be one thing I used to be anticipating.
Persevering with the development of the Hamburg vary, Sternglas is launching a chronograph with vibrant colours and notable hyperlinks to town’s nautical heritage. The Hamburg Chrono Regatta is a mecha-quartz chronograph impressed by yacht-timer watches of the Seventies and the Hamburg harbor basin. The identical shade palette and patterns seem on the Hamburg Version Hafen three-hander as properly. I’ve been spending time with each of those new releases, and I’m pleasantly shocked by this extra playful aspect of Sternglas.
Embracing nautical colours
In true Bauhaus vogue, kind follows perform. The chronograph is on the coronary heart of the Hamburg Chrono Regatta. Right here, the colour and form of the palms and dial emphasize the timing capabilities. One notable instance is the ring of orange across the chronograph’s begin/cease pusher. Sternglas makes use of the identical shade for the chronograph seconds hand and the blocky minute totalizer within the left-hand sub-dial. The three main time-telling palms are black, and the hour and minute palms comprise a sliver of lume operating by means of them. The 24-hour hand in the appropriate sub-dial, which is linked to the principle hour hand, takes the identical form as used within the different sub-dial.
Across the perimeter, there are three colourful patterned rings. The primary pink ring is split into minute sections, with the next blue layer divided into 12 hours. The third yellow and black part can be utilized to learn chronograph seconds, with every shade block representing half a second.
One element that places kind after perform is the date window at 6 o’clock. Even dates are represented by numbers as typical, however the odd dates are expressed as Worldwide Maritime Sign Flags. The 16 odd numbers are swapped out for the primary 16-letter code flags. Most of those flags aren’t acquainted to me, however even when they had been, it nonetheless takes some psychological gymnastics to work out that the flag for “H” or “resort” is exhibiting, which is the eighth letter of the alphabet, and the eighth odd quantity is 15.
Seiko’s VK64 mecha-quartz motion
Inside this Chrono Regatta mannequin is the Seiko VK64 mecha-quartz motion. It’s a quartz caliber with no operating seconds hand, and the chronograph seconds hand ticks at 4 beats per second. Therefore, there are not any apparent giveaways that it is a quartz watch. One advantage of such a motion over a mechanical one is worth, each when it comes to preliminary buy and future servicing. Nonetheless, the trade-off is the absence of a operating seconds hand and the presence of a limited-use 24-hour indicator occupying one of many sub-dials. Though a “Regatta timer” often has countdown markings, a standard chronograph has a broader vary of makes use of.
The opposite new sailboat-racing-inspired watch within the Hamburg line is a extra simple affair and rather more in step with current choices from Sternglas. The white dial of the Version Hafen is surrounded by a strong grey chapter ring and a white and pink checkered ring, very like that seen on the chronograph. As a quartz watch, the seconds hand ticks 60 instances per minute, so the alternating colours’ divisions are purely aesthetic.
Each fashions function a black outer perimeter to the dial, which retains issues tight. Each watches measure 42mm throughout, which is hardly dinner-plate measurement, however that sweep of black makes each fashions really feel a little bit extra condensed. The brilliant colours seen throughout the 2 fashions, significantly the white and pink chapter ring, trace at mid-channel markers within the Hamburg harbor basin.
The Hamburg case and wearability
This Hamburg Version Hafen isn’t the primary three-hander I’ve reviewed from this assortment. What I famous in regards to the case beforehand continues to be true right here. The case is intentionally discreet from the entrance, although it makes extra of an influence from the aspect. The bowl form kinds because the footprint of the watch fades away to a a lot smaller floor. Because it is available in contact with the wrist, it exaggerates the thinness. The chronograph is essentially thicker, with a a lot beefier mid-case housing the bigger crown and pushers. Though the lugs on the Chrono Regatta steeply flip down, the general lug-to-lug size is barely longer than the Hafen’s 45mm span. Each circumstances function ending in the identical sample with a cultured prime floor and brushed decrease.
On the wrist, the three-hand mannequin is a pleasure to put on. The sub-10mm thinness turns into obvious, and the slender lugs comply with virtually the identical contour because the domed crystal. The Chrono Regatta makes extra of a visible influence and feels considerably bigger and heavier. Even so, it feels snug and appropriately sized for my 17.75cm (7″) wrist. It’s solely in direct comparability between the 2 watches that it feels chunky. The 2 straps equipped with the watches can be found to pick when buying both mannequin. Swapping the 2 round would possibly higher match the strap/stitching and the central seconds palms. For instance, the neon orange nylon strap would pick the 2 chronograph palms, whereas the yellow stitching on the classic type leather-based echoes the yellow seconds hand of the quartz Hafen mannequin. Nonetheless, a NATO-style strap on the chronograph would additional enhance the 13.5mm thickness.
Concluding ideas on these two new Hamburg watches
Like many watches from Sternglas, these two new additions to the Hamburg line seem properly made. Worth for cash can be excessive on the checklist of plus factors. The quartz Hamburg Version Hafen is available in at €299, whereas the mecha-quartz Hamburg Chrono Regatta is just €50 extra. The applying of shade makes for interesting watches, even when the regatta hyperlink doesn’t join strongly with me. Though the date show is enjoyable and quirky, it’s awkward to make use of. I would like full numerals or go a step additional and change all dates with flags. Sternglas isn’t the primary German model to infuse small dashes of vibrant shade in its Bauhaus watches, and the robust ties to the nautical heritage of Hamburg are becoming. For extra info, go to the official Sternglas web site.
