A bronze conical watch? It works! – The Sternglas Naos

In terms of design (for watches of course), there are a few colours combinations which can be considered classic. Black is neutral, often dressy, exclusive and also common. Then we have white, it is sporty, clean but can also be seen as standard. And at last, we have blue, which is also a good option as everything with this shade has skyrocketed when it comes to value, but green seems to be having a moment with watch community and we believe is here to stay.

There is something special about green, but to me it has be the right shade and that is usually army green. I could get by with a bit of pistachio shade but to be honest, I prefer a more muted approach.

Then if you want to go the extra mile, just like Panerai did a few years back, a matte green dial with a bronze case is a recipe for success. Not only makes the watch feel more utilitarian but there is a nice warmth to it, something that steel cannot compete with.

Today we are lucky to have one of the coolest releases from the German brand Sternglas, their Naos in bronze configuration.

This watch ticks all the right boxes when it comes to an everyday watch that can perform while looking quite outstanding. From the case shade to its shape, everything feels bespoke, different and because is made in Germany, well, the quality is assured.

Please join me to discover an award-winning design from a brand that is creating quite a buzz. Let’s begin.

The specifications

As mentioned at the beginning, we can start with the unusual shape of the Naos. The case is 38mm but it tappers nicely to the base, I would suspect somewhere in the realm of 36mm. This particular shape means several things, a short lug to lug distance of 43mm, a better wearing experience because the smaller surface and a movement that occupies fully the back of the watch. It is really mind blowing on how a small tweak can make a watch more refined and exponentially better, I quite enjoy it.

Staying with the case, the watch is PVD is bronze colour which means that It would look pristine for years to come, sure I understand that aging of the bronze is part of the appeal on a watch like this but believe me, when everything starts to turn blue or green, no enthusiast will touch it.

The dial is part of the attraction; the mate green surface is something that avoids direct reflection and keep the watch tool looks intact. The orange details (including the superluminova) give a pop of colour that it is appreciated. My description might not sound as beautiful as the watch is, but it really blends well and it is not loud, not even one bit.

One of the characteristics of Sternglas as a brand is their passion for Bauhaus design. The Naos is no different, there are elements such as the dial symmetry, the date at six and a dial that avoids any clutter just to name a few. All of these are testaments on how a good design can bring quality to a watch that has a great entry level price including a mechanical movement, more on that later.

Let’s talk about that movement which is another part that I quite enjoy. As mentioned before, it fills every inch on the Naos caseback, looks great and although the Miyota 8215 is not the most beautiful engine to behold, the combination of the bronze with the steel looks quite attractive. The movement offers a power reserve of 42 hours, and the watch is water resistance to 50 meters.

On the wrist

With legibility assured and wrist presence achieved; the Naos excels in many camps when it comes to wearing experience. The thin bezel gives the illusion of a larger watch, but it is restrained by the tapering of the case and then we have its warmth. It is a perfect summer watch but also works in winter because of its military looks, it is a versatile one.

I wore the Naos mostly doing outdoor activities. Our sample was paired with a green nylon strap that includes matching rings and buckle. I am sure that it looks great with a brown strap and also making it wear thinner than its 12mm suggest, but it just looks so good that I haven’t been able to take it out of it. That said, grey and brown would have been my second choice.

The fact that the watch wont age like other bronze watches, it’s a double edge sword. I quite enjoy having the brushed case of the Naos to stay pristine because it will be used mostly on sports activities, nothing will tarnish it.

The dial also looks good at night, the lume performs quite well and it is long lasting which makes the Naos very easy to read at a glance.

Concluding thoughts

It is easy to enjoy a watch that looks good, but when you take the loupe out and understand the quality of the dial and uniqueness of the design, the admiration goes much higher.

One thing that we kept on hold was the price, and it is a good one. Sternglas offers the Naos at 389 GBP, and this is with shipping and import tax included. That makes it one of the best value propositions form Germany and EU, quite an achievement.

If you are looking for something that looks like no other watch but still feels inside the boundaries of a non-extravagant piece, the Naos should be on your radar. It is handsome functional and well put together, also it won’t break the bank which is more that I could say from watch at this price range. Hope is not the last piece we review from them and looking forward to their upcoming models.

More information please visit https://uk.sternglas.com/products/naos-automatik-darkgreen-bronze?variant=50302498799882

Technical Specifications

·       Diameter          38 mm

·       Case height     12 mm

·       Strap lug           20 mm

·       Lug to lug          43 mm

·       316L stainless steel, PVD bronze, brushed

·       Domed sapphire crystal, double anti-reflective coating

·       Water resistance 5 ATM

·       Miyota 8215 Automatic

·       Power reserve 42 hours