Mechanical and well designed – The Apostle from VSTELLE

Simplicity in design has its weight in gold and we usually miss on that. We nerds tend to have a watch for diving, one for travelling and a chronograph to time racing laps, but the truth is that we just used them to read the time.

In the pursuit of excellence sometimes we lose sight of what really matters, we start looking for complications and brand prestige, by the end wearability and design are left behind. This is why I enjoyed the newest watch from VSTELLE: the Apostle. It has become a watch that can be worn on every occasion and with details that you start discovering as soon as you spend good time with it.

The main idea that made me want to experience the Apostle was its simplicity, it is part of the appeal; a watch that can be a ‘’grab and go’’ not only because is easy to blend but because it has the right proportions to be a GADA piece and because of its good design, it morphs well into the several of its variations. Weather you choose black or blue and of course, our matte white texturized dial, they will all look the part.  

The Apostle is a watch that cannot be mistaken by anything else, there is no denying that this is something special, so I welcome to join me to discover this unique proposition.

The Specifications

Three hand watches are usually smaller than the Apostle, which is 42mm in diameter, and the main reason is because the dial could end up with a lot of negative space but is not the case here. The Apostle has a dial that has been well thought out and not only because of its size but because how everything is presented. The numerals are closer to the centre giving that smaller size feel while allowing the minute track to breathe at ease, it becomes more legible, more elegant. Then after the minute track we have a seconds track in black giving the Apostle more of a panda look, it contrasts well with the black writing and black Horween leather strap.

Unlike its cousin the Pioneer, the Apostle adds a date at 6 o clock which is well framed and easy to read. This last point sounds silly as readability of date should be a priority from brands nowadays, but you will be surprised.

Coming back to the stainless-steel case, the lug to lug of the Apostle is key for the wearing experience, there are good transitions in polishing and brushing, it is a utilitarian case but quite svelte with good finishing. The machined crown, which is easy to grip, controls the Miyota 8215 automatic movement which includes hacking and a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. The movement can be seen from the back, and it is a nice reminder that this is a watch powered by mechanics and not batteries, not that there is anything wrong with that, but gears and wheels always get my heart racing.

To make things even better, the Apostle offers 100 meters of water resistance, it is impressive for a watch that is intended to be worn in more casual situations, it is odd to think that this could be your diver of choice.

On the wrist

I’ve been wearing the Apostle for several weeks now and it always surprises me how versatile it is, I have been taking it to the gym with a rubber strap and with the supplied leather one for more causal environments like the office, it works.

Part of the charm is the dial and its texture, the way that it looks makes you want to stare it all the time. It is legible with good contrast, it also includes a nice dose of superluminova in the markers and hands, everything sparks with ease when the dark hits the dial.

The watch is also very thin with a height under 12mm, feels flat on my 6.25-inch wrist and I have no worries with the 42mm diameter, it has presence but wears more like a 39mm watch. The feel of rotor is minimal and very quiet, and as soon as the long seconds hand starts ticking, the dial comes alive giving the wearer a new perspective.

I took a lot of macro pictures of the Apostle, and you can see that dial is impeccable just like the case, the brushed hands ensure legibility and then the texture avoids reflection for easy reading, it all comes down to wearability.

The versatility is also aided by the 20mm measurement between the lugs. The Horween US made strap is soft and a joy to wear, that said I’ve added the watch with a nylon strap and a FMK rubber one, it becomes more of a one watch collection.

Concluding thoughts

There are few watches that I manage to enjoy as much as the VSTELLE Apostle. The main reason was the way that it looks, the stark white is easy to wear, and it does go well with several outfits.

Another detail that I quite enjoyed was the size, I wasn’t sure that a 42mm watch could be your everyday piece, but it was a great surprise to see how number without taking the design into consideration could be quite a mistake, the wearing experience is very good.

All this praise brings up to the price, the Apostle is offered at the moment at 155 GBP which is a incredible offer for a mechanical and original watch which is design with care. That also includes the other variants which I must say they are quite attractive, that all black version just looks amazing.

I am keen to see what is next for VSTELLE, they are driving to the right direction and would love to see more of them.

For more information please visit https://vstellewatch.com/collections/v-apostle/products/v-apostle-white-dial-black-horween-leather

Technical Specifications

·       Dial white, black chapter ring

·       Hands Brushed silver

·       Diameter 42 mm

·       Material 316L stainless steel

·       Lug width 20 mm

·       10 ATM (100 meters)

·       Domed Sapphire crystal (Scratch resistance)

·       Miyota automatic movement (Cal.8215)

·       Straps Black Horween leather (Quick-release system)