Minimalism at its best – Maven MUS + 02 Brown

I have never been a big fan of Swatch watches. Sure, I enjoy everything that the biggest conglomerate in Switzerland has to offer under its umbrella, and while most of their watches are beautiful, if I am honest the brand itself, feels a bit bland.

There is no denying that they have been successful, even when they are trying to onboard the entry level watch category with their most recent Omega and Blancpain collaboration, it did not connect with me.

Why I am given such a hard time to Swatch? Well because I can imagine that they could do much better, they have great ideas but I think they fall short in quality. Today we have a great example on how pricing (more on that later) mixed with great design can shock the industry.

This is not the first time I review a watch from Maven, in fact I review the same watch but with a different colour dial, but again, there is no substitute for something special. Today we have the Maven MUS + 02 Brown which I think can fit the bill for your next one watch collection.

What makes the Maven great is not that It reminds me of something coming from Switzerland but that the built quality added with a petrol blue dial, is something I haven’t seen before. Join me to discover one of my favorite watches to wear every day.

The specifications

There are several sizes in the MUS range from Maven but I think the 38mm is the sweet spot for my 6.25 inch wrist. The bead blasted stainless steel case not only feels utilitarian but refined, something form the future. There is no ergonomics when it comes to the lugs hence the compact measurement of 40mm length, it adds versatility.

The grey nature of the case adapts very well with the blue dial, they are both dark but they are aided with the white font and orange accents, it looks great while giving a touch of vividity to the MUS, quite a charmer.

Another touch that makes the MUS quite unusual in a good way is that the case feels more like a mono block, sure it has a case back but the lack of bezel makes it feel more organic, quite different from everything else out there.

Staying with the dial, the rounded numerals look straight from the 60’s,  they keep rotating naturally so eyes can adapt easily to them, it is a good testament to legibility and design. The sector dial also feels great because it doesn’t change colors and with the nice distortion that comes from the sapphire crystal, the MUS feels more like a vintage object inside a modern package, perhaps we can call it streamline?

The handset is elegant and elongated. The brushed hands look great against that dark blue with a round date aperture at 3 o’clock that has been colour matched with black, a lovely detail to continue the symmetry of the MUS.

Turn the watch over and you are greeted with a well-placed case back, it is aligned to perfection which is a detail that we can find in watches that cost at least 5 times the price of the noble MUS. Inside of it, you’ll find the Miyota 8215 automatic movement, a workhorse and thin engine that is not only reliable but well made, ticks with no issue. The MUS also has a water resistance of 200 meters which is amazing considering it has no screw down crown. The package is complete with SuperLuminova application on those brushed hands mentioned earlier.

On the wrist

The MUS has a 40mm lug to lug which means it feels compact and quite easy to wear. The best thing about the wearing experience is how solid it feels, perhaps is the looks of the bead blasted finishing but one thing is for sure, looks as cool as it feels.

The MUS legibility is perfect, not only because of the numerals orientation but also because the symmetry of the dial. The blue dial shines great against those white fonts, and the best part is that this is not the everyday blue we see on every watch, it is its own palette.

As the name mentioned the watch is called the MUS +02 Brown and it is not because of the dial configuration but because it comes in a fine brown leather strap. It is soft and matches the field nature of the watch, that said I couldn’t help myself and I’ve added it to a light grey rubber strap, it really makes the watch look even more out of this world than before, clinical.

Being so compact, the MUS feels like a piece that you can wear everyday and you can. I wore it mostly to the office and to the gym which are quite opposite ventures, it excels in every from. The dial feels very versatile and yes again, with the brown strap it becomes a casual accessory and then a sport one when you decide to change it. Maven also offers a good variety of nylon and rubber straps, I am sure there is a combination for anyone who decides to go for this beauty.

Concluding thoughts

I am lucky that I get to experience many watches in a short period of time, but I can truly say that this was one of the pieces I was looking to review in the new year. The way that it looks and how that domed crystal reflects with the sun is something that I do not experience often.

The MUS is a watch that not only looks like a ‘’cooler’’ Swatch design, but In my opinion, this is what brands should focus on, quality and price which brings us to the RRP. Maven are asking 310 GBP for a mechanical watch with a unique design which is almost impossible to find, at least in this price bracket.

That said, there is a current offer and the MUS + 03 Brown is offered at 263 GBP plus change which makes it even a better proposition not only against Swatch but also Seiko, Citizen and plenty of micro brands out there.

If you want a true GADA field watch, this is the one that should be on top of your list, I am sure that by December when I have reviewed plenty of watches, it would still be on mine.

For more information please visit https://uk.mavenwatches.com/products/mus-02-brown-auto

Technical specifications

·       Miyota 8215 Automatic Movement

·       38x40mm Case Diameter

·       Swiss super-luminova® LUMINESCENT HANDS

·       Top Hat Double Domed Sapphire Crystal Glass

·       20mm Brown Italian Leather Strap

·       Sand-Blasting Steel Case

·       200M/20ATM Water resistance