When the sun doesn’t dictate time – The Astronaut from Wancher
There are several complications or ways to use a watch that have become ubiquitous for us. For example, having 3 pushers on a chronograph it is one of them. This was a late development as a single controlling method was how these types of watches were born.
The same can be said about 24 hours dial watches, not sure if watches were born this way but clearly, is an easier and faster way to read the time. There is no need for that ‘’am’’ or ‘’pm’’ indicator and sure, most of the watches today have a 12-hour dial with no complication to know the time of the day, but then again must of us live on earth. The sun is here to stay for now.
A 24-hour dial is a perfect companion when our friend the sun is not available. There are plenty watches which are used under these conditions. The Rolex Explorer 1655 has a bright orange hand to indicate what time of the day it is. And finally, we have those watches that make a full revolution of the dial when the 24 hours of the day elapse.
Today we have with us a real treat, the Astronaut from Wancher watches. A watch that combines robustness, great materials, an attractive dial with a great price, more on that later. We believe that is one of the most overlooked complications from one of the nicest brands from the east.
To give a bit of context, the bread and butter for Wancher is to make exotic high-quality dials. More particularly, they made handmade lacquered Urushi dials, an ancient Japanese technique that as a result, creates the most intense true vivid colours on a dial. I am yet to experiment one of these beauties but that is for another time.
Coming back to the Astronaut, you could say these are part of their professional line up which we can safely attest for quality of their products. Let’s begin with one of the best dials we have review this year, quirky but well executed. Let’s begin.
The specifications
The Astronaut is a watch that has been well thought out. The dial is large inside the stainless-steel ‘’cushion’’ shape case, it measures 45mm in diameter with only 49mm from lug to lug. In my eyes it has be large to accommodate all the numbers, the date, and the markers. I know that from description alone, the dial might sound a bit busy but in reality, is quite simple, it has a 24 red numeral at 12 o clock (yes, it’s odd to describe) and then a 12 red marker at 6 o clock, easy to distinguish and quite a charm.
The matte dial avoids the Astronaut to have any reflections making it easy to read at any time of the day. Again, coming to legibility, which is the main reason this dial exists, it is very easy distinguish what time of the day it is. Sure, the watch is not re-inventing hot water but, the natural way of reading a watch should be this one, an open dial with no complications apart from the date.
The screw down crown is nicely executed and offers good grip with 100 meters of water resistance. The Astronaut is powered by a Seagull ST1612 automatic movement with 45 hours of power reserve, a bit that your standard 42 which is highly appreciated. The movement can also be seen at the back and it is a reminder that this is a mechanical object, no batteries are allowed.
Another design feature that we enjoyed from the watch was the sandwich dial, it was a beautiful surprise which gives the Astronaut more depth and flair than other watches at this price range. We also enjoyed the splash of red and the writing ‘’from the land of the rising sun’’ making its Japanese origins clear to the wearer.
On the wrist
This is a comfortable watch. Despite the size, the cushion style case sits like a joy on my 6.25-inch wrist. The stand of the watch is also aided by the 22mm rubber strap, it is good quality and adapts very well for the theme of the Astronaut.
As we mentioned, legibility is practically the origin for a 24 hours dial and our press sample doesn’t disappoint. The monochromatic nature of the Astronaut is key for its legibility, nothing detracts you from understanding the time, I would have loved to see a version with no date, I think that it would make this watch a perfect example of symmetry, but so far so good.
I would like to say that I’ve used this watch in space or in a cave, but it didn’t go further than a large hike over some flat hills. Still, I was impressed by how comfortable it was, it wasn’t top heavy, and the rubber strap did allow my wrist to breathe, it was the perfect companion for a chilly afternoon walk.
I can also see more applications for this type of watch, it has the robustness and construction needed for a more demanding journey and then, it would also deliver on the looks. It is a serious watch, not only in terms of design but also in terms of performance. The accuracy of the movement is highlighted on the website, but I was getting performance closer to -1 +1 on a daily basis, basically COSC levels, quite impressive.
Conclusions
There is something special about this watch, the way that is executed, the finishing and the complication that makes me happy to handle it on daily basis. I do not think that there is anything that I would change in particular, perhaps adding a ‘’no date’’ version as previously mentioned or adding the option for a bracelet, I think it would look outstanding. Apart from that, I would say that it is a flawless execution to a cool ‘’de-complication’’, an object that is great to wear every day.
Before we wrap up we want to highlight that the Astronaut comes in 3 different varieties, a military green which looks like is ready to march, an off-white cream dial which I think it would be our favourite and then the black dial reviewed, it is a crowd pleaser and boy it looks great.
Now for the best part of the article, we left the price for the end. The Astronaut is currently on stock (not plenty left) at 250 USD. Yes, you read that correctly, it is an incredible value proposition to what can be one of most unique watches at this price range. I would make sure the sun doesn’t spin too many time to get this one.
For more information please visit
Technical specifications
· Case Size (Case x Thickness x Diameter) 45mm x 10mm x 46mm
· Case Material 316L Polished Stainless Steel Case
· Lug Width 22mm Lug to Lug: 49mm
· Dial Material Beige White Painted Dial
· Movement Seagull ST1612 Automatic Mechanical Movement
· Power Reserve 45 hours
· Accuracy +/- 10 to +- 40 seconds Per Day
· Other features: Exhibition Case Back, 24 hr Complication, Square Case, Fixed Minutes Bezel, Screw Down Crown, Date Window
Comments