If you wanted to see the last time we wrote about Cuervo y Sobrinos, you’re going way back in the archives. I covered one of their releases back in 2011 (seen here), and then before that, it was John in 2006. In short, it’s been awhile. Well, we’re fixing that gap up, with the first of two hands-on reviews we’re working on with the brand. Today, we’re taking a look at the Cuervo y Sobrinos Hemingway GMT.
Wait, Hemingway?
That’s right, it’s a tie-in to Ernest Hemingway. How did that happen? Well, the author spent a lot of time in Havana, and actually had bought a watch from the Cuervo y Sobrinos in the 1950s. Given that this current incarnation of the brand started in 1997, this is not a design that Hemingway himself signed off on. However, the Hemingway Foundation has established the partnership, and that’s how we’ve got this watch, along with the book-shaped packaging you see up above.
The case
The Cuervo y Sobrinos Hemingway GMT is part of their Historiador line, which has a very particular look to the case. This is most prominent in the lugs. Rather than being a simple protrusion from the case, you have a lug configuration that is a blend of curves and angles that mark the design immediately, even from a distance. These lend some additional visual heft to the 40mm case with it’s relatively thin fixed bezel.
The movement
As you can tell by the model name (and the fourth hand on the dial), this is a GMT movement. While it’s labelled as the CYS 8122 caliber, it is, at it’s heart, the Soprod C125. The GMT complication is added onto a base movement (in this case, the Soprod M100), which means that this is a “Caller GMT”. In practical terms, this means that you have a quick-set GMT hand, rather than local time hour hand.
In other words, this is a GMT movement that operates in a style that most of us are familiar with, since the Traveller GMT was – until recently – a style that was firmly entrenched in the higher-end watches. So, I would say, unless you are actually slipping between time zones with frequency, do not let the Caller GMT style dissuade you.
Finally, with things being Soprod through-and-through, you should not have to worry about being able to get this watch serviced down the road. With something fully in-house, you would be limited to sending things back to the manufacture (in this case, Switzerland). However, with a Soprod, the knowledge of how to maintain these (and getting a hold of parts) should be more feasible for your local watchmaker.
Cuervo y Sobrinos Hemingway GMT: the visuals
I entered into this review favorably disposed to the Cuervo y Sobrinos Hemingway GMT. I like a GMT watch, and I’m also a fan of blue. The blue her shows up primarily on the dial, but also in the paint used to fill in the numerals and indices on the fixed bezel. Additionally, you get a third shade of blue in the textile strap that ships with the watch (it also comes on a bracelet, but our loaner did not have that).
With a 40mm case and it’s pronounced lugs, it has a good presence on the wrist. I rather appreciated that the lumed indices on the dial are larger than you might expect as well. I feel this picks up on the larger lugs the case carriers, as well as giving you an easier read of the time. In short, it’s a good look on the wrist, one that’s simultaneously familiar and changed up.
Wrapping things up
Over the years, I’ve gone hands-on with a number of GMT watches, and they necessarily have certain elements that are required. Then, it’s left to the designer for how to mix up things a bit, and make the watch stand out.
For the Cuervo y Sobrinos Hemingway GMT, that starts with the lugs. Then, you have a cohesive color palette layered on top, along with a set of generously oversized numerals on the dial. In other words, there will be no mistaking this one for another non CyS GMT watch. If that sounds appealing to you, you can still get one of these on your wrist. Even though it’s a limited edition, there are still some of the 288 examples available. It can be yours for €3,200 (~ $3,475) directly at cuervoysobrinos.com
Cuervo y Sobrinos Hemingway GMT Tech Specs
- Movement: CYS 8122, base Soprod C125, 11 ½ ”’, automatic, diameter: 26.20 mm, height: 4.10 mm, 42 hours, 25 jewels, 28800 A/h, Hemingway emblem applied on rotor
- Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, date, GMT central
- Case
- Stainless steel, diameter 40 mm, height 11.75 mm, double curved sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating, water resistant to 10 ATM, screwed-in crown.
- See-through case back with sapphire crystal.
- Hemingway emblem sticker on the rotor.
- Hands: Silver hours and minutes with Super-LumiNova®, white seconds and steel-blue GMT hand
- Strap: Cordura textile grey blue and stainless steel bracelet
- Limited edition: 288 pieces
- Dial: Ocean blue dial, coated Super-LumiNova® Indices, applied CyS emblem
- Packaging: Hemingway book-box
