With their first watch project complete and shipping out to customers the world over (seen here), the Melborne Watch Company is back at the crowdfunding gate with their second project, this time jumping from Indiegogo to Kickstarter for the Hawthorn automatic.
The watch comes in three variations, each with a black dial, white hands and a brushed stainless steel case, with your choice of a three strap options, black leather with contrasting stitching, tan leather with white stitching, and stainless steel (“Oyster” style clasp). All three are powered by a Miyota Cal. 8205 automatic movement working away at 21,600bph and packing an approximate 42 hours power reserve, with a day/date complication.
The “M” on the second hand carries over from the Finders watch as a bit of company DNA, along with the signature crown and a number of other cues on the dial. The watch measures 42mm across and 12mm thick, with a depth rating of 100m, and an AR coated sapphire crystal for both the front and the exhibition caseback.
The watchmakers tried “to bridge the gap between dress and sports styles,” and I think they did a good job of it. They also listened to the people who commented on the previous project and went to a larger and taller case with lume. From the chapter ring inward, the dial has a “‘carbon’ texture,” with a nice weave pattern, but (I assume) no actual carbon fiber. It does add to the sport look of the watch, and the smooth section underlying the stainless chapter markers provides for some visual interest. With the additional few mm in case dimensions, they were also able to include an angled bezel.
If you are interested, please take a look at the bottom of the project page to see how the watch is going to change subtly from the pre-production samples shown to the final project (as an example, the crown will be wider and flatter). I applaud them for spelling out these changes in detail. A watch on one of the leather straps will cost $295 Australian dollars (as of right now, US buyers will get about a 10% break due to the exchange rate, to $265), and the stainless bracelet will cost $325 AUD ($292 USD). Shipping outside Australia costs $30 AUD.
Past performance is no guarantee of future success, but the company targeted a late February delivery date for their first project, and they look to have met that goal. This project is slated to be delivered in May of this year, so it may be a good option for a Father’s Day gift.
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Melbourne Watch Company Hawthorn
- Price: ~$300 USD
- Who we think it might be for: Someone looking for an entry level automatic that bridges both sporty and dressy.
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: Yes
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Actual carbon fiber for the dial insert.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: The value of a Japanese automatic in a nice looking total package.
