One of the complaints folks have had against Shinola, in the past, has been that they “only” make quartz-driven watches. There have been a few forays into automatics (seen here), but by and large, they’ve stuck with their Detroit-assembled Ronda movements. Well, we’re now six years down the road from when we were first introduced to the Shinola Runwell, and now, there’s a version with the automatic movement coming available.
There is no doubt that the Runwell is a signature style for the brand. There have been a number of variants released of the watch, and it’s even been writ large in the form of desk and wall clocks (link to clocks review). So, as a core part of their collection, it makes sense that this is the existing watch (as opposed to a wholly new design) that gets an automatic movement.
In this case, the Shinola Runwell is home to the well-known Sellita SW200-1. And this is regardless of if you go for the 39.5mm or 45mm case size. On the back side of the watch, you have a small exhibition window (this means the case badge/coin is gone as well, a shame) through which you can see the balance wheel at work, and the rotor as it swings by.
On the dial side of things, there are some rich-looking colors available for this new Shinola Runwell automatic. I’m partial to the look of the deep blue dial, especially as it seems that the date disc has been color-matched as well. There’s also a tidy chamfer around the date window cutout, which gives the design a bit of thoughtfulness, rather than just being something that was stamped out to make a simple opening.
The Shinola Runwell automatic is going to be available on April 2nd direct from the brand (online or in their stores) at a price of $1,095 for the leather strap, or $1,295 on the steel bracelet. While many may still opt for the quartz versions based on price, I think extending the range with an automatic is a good move. Movement aside, I like the look of the new dial revisions as well – keeps the iconic look, while updating it a bit. All in all, we’ll put this one in the “good job” category. And of course, we’ll work on getting one in for a hands-on review. shinola.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Shinola Runwell automatic
- Price: $1,095 / $1,295 (leather/bracelet)
- Who’s it for? You’ve like the Shinola look, but couldn’t possibly bear the thought of having to wear a quartz watch
- Would I wear it? Sure would – though in the 39.5mm guise
- What I’d change: I get wire lugs are the thing, but some sort of solid end links would bring the design up a notch
- The best thing about it:Sure, the movement is great, but I’ll settle in on a super-small detail – that date window chamfer
Tech Specs from Shinola
- Movement: Sellita SW200-1; 38 hour power reserve
- Case: stainless steel, 39.5mm or 45mm
- Lug width: 20mm (39.5) or 22mm (45)
- Crystal: double-domed sapphire, AR coating
- WR: 50m
