Lew & Huey are back at it again, with their sixth watch project launched on kickstarter. This time, the Lew & Huey Legends Racer is a square case design that harkens back to the look of the Tag Heuer Monaco, with a bit of the look of the Tudor Heritage Chrono.
WWR has had a chance to take a look at a few Lew & Huey designs, and both Patrick and I have liked what we have seen. Hands-on, I was able to check out a pre-production version of the Acionna, and Patrick was able to do the same for the Cerberus. Alas, we don’t have a sample of the Lew & Huey Legends Racer for some time on our wrists, but I am pretty confident that this watch will be well built. (EDITORS NOTE: We have one on the way for a hands-on review).
It will also be bold looking, and therein lies the rub. For me, it is a bit too loud. The blue and grey (above) is the most subtle of the color combinations, and it is still pretty brash. It isn’t the color itself (I like orange divers for Pete’s sake). but more the combo of colors and the strong geometric pattern. But this is why they make both chocolate and garlic flavored ice creams, not everyone likes the same thing. And dial aside, I do like the watch. The square case design really does hit a cool, vintage vibe, and they are using a bowed crystal, which should impart a very unique look. Even the etched caseback gets tied into the vintage racing theme.
Inside the watch is a reliable Miyota 8217 automatic movement with a 24 hour sub dial at 9:00, and the three color versions will be limited to 100 per combination. The watch comes with a leather strap and a butterfly clasp, complete with cut outs to give it a little European racing flair. The 39mm square stainless steel case is water resistant to 10 ATM and has a mix of brushed and polished facets.
Lew & Huey do a great job in explaining the features and design of their watch, so if you are intrigued, head over the project page. Watch rewards start at $350 for single watches, and there are still plenty available (as of this writing) at that price. Oh, and yes, we WILL have a hands on review coming to you before the project closes! lewandhuey.com
Watch Overview
Brand & Model: Lew & Huey Legends Racer
Price: $350-400 (depending on timing)
Who we think it might be for: Vintage racing fans.
Would I buy or recommend it just on the photos?: It is just a bit loud for me, but they make good watches, so if the style works for you, I would recommend it.
If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: The logo stands out a bit too much with this design.
What spoke to me the most about this watch: It is a fun homage to some classic designs.
To be honest, I was interested when this concept first came to be, but from what I’ve seen of the renderings and prototypes, it looks a bit cartoonish for me. Best of luck to Chris, but I’ll be passing.
Hey Scofabear – yes, that was by design. We were asked to do a Monaco homage, but we didn’t want to do something that was “just” a Monaco homage. So it’s similar, but different. It was challenging to come up with a design which kept the right cues but wasn’t too close to the original.
To be honest, I was interested when this concept first came to be, but from what I’ve seen of the renderings and prototypes, it looks a bit cartoonish for me. Best of luck to Chris, but I’ll be passing.
Thanks for the candid feedback SP. It’s not for everyone. Hopefully we’ll get you back with a future model.
reminds me of my monaco….
Hey Scofabear – yes, that was by design. We were asked to do a Monaco homage, but we didn’t want to do something that was “just” a Monaco homage. So it’s similar, but different. It was challenging to come up with a design which kept the right cues but wasn’t too close to the original.
im a fan of it!
if i didnt already have a monaco, id jump all over this!
i still might consider it anyway…