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GSD Pilot | Watch Review

GSD Pilot

 

The GSD Pilot is the first watch from custom strap maker Greg Stevens. If you are familiar with custom straps, you probably know who that is. For those that don’t, Greg has been making custom leather watch straps and accessories since the mid 2000’s and was one of the first custom strap makers on the scene. His venture into watches has been a slow one. A few years ago he released a similar model, with manual movement, and then some things went awry with his supplier. Fast forward to 2016 and he redesigned it a bit and it is now available with a Miyota 9015 automatic movement and with two different finishes and a few different dials. The dial on this example is the type 2, and I will touch on the differences in this review. For the watch enthusiasts  that like a classic looking large pilot this is a great example.

GSD Pilot Specifications:

• Case Width:  46mm excluding crown
• Case Length:  55mm
• Case Thickness:  15mm
• Lug Width:  24mm
• Movement:  Japanese/Miyota 9015 automatic, 28,800 bph, hacking             seconds
• Crystal:  Scratch resistant sapphire, 3.5mm thick
• Water Resistant:  300m/1000ft
• Choice of custom leather strap and also a nylon NATO
• 1 yr limited warranty against defects in workmanship and materials

Price: $795 USD

http://www.gregstevensdesign.com/gsd-watches.html

*Watchreport readers mention Watchreport when ordering to get a special price. You must email Greg to order. *

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First things first, unlike the last pilot watch I reviewed, this is quite large. Coming in at 46mm with a 55mm lug to lug, this will not be for the timid when it comes to watch size. I can honestly say it is a touch large for my tastes as well, but that it does fit my wrist comfortably, but more on that later. Keeping with tradition of pilot watches, it is not very chunky though despite its large diameter, coming in at 15mm thick. My example has an all brushed case with a polished bezel with the Type 2 dial with Old radium Superluminova applied to the hands and markers, giving it a slight vintage feel.

The Type 2 dial of the GSD Pilot has printed logo, a logo that you will see on the crown, case back and the metal box it is shipped in. It is very pronounced, which I don’t mind and actually prefer over the Type 1 dial. For those that like something a little more subdued, the Type 1 has more basic branding and is stamped from the inside, allowing the dial to be three dimensional as opposed to flat. Below is a side by side comparison. *Picture of the Type 1 is from Greg’s website.

There are many brands that produce pilot watches, so what are some of the things that make the GSD Pilot stand out in the crowd? Well for one, it has a screw down crown. Now this is not the first pilot watch to utilize this, but it is definitely not the standard. The GSD Pilot is also water resistant to a whopping 300 meters! Putting it on the included nylon NATO, you can now venture into the water if you choose. I do not think I will be doing that anytime soon, but it is nice to know you can get it wet without worry for those times when your drunk friends throw you in the pool when you are not looking.

Case finishing on the GSD Pilot is on par for what I expect of a watch of this price point, a medium grit brushing on the case and a super mirror polish for the bezel. The stamped crown is another nice touch as it is not just a simple laser etching as so many do. From front to back you can see there is a great attention to detail on what is a pretty simple design. Another aspect I admire is the use of a solid case back as opposed to a see through to see the Plain Jane Miyota 9015. The 9015 is a great entry level movement, but it is not pretty to look at as I have conveyed here many times.

One of the other things that makes the GSD Pilot stand out is the option of any leather strap that will be handmade by Greg himself. Some might initially balk at the $795 price tag, and I agree that on the watch itself, that is a little overpriced. When you factor in that you are getting to choose any leather strap that Greg currently makes, with your choice of stitching color and placement, in whatever size you need, you can start to see the value a little better. Many of Greg’s handmade straps are $175 an up, and worth every penny in my opinion. I have had quite a few straps of his over the years, and the quality and craftsmanship is always top notch. The leather strap I chose is a Horween Dublin, a beautiful lightly distressed dark caramel that I think fits perfectly with the dial. You can choose whatever you want, from a more standard pilot strap with metal rivets or something with minimal stitching, the choice is yours.

My one and only real gripe with the GSD Pilot would be the lack of a lumed second hand. And as you can see below, the Old Radium Superluminova has been applied generously to the hour/minute hands and dial markers, so not being able to see the second hand in the dark was a little disappointing. Fortunately Greg told me he has some lume tipped second hands coming in later this month to give customers the option. If you are one that wants that lumed second hand, I would wait a bit, or shoot an email to Greg to find out a better timeline on when they will be available. As it is though, the lume is fantastic.

7 ½ wrist for reference

I’m sure it is easy to see that I am pretty enamored with the GSD Pilot, and if you like this design I would think you would be impressed with it as well. For me, 44mm would be preferred, but I can see the appeal of this large pilot. My one real gripe of a non lumed second hand is already being addressed and that leaves me with nothing negative to convey. I mean sure, it would be great if it was $200 less, but the quality of both the watch and strap is there to warrant the price tag. If pilot watches are not your thing, keep an eye out on Greg’s website and/or instagram as I know he is working on a dive watch as well. Will Greg be the next great micro brand? Well, it depends on how well things go, and if this is something he wants to really dive into. I know this has been a slow process for him as he still makes his watch straps full time, but I can see with the first model that he is doing things right and hope to see more GSD branded watches in the future.

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Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus | Watch Review

Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus

When it comes to Flieger style watches, we tend to think of large or over-sized watches, as that is what they were historically. Stowa has a line of Flieger models that have the aesthetics of pilot watches from the past, but in an array of sizes to fit all wrists. Today I review the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus, a beautiful 40mm German Made wristwatch, with an elegant grey metal dial. If you like something a little more traditional, Stowa also has a version with a black dial dubbed just Flieger Klassik. And if 40mm is a little on the small side, a 43mm version named the Sport is also available as well. I will of course be concentrating on this 40mm example but if a dressier flieger is what you are looking for, you will want to read on.

Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus Specifications:

• Diameter: 40mm
• Height: 10.2mm
• Strap width: 20mm
• Lug-to-Lug size: 48.6mm
• Waterproof: 5 ATM
• Weight: 70 grams
• Dial: glass bead blasted, rhodium plated, black printed, 
• Hour markers and hands: black matte, C3 Superluminova
• Movement Caliber: ETA 2824-2 automatic

Price $600 USD (approximately)

https://www.stowa.de/en/Flieger+Klassik+40+Ikarus.htm

As you may have already surmised, I really like this watch. The reality is, what is not to like? I actually only have one qualm to point out, which I will in a bit, and it has nothing to do with quality or design. It is a German Made watch, from a brand that has been around for close to a hundred years, and they keep making fantastic watches. Not familiar with Stowa? Click the link above and read up a little. Head designer and watch maker Jörg Schauer knows what he is doing, and continues to build a watch that you will want to pass down through the generations. What is one of the best parts of the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus? The price. About $600. Why is that such a big deal? For a few reasons..

While we cover many many microbrands here, and it has been debated over the years what category Stowa actually falls into, they are definitely not an upstart brand. What that means, is you can be most likely assured the company is still going to be around within the 2 year warranty period, and for many years after to assist you should you need it. The all brushed stainless steel case is manufactured in Germany, and finished by hand. As far as I know all parts with the exception of the movement and the strap are made by Stowa in Germany. They are not contracting out to other factories or brands like some others may do. Now, while that is not super important in the grand scheme of things, as the finished product is what really matters, it does give a little more satisfaction to the end user knowing that the company that created their watches not only designed it, but manufactured it, as they are real watchmakers. And at this price of $600 for the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus, that is a rarity, especially today.

The biggest thing that separates the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus from the other flieger models Stowa offers is this bead blasted metal dial. Take a look at my pics and make sure to watch the video. It sparkles in the light, looks a deep grey at times, a sparkling silver in others. The contrast between the black hands and outlined markers is just perfect, and matching that is black printing for the brand name on the dial and a white on black date wheel. The dial is simple but refined, and with the right strap can easily be your dress watch, if you choose to wear it in that fashion.

Speaking of the strap, that is the one area I was referring to earlier. The grey calf leather strap is just as well made as any other strap I have seen from Stowa, 20mm in width at the lugs and tapers to 18mm at the buckle. It also has a pretty decent length at 130/80, so it should fit up to an 8 inch wrist or so. My issue is the color. If the dial was a matte grey, it might match a little more. As is, the color is off between the strap and dial and it just looks a little odd to me. Now, if you look on the Stowa website, you will see there is quite a few options when it comes to straps, and this one does not seem to be an option anymore. This Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus was sent to me about 2 months ago, and that is what was offered. It seems now you can choose between a traditional brown rivet strap, metal band and a few others. For me, a nice black leather or alligator would look perfect.

The C3 superluminova is fantastic, as you can see below.

This is not a large watch by any standard really, especially for a men’s watch. For me personally, the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus is the smallest I will go for a watch. With that said, it is very comfortable on the wrist, and I do not feel like it is too small; the large dial opening does give the appearance it is a little larger than its specs. Because is just over 10mm in thickness, this is a great watch to fit under your shirt cuff as well.

7 1 /2 inch wrist

The other big selling point of the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus is of course the movement. A top grade ETA 2824-2 Swiss Automatic. Is this the greatest watch movement available?  Of course not, but it is still highly regarded as a great entry level Swiss movement, and has been proven to be a favorite among many watch enthusiasts. These days you see less and less of this movement at this price point, (yes you can get this movement at this price in watches through grey market dealers or a few other exceptions, but on the whole it is rare).

As I stated in the beginning, there is a whole lot to like with the Stowa Flieger Klassik 40 Ikarus. And I dare say, many will go beyond like, and fall into that going steady deal, and eventually love. Yes, that was a dorky way to explain it, but lets be honest, many of us our in love with our timepieces, and I think that is all well and good, considering how much is spent on them. You should love the watches you own, and why I never tell anyone to buy a watch, this Ikarus model from Stowa is one hell of a watch and at well under $1000 while still being German made and hand finished.

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Mondaine Stop2Go | Watch Review

Mondaine Stop2Go

From time to time it’s fun to discuss something a bit different as far as watches are concerned. Today, so many watches are just a dime a dozen and quite simply look and function like every other watch on the market. Reviewing a watch is even more enjoyable when you get to take a closer look at a watch brand that some may have never heard of or knew very little for the most part. I’m one of those that fall into that category, knowing very little when it came to Mondaine. I had seen them but outside of the unusual second hand really didn’t know much else. Quite frankly, I found the brand a bit uninteresting. The Mondaine Stop2Go model, however, caught my attention as it isn’t your typical watch. The Mondaine Stop2Go model comes in thee different variations so if the black IP version reviewed doesn’t suite your tastes check out the others at the link below. The silver stainless versions retail for $675. The Mondaine Official Swiss Railways watch is based on the design created by Hans Hilfiker in 1944. The Swiss engineer, designer and an employee of the Federal Swiss Railways created a clock for railway usage which has since became known as the “Official Swiss Railways Clock”. Mondaine utilized the design of the Railway Clock and created a watch collection.

Movement – MONDAINE Stop2go cal. 58-02 Quartz
Case size/diameter (mm) – 41.00
Case material – IP black plated
Case back – Case back with Screws
Crown – Regular Gasket
Crystal/Glass material – Sapphire anti-reflective coated
Water resistance – 3 ATM
Strap/Bracelet material – Silicon
Strap width at lug (mm) – 20.00
Swiss Made
Retail Price – $725

https://www.mondaine.com/watches/official-swiss-railways-watch/stop2go/a512-30358-64spb.html

Let’s start with the design of the Mondaine Stop2Go, as it would make any Bauhaus design enthusiast feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Everything about this watch screams minimalist from the incredibly simple design down to the rather sterile dial.The 41mm case is composed of multiple parts with a cylindrical center and case back sandwiching a central component which extends outward forming the short stubby lugs resulting in a very modest 47mm lug tip to lug tip length. The IP plating on the black model is evenly applied throughout with no visual imperfections. It’s always refreshing to find a plated watch without a blemish here or there, of course at $725 the plating better be perfect, right?

The case is finished off with a sapphire crystal which isn’t always standard with Mondaine watches. Good choice going with sapphire and also providing a quality anti-reflective coating keeping glare to a minimum. As one might expect the viewing area on this modest 41mm cased watch is an even more modest 35mm. Like I mentioned earlier, the dial is just as simple in design as the case. All versions have black matte dials, large almost stick-like hands, and brite white markers around the perimeter. Of course the Mondaine Stop2Go has the trademark red second hand like all the Railway Clocks and collection watches. I have to admit that I was somewhat disappointed with so much surface area on the markers and hands that the Stop2Go has zero luminous properties. Of course this sort of watch doesn’t need lume but still slightly disappointing. Again, everything about the case and the dial is about as simple in appearance as it gets. Overall, I really like the look of the case and dial. I also like the fact the watch is just under 12mm in overall thickness, allowing it to fit under a dress shirt cuff, which is important for this style of watch in my book.

Next, and one of the most interesting features of the Mondaine Stop2Go is the unique crown. The crown isn’t a standard round push/pull found on many watches. Instead, I consider the crown on this watch to be more of a switch kind of like the switch used in winding an alarm clock or a timer is the best example I can think of quickly. When the crown is engaged (push/pull), the switch is tilted left or right and the movement activates the minute or second hand depending on the crown position and also on what the wearer is attempting to calibrate. Depending on how long you hold the tilt of the crown in either direction results in either incremental changes or a longer gliding change of whichever complication the wearer is calibrating/setting. The process is similar to what many of us I am sure have seen on well know Swiss chronograph movements when various complications may need adjustment.

The case back is held in place by four screws and is rather unremarkable in my book. Basic specification information is noted around the perimeter and the central portion. The only feature of note is the entire central portion of the case back is painted red like the big red dot on the second hand. Keeping it simple yet again!

Moving on to the strap, I have to admit I am a little frustrated but have grown accustom to mid-range Swiss Made watches short changing the consumer in this area. The strap is the only feature about the Mondaine Stop2Go that I have truly have beef with. Why do companies insist on either leather straps that are not long enough or rubber straps that have to be cut? Maybe it keeps cost down, I don’t know but it really needs to stop. The solution is simple, longer leather straps or in this case a different clasp system possibly. Increasing the size of the clasp ever so slightly allowing for more micro-adjustments would go a long way toward making a rubber strap that has to be cut sufficient. The stamped clasp overall is rather cheap in my book but the IP plating is just as nicely applied as the plating on the case. Step up the strap game, please!   

Finally, the main event which in this instance on the Mondaine Stop2Go is the movement. I need to discuss the history of the Swiss Railway clock a bit. If you look closely at a clock on a train platform in Switzerland you will notice that once the seconds hand reaches the top, it will pause. After 2 seconds the minute hand will launch forward and then the seconds hand begins its trek around the dial once again. It isn’t a malfunction in the railway clock system, I promise. The second hand is accelerated to complete the trek around the dial in 58 seconds. Why? The design assures synchronization across all rail station clocks and trains. What a great way to try to maintain order and timeliness. The Mondaine Stop2Go movement replicates the actual design of the Swiss Railway Clock system. So what’s inside? A quartz movement with two engines, the first for the seconds hand and the other for the minute and hour hands providing a certain level of uniqueness. All of the hand movements are regulated by a specialized circuit so that the movement can retain a superior level of timekeeping. One of the symptoms of the movement that I really like a lot is how it impacts the motion of the seconds hand. It doesn’t tick!! I’m not a fan of quartz for the most part and definitely do not like ticks or erratic seconds hands. The seconds hand, in this case, sweeps similar to what is seen with an automatic movement. I’m a big fan of this movement overall. The movement is powered by a lithium battery and the wearer should anticipate about 3 years worth of life before needing a new one.

7 3/4 inch wrist

While the Mondaine Stop2Go really isn’t my cup of tea, it is a great looking minimalist watch that utilizes a unique movement providing the wearer with a different kind of overall experience. Quite simply, no pun intended, the Mondaine Stop2Go is fun to wear. Outside of the movement and simple design, the watch isn’t going to disappoint with its other solid features such as superior IP plating and sapphire crystal. While I really didn’t care much for the strap or clasp the rubber strap is solid quality and is comfortable on the wrist. At $725, the price is probably going to be considered by many a bit of a reach for a quartz powered watch, however, the level of uniqueness and how much conversation can be had about the watch may make that price point a bit more palatable.

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