The Matick Blog – Page 6

#TimeWellSpent – The Matick Blog X Front Room GTG – Edition 1

June 6, 2018 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Marshall

A little over a week ago, we braved the Sunday-evening blues to hold what is probably our most highly anticipated event to date. For those who haven’t been keeping up with the latest from us at The Matick Blog, we have recently collaborated with Front Room to bring you a series of quarterly GTG events held exclusively at Front Room, featuring up-and-coming independent/micro brands in each edition.

Hard to believe as it may be, a lot of hard work went into even a small, humble gathering that is our last GTG. In many ways, there was also a steep learning curve, because unlike our previous two GTGs, we wanted to follow up with something special, and of course something a tad more ‘official’, and I think we managed to do just that. This event represents a monumental step for The Matick Blog into a new direction and we really couldn’t be happier to be able to share this with all of you fellow watch lovers.

On behalf of Front Room, I would like to start off by thanking our sponsors and the amazing team from Carlsberg Malaysia, Felicia, Pearl, Alex, Gary and Ezra, along with Brooklyn Brewery for partnering up with us and providing us with some of their most popular craft beers (Brooklyn Lager and East IPA) for our enjoyment. We would also like to specially thank Praneeth Rajsingh from MING Watch for joining us as a guest speaker. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our special guests from the media for dropping by and providing coverage of the event: Daniel and Mindy from Peak Magazine, Cedric from the Grid Asia, and Eric from Jasmine Magazine. And last but not least, Chef Daniel and his partner Miki from Pop Up Dining KL for preparing a specialty canapé menu, which was specially tailored to pair with the Brooklyn Lagers and East IPAs.

Jo and Pete from Front Room, Praneeth from Ming, and some random dude on the right.

While the overall success of this event was due in no small part to the contributions of our sponsors and special guests, how could we forget our dear guests who paid the price of admission and came to join us for the event?! Thanks to you guys (and girls), all seats were sold out within a few days before the event. Without doubt, a gratifying sight was witnessing so many watch enthusiasts and collectors of familiar and new faces, from all walks of life, gathering and enjoying each other’s company in an intimate space. Once again, we at The Matick Blog are thrilled to say that the event was another resounding success – an evening filled with smiles, laughter, as well as great conversation over fantastic food and drinks.

Being there at the event, I don’t quite recall the last time I have felt this happy. The evening is definitely going to be a highlight of my life. The camaraderie on display on that evening was nothing short of amazing, quite unlike any other watch-related event I have ever attended. For that, we are extremely grateful and appreciative of your support.

Once again, on behalf of the team, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to those of you who came to join us for our inaugural GTG event at Front Room. To those of you who missed out or couldn’t make it, fret not, for Edition 2 is already in the works. And next time, who knows who’ll be our next guest?

Until then, folks.

Below are some highlights from the night.

Enjoy!

For Team Matick,

Marshall

#OpenLetter – #TimeWellSpent – The Matick Blog X Front Room GTG – Edition 1

May 24, 2018 The Matick Blog1 Comment

On behalf of Team Matick, I would like to start by apologizing for the lack of content and engagement on our Instagram page for the past couple of months. But rest assured, because by any means we were not basking ourselves in stagnancy during these few months, but instead we were tirelessly working on a new joint venture with our new partners at Front Room.

As of today, I feel very elated to announce that The Matick Blog has found a new home at the Front Room for a series of GTG events in the near future.

So what exactly does this mean for us and for you? For starters, this joint venture represents a step into a new direction for us at The Matick Blog. By doing so, we are now able to use this as a compelling platform to showcase the things and aspects we care and love about watches, the community and world that surrounds it in general. It allows us to unite watch enthusiasts from all walks of life within an intimate space here at the Front Room, to share and mutually cultivate that genuine love and passion for everything that revolves around the world of watch collecting and appreciation. Ultimately, this would also allow us to expand our horizons and build on a stronger sense of what we stand for in the relatively closed-off world of watches here in Malaysia.

After our first two GTGs last year, which we received overwhelmingly positive response from our attendees, we knew that we had to follow up with something special. At this juncture, I think we’ve done just that and we could not be any happier to be able to share this joyous occasion with you.

The Front Room is co-owned by Pete and Jo, it can be described as a cozy little space and café, tucked away in the warm neighbourhood of Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur. It is also a business purely founded on and fuelled by passion, which is in many ways, homogenous to what we hold dear to our hearts here at The Matick Blog when it comes to watches and the world that revolves around it.

F.Y.I, like many of us, Pete – the owner of the Front Room, is also a chronic watch geek.

So on the 27th May 2018, please do come on by for drinks, watch talk, and an all-around good time with us at The Matick Blog and fellow watch enthusiasts.

Also joining us as guest speaker is Praneeth Rajsingh, a co-founder of MING. He’ll spend some time sharing some of their watches and answering any questions you have about the brand. If you are a fan of the brand, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

Festivities will run from 6.00pm to 8.30pm, and the venue will be located at the Front Room in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur. For all details and to RSVP, please drop us an email at info.teammatick@gmail.com or DM us at @thematick.blog on Instagram. Once your seat has been confirmed, an official invitation containing all the relevant details will then be sent to you.

The setting and dress code of the event will be casual with some specialty finger food specially prepared by Chef Daniel Yap, a young chef who earned his chops at the 2-Michelin Star Piccolo Lago in Italy and later founded the popular Pop Up Dining Kuala Lumpur, to specifically pair with Brooklyn craft beers sponsored by Carlsberg. Lastly and most importantly, feel free to bring some of your own watches…

Since seat availability is extremely limited, we kindly ask that you RSVP as soon as possible.

We look forward to seeing you!

For Team Matick,
Marshall

#LookCloser – BOLDR Supply Co Expedition – Long Term Wear Report

April 6, 2018 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Introduction

Marshall

Stealthy, all-rounded, utilitarian, stylish, versatile… I could give you any amount of words to describe just how much we love the BOLDR Expedition, but I believe the most suitable description here is ‘exceptional’, simply because it speaks volumes about what the Expedition is, and how BOLDR Supply Co has evolved as a brand in recent years.

DSC06054-01

To me, BOLDR Supply Co has evolved into a brand that requires no further introduction within our ever-growing watch community, let alone in the highly competitive world of microbrands. At this point, I am positive that both microbrand and casual watch enthusiasts alike would no longer be strangers to BOLDR’s well-executed, utilitarian-centric designs. Five months ago, with some help from my good friend, Isa from the BOLDR team, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Expedition in my favourite colour variant – the Expedition ‘Kilimanjaro’. Before we dive into the review though, I’d like to express my gratitude to the BOLDR team for allowing me to spend a solid five months with this watch. Without dwelling too much on introductions then, here’s a long-term wear report on some of the elements of the Expedition which stood out to me.

I think BOLDR has found the perfect balance of ruggedness in its design; it’s sleek, sexy, with just the right amount of “boldness” from the contrast on the dial.

-Marshall

Design and variations
A quick visit to the BOLDR website reveals six different colour variations for the Expedition, all named after world-renowned mountains – Kilimanjaro, Everest, Eiger, Rainer, Fuji and Rushmore. I thought this was a very clever move from BOLDR, as it nicely demonstrates the virtues of exploration and adventure so dearly championed by the brand. Though the only real difference between the variants is the use of different colour combinations, they are distinct enough such that each variant has its own individual character.

Due to my own affinity for stealthy-looking cases and blue dials, I found both the Kilimanjaro and Everest variants to be quite the pleasers in my books, as they both possess somewhat ‘iconic’ looks due to the clever use of colour. If BOLDR were to ask me to choose one Expedition variant to headline the lineup, it would have to be either one of these. The overall heft of the Expedition’s case and intricacies found on its dial also really spoke to me from a design standpoint. Despite the Expedition possessing a rather ‘aggressive’ vibe, it is never overdone, instead it is expressed in a very articulate yet subdued manner. A standout is the Expedition’s relatively conservative case diameter (41mm), making it suitable for the wrists of both genders. With the Expedition, BOLDR has come up with a near-perfect equilibrium of design, which is why I firmly believe that the Expedition stands to be BOLDR’s strongest offering to date.

Inner Bezel
The Expedition’s inner-bezel feature serves to remind us that watches with such a characteristic are somewhat of a different breed. For most people today, the presence of a bezel, external or otherwise, merely serves as a time-elapsed function. From that perspective, the inner bezel design, as found on the Expedition, is no different to the more commonly seen external bezel design. Obviously, with the internal design, you simply operate the bezel by turning the specially marked screw-down crown at the 2 o’clock position.

Personally, I’m partial to the internal design as I find it to be that much more intriguing and unique compared with the standard external bezel found on most dive watches. There is a distinctive appeal with the internal design as it is a little bit off-the-beaten-path (and arguably a bit more stylish), another reason why I love the Expedition so much. Also, with the internal design, you won’t need to worry as much about misalignment or damage to the bezel, cosmetic or otherwise.

Dial
Throughout the past five months, the people who noticed me with the Expedition generally made remarks about how its dial was busy and contained too many elements. Fortunately for me though, that wasn’t the case, because if one were to consider the Expedition’s spirit of adventure, and the fact that the original inspiration for its design had a practical function to it, I’m certain that you would agree with me when I say that the dial’s layout is appropriately balanced for what it is.

Another feature I enjoyed was the small 24-hour indicators printed on the inner side of the hour markers, showing only the odd numbers. They work well for filling up the blank spaces between the main numerals, and frankly they look pretty good because they give the dial a very balanced and symmetrical look.

Caseback and Movement
The caseback is equipped with a sapphire crystal, laser-etched with custom artwork of a contouring pattern belonging to an unnamed mountain. This allows you a peek into the inner workings of the Expedition. Perhaps BOLDR could have taken this feature a step further by laser etching an image of the individual mountain (or perhaps contours of that specific mountain the watch is named after, if that’s possible?) after which the watches were named.

Behind the exhibition caseback, the Expedition is powered by a humble Swiss Sellita calibre SW200-1, which features a hacking seconds hand and a power reserve of 38 hours along with Diashock support.

Lume
What can I say? The lume on the Expedition was no less than outstanding in terms of legibility due to the two-tone colour combination, with blue lume on the numerals and hands, and green lume for the other indices. Not only was it very visually appealing under low-light conditions, it also created a good one-two punch in terms of visual impact.

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Strap
Another one of my favourite features of the Expedition is the strap that comes along with it. Being very particular about straps, it is appropriate and thoughtful for BOLDR to not have skimped on this component, unlike many other makers out there. The strap material was comfortable and from I could observe, durable as well. It’s made out of canvas and lined with padded calf leather to prevent skin from coming in contact with its semi-abrasive surface, which promotes better overall wrist comfort. The brass eyelets are a great touch and they really do add to the longevity of the strap (so you can say goodbye to worn-out hole linings!). Clearly, BOLDR’s attention to this fine little detail speaks volumes about the brand’s meticulous approach to building its watches.

Final thoughts
I wrote in the introduction that I like the Expedition the most out of all of their current offerings. Why? Well, as a guy with a relatively small wrists, I find the Expedition to be a lot friendlier to my wrist compared with most of BOLDR’s other releases. I believe this could be attributed to the Expedition’s case size and impeccable proportions, thanks in no small part to the clever implementation of its inner bezel. With the Expedition, I think BOLDR has found the perfect balance of ruggedness in its design; it’s sleek, sexy, with just the right amount of “boldness” (pun intended) from the contrast on the dial. And to top it off, the Expedition’s stealthy and tactical aesthetic reminds me of the Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver, a watch I am personally very fond of. With the release of the Expedition though, I may have just found the perfect affordable alternative.

I would’ve said it a million times at this point, but I will say it again – out of all BOLDR’s previous and current releases, the Expedition is, to me, their strongest offering to date. Through my ‘wrist time’ spent with the BOLDR Expedition over the past five months, I still can’t get over just how wearable the Expedition is. It’s simply impressive.

If you’re looking for an everyday watch, or even a watch meant solely for your outdoor adventures, the Expedition is a watch that should be right up your alley, and one that you definitely wouldn’t want to miss out on, period.

The Expedition is currently on sale for USD499 and available on their website.

Thanks for reading! See you all soon!

For Team Matick,
Marshall, Ken

#LookCloser – Mr Jones Watches – The Promise of Happiness

March 13, 2018 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Introduction

Max

Hi all! It’s been too long since we’ve posted up a watch review on here, which is why we’re really excited to bring you another episode of #LookCloser, here on TheMatick.blog.

Once again, with our friends from Mr. Jones Watches (MJW), we’re excited to bring to light one of their most recent creations, The Promise of Happiness.

Before we dive right into it, for those who do not know, the story of Mr. Jones Watches began with British designer Crispin Jones. Dubbed “the Cult Watch Brand” from London, the company focuses on creatively designing conventional watches, by making them a little bit different from the rest.

From time to time, MJW collaborates with designers to come up with creations which become extensions of the designer’s personality. With esteemed designers such as Clifford Richards for the Timewise, French artist Verre Églomisé, Marion Labbez for the Nuage, and British Tattoo Artist, Adrian Willard for the Last Laugh Tattoo Edition, it’s no wonder that MJW’s watches never fail to surprise.

And so today, we’re going to be talking about The Promise of Happiness and its designer, Fanny Shorter. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

“…beauty is in the promise of happiness”.

-Henri Rousseau

To put it simply, The Promise of Happiness is a wearable piece of art. It literally feels like wearing a painted miniature jungle scene on your wrist!

The most intriguing aspect of The Promise of Happiness is the layers of art presented on the dial itself. The artist was able to skilfully blend all those layers, ultimately creating a surreal sense of depth and dimensionality.

This in turn makes the watch a very interesting piece to gaze upon. It came to a point where I just didn’t care for time-telling. I just wanted to admire the dial.

Fanny Shorter, the Artist behind the design.

Fanny Shorter, wearing The Promise of Happiness.

Fanny Shorter is a British designer and printmaker from Winchester, England. In a world where almost anything and everything goes out of fashion at some point, her work aims to produce items which are timeless.

Growing up in Winchester, Fanny was inspired by the colourful prints, books, plates, rugs in her childhood home. The inspiration from which is clear in her work, being vibrant and full of colours! You can check out her website here.

When it came to designing The Promise of Happiness, Fanny drew inspiration from artist Henri Rousseau, who was a painter from France. Rousseau came to be known as a self-taught genius whose works are of high artistic quality. Throughout his career as an artist, he had painted a number of jungle scenes which inspired Fanny to come up with the artwork for The Promise of Happiness.

Here are some of the excellent works of art by Henri Rousseau, have a look.

As you can see, Fanny took inspiration from some of the Rousseau’s artistic DNA and adapted it into a style that is very much her own.

The Promise of Happiness alongside some concept art.

The name of the watch was also inspired by a statement by Rousseau himself, “beauty is in the promise of happiness”.

Technical specifications

Width: 37mm
Height (lug to lug): 46mm
Case: Polished 316L stainless steel
Movement: ST1721, 20 Jewel- Automatic and hand wound capable
Strap: 100% Genuine Hirsch forest leather (Tan)
Waterproof: up to 5ATM
Guarantee: 12 Months

Aesthetics, design, and concept

Not unlike the Motochrono reviewed previously here, each colour of the artwork is pad-printed layer by layer in MJW’s London Workshop.

The dial presents a prancing Tiger in the jungle gazing at the moon at night. An undoubtedly contemporary piece of design which reminds me of Shere Khan from the Jungle Book, to be honest!

The Promise of Happiness is all about the DETAILS. It is to no surprise that everything about The Promise of Happiness, from the polishing of the case, to the choice of strap colour was deliberately chosen by the artist to bring the watch up to a balanced, well-blended finish.

Every element is perfectly blended forming a harmonious piece of art.

What’s cool about the watch

When our friends at MJW sent us the watch, I initially had a bit of trouble identifying where the minute indicators were. Upon closer inspection, you can find it cleverly hidden within the Tiger’s stripes.

DSC03471 (1).JPG — The Promise of Happiness close up.

That to me is really cool, and a clever choice in design to keep the minutes somewhat unnoticeable.

During watch events and/or gatherings, I’d often been asked by curious onlookers and watch aficionados on how to tell time on The Promise of Happiness. On many occasions, the watch was the star of the show, and definitely a great conversation starter.

A true show stopper at the Jaeger LeCoultre Boutique Opening at The Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.

The watch received praise for its uniqueness in design from watch collectors who own watches costing many times more. This makes the Promise of Happiness an excellent Value Proposition, as Hodinkee would call it.

Amongst the “Watch Rockstars” at the Jaeger LeCoultre event.

Conclusion

I fell in love with the Promise of Happiness. It is one of the most interesting pieces we’ve ever seen here on TheMatick.blog. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, if you’re looking for a watch to tell time quick and easy, get a Seiko or a Swatch. MJW does not make watches of that kind.

MJW’s “canvas” lies within the walls of the watch dial, which is to say, the sky is the limit for what MJW (and their designers) can do.

MJW is a perfect exemplification of the ethos that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to own an interesting or unique-looking piece. Standing out in an overcrowded market of ‘me-too’ watches, MJW makes watches with designs which look a million bucks, while still being accessible to everyone.

Double-wristing The Promise of Happiness and The Last Laugh Tattoo Edition, because why not?

The Promise of Happiness is a watch that is admired and praised by many, which makes us extremely proud to have had the opportunity to spend time with it and write this review. MJW has indeed done it again!

We truly cannot wait for MJW to show us what’s in store next!

I know I can’t…

For Team Matick,

Max

#TimeWellSpent – GTG by The Matick Blog x The Flowerpecker Bangsar

December 20, 2017 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Ken

A fortnight ago, it was a cloudy Sunday afternoon when we held our second watch get-together event. Despite being held at a neatly tucked-away corner of Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, and the (annoyingly) limited parking space, our fellow Malaysian watch enthusiasts managed to find us nonetheless. And judging from their smiles upon the event’s conclusion, we as Team Matick can proudly call the event another resounding success.

Just like our first GTG, we had a fantastic spread of both vintage and modern pieces on display, owned by extremely knowledgeable watch lovers. As a budding enthusiast, there are few things more satisfying than witnessing so many experts sharing their love for their hobby, and the camaraderie on display was nothing short of breathtaking.

With little doubt, the highlight of the day was having our very own Malaysian rap-god, Altimet, join us for the event. While he couldn’t stay for the event’s duration (such is the busy life of a celebrity, we would imagine!), his love for watches and humility was clear and infectious; just ask anyone who had a chat with him!

To those who spared their Sunday afternoon to spend some time with us, thanks so much for coming and we promise to the make the next one even better! This means if you have any suggestions for what we could do to make these meetups more fun for everyone, we are happy to hear them and will personally thank you for it. Finally, we would like to extend a very special thank you to Charles and the team at The Flowerpecker for graciously hosting us for the event, and providing us with some very interesting alcoholic concoctions as excellent accompaniments to our watch talk!

Thanks again for coming and see you at the next meet!

Meanwhile, have a browse through some snaps taken on the day.

Enjoy!

For Team Matick,

Ken, Marshall

#StrapsMakethWatch – A Quick Look at Straps From Straposphere

December 14, 2017 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Introduction

Marshall

If you know me personally, you’ll also know that I’ve always had an affinity for Isofrane-style straps. Isofrane straps were one of the most sought-after rubber straps in the 1970s, and that remains to this day among vintage dive watch collectors as well as enthusiasts. Thanks to their unprecedented combination of durability as well as comfort. Isofrane straps were considered a game changer when they first debuted in the 1960s, and have captured fans since with their eminently desirable vintage yet modern aesthetic as well as durability and comfort. In my mind, Isofrane straps are a quintessential example of the fabled principle of form following function. Unfortunately though, we all know how expensive genuine Isofrane straps can be, as they are priced at nearly $150 USD, a mere ‘desk diver’ such as myself could never justify spending so much on a single rubber strap. The way I see it, it is practically fatuous to purchase a strap which may well cost more than the watch itself (talking about my Seiko SKX007 here). This is where Straposhere comes in.

At this price point, how can we argue with that? You’re still getting a nice rubber strap, which does what 99 per cent of us would expect it to do just fine – desk diving.

A quick visit to their website reveals that Straposhere is a company based in a land not far from home: the island city of Singapore. Specializing in premium silicone rubber straps, The brand is founded upon four fundamental core values, those of which I believe every brand in the industry should always take seriously –being Reliability, quality, functionality, and affordability. These are the core values Straposphere hold close with everything they do, and strive to reflect in each and every one of their products.

Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of being offered the opportunity to get my hands on several of Straposphere’s products for review. As I’d always been a huge fan of the Isofrane style, I immediately gravitated toward their StrapISO line-up, which is the most similar, aesthetically speaking, to the actual Isofrane straps.

When the StrapISOs arrived, the first thing I noticed was its simple and no-frills packaging, with the straps themselves being carefully stored in envelopes made from very thin cardboard-like material. You’ll also find a warranty card attached to each package. Overall, packaging was clean and simple, and I had no qualms whatsoever in this regard, especially considering the straps’ relatively affordable price tag.

When I first held the straps on my fingertips, I immediately took a fancy to their buttery-soft feel – the inner and outer linings were smooth to the touch; – it wouldn’t take much for one to imagine the comfort of wearing the straps on their wrists.

Some of you may be aware that I recently took up a part-time job as a barista. Needless to say, such a job would inevitably entail activities involving lots of splashing, frothing, steaming and spillage of various liquids. I’ve been wearing the StrapISOs virtually every day for a good three months now, and all I can say is that they perform their function rather admirably. The straps were extremely comfortable and had no issues wearing them on my wrist for long hours. During my shifts, I never once experienced any unpleasant stick-to-the-skin sensations, which is a predicament I have consistently experienced with other rubber straps, especially so in sunny and humid Malaysia where perspiration is, for the most part, inevitable.

Whilst an often overlooked feature, also worth mentioning is the straps’ smooth keeper action on top of the buttery smooth strap lining. Why? Let me first start by saying that I have traditionally despised typical rubber straps for one reason, namely, the irritating feeling when the strap keepers pinch on my skin, as a result of friction caused by rubber-to-skin contract. By having a smooth inner lining, Straposhere has pretty much rectified this annoyance, especially in hot and humid weather conditions where perspiration is imminent. I also really appreciate that the holes act as extra buckle holes for my tiny 6.5 inch wrists. So to all my fellow watch geeks with small wrists, rejoice!

I am fairly certain, at this point, many of you will be having the following question on your minds: since the IsoStrap(s) derive their inspiration from the original Isofrane strap, does this mean they also bear the hallmarks of the iconic Isofrane style and technical requirements as well? Well, my answer to that question is neither a straightforward yes or no. Allow me to elaborate.

In terms of comfort, there is no doubt in my mind that the StrapISOs are an extremely comfortable daily-wear strap, thanks to their softness and flexibility as well as keeper design. Regarding durability, however, the jury is still out in this respect. While it may be rash for me to jump to a conclusion at this point, the StrapISOs do feel a tad lighter than the Isofranes I’ve handled. I also noticed a tiny gap between the lugs where the spring bar holds the strap. Over time, this may prove to be a failure point in my opinion, which forces me to arrive at the conclusion that the StrapISOs are unlikely to be suitable for any sort of professional diving. Another feature worth noting is that unlike their other counterpart, the StrapISOs do not bear any vanilla scent.

Without “diving” too deep into the aforementioned comparison, we should all judge the product by its merits – do not get me wrong, it is still a classically styled and supremely comfortable strap for $15 USD. At this price point, how can we argue with that? You’re still getting a nice rubber strap, which does what 99 per cent of us would expect it to do just fine – desk diving.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve read any of our previous strap reviews, you would likely have noticed how picky we are when it comes to straps. But as far as we’re concerned, the price-to-quality ratio offered by Straposphere is a no-brainer. In other words, the StrapISO lineup offers truly fantastic value proposition. Customer service is likewise excellent (a big shout out to Ezekiel for your patience and for helping us out for this review!). On these bases, we can confidently say that Straposphere is another strap company we could get behind with.

If you’re looking to pick up some of these straps, be sure to use the code ‘TEAMMATICK’ for a small discount off your order! The StrapIso comes in five vibrant colours and mostly in 22mm and 20mm widths. You can check them out here.

Visit our friends at Straposphere.com to view their entire collection!

Finally, a big shout out to Cellar Eighteen for letting us shoot on their premises.

Thanks for reading and ’til next time!

For Team Matick,

Marshall, Ken

#TimeWellSpent – SevenFriday GTG at the Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

November 29, 2017 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Marshall

Exactly one week ago, Meor and I both had the privilege to attend a GTG hosted by Sevenfriday Malaysia with the CEO/Founder of the brand – Daniel Niederer. It was held at the Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. All we can say was that evening was truly a memorable one as it was filled with nostalgia, laughter, cool watches, great conversation, delicious cocktails and some amazing company.

For many of those who attended, it was a night of discovering and celebrating the launch of Sevenfriday’s latest releases – the P3-07 ‘Kuka’ and the Q2-03 ‘Choo-Choo’. But for us, it was instead an opportunity to catch up with our old friend Daniel and the rest of the Malaysian division as well as the crew from Red Army Watches – Tri, Derrick as well as Julianna.

Some of you may not know, we go waaaay back with Sevenfriday. They are actually one of the first few brands we actively followed and covered during the early days of our humble beginnings (we were previously known as Chronomatick, if you recall), and that actually opened up for us many doors of opportunities. Fast forward 2 years, we’re right where we are today, and for that we’re truly humbled and grateful to be in this position and for the opportunities that came along the way throughout this amazing journey. Anyway, here’s a big shout out to our good friend James Jackson for your friendship and for bringing us into the SF scene!

Overall, the evening ended on a good note. It was really nice seeing everyone again after so long, and for that we’re very grateful to Sevenfriday Malaysia for the invitation.

That said, here are some pictures from that very night. We hope you enjoy them!

And ’til next time, Danimal and Co!

For Team Matick,

Marshall

#TimeWellSpent – GTG by The Matick Blog x Sean Song Watches x Ingrained by Ironwoods

October 29, 2017 The Matick Blog1 Comment

Marshall

Earlier this week, Team Matick hosted our inaugural vintage watch meetup (We have still yet to decide on a name for this) in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia to celebrate our good friend, Sean Song’s, launch of his new website (ssongwatches.com). A big shout-out to the good folks at Cellar Eighteen and Charles from Ingrained by Ironwoods who were cool enough to have us for the evening.

The night ended on great note. What was initially planned as a four-hour meetup eventually ended up in us shutting the whole place down while our geek-out session and shenanigans continued well until closing time! Personally for me, it was probably one of the most fun I’ve had as a watch enthusiast since my return from London. Why? You may ask. Well, unfortunately, unlike those held in Europe, most watch events held by boutiques and brands here in Malaysia are purely sale-driven, in other words, they’re more concerned about getting you to buy something off them, rather than quenching the desires and wishes of truly hardcore and obsessive watch enthusiasts such as ourselves.

At some point during the event, I was so overcome with emotion and joy, I remembered just sitting down and thinking to myself – this was exactly the feeling I’d been chasing for for so long from my days with Red Bar London. It was great to witness people from so many walks of life, sitting over a couple of beers and coffee, and just simply having a great time together. Seeing them all eventually leaving with smiles on their faces was such a rewarding feeling!

In case you’re wondering, most of the watches seen in the photos below are actually available for sale on ssongwatches.com. As some of you may have noticed, Sean’s site was recently featured on the ‘dink’s (Hodinkee’s) Bring a Loupe segment. In our opinion, probably one of the best, if not the best, vintage watch websites coming out of the Malaysian watch scene. If you haven’t already, be sure to check them out. You’ll thank us for it.

We’re really hoping that these casual get-togethers will become a regular installment for all our fellow Malaysian watch enthusiasts. Rest assured, we here at Team Matick are doing our very best to make the next one happen, so please bear with us while we do. Stay tuned and we look forward to seeing you at the next meet!

In the meantime, here are some photographs from that night.

Enjoy!

For Team Matick,

Marshall

#LookCloser – Boldr Watches – The Odyssey

May 24, 2017 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Introduction

Marshall

BOLDR Supply Co. is a relatively new lifestyle company conceived in a land very close to The Matick Blog’s home, namely the island city-state of Singapore. Founded by three gentlemen brimming with passion for great design with a purpose – Travis, Leon, and Isa, BOLDR is a little-known brand which I have come to respect in recent years.

The brand’s philosophy revolves around the idea of an active and adventurous lifestyle, championing a never-ending pursuit for adventure. Given my interest in urban exploration, these concepts resonate especially with me on a personal level, as they touch on things I can really relate to as well as appreciate.

About a month ago I had the opportunity to sit down for coffee with the co-founders of BOLDR – Isa and Leon, whom are now both good friends of mine. That occasion was also the very first time I saw a pre-production prototype of the Odyssey in the metal. Having witnessed the watch come to life from draft sketches, I was genuinely impressed with how far their designs had evolved and improved (you might remember the Voyage ‘clever’ watch, and the Journey Chronograph). That is, I actually quite like the overall design of the BOLDR Odyssey. Big props to the BOLDR team for coming up with a watch with a unique aesthetic as well as functionality, whilst retaining the key elements of the brand’s design DNA.

Before diving into the review proper, I would like to say a big warm thanks to Isa and Leon on behalf of Team Matick for the opportunity. Without further ado, here’s a quick summary of my time with the BOLDR Odyssey.

*Note: Instead of regurgitating the Odyssey’s specifications (which you can find here), I would much rather use this space to express my own thoughts on the Odyssey, now that I’ve spent some quality time with it.

“Despite its somewhat quirky design, it possesses a very natural and organic vibe, never giving the impression of being forced.”

Marshall, on the Odyssey’s overall design.

Design and variations

The Odyssey’s design is clearly a big departure from BOLDR’s earlier conceptions, opting instead for a vastly modern styling in comparison to the vintage-inspired Voyage and Journey. Here, we have five different variants to choose from – Steel Blue as seen here; Ever Black with a DLC coating and White Storm with a white dial and an IP-Titanium bezel. I was also informed that the other two variants have some slight cosmetic differences, a Swiss STP1-11 movement, and a slight higher price tag (approximately $100 USD more) – the Steel Blue S, and the Meteo Black with a genuine meteorite dial.

From a holistic design perspective, the Odyssey possesses an instantly familiar aesthetic, one which can be found on any other proper dive watch. That is to say, the Odyssey bears all the requisite hallmarks of its kind – stainless-steel case, unidirectional bezel, water resistance, screw down crown etc. Despite its somewhat quirky design, it possesses a very natural and organic vibe, never giving the impression of being forced.

Lucky for me, the guys at BOLDR lent me my favourite variation (Steel Blue) for this review. I am a huge fan of blue dials, and can be extremely particular when it comes to its execution. However, the Odyssey’s dial ticks all my boxes in this respect, befitting the watch’s namesake as well as its deep-diving DNA. You get all sorts of shades of blue, which give off subtle hints of the Odyssey’s deep-diving associations. Let’s not forget the dial’s other components and design cues as well – the orange seconds’ hand and white luminous markers make a great colour combination in the way they offset the deep blue dial, which also happens to contribute to its excellent legibility. You also have the date aperture positioned at 6 o’clock, which I think is a smart design choice as it keeps things symmetrical.

Lume

Like any proper dive watch, the Odyssey’s index markers feature extremely bright lume in the form of BGW9 Superluminova. BOLDR decided to utilise a combination of two distinct colours for the markers and bezel pip respectively: the bezel pip’s lume being blue, the index markers being green. The slight contrast between the two colours really makes the Odyssey visually stimulating, especially in dark conditions.

940b87b964609e590fa6ca2ac9386651_original — Photo by BOLDR.

Bezel

A quick glance at the bezel reveals a handful of interesting geometric shapes – a series of furrows and ridges, almost like a cogwheel. Each layer is stacked in a manner juxtaposed against one other, creating a very strong and impressionable look which is instantly recognisable from afar.

Aside from being aesthetically unique, this design also contributes to the bezel’s ease-of-gripping; the turns feel solid and just right, neither too tight nor loose. There was virtually zero play on the bezel and although I was not anywhere near a beach during my time with the Odyssey, judging from its solid operation and from what I was informed by the co-founders (whom hired a professional diver as part of the Odyssey’s photoshoot), I think we can all safely assume that the bezel would perform flawlessly under any conditions you’d care to throw at it.

Crown

This may come as a surprise, but one of my favourite features about the Odyssey was its ‘B’ signed Crown. It features a triple-lock mechanism, which gives the watch a perfect underwater seal. It also appears to be constructed of two separated bisections, allowing for a very comfortable and tactile feel to the fingertips. Somewhat amusingly, using the crown to set the time became an oddly satisfying activity. In short, the crown is a cool little detail which displays a meticulous and thoughtful touch from a design and pragmatic perspective.

Movement

Powering the Odyssey is a no-frills Seiko NH35A automatic movement, featuring 24 jewels, a hacking mechanism and power reserve of approximately 42 hours.

The watch also features a double-domed, AR coated sapphire crystal and a whopping 500-metre Water Resistance (1650ft/50ATM). Another cool feature that I really appreciate about the Odyssey was its helium escape valve. For those of you who might not be in the know, the valve depressurizes the watch after deep-diving sessions, useful for serious diving at great depths for prolonged periods.

Flipping the watch over, you will set your eyes upon what appears to be a boat sailing on rough seas under a constellation-filled sky. According to Leon, this is custom design created by Melbourne artist Ashwin Royan, and to me, it aptly personifies the spirit of the watch: adventure and exploration of the unknown.

On the wrist

I have a pretty small (6.75-inch) wrist, and with the Odyssey being 45.5 mm in diameter, I was totally expecting a massively oversized chunk of metal. Strapped on, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only did the Odyssey not appear to be overly imposing, it was in fact no different than some of the more modern pieces in my collection (Gruppo Gamma Bronzo at 45mm, Dietrich at 46mm).

In other words, I was completely happy with the size. This could perhaps be attributed to the Odyssey’s angled case and lugs (53mm lug to lug), which are designed such that they hug one’s wrist nicely and attenuate the bezel’s somewhat aggressive look too. These design features really help shave off a lot of that visual bulkiness while retaining the watch’s utilitarian flare.

Final thoughts

BOLDR’s decision to make a dive watch as their follow-up to their Journey Chronograph is, in my opinion, a sound one. To me, a dive watch (like the Odyssey) is still generally the most practical choice of watch for people who just want to own one watch and call it a day. Of course, they’d have to be water/sweat resistant and made to withstand a generally high level of abuse, which translates to being able to survive conditions through which one might normally expect to put them.

I think we can all agree that the timing scale on any dive watch bezel will adequately take care of just about any real-world timing need. A fairly common example would be people like me using the bezel to time our laundry, how long I’ve procrastinated during revision time (true story) etc. BOLDR has really knocked it out of the park with the Odyssey – it’s just a unique-looking yet extremely practical watch that will probably outlast you – be it summer, winter, surviving a zombie apocalypse, abandoning a sinking ship, or might we suggest, some actual deep-sea diving?

On a more serious note, I had a solid month with the Odyssey and I believe that BOLDR has outdone itself with the Odyssey. It is without doubt, a watch which encompasses so well the principle of ‘Form following Function’. For a sub-$400 USD (Kickstarter early bird price is approximately $100 USD off the MSRP and depending on the variant) MSRP price tag, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more interesting yet practical watch at this price. We’re looking at a serious contender in this price bracket and a real value proposition in the form of the Odyssey, be it a diving watch, an everyday watch or even a vacation watch etc.

From a personal perspective, the levels of dedication and passion exhibited by the BOLDR team to their craft is truly a gratifying sight to see. Being a 1/3 Malaysian company, BOLDR makes me immensely proud of being a Malaysian myself – I can only aspire for more local brands to do the same.

Their Kickstarter campaign is only several days away from concluding, so if you’re interested in the Odyssey, be sure to check them out on their website, and their Kickstarter campaign here for early bird pricing and more info.

Finally, a big shout out to PULP by Papa Palheta for letting us shoot on your premises.

Once again, thank you for joining us in this installment of #lookcloser, we hope you enjoyed this little review and please do give us a follow on our IG page and stay tuned for more reviews and commentary from hereon.

‘Til next time!

For Team Matick,

Marshall, Meor, Ken.

#StrapsMakethWatch – A Quick Look at Straps From Clockwork Synergy

May 14, 2017 The Matick BlogLeave a comment

Introduction

We’ve never had any experience with CWS straps prior to this review, but we were aware that they are very well-known in the States, given that they were even featured on Ellen’s show (see here!).

When the straps first arrived and we held them on our fingertips, it instantly became very clear to us that there was a lot of effort and care being put into the creation of these straps by the good folks at CWS. From the stitching to the keepers, the inner lining to the texture and the quality of the leather.

Now without any further ado, let us talk a little more about these straps.

“I find that there is a certain type of ‘synergy’ in the way the large proportions of the strap complement very well the dimensions and rugged character of larger watches.”

Marshall, on the ‘Gentleman’s Collection’

Holden

‘Croco Collection’- Grey Croco Leather – USD $14.95

“Damn” said I, with a discernable astonishment at the test strap which Clockwork Synergy had sent me. With a bit of coinciding event planning going on at the time I was asked to do this review, I specifically requested one of their grey crocodile embossed calf straps, as I knew it would be a dazzling compliment to my then-recently purchased Orient Flight with blue dial. From the moment I snapped it’s fantastically convenient quick-change pins onto the lugs of my Orient, I had only high praise for this strap: The ever-dreaded “break in” period was nearly non-existent. The subdued gloss finishing, paired with the moderately large pattern of the strap, lent a perceptible grey-blue tone.

As a whole, Clockwork Synergy is a great company; I believe to my very core, that they genuinely strive to provide a quality product to us consumers without trying to bend us over the coffee table and… Point being, show me another strap dealer/manufacturer who can give you this level of quality at this price point, maintain a friendly and professional attitude towards all their customers, and keep their doors open in an ethical and professional way. No rush, I’ll wait.

Not speaking on behalf of any of my associates- this is purely me: I don’t like plugging for a company just because they asked us to. With that being said, I am thrilled to plug for CWS because they’re just worth it. Bottom line, I thought I was absolutely prepared to roast them in this review, and yet, I still have nothing negative to say. The leather used to make the strap is supple, yet sturdy; it’s an all-day wearer from the get-go. The construction and design is perfect for a guy like myself with relatively small wrists, but if your own wrist is any bit larger than, say 7 1/2”, you might want to inquire about a longer option. In this price range, both finishing and packaging for display/presentation, are bar none. And the hardware is what most impressed me, if I am entirely honest. True, full blown, solid as hell, steel. In your choice of, mind you, brushed, high-polished, gold plated, or IP black. It’s a thick and robust hybrid buckle, though I would adore a single fold-over deployant similar to the one found on nearly all Big Pilot’s from IWC, but… beggars can’t be choosers.

In summary, this little test run has convinced me that quality straps don’t have to come from some dude slaving away at a workbench in his garage, stitch after stitch, and charging you by the minute for their “exotic” and “premium” materials. CWS, you’ve made a repeat customer out of me.

Ken

‘Gentleman’s Collection’ – Aged Black Leather – USD $34.95

My strap of choice is an Aged Black 22mm strap from the Gentlemen’s Collection w/ stainless steel buckle.

The first thing I noticed upon receiving the strap was its no-frills packaging, on which the exact model number and type of strap were clearly indicated. Given that some of these straps can look very similar, this is a boon to those who want to make sure they have received exactly what they have purchased (and perhaps have mild paranoia). Though I am not sure if the aforementioned packaging is simply due to the straps we received being review sets, let’s face it, how many of us really want to see an accessory which serves a utile function, such as a strap, come in a case that would really be better suited for the presentation of an expensive timepiece? Perhaps, CWS’s decision to package their straps in simple packaging leads to cost savings which can then be passed on to us customers instead; always a plus point in my book.

While I am no expert in the intricacies of such, stitching quality on the strap is, for the most part, observably impeccable, and well above what one would expect from a so-called el’ cheapo strap in this price range: neat as neat can be, with no visible excess thread ends whatsoever. On the wrist, the strap is likewise enjoyable. It feels extremely sturdy and conveys a reassuring feeling of being able to last a long time. Paired the cult-favourite Seiko SKX007, the strap effortlessly distributes the 007’s substantial weight, contributing significantly to its wearability, a feat not achieved by many other varieties of straps.

This brings me to my next point. Despite the seeming impression by CWS to market the strap as part of a “gentlemen’s collection”, presumably intended to be paired with casual (ish) dress watches, its 6mm thickness makes it a perfect match for tool watches, especially divers, with thick and hefty cases. Not least, the sleek design and finish of the strap makes it a great complement for sportier watches, particularly those with a clean, modern feel.

The quick-release function is extremely convenient; not least, it saves you the unpleasant surprise of having spring bars fly across the room, along with the heartache that inevitably ensues after accidentally scratching the lugs of one’s beloved timepiece with a spring-bar tool. One can only hope to see this feature on more straps of various makes, and CWS’s decision to include the feature, even more so at such a price point, is a winner in my book.

The strap, however, is not without its cons. Out of the box, it was too stiff to wear comfortably, and has a longer break-in period than most (I recommend leaving the strap buckled overnight to accelerate this process). Perhaps, this is to be anticipated given the strap’s thickness and sturdy feeling. The strap’s lining, while certainly far from uncomfortable, doesn’t give you that plush “ahh” feeling you get from higher-end straps. I also noticed a relatively limited number of buckle holes, potentially precluding those with smaller wrists, and many members of the fairer sex. Finally, I found the naming of my chosen strap in particular to be somewhat inaccurate; although CWS claims that it is ‘aged leather’, the strap looks pretty much mint and lacks any artificial ageing or distress whatsoever. This proves to be potentially misleading to customers whom might think they are getting a strap with an aged finish. That said, this should not prove to be an issue if one carefully peruses the photos on CWS’s website before purchasing, which are clear and provide an accurate representation of the product.

There you have it: a durable, well-made and stylish strap at an attractive price point. There’s a lot to like here, despite some minor criticisms. I thoroughly enjoyed this strap, and heartily recommend it.

Marshall

‘Gentleman’s Collection’ – Black Bomber Leather and Auburn Bomber Leather – USD $34.95 each

The first thing I noticed upon initial inspection was a very unique and interesting ‘texture’ on the outer lining. From a glance one might instantly assume the straps bear a grainy, distressed-leather-texture, but to my surprise – that was not the case as there was certainly more than met the eye. A quick rub of the thumb revealed a pleasant buttery feel, quite unlike what one might normally expect from a strap with an apparently distressed texture, an aspect which really piqued my interest.

Unlike Holden’s crocodile leather option, the Bomber straps are thick and stiff from the get-go and require a little more break-in time than the average. Thankfully, however the larger proportions and stiffness did not result in any compromise of comfort, of which, in my opinion should be a paramount attribute when it comes to watch straps.

Albeit being a little too thick for my liking, to me it is still a perfect companion to more substantial and versatile watches like the Seiko SKX007/009 or any of the new Seiko SRP models (i.e Turtle reissues). I find that there is a certain type of ‘synergy’ (forgive the pun) in the way the large proportions of the strap complement very well the dimensions and rugged character of larger watches, as you can see here.

I highly recommend any pairings of this sort. The ‘dapperness’ of the strap really helps shave off a little bit of that crudity and utilitarianism so often apparent in tool watches, instantly ‘lightening-up’ the demeanour of any tool watch.

‘OEM Straps’ – Camo Nato for SevenFriday – USD $14.95

As for the camo nato strap I selected for my SevenFriday P1-1, there really is nothing much to add on here, except it is also of exceptional quality. It pretty much ticks every single box of what one would expect from a great quality nato strap and I am absolutely over the moon with this particular pairing. The camo pattern offers an especially refreshing look, given that most of the SevenFriday-compatible nato straps are only available in solid colours, which can be a bit of a bore at times (especially for a person like myself, who enjoys mixing and matching straps). This particular camo offering really adds a flare of variety in that department, something which I am a big fan of, and it certainly lends a very cool safari-esque look to my monochromatic-schemed P1-1.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, I think we can all agree that there are a lot of things to love about CWS and their straps. In our minds there is no question that these are excellent examples of what all quality yet affordable straps should be. As far as we’re concerned, CWS is a great company, manufacturing honest quality straps and has surpassed all our expectations (mind you, we are SUPER picky when it comes to straps).

Thanks to the remarkable price-to-quality ratio of their products, CWS truly offers fantastic value proposition here. Their customer service is worth a mention too (big shout out to Emily from the Social Media Team for helping us out throughout the course of this review!). Seeing as to just how impressed we are with their products, CWS is, with little doubt, a company we could get behind with.

Lastly, we would like to thank Clockwork Synergy for reaching out to us! It was a pleasure being able to shoot and review these quality straps.

Visit our friends at ClockworkSynergy.com to view their entire collection!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for our fellow Malaysians, CWS has yet to offer shipping options to Malaysia at the time of this review (May, 2017).

Thank you for joining us in this installment of #strapsmakethwatch, we hope you enjoyed this little review and the new look of the site! Please do give us a follow on our IG page and stay tuned for more reviews and commentary from hereon.

Also a big shout out to those who were involved in the process of this review: Awesome Canteen as well as the very talented Khairul Azam.

For Team Matick,

Holden, Ken, Marshall.