This is the new release from Ardor & Forge -
For those of you not familiar, Ardor & Forge is a new micro brand coming out of Pennsylvania. And it is an impressive first effort.
The piece that was sent for review is the Rothrock/Juniata. The name is derived from the Little Juniata Natural Area in Rothrock State Forest.
The case is of stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. The stainless steel boasts a proprietary finish - sand cast texture.
It adds a wonderful tactile look and feel to the case and is in perfect keeping with the ethos of the watch and the brand behind it.
Ardor & Forge does not make show-ponies. They make rugged field watches for people who will actually wear them.
The 42 mm size falls into the Goldilocks category, it is just right - at least for me. The watch sits well on the wrist and is not overwhelming.
Although the case is of steel, the watch itself is not overwhelmingly heavy. The dial is well laid out and is easy to read. The dial is treated with lume and provides a wonderful glow in low light. I made a few efforts to capture it, but I will use the image from Ardor & Forge and I vouch for it, as I got much the same outcome -
One of the key things we look for in a field watch is not only legibility in daylight, but in the dark as well. Needless to say, this one lived up to the promise.
As it comes to time keeping, the watch was reasonable in terms of run rates. The movement is the NH35 from Seiko.
The rotor is customized, bearing a wood grain finish and the Rothrock legend.
The "woodland" theme was repeated with the crown -
The time setting was smooth, and the crown functioned well.
Which finally brings us to the strap. I liked the color, I liked the canvas covering. Overall, it was fairly comfortable. I just couldn't get behind the strap "retainer".
It just wasn't my jam. I give full marks for doing something different, I just didn't "feel" it.
Overall? I was impressed. The pre-order price is attractive and it is a good value for the money. One thing that Ardor & Forge has done is offer "tiered" pricing in the pre-order phase. The best deal that you get is $200 off, and this savings reduces in $25 increments as the supply of pre-order watches grows smaller. So the bold are rewarded.
So if you're so inclined, head on over to Ardor & Forge for a closer look.
Here are the pertinents -
Specs & Features:
• 42mm stainless steel case
• Proprietary sand-cast texture
• Sapphire crystal and display caseback
• 10 ATM water resistance rating
• 12.3mm case thickness
• NH35 Japanese automatic movement
• Screw-down, offset crown
• Super-LumiNova, full lumed dial
• Drilled lugs
• Double lug holes for thicker straps
• 22mm leather lined canvas strap
• Oak accents, rehaut, crown and rotor plate
For those of you not familiar, Ardor & Forge is a new micro brand coming out of Pennsylvania. And it is an impressive first effort.
The piece that was sent for review is the Rothrock/Juniata. The name is derived from the Little Juniata Natural Area in Rothrock State Forest.
The case is of stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. The stainless steel boasts a proprietary finish - sand cast texture.
 |
| Courtesy of Ardor & Forge |
Ardor & Forge does not make show-ponies. They make rugged field watches for people who will actually wear them.
The 42 mm size falls into the Goldilocks category, it is just right - at least for me. The watch sits well on the wrist and is not overwhelming.
 |
| Courtesy of Ardor & Forge |
As it comes to time keeping, the watch was reasonable in terms of run rates. The movement is the NH35 from Seiko.
The rotor is customized, bearing a wood grain finish and the Rothrock legend.
The "woodland" theme was repeated with the crown -
Which finally brings us to the strap. I liked the color, I liked the canvas covering. Overall, it was fairly comfortable. I just couldn't get behind the strap "retainer".
Overall? I was impressed. The pre-order price is attractive and it is a good value for the money. One thing that Ardor & Forge has done is offer "tiered" pricing in the pre-order phase. The best deal that you get is $200 off, and this savings reduces in $25 increments as the supply of pre-order watches grows smaller. So the bold are rewarded.
So if you're so inclined, head on over to Ardor & Forge for a closer look.
Here are the pertinents -
Specs & Features:
• 42mm stainless steel case
• Proprietary sand-cast texture
• Sapphire crystal and display caseback
• 10 ATM water resistance rating
• 12.3mm case thickness
• NH35 Japanese automatic movement
• Screw-down, offset crown
• Super-LumiNova, full lumed dial
• Drilled lugs
• Double lug holes for thicker straps
• 22mm leather lined canvas strap
• Oak accents, rehaut, crown and rotor plate
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