Into Overtime with the H992 x Astro

 

Courtesy of H992

Tempus Fugit = Time Flies.  And it goes without saying that time flies when you're having fun, but all good things must, inevitably, come to an end. Such is my time with the H992 x Astro, a limited edition of 52 pieces.

Now I suspect for many readers, particularly those outside of a few key countries where H992 has established a beachhead, your first question might be: 

"Who, or what is H992?"

And that is more than a fair question as they are a small (but mighty) brand based in La Chaux-de-Fonds. You might remember La Chaux-de-Fonds from such notable figures as Le Corbusier, and internationally renowned brands like Girard-Perregaux, Corum, Tag Heuer, and even that darling of independent watch fans - ochs und junior. It is also home to the MIH, so needless to say, they speak watches there ; )

I got to spend a fair amount of time speaking with one of the H992 team at Time To Watches in Geneva this past April. I was struck by two things - the design and the pricing. H992 was kind enough to forward me the H992 x Astro to review. It is, as far as I can tell based on the H1 collection.

The packaging chosen by H992 is exactly in line with what I believe in - less waste, more fun!

The box itself is cardboard, nice squishy pillow for the watch to rest on, warranty cards and the COSC certificate.... (insert sound of record player suddenly stopping here) wait a minute! A certified chronometer for a watch that retails for 1,592 CHF?!? Yes. And the thing about H992 is that they take it even further - a SW260-1 automatic, COSC certified movement is "standard" even for the H1 collection that retails for 992 CHF! And in many ways, this makes sense as another notable resident of La Chaux-de-Fonds is the COSC itself ; )

And this is part and parcel to the ethos of H992. In their own words, the H can stand for a few things. 1 is the "H" grid of streets in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Having visited several times while working on mandate (consulting gigs) with a few of the brands there, I can attest that this is a real thing, not just folklore. As you may not know, La Chaux-de-Fonds suffered a horrific fire in 1794. When it was "rebuilt" it was laid out in a way to best enable watch making. These special grids maximized natural light, improved efficiency of transport, and most curiously (at least in my opinion) probably birthed the concept of the "live/work" spaces. If you walk through the city (particularly on the main station entry side), you will come across many beautiful homes that at one time had watch making activities going on in part of the house, with the family living in other sections.

The other part of the name is a nod to La Chaux-de-Fonds "place" in the world, specifically being 992 meters above sea level.

But back to the matter at hand - what did I think of the H992 x Astro?

Spoiler alert - I loved this watch! 

There are two key criteria I have for whether or not I like a watch. 

1. Is it nice to look at?

2. Is it comfortable to wear?

Well, the H992 x Astro scores 10/10 on the Henki Scale for both. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a bit goofy for color. Life is too short to live in black and white. With that said, I also realize that while I am a pistachio ice cream sort of guy, there are lots of folks out there who want vanilla or chocolate - and the good news is that H992 still has you covered with other options in the H1 collection if you are not as daring as me.

Beyond the colors, the dial is effectively a work of art. Specifically a work by Astro. 

And this is not your ordinary "painting on a dial". This is an elaborate, labyrinth of color and shape. You can't really pin it down as anything other that truly original.

The other fun part is that the dial will change and morph depending on the light - almost like a mood ring for the wrist ; )

Now while I am all about the looks for the most part, there are a few things that others might critique. Specifically the date window and the sub second. The date window pretty much blends into the dial, and the sub second hand while visible does not benefit from a defined scale or subdial as the other H1 pieces do. And part of me says fair enough. But then again, I think that there are certain things that you embrace when you choose to wear a watch like this. It reminds me of Jean-Claude Biver's all black Hublot Big Bang. The H992 is far more legible, but you get that same feeling - which for me is visceral (in a good way).

The H992 x Astro has proven to be supremely comfortable. The case is of stainless steel and measures 42 mm in diameter. 

Not a rough edge to be found anywhere. And at 42 mm it sits very nicely on the wrist, or at least my wrist -

The bezel has 12 marks that align perfectly with the 12 hour indices on the dial.

The strap is integrated and of rubber. It is quite comfortable, and unlike many rubber straps out there did not give the "slimy" feeling you sometimes get from a rubber strap in warm weather.

It is secured with a tactile, yet very comfortable buckle.

So we've got the look, and the feel. But what about the performance?

Under the hood is the previously mentioned Sellita SW260-1 with COSC certification. During the week the H992 x Astro kept very good time with the power reserve true to its advertising.

So overall - I am a big fan. Apart from the dial design (which I really liked), it is a very good looking, sporty watch. The case design is intriguing without being jarring, and although I had mixed feelings about the indices on the bezel, I really grew to appreciate them.

Some things that might put others off:

1. Case design - if you have a set idea of what a case should look like (read perfectly round) then this might not be for you.

2. The integrated strap - I love it, but I realize that it's not for everyone. More importantly, you will be best served reaching out to H992 for a replacement strap rather than going secondary market.

3. The date window - as I mentioned, it sort of blends into the dial itself. While I really find this intriguing, if an absolute clear view of the date is going to be a deal breaker for you, I would recommend a different version of the H1.

Would I buy it - Hell yes!

Here are the pertinents:

Price: CHF 1'592.00

Movement
SW260-1 automatic, COSC certified

Case
Black PVD steel, Steel

Case diameter
42mm

Case thickness
10.1mm

Dial
Astro

Strap
Rubber

Water resistance
10 ATM 100 meters

Glass
Sapphire, double anti-reflective treatment on the inside AR43, thickness 1.40mm

Limited edition
52