I Come to Praise Panerai, Not to Bury Her...

I want to start this off by saying I greatly admire Panerai.  In a fairly short period (Modern Panerai we are talking about) they have gone from a celebrity's conversation piece to one of the most admired and followed brands out there.  I have owned one and truly loved it.  Nothing but love for Panerai.  But...

Courtesy of Meridian

When I think about what Panerai was back in 2003 when I had my "Serie B", it was a bit more about the watch.  I know that sounds like a contradiction, but hear me out on this one.  Before the many different "Special", "Super Special" "Unbelievably Unique" special editions, etc.  You could pretty well spot a Panerai from a distance.  The flip-lock crown, the unbelievable lume, the story behind it.  Yes, there were a few options, and either Radiomir or Luminor.  But essentially, what really moved you was the watch itself.  Really hard to come by, and something you hung on to once you had it.  It was an emotional connection.

And then Panerai started to grow.  And growth is important and good.  It is nice to have options, it is great to see Panerai making its own calibers, and it is truly an important global brand.  But it doesn't feel the same to me.

Enter Meridian.  In speaking with Richard Baldwin who is one of the owners, it is clear that Meridian have a pretty singular vision - the cases, dials, hands - pretty much EVERYTHING with the exception of the movement is made in the UK.  And my understanding is that's the way it's going to stay.  The movement, while a Swiss hand winding movement, is extensively decorated by Meridian, one at a time, in their workshop in the UK.  I had asked if a different dial color was possible and was politely told no.  I can have any color I like, so long as it's black or white.  In other words, Meridian has clearly stated - "This is us". 

To be clear, I am in no way trying to make a comparison about quality, brand strength, etc.  I am talking about feelings, about emotion - about the feeling that something gives you.  And I think that on this basis, I anticipate some truly devoted Meridian followers.

A Meridian Give Away!

Okay - so I got your attention!

Like Meridian on Facebook and put yourself in the running for a Meridian watch travel case -

All Facebook likes have a chance to win this nice item.  So if you haven't already, go to the Meridian page on Facebook and LIKE Meridian's page:

www.facebook.com/MeridianWatches

A winner will be selected on January 1st, 2013

See Meridian in Santa Barbara

So if you're in Santa Barbara today, come round to see the Meridian in person at 33 Jewels in Old Paseo.

Wrapping Up the Meridian MP-05

We have now shot past two weeks and it is time to sum up the Meridian MP-05.

I think the thing that keeps coming to mind is "hand-made".  This is not a mass produced watch.  Of course, it's one thing to say that about the case, but the crown, the dial, the hands... all the way down to the buckle on the watch strap!

The buckle is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship. Yes, those are hex screw heads you see. It would have been easy to simply purchase some ready-made buckles and stamp them Meridian, but this is not what they were after. This buckle is as strong a brand image as any logo could ever be.

The look and feel are clean and tactile - this is a very solid buckle and is the perfect accompaniment to the thick and robust strap - made in England exclusively for Meridian.

And the strap is also secured by hex screws that can be easily removed with the tools provided by Meridian as part of the "packaging".  While Meridian is a new enterprise, I suspect it won't be long until other strap variations are available.  But as I mentioned in earlier posts, the Meridians ship with a leather strap as well as an additional nylon strap.  As I am a fan of the leather strap that came on the watch, I have not gotten around to trying the nylon strap, but it is a very nice touch to have included it.

So what's the verdict?  I have to say that I have truly enjoyed wearing the Meridian.  This is a hand crafted watch.  And you can see that in all of the neat little finishes, as well as some of the eccentricities and seeming "imperfections".  These imperfections include an individually painted "sandwich" dial that  will not look like any other Meridian dial - for the very reason that it is individually painted.  I like that.

In addition, the screw-down crown, while very secure and functional, does not engage the way that say your typical dive watch would with the release of the crown.  In most other watches, you unscrew until you hear and feel a little "pop" of the crown releasing itself from the screw threads.  With the Meridian, it is much more subtle - you unscrew the crown and at a given point you will hear that old familiar sound of winding.  At which point, you reverse the direction and start winding the watch.  This took a little time to get used to, but now I have to say it is one of the very things I truly enjoy about the watch.

The lume is first rate -

The only suggestion I would make moving forward for Meridian would be to apply lume to the second hand.

The packaging is practical and useful and like the straps, the dials, the hands the buckles the cases - it is made in England.

The watch has worked quite well - the timekeeping is first rate with very minor deviations - the maximum I experienced was + 7 seconds but averaged + 5 per day.

The size of the watch while substantial is surprisingly far less of an issue than I anticipated it might be.  I owned a "serie B" Panerai back in 2003 which at 44 mm really did feel too big.  The Meridian is in fact slightly larger, but does not feel as ponderous on the wrist.  Part of this is no doubt down to the case style, and also the lack of a crown guard like Panerai's might provide for a slightly more "svelte" appearance and feel.

When we get down to price, this is where I have read a lot of discussion back and forth.  A very simple gut reaction for some folks on various forums is to immediately compare this watch to what other watches at this price point are available.   And this is where I would have to say that it is really like comparing apples to oranges - these are different things.  Panerai, Omega and others make very fine "serial production" watches.  These are watches that are manufactured - and there is nothing wrong with that by the way - but this underscores the key difference.  The Meridian is a hand-made, hand-finished watch that is made one at a time from materials (with the exception of the movement) that are produced in the UK.

Courtesy of Meridian

The movement although Swiss, is stripped down to its most elemental state and engraved and reworked with the type of touches that you would expect from some of the big names (but that you don't often see).  Hand blued screws on a movement that you will never see?  What's the point, only you will know this, right?  EXACTLY!  YOU will know that movement is beautifully engraved, you will know the screws are blued - not painted.  Ultimately, this is not a watch you buy to impress your friends with - this is a watch that you buy for yourself.  If you feel more secure with a more well-known brand, that is completely understandable - this is NOT a watch for everyone - and that is perhaps the coolest part about it.  It isn't trying to be for everyone.  I like that as well.  Like the ochs und junior or the MIH watch, this is something that is special and unique, not for the masses.

For me it is a question of buying a brand, or buying a watch.

My vote is for the watch.

More than Skin Deep - the Meridian Movement

I've been spending a lot of time talking about the Meridian MP-05, particularly about the look and feel.  But today I want to talk about the part of the watch that cannot be seen or touched (at least when the watch is fully assembled) - and that is the magnificent Meridian movement.

Courtesy of Meridian

The amount of detail that has gone into the decoration of this movement is truly impressive, particularly when considering that each Meridian movement starts life as a very straight-forward, humble ebauche.  But then through time, patience and painstaking effort, it is slowly stripped down, and built back up into the beautiful engine you see above.  Hand finished, beautifully engraved and adorned with REAL blued screws.

Now of course, as I said, you will never see this until the time comes to service your watch - but you can definitely FEEL this.  You feel the care and attention that went into it.  And you FEEL that the people who created and made this watch felt that this potentially unseen detail was worth it.  Beauty is more than skin deep!


www.meridianwatches.com

Meridian - Black on Black

I've been spending time with the Meridian MP - 05 but life is about options and choices, so I thought I'd share this with you today  -

Courtesy of Meridian

This is the MP - 09 from Meridian.  It shares all of the same DNA with the MP - 05, but you'll notice a well executed black finish on the case and the crown.

These are scheduled to be available starting in January.


www.meridianwatches.com

Meridian - Practical and Useful

Packaging is a funny thing.  Almost like a Russian "Nesting Doll" sometimes!  Layer upon layer, upon layer - and then you finally get to the watch, and you're left with a bunch of packaging to stick in the closet because the box, while pretty, is custom/purpose built to hold a watch in a "display" like manner, and the felt covered cardboard has been super-glued to the innards of the box so that it cannot be used for any other possible purpose - and this is a great shame when you are looking at some of these boxes - they would make great storage for other items, but they appear to have been designed and manufactured merely to display the watch.  Not so with Meridian!

The Meridian watch ships in a custom manufactured canvas and nylon folding case that provides room for your watch, an extra strap.

It also has small compartments for holding the spare parts (strap bars and screws) as well as the tools to change them with!

And again - proudly made in England!

It has been a very good first week!  The watch has kept flawless time and received a great many compliments.  Tomorrow we go more in depth - the but the first impressions are very, very good!

Meridian!

Okay, something quite extraordinary arrived this morning.  Ordinarily, I would not interrupt a review, but as this is a pretty once in a lifetime opportunity, I have decided to move forward with it.

Courtesy of Meridian

Those of you who follow the watch forums might have already heard a bit about Meridian.  Some conversation, possibly even some schematics - but no "official" image or briefing. 

I would like to introduce you to the Meridian MP-05

And as I am not famous for my photography - here is an official image:

Courtesy of Meridian

This is a 46 mm HAND MADE watch!  Each case is made in England - Norwich to be precise.  Each case is manufactured by hand - not stamped, scooped, etc - but one at a time.  Each case and back are cut and machined as a pair "in house" from a solid bar of stainless steel in their Norwich facility.  The cases (front and back) are then hand polished, or grained to provide the individual finish of each watch.

Courtesy of Meridian

And the finish is phenomenally good!  But what I like about it is knowing that it is truly done by hand - this is not a mass-produced item, this is something truly done one at a time.

This is a wonderfully proportioned, substantial case - 46 mm.  And the finish and attention to detail are evident in every step.  From the crown -

To the case back -

All done by hand.  And that also includes the watch hands -

Courtesy of Meridian

Which come out looking like this -


And the straps are all made in England and are top-notch!

Even the buckle is made by hand - one at a time!

This is a hand-wound beauty, conceived from a "Unitas" ebauche, and then built up and fussed over.  I have requested an image of the movement in its finished condition and will post as soon as I have it.

This is just a quick run-down to keep up with events - Meridian officially launched at Salon QP in London about 1 hour ago - so this is the first one in North America - I guess it's pretty good to be me!

Meridian Watches - Made in England!

What's that you say?  Who is Meridian? 

In just a few weeks' time, Salon QP will convene and with it, the introduction of Meridian's range of timekeepers.  Meridian is a new brand, based in England.  And by that I don't mean a P.O. box or bunch of offices.  These watches are all made by hand in England!  

I don't want to steal their thunder - so here is a preliminary sketch to give you a flavor.  What I can tell you is that these are truly HAND MADE watches.  No mass stamping, outsourcing from third-party suppliers - no compromising.  This is the real deal.

This will be a watch that you not only want to have now, but for a lifetime.   Folks, as you can imagine, I see and handle a LOT of watches - this is something that is truly going to take your breath away.  It is not a show pony, to be locked up in your safe - this is a watch that demands to be worn!

Courtesy of Meridian

Here's the news - straight from the source -

In rural Norfolk, The Meridian Watch Company are hand-making watches that remind the world of England’s proud watchmaking heritage.

As proclaimed by their slogan, 'Made in England', Meridian manufactures the components and sources the materials from the home of Byron and Blake. From the case and back, machined as a pair to fit perfectly, to the leather or webbing strap, hand- stitched in Surrey, every element is carefully hand-worked to their exacting standards and English sensibilities – understated, enduring and purposeful. Lastly, the base Swiss movement is hand-finished in Meridian's style – with added complications improving accuracy – and the watch is assembled in the workshop.

Meridian watches are intended to be worn, knocked about and enjoyed: the straps grow to the individual contours of your wrist, the sapphire crystal is coated on both sides by a British military contractor for unsurpassed clarity and toughness, and the case has been designed to handle a lifetime's exposure to the elements, both in England and abroad. To facilitate this, the packaging includes a complimentary passport holder from SmythsonTM of Bond Street. Handmade tools also accompany every Meridian timepiece. 

You can watch the countdown to release here -

http://www.meridianwatches.com

Bremont - The Movie!

This was sent over to me from Mike at Bremont -

http://youtu.be/7FZv0f8iS4E


Check it out!