Aside from Seiko and maybe a few other brands, the low-end market for mechanical watches has only just started taking off in the last ten years. I’m not saying it was impossible to find inexpensive mechanical watches before then, but the market is noticeably more crowded now, thanks to rising prices of higher end brands, and the ever-improving ecommerce landscape. The internet has actually helped in many ways, from inexpensive marketing techniques, to trading forums, and to virtual storefronts. With the space getting more and more competitive, it’s the brands that can maximize what the internet has to offer that will likely survive. This brings me to Martenero, a young watch brand looking to bring customization and quality to the lower end of the market.
Shot of the Speedmaster-esque lugs of the Founder
Up and running earlier this year, Martenero had been in the works for about two years prior, working on designs and part sourcing. Founders John Tarantino and Matt O’Dowd both already had a love for mechanical watches when a chance encounter sparked the idea for Martenero. The concept of Martenero’s offering is to let the buyer choose certain customizable parts, adding an extra layer of involvement in the purchasing process not typically experienced, especially with the recent influx of internet-based brands. It’s a differentiator that not only sets Martenero apart, but also lays the groundwork for what’s possible in the $500 and under market.
A nice signed buckle to match the comfortable strap.
Martenero currently has two references available, the Founder and Ace, both of which modernize legible, vintage looks. Housed in the same case, the Founder and Ace can be customized with a black or white dial, a black or brown leather strap, as well as the color of the additional NATO strap. The final customization differs between the two, which is the color option of the minute hand on the Founder, and the seconds hand on the Ace. What this means is that Martenero orders parts in batches, completely unassembled. When a buyer configures and purchases a watch, the team assembles and tests each watch accordingly. It’s the first step or two towards Martenero’s long-term goal, which is bringing watchmaking back to the US. Obviously, they’re a long way off, but what they’re doing now shows the general direction and desire to get there.
The reliable Miyota 821A seen through the exhibition caseback.
For our review, Martenero sent us a black dial version of the Founder, which shows off vintage sports watch characteristics in a modernly proportioned case. Speaking of the case, it’s likely the first thing to catch your eye. While I was looking the Founder over, I had to keep reminding myself it was a $485 watch. The spiral lugs are reminiscent of the Speedmaster, and the mixture of polished and matte finishes evokes thoughts of watches well above its pay grade. The Miyota 821A is the power source of both references, and dictates 42-millimeter wide and 12.5-millimeter thick dimensions, a very comfortable size for most folks. So far, it’s been a reliable timekeepker, and matches up well against an off-the-shelf ETA 2824-2. Lastly, as far as the case goes, we love the screw down crown, which ensures 100-meters of water resistance, making it safe for most (realistic) aquatic situations.
Side shot of the signed, screw down crown
The dial captures a simple, legible appearance that makes it both stylish and useful. At each odd hour, the applied markers are a very nice touch, and the off-color ring that makes a complete circle through the inside half of the hour markers filled up what would have likely been too much empty space. The 10:00 to 12:00 part of the ring is slightly lighter in color than the rest, which reminds me of either a tachometer or to save the last ten minutes of each hour to myself (hat tip to Doc Jacques for that one). Mixed in with an otherwise grayscale appearance, the minute hand (in this case, green) adds a necessary touch of color. Between the dash of color and the case size, I would put the Founder well into the casual category. Completing the overall look of the watch is the strap. Although it came with a green nylon NATO that matched the minute hand, I had a hard time veering from the awesome leather strap. It was very soft, and incredibly comfortable.
Of course, with any watch under $500, you’re going to find things to nitpick. That being said, the issues I have with the Founder will likely be the same for any watch in its price range, if not some above it as well. I would have loved to see the flat sapphire crystal with a slight dome shape to it, which would cut down a bit on reflections. The lume-filled, colored minute hand seemed lonely, and actually reminiscent of a dive watch, so I think colorizing the hour hand would have made sense here. The Ace has only a colored seconds hand, which sort of solves that problem. Lastly, I think the dial is lacking in depth. Even though half of the hour markers are applied, they aren’t raised enough to give that immediate appearance of a nuanced dial. I made a suggestion that with the Founder, an internal rotating bezel, along with a few case tweaks, could turn this into a sweet dive watch. I don’t know what they have planned for next year, but it was just an idea. Mind you, I wouldn’t expect a perfect watch for this price, but the apparent quality had me comparing it to more expensive watches – which is obviously a good thing.
A very nice wooden box packages the watch and additional NATO strap together
Right now, Martenero is selling their existing stock, which means there are plenty of customized watches ready for configuration. The team has been learning lessons from its first effort, absorbing comments and criticisms, and gearing up for the next round of releases. They haven’t revealed what’s next, but I expect to see more from them in 2015. Based on what they’ve done so far, I recommend keeping a sharp eye on them. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Founder, and look forward to not only their progression, but the impact they’ll make on horological ecommerce.
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