Go Minimalist With Newcomer Defakto
Looking for something a little different? Perhaps something with a clear, uncluttered dial, clean lines and a smooth black finish? Well maybe its time you considered familiarising yourself with the all-black Eins Schwarz model from German new comer Defakto. And really, at only 425 Euro, why wouldn’t you?
Young, In Age And Design
Defakto is very new to the market, having only been established at the start of 2009 by Raphael Ickler. The youthful nature of the brand is reflected beautifully in the watch’s design, which is decidedly subdued and classic and yet at the same time fashionable and exotic.
The minimalist dial features only a single hand which may take some time to become accustomed to but it is well worth it. This design quirk gives the watch a truly unique appearance and although there are other single hand watches out there, this is one of the first models that I actually really want to wear.
Simple Beauty
The all-black stealth appearance contrasts exceptionally well with the white, luminous indices and Defakto’s red and white logo above 6 o’clock provides the only other source of color. The watch is designed to be uni-sex and at a very reasonable dial size of 42mm this is a watch that will definitely appeal to both genders.
Powering this simple beauty is a Swiss Made ETA 2824-2 Automatic movement enclosed in a stainless steel case with a sapphire exhibition caseback. The case has received the PVD treatment and is complemented by a black calfskin strap. Water resistance is rated at 50m which is about standard on this type of watch.
The Final Word
There are a number of things that I love about the new all-black Eins Schwarz model from Defakto, not least of which is the price. The watch is very versatile offering a piece that can be worn for almost any occasion, either dressed up with a suit and tie or casual with a polo.
At the same time, at only 425 Euro it is also a watch that you can buy without feeling guilty to simply sit in your collection for those times when you feel like something completely different. Plus, the watch is also featured in stainless steel if you don’t like the PVD look.
Overall a very solid performance from this newcomer, I for one will be watching to see what comes next!
For more information and to order yourself a watch check out Defakto’s official website.
Category: Watch Reviews
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I kinda like it. An interesting modern take on a flieger. And Ickler has good pedigree, no?
Thanks for your comment 10after10. Raphael Ickler definitely has good pedigree, he is the son of Thomas Ickler who is carrying on the family tradition at the helm of Archimede and Limes (http://www.ickler.de/English/AboutIckler.htm) Thomas is actually doing an interview with The Watch Lounge which will be featured next week!
Looking forward to the interview. Keep up the great work.
I love this watch more than most but for some reason my mind instantly says “Swatch” when I look at it.
There was a wonderful marketing exercise done once where a pearl farmer placed a newspaper ad for his pearls next to images of diamonds and gold to see if he could lift the public perception. Prior to this advert the pearls were considered rubbish but after the advert they went up into the status of precious stones.
I wonder how this watch would fare sitting with other <$100 watches? If I wasn't told that is was a $1000 watch I doubt I'd pay that for it.
Ramsay
Hi Ramsay, thanks for your comment, however, I have to say I disagree. Most Swatch watches are made of plastic and a powered by a quartz movement. This piece is made from stainless steel, precision engineered in a Germany factory with close to 100 years of watchmaking history and powered by a Swiss Made automatic movement. All this for well under $1,000! (its actually closer to $650AUD
To be honest I don’t think the above photos do it justice. Check out this link for a better look at how the watch looks on: http://www.defakto-uhren.de/defakto_watches_photos.html
It does look quite good on the wrist doesn’t it?
The only thing stopping me from buying this watch is the size. 42mm is just too large for some wrists and I’d hesitate to call it unisex. I’ve asked him about making a smaller size and the jury’s still out.
Having said that, I agree that the price is good and reflective of the quality of build and would be well worth the investment.