Marloe Watch Company: Coniston 'Speed Edition'
Celebrating the powerboat used by Sir Malcolm Campbell to set the world water speed record in 1937 of a 129.5 mph in Bluebird K3 which he later surpassed in 1939 hitting 141.74 mph in Bluebird K4 on Coniston Water, Cumbria.
For some time now I’ve been thinking about the Marloe Coniston range but have never quite settled on one of the four available colour combinations – there has always been one element or other that I didn’t quite like, for instance the 'Bluebird' with the yellow second hand and minute markers against the blue dial/chapter ring. The ‘White’ I thought was just a bit too plain, initially I quite liked the ‘Vulcan’ with the grey dial and chapter ring, but wasn’t too keen on the pale blue second hand and minute markers. This left the 'steel' with its metallic sunburst main dial section, red second hand and 24 hour markers outside the chapter ring, this was going to be my choice, but still I was hesitating, it wasn’t shall we say ‘speaking to me’ & whilst I really like the design here it did perhaps look a bit fussy. Then along came the ‘Speed Edition’ and I instantly liked this with its pale blue (almost white) main dial section, with bold dark blue hour markers, main hands and chapter ring. The second hand here is silver with just a red tip, so really (as the term goes) pops. All printing on the angled/raise chapter ring are plain white against the dark blue – this colour way was ‘speaking to me’ it just look so right compared to the others, so was duly ordered.
Of course if I could have seen the others in the flesh it might have been a different outcome, but from the available online pictures, this was the one that made me spend my money. I do have a couple of issues with the design, even before I've got the watch in my hands, but these are rather minor; I think the second hand looks a bit odd without a counterbalance - not that they are truly a counterbalance in the real sense, just something behind the hands pivot point, I don't think I've ever seen a second hand that stops at the spindle! The second thing is the minor markings on the chapter ring, where there are two between each major second/minute markers giving a 180 divisions around the dial and I've no idea why this has been done...except perhaps to fill the gaps?
For some time now I’ve been thinking about the Marloe Coniston range but have never quite settled on one of the four available colour combinations – there has always been one element or other that I didn’t quite like, for instance the 'Bluebird' with the yellow second hand and minute markers against the blue dial/chapter ring. The ‘White’ I thought was just a bit too plain, initially I quite liked the ‘Vulcan’ with the grey dial and chapter ring, but wasn’t too keen on the pale blue second hand and minute markers. This left the 'steel' with its metallic sunburst main dial section, red second hand and 24 hour markers outside the chapter ring, this was going to be my choice, but still I was hesitating, it wasn’t shall we say ‘speaking to me’ & whilst I really like the design here it did perhaps look a bit fussy. Then along came the ‘Speed Edition’ and I instantly liked this with its pale blue (almost white) main dial section, with bold dark blue hour markers, main hands and chapter ring. The second hand here is silver with just a red tip, so really (as the term goes) pops. All printing on the angled/raise chapter ring are plain white against the dark blue – this colour way was ‘speaking to me’ it just look so right compared to the others, so was duly ordered.
Of course if I could have seen the others in the flesh it might have been a different outcome, but from the available online pictures, this was the one that made me spend my money. I do have a couple of issues with the design, even before I've got the watch in my hands, but these are rather minor; I think the second hand looks a bit odd without a counterbalance - not that they are truly a counterbalance in the real sense, just something behind the hands pivot point, I don't think I've ever seen a second hand that stops at the spindle! The second thing is the minor markings on the chapter ring, where there are two between each major second/minute markers giving a 180 divisions around the dial and I've no idea why this has been done...except perhaps to fill the gaps?
When the watch arrived it probably provided one of the best ‘unboxing’ experience’s I’ve enjoyed & even though it should be all about the watch Marloe Watch Company have provided, something as their ‘strapline’ states – Beyond Expectation – the outer shipping card box is substantial and branded, pulling at the rip strip on the front and opening the box, inside the lid is some text, welcoming you to your purchase! Push aside the shredded card (not paper) filling and pull out the black box within, embossed with Marloe Watch Company, slide up the top to reveal a nicely produced booklet all about the watch and its development. Under this is another lid, which holds a heavy duty embossed card, almost a certificate, telling you what is below and the serial number, on the other side of the card are the watches basic specifications. A cloth tag allows you to pull up this lid to reveal the watch on its quality grey cloth holder, but there is more as you set aside the secondary lid you notice on the underside more of that grey patterned cloth, but with a leather label again with the ‘strap line’ BEYOND EXPECTATION all this before you’ve even got to the watch itself! It is very very nice, but is it too much? I’ve already stated that (see my; The things I don't really like about watches and how they are supplied! Section on the main watch review page) one of the things I don’t really feel is necessary is all the packaging that seems to be a requirement with modern watches. Now my OCP with regard to packaging means I do absolutely have to retain everything that was initially supplied with the watch, I'm soon going to need to allocate far more storage space for my watch related packaging!
So to the watch itself and although its 40mm in diameter, it appears smaller on the wrist probably due to the three section dial design focussing your eye toward the central portion of the dial. Added to this, it is a bezel less case design having only about 1mm of case surrounding the crystal with the combined chapter/rehaut ring about 3.5mm. If we then we factor in the short down swept lugs giving a compact overall length (lug-to-lug) of 46mm it presents an extremely compact overall appearance. I do measure it to be a bit taller than specified with an overall height of 11.23mm so just about OK for a dress style watch, but here it manages to look a taller due to the case profile. The downward sloping lugs have little rounded (for want of a better word) ‘feet’ which protrude below the case back, which aids it fitting nicely against the wrist & if you like a NATO strap this should help visually negate some of the increase in height resulting from adding two layers of material under the case.
Now I do often bang on about the pointlessness of an exhibition case back, but in this instance we have the rather wonderful looking Miyota 8N33 (manual wind) in a gilt finish and whilst it really isn’t anything special in the grand scheme of watch movements, it is at the very least attractive to look at! Also beneath the back crystal is engraved what would normally be placed on the case back which is also a really nice touch, indeed in this instance the only engraving on the case back is the (limited edition) serial number which makes the case back look really clean for a change – nice not to have loads of useless information; stainless steel, sapphire crystal…yadda yadda!
Engraved under the exhibition back;
"Sometimes a split second of time can be gained at the cost of a chance’"
Sir Malcom Campbell
Engraved under the exhibition back;
"Sometimes a split second of time can be gained at the cost of a chance’"
Sir Malcom Campbell
Turning back to the front, I’ve already mentioned the three section dial, with the pale blue middle part having applied baton hour markers in dark blue except for the Arabic's at 12 o’clock, here this part of the dial ‘blisters’ out to fully surround the ‘12’. Elsewhere the batons jut out over the white band surrounding the main centre section. This white band is fully lumed providing a disc of light in the dark which the minute and second hands sweep over and highlighting the portion of the hour batons that protrude beyond the centre dial. Beyond this is the combined chapter/rehaut ring with its minute/second markers (and the two odd sub markers) on the inner sloping edge & on the top flat surface 24 hour markers all in white. The whole thing looks very cleanly and classily executed providing an overall attractive finish. The main handset (hour/minute) is in dark blue and having a skeletal airframe appearance with two of the three sections lumed within the hour hand and three of the five for the minute hand. The hands are exactly the right length, with the minute one reaching out to the minute track and the hour one just shy of the hour batons. The silver, red arrow tipped second hand also reaches out to the minute/second track, but as mentioned earlier to my mind looks a bit odd without a counterbalance behind the spindle.
In the dark I was a little disappointed with the level of luminosity of the handset, but then it was up against the ‘glow show’ being put on by that moat of light surrounding the main inner dial section! However if we consider this a dress watch, then any lume is perhaps welcome. The crown at the usual three o’clock position is quite large nicely shaped, curving into the spindle to allow it to be pulled out (non-screw in) easily with slight spiral knurling which surprisingly isn’t very grippy when winding – just as well the action is quite light! The top of the crown has a large ‘M’ at its centre, surrounded by a matt finish surface – the only single metal element on the whole case that isn’t polished. The supplied strap whilst not really looking anything special is certainly a quality item being supple and comfortable to wear straight out of the box. Indeed one of the few straps I’ve not been tempted to change within a few hours of wearing it. The polished and engraved (M) pin buckle has however been changed for my preferred butterfly clasp, which I fit whenever possible.
So here we have a quality made wrist watch, with many interesting & unique design elements that looks great and is a pleasure to wear. Also unusually these days, this is manual wind, but wind it every morning and it won’t be a problem as it has a 40(ish) hour power reserve. Also mine is supremely accurate, and whilst it is a non-hacking movement, so can’t be set to the second, I set it when I first started wearing the watch to the minute and it is still spot on after five days which is a great level of accuracy for a mechanical watch.
In the dark I was a little disappointed with the level of luminosity of the handset, but then it was up against the ‘glow show’ being put on by that moat of light surrounding the main inner dial section! However if we consider this a dress watch, then any lume is perhaps welcome. The crown at the usual three o’clock position is quite large nicely shaped, curving into the spindle to allow it to be pulled out (non-screw in) easily with slight spiral knurling which surprisingly isn’t very grippy when winding – just as well the action is quite light! The top of the crown has a large ‘M’ at its centre, surrounded by a matt finish surface – the only single metal element on the whole case that isn’t polished. The supplied strap whilst not really looking anything special is certainly a quality item being supple and comfortable to wear straight out of the box. Indeed one of the few straps I’ve not been tempted to change within a few hours of wearing it. The polished and engraved (M) pin buckle has however been changed for my preferred butterfly clasp, which I fit whenever possible.
So here we have a quality made wrist watch, with many interesting & unique design elements that looks great and is a pleasure to wear. Also unusually these days, this is manual wind, but wind it every morning and it won’t be a problem as it has a 40(ish) hour power reserve. Also mine is supremely accurate, and whilst it is a non-hacking movement, so can’t be set to the second, I set it when I first started wearing the watch to the minute and it is still spot on after five days which is a great level of accuracy for a mechanical watch.
More pictures of this and other watches can be found in my Watches Gallery page
