Baltic Watch kickstarted two watches earlier this month and they look like they should be in John Goldberger’s Longines’ book. The French startup has been percolating this dark cup of coffee for months and it went live on April 12. A few days later, it had $390k pledged to its $69k goal with many of their rewards already taken.
They are offering a time-only watch with a Miyota 821A automatic movement and two-register chronograph with a Seagull ST19 manual movement. Both are in a 38mm stepped case with an acrylic crystal, a simple dial design that’ll make your grandfather think it’s his watch from the 40s.
A lot has been written about these watches in the last few weeks. I noticed these guys months before the launch and watched with anticipation, so I wasn’t surprised when they got a Hodinkee handshake the day of the launch. But just because the popular kids are doing it, doesn’t make it right. Right? Well, you might want to try it just once. Besides, who doesn’t want a beautiful chronograph assembled in France for about $500?
They are offering upgrades on the remaining rewards including open case backs, perlon straps or leather straps, watch rolls and even a solid cork box.
I could go own about the Miyota movement and how it compares to ETA’s or how the Chinese Seagull column wheel chronograph is based on a Swiss design. I could, but will not. Quit reading and go buy it here. The campaign ends on May 22; they are promising to ship in November. baltic-watches.com
