Normally, when it comes to Kickstarter projects, we’re telling about something that has just launched, or is in the midst of the campaign (so we can give you some idea of the funding levels). Well, this time around, we’re giving you a bit of a heads up. We first wrote about SD-09 back here, almost a year ago. Funding fell short on that project (barely), and now they’re back with another round. These SD-09 Watches are launching on March 18 – so you’ve got two days to ruminate this one over.
Now, when you take a look at marketing for the brand, there’s a heavy emphasis on a UFO influence. I can’t speak either way to that, but I am picking up a very heavy Panerai influence. This is in part due to the partial sandwich dial (the 12 and 9), and the crown protector system. Of course, these two elements are not confined just to Panerai, and show up a multitude of places. It’s just the brand that popped to mind.
That said, there are plenty of elements that would set the SD-09 watches apart. You’ve got the screw heads holding the fixed bezel into place, and you’ve got the applied indices set on top of the dial (either black or white) with sub-seconds running over at the 5 o’clock position. Those sub-seconds have one of the more whimsical parts of the watch, particularly when you check out the lume shots (below). It just looks great, and would be interesting to see in person.
While the hands on the SD-09 are partially skeletonize, what is not is of course filled with lume, and there are plenty of little lumed pips around the chapter ring for indicating the minutes. This is called out as Super-Luminova C3, so it should have a nice glow – it’ll be dependent on the application thickness for how long it lasts, methinks.
Also separating the SD-09 watches is the strap. Along with a silicone strap, they’re also providing an Italian braided leather strap, which is definitely a different look. It’s not quite the same as the braided belts that I remember from my teen years, as these do have standard slots punched out for the thumbnail buckle (rather than just slipping through wherever fits, as you have on, say, a perlon strap).
All of the SD-09 watches are powered by the tried-and-true Miyota 8218 automatic movement. I know it’s a small component of a watch, but when new brands come out by using relatively standard movements, it does give me more of a sense of comfort that someone, somewhere, should be able to at least maintain the movement for me down the road. For those of a like mind, you may want to jump in on the early bird pricing when it launches in a few days at the starting point of $246. sd-09watches.com
Tech Specs from SD-09
- DIAMETER: 42mm (49.91mm – from left case to the crown protection system cover)
- Weight: 230g
- MATERIALS: All 316L stainless steel, PVD black plating AA grade from Finland materials
- CROWN: 3 o Rings waterproof inside
- GLASS: Front & Back – Swiss Sapphire crystal with AR (Anti-reflective)
- THICKNESS OF GLASS:
- Top: 1.6 mm
- Bottom: 1.3 mm
- WATER-RESISTANCE: Waterproof to 10 ATM / 100 metres / 330 feet
- MOVEMENT:
- Fine finishing, mechanical, automatic, hand-winding
- CALIBRE: Miyota 8218, metal movement, Japan made, under Citizen watch Co., Ltd.
- FUNCTIONS: Automatic & manual winding, small second, date calendar, shock-absorber for balance staff
- PRECISION: -20/+40 seconds per day
- POWER RESERVE: More than 40 hours (measure the running time from full winding – the mainspring becomes fully winded by rotating the ratchet wheel 7.5 times ,turning the crown 40 times)
- AUTOMATIC WINDING STRUCTURE: Winding direction : Counter-clockwise (seeing from case back side)
- STRAP: One hand-braided Italian calf leather strap, One silicone band with PIN buckle
- DIAL
- Black / White
- DETAILS: Double layer dial, indexs, 12&9 Skeleton & sub-indices on inner ring filled Swiss SuperLumiNova C3 light green color
- HANDS:
- Blue color
- Diamond cut with C3
- Small second disc made by aluminum with C3
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