In Review: Briston Clubmaster Outdoor Steel chronograph

Earlier this week, we introduced you to Briston (seen here), which presented a quartz chronograph in a warm and lightweight acetate case. If that just isn’t a look you go for, or you just want something that you know will be more robust, they’ve got a slightly different version in a full steel case. That watch is known as the Briston Clubmaster Outdoor Steel.

What is it?

Just as with the Briston Clubmaster Classic Acetate Chronograph, the Briston Clubmaster Outdoor Steel is a Miyota OS21-powered watch, which explains the two register and date layout that the watch share. While the Classic took things in a slimmer and dressier approach, the Steelie heads in a much more robust direction. To put it another way – if you like your tool watches to be headed in a decided sporty direction, then this is the better choice for you.

What do we like about it?

As with the Classic, we really are a fan of the case of the Briston Clubmaster Outdoor Steel. This is primarily because I am a sucker for a cushion case, as it just gives a unique look to a watch. The inclusion of the timing bezel also offers an additional hit of functionality to the watch.

The second thing I really enjoyed with this watch was the strap. While I’ve experienced stretch straps before (and have found them to be very, very comfortable), I’ve not yet encountered one with a buckle quite like what we have here. You have a slider that you use to adjust the length of things, and then there’s the signed buckle piece that hooks onto the sliding adjuster. It’s quick, it’s simple, and it felt very secure as I wore the watch. The stretch was enough to allow your wrist to breathe, but it was solid enough that the heavier steel case didn’t overwhelm the elastic.

What would we change?

First and foremost, it would be the lug design. On the Classic, the narrower lugs fit the design well. Those carried over here, and they feel a tad too thin, and too far in from the edges of the case, to fit things proportionately. We’d either move them outboard a bit (going to a 22mm or 24mm lug width), or perhaps just have them flare out as they meet the case, allowing things to taper down a bit.

The other thing we’d try to do is to slim down the thickness of the case. This one is about 1.5mm thicker, but you don’t pick up any additional water resistance. Most of that is probably from the bezel and thicker crystal, which does bring benefit and protection. But if we can have our steel watches thinner, we’re always a fan of that.

What’s it like wearing the watch?

Even with a case that’s larger and heavier than the acetate one of the Classic, the Briston Clubmaster Outdoor Steel was very comfortable on the wrist. This is, of course, due to that great strap. For my wrist, the case sizing worked well, and of course the legibility on the dial (in the light or the dark) was top-notch as well. And we’ll say this – if you’re timing something, you will have no problems seeing the chrono seconds hand moving around the dial.

How can I get one?

Just as with the Classic Acetate, the Briston Clubmaster Outdoor Steel is available directly from Briston. The Miyota movement keeps things still affordable, though the use of steel for the case here does bump the price up a bit, bringing things up to $440. Oh, and if you want to get their stretchy strap for your own watch, it’s available in a few different colors for $35. Check everything out over at briston-watches.com