When it comes to the watches that JeanRichard is producing, I’ve been pleasantly surprised, as I noted in my earlier review of the Terrascope. While it might be tempting to think of the lineup as boring due to the similar case designs, I think it instead speaks to a cohesive brand language. With the JeanRichard Aeroscope Chronograph, we’ve got some more variety injected in.
If you recall, I actually wrote about the Aeroscope in October of last year, thought that was more of a view from afar. When I got this one in, I was again taken in by the case design. With the black finish that is inside of the polished outer edges, it’s almost as if the brushed bezel is floating there. This again also helps with the visual trick of making the 44mm case (12.67mm tall) appear to be a bit smaller than it is.
Even with the taller lug-to-lug size (as judged against my wrist), the watch fit pretty well to my wrist. Our example came paired to a black leather strap with contrast orange stitching that picked up the dial accents, and had a deployant clasp as well. This does add a touch of bulk under your wrist, but then you’re also not dealing with a loose end of a strap or floating keepers, so it’s a trade=off for the wearer.
With the Aeroscope, I had no issues reading the time (or timing) even with the skeletonized hands. This is in no small part due to the choice of orange as the accent color. While it may not stand out quite as crisply against the black dial as white would, it still keeps things very legible. It’s also helpful that the hands are fairly large – if they were solid, I’d be tempted to say they were actually too big. Being cut out as they are, however, it works well.
And that’s really the story, here, with JeanRichard watches if you ask me – they just work well. Though the cases are a touch larger, they’re made of titanium, so they’re light and strong. Basic case design is similar across the lines, so there’s a very recognizable brand DNA. While both the case and the dial are predominantly in a vertically brushed finish, there’s polished surfaces on the case that give things a bit of flash.
Powered as it is by the JR-66 movement, the chronograph worked as, well, as you would expect it to, and I didn’t have any issues with accuracy in the limited time we had with the watch. While the movement is not an in-house one, it is a quality Swiss one, and you should expect it to behave as such (just at a more affordable price point than you’d have with in-house).
As I said in our previous review (LINK), you really are getting into the arena of affordable luxury with JeanRichard, and their Aeroscope Chronograph extends the range. Of course, the addition of a chronograph module does raise the price, with the price of our review sample coming in at $5,000. A bit steep for me personally, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility for someone looking a good “one” watch that will work in a variety of situations. companyurl
Review Summary
- Brand & Model: JeanRichard Aeroscope Chronograph
- Price: $5,000
- Who’s it for?: You like the style of JR’s cases, and you appreciate their value-driven approach to luxury watches. Oh, and you want a chronograph for all-around, day-to-day, wear
- Would I wear it?: Likely – but I might opt for a different color scheme in the lineup
- What I’d change: I wouldn’t mind seeing some lume in the bezel engravings
- The best thing about it: Once again, it was the case. When it comes to JR, that’s the most unique and identifiable part of their watch.
