We’ve been more recently introduced to Benjamin James watches, and have been intrigued by their offerings. Or offering, as it should be stated, as their Scarifour is their main design, with a few different variations to be had. You can keep an eye out for our upcoming hands-on review; in the meantime, let’s talk about their new semi-precious stone dial options.
Why a stone dial?
In a more classic, dressier watch (which is a category we feel the Benjamin James Scarifour falls into), you can be limited in how to mix things up. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with the conservative black or white dial. But if this is a watch you want to wear more frequently - or you just like a pop of color when you dress up - then your options narrow down.
Sure, a brand could go with a brightly painted dial blank, but then that detracts some from the watch being a bit more refined. Enter the semi-precious stone. With that material, you can add color and visual texture without detracting from the seriousness of the watch. In this case, they’ve opted for lapis lazuli (my favorite), burnt orange agate, or jade as the options to choose from.
What movement powers the watch?
To help keep things slim, they’ve opted for the Sellita SW210-1 b, which is a hand-wound mechanical movement. By opting for hand-winding (rather than an automatic) for this version, it keeps the overall case thickness to a very slender 8.3mm. That’s quite appreciated, especially if your shirt has some snugger cuffs.
Wrapping things up
If you want a dress watch that is not your standard circle paired to a leather strap, the Benjamin James Scarifour is a compelling alternative. Square watches are not nearly as common, and ones as thin as these on a bracelet are more normally in the realm of luxury watches. In this case, the three stone-dialed options are $1,356. You can check out the full range of offerings directly at benjaminjameswatches.com
Benjamin James Scarifour Stone Dial Tech Specs
Case Size: 31mm by 40mm
Case Thickness: 8.3mm
Material: 316L Stainless Steel
Top Crystal: Sapphire with AR Coating
Bottom Crystal: K1 Hardened Mineral Crystal
Water Resistance: 50 Meters
Lume: BGW9 Swiss Super-LumiNova on hands only
Movement: Swiss Made Sellita SW210-1 b Hand Wound
Dial options: lapis lazuli, burnt orange agate, or jade