Following up on yesterday’s post, we’ve got the second watch that Orefici sent over for review – the Regata Yachting. This one is definitely much more oriented at an active use scenario. Let’s have a closer look!
Just like the Classico we look at yesterday, we have a 48mm stainless steel case (we also have a quartz movement again, this time the top grade Miyota OS22). Though, somehow, this on feels and wears much larger on the wrist. Unlike the Classico, however, this one is inspired by the regatta races that go on in Portofino. As such, we have a variety of timing functions, including a ten-minute countdown timer.
That countdown is intended to alert to you the imminent start to the race. Since I’ve never been yachting, I can’t speak as to the usefulness of such a feature, but I can let you know about a curious thing I noticed about it. If you take a close look at the picture above, you’ll notice that there’s a a ten minute timer marked out on the bezel. However, the function doesn’t start where 10 minutes is marked – it starts at 12 o’clock, and then moves through the indicators on the dial. Which means, according to the bezel, the countdown reaches it’s end at the 2.5 minute remaining mark.
Past that oddity, the watch functioned as expected. The regular timer function is controlled by the pushers on the right-hand side of the case, and the alarm on/off has a pusher on the left side. The alarm time is set by the large crown, and indicated by a smaller red-tipped hand (at best, you’re approximating time it’s going off, if you want anything other than on-the-hour). While I appreciate the inclusion of the alarm, the tones are quiet, so this is not something that’s going to be waking you up.
One feature I really appreciated has to do with the strap itself. The lugs themselves have some adjustment (in practice this is just some extra “wiggle” room, not an actual adjustment you make), which I thought was an interesting design. The strap has an additional hinge point, which I suppose might reduce some wear (though, to what degree I’m not certain) on conforming the thick rubber strap to your wrist.
In the end, what we have here is a watch that will make a bold (and heavy) statement on your wrist. Much like with the Classico, I would’ve really liked to see a mechanical movement at work here. And while there were things I liked about the watch (ease of use, aesthetics, the unique lugs), the oddity of the countdown scale took some of the shine off for me. Add in the fact that the watch retails for just under a grand, and I’d have a hard time recommending this watch. But, as I said earlier, I’m not a boater – so perhaps this may be a different story for someone who races yachts.
