The more astute readers might be wondering why I’m recycling this review from nine months ago. And to them (and you), I’ll just say “read on” – because this is a new review!
What precipitated this review is actually the fact that they redesigned the Signature (in other words, here we are with 2.0) with a handful of rather nice improvements from the original, including:
- A heavier, brushed steel case (including a slight redesign)
- Thicker (and more comfortable) nylon straps
- 50m water resistance rating
Both of those items definitely helped in daily wear – the straps are now of a much higher quality material, which makes them more comfortable, and would make you confident they’d last longer (and perhaps justifying the $25 per strap price – somewhat). One note on the pictures in this post – if there’s a single watch, it’s the new model. If there are two watches in the picture, then the new model is on the left.
With the case, it’s more of a subtle change, but it’s definitely one that I applaud. The brushed finishes (as well as some geometry changes) on the 40mm case give it a more refined look, especially when compared to the original. And while I don’t have a sound meter around the house to be sure, it does seem like the newer case helps keep the noise down some from the quartz movement.
I’m also happy to report that this new iteration came without the most glaring flaw in our last review unit – I didn’t notice any dirt or grime caught on the underside of the crystal. Pricing has remained intact for the model; actually, it’s gone up a little bit (to $160 at current exchange rates).
In the end, it’s an intriguing bit of Swedish minimalism, albeit one at a price that’s a bit higher than we’re used to across the Atlantic. That said, if you were thinking about getting one (or on the fence) after our first review, this latest version definitely has some nice improvements you’ll want to check out, or purchase right here.
