Today, we’re going to take a look at a watch from a brand we’ve not yet had the chance to feature here on WWR – the aviation-inspired Torgoen.
The model we were sent for review is the T30301, which, unsurprisingly, is part of the T30 family. All watches in that group feature the following:
- Chronograph Swiss Movement (quartz)
- High Grade Stainless Steel Case with black ionic plating (45mm by 13mm thick)
- Screwed Down Stainless Steel Back
- Super Hardened K1 Mineral Crystal
- Italian Leather Strap with Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Buckle
- Polyurethane strap (a stainless steel bracelet is an option)
- Water Resistant for 10 ATM (330 feet)
- Non Radioactive Long Lasting Luminescent Indexes & Hand
Past these very nice specs, the four models in the family are differentiated by the color scheme in play. The model we were sent for review, the T30301, features my favorite of the bunch, with a black dial, cream indices, and use of orange as an accent color.
The two orange hands in the center, I have to admit, threw me off at first. I was expecting the arrow head to indicate GMT time (which is just about standard, it seems), and the narrow hand for indicating the alarm. Turns out, it’s the exact opposite. And, closer examination of the 24 hour hand will show a small 24, to keep you straight. The alarm, while not deafening, is perfectly serviceable.
Rounding the rest of the dial out, you’ve got the larger subdial indicating the seconds, and oversized window for the date display, and skeletonized hands. Even with the cutouts, I found the time readable (day or night). This is one of a few watches that I’ve reviewed with the larger cutout for date, and I frankly don’t understand the appeal. It’s not like you can’t figure out what day comes before or after the current day, right?
Overall, there’s a lot to like this about this watch, in terms of looks and functionality. The one larger wrinkle with this piece is the price. MSRP puts it a hair under $500. I was able to find some online retailers I’ve never heard of selling it for under $300, but caveat emptor there. For my money, when you get in the $500 range, your world really opens up a lot for watch options, and it’s harder to recommend a quartz. Not that I’d say this is a bad watch, it’s just got a lot of competition for your cash.
