Why is it when someone wants to talk about an unbelievable deal, a swindle really, they talk about selling the Brooklyn Bridge? What is it about that deal where anyone thinks that someone was gullible enough to think they were actually buying the bridge? Well, I am not going to sell you a bridge, I am going to go after something else named Brooklyn, the Rumba Time Brooklyn watch. 
Since it sounds like I am trying to hawk a crazy deal, I will come right out and say that the watch is a 40mm three-hander with a Japanese quartz movement for $95. So I am not talking about something exotic or out of reach for most people. This is a watch you could easily give as a gift (groomsmen perhaps?) or you could pick up a few if you like to coordinate your watches with your outfits. The brand sent me the Storm, with a grey face, a gray leather NATO strap, and a gunmetal colored stainless case. The other options are a black dial in a black case, black or white dials in a stainless case, or a blue dial in a gold case. 
The case case has a screw down case back which gives it 5 ATM or water resistance, so no heavy water related sports. The bezel looks like it is screw down as well, and the flat mineral (I assume) crystal has a slight beveled edge to it. The whole construction gives a nice layered look to it. I have never worn a watch with a NATO strap, so this was a pleasant surprise in how comfortable it was. The leather itself is very thin, and the holes were showing some wear after not too many times on my wrist, so I would suspect that this is one element where you would want to upgrade down the road. 
But considering that it is, again, a sub $100 watch, I think it is something that is worth the upgrade. The dial is nicely designed, with raised numbers and hour indexes, all painted in lume along with the sword style hour and minute hands. The use of two sizes for numerals, larger for 3, 6, 9 and 0 (for 12) and smaller for the rest, make the face very readable without overcrowding. The branding is not subtle, but it is not overdone, and the cross hairs serve to break up what looks to be a monochrome powdercoat. There is no date window, but if you have read my other reviews, you know that is just fine for me. 
For day to day wear, I think it is a perfectly fine option. If you think the watch looks familiar, you may be thinking of the sister brand AVI-8, who’s Flyboy line is very similar, but more expensive (the most expensive use automatic movements). So people might actually confuse this with a more expensive watch; and at the very least, it does not look cheap. Apart from the strap, I don’t think it even looks inexpensive. I think it looks like a nice watch with a clean design and a modern size. With the NATO strap, it is even at a size where it wold work for women who like to wear larger watches. In a word, I think that it represents a good value. rumbatime.com
- Brand & Model: Rumba Time Brooklyn
- Price: $95
- Who’s it for?: Someone who like to switch looks but does not have a big budget.
- Would I wear it?: Yes, I think it is attractive and looks more expensive than it is.
- What I’d change: The strap is where the price shows, it needs an upgrade.
- The best thing about it: I like gunmetal coloring and the raised indices and numbers.
