The Defakto Mitternacht came from the stars

Two years ago, we brought you word of a very pleasant surprise that hit our inbox – the Defakto Stille Nacht. Well, that starry surprise is back with some very welcome changes, and calls itself the Defakto Mitternacht.

Unlike the Stillest Nacht, the Defakto Mitternacht is a two-handed configuration, which I find more approachable and usable. On the dial side, they started with a darker black base (just imagine if they could get some vantablack to use!), and then they?ve got an even more-populated set of hand-applied (via air brushing) stars hitting the dial.

The luminous star field – and handset – are protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating (don?t need stray reflections blocking the view of that dial), set atop a 40mm stainless steel case (PVD Coated, 46.8mm lug-to-lug) that manages to be just 6.6mm thick – super thin. This comes courtesy of the Swiss Ronda 712 quartz movement inside the case.

What I find particularly curious – and a bold move by the brand – is that the Defakto Mitternacht carries absolutely no branding. There?s nothing on the dial, and the caseback is logo-free as well, just awaiting your personal engraving. This shows the brand has absolute confidence in what they?re producing, and rely on the watch itself to speak for them, not needing to billboard their name all over it. Confidence is key!

This new Defakto Mitternacht is actually a bit more affordable than the Stillest Nacht as well, coming in at about $245 (inside the EU, you?l be paying ?265 incl. VAT). For something that is hand-made (well, hand-painted) and set into a well-sorted Ickler case, this feels like an absolute steel, and should please anyone who is either a lume-hound (which I suppose is most watch folks) or someone who just appreciates the look of a sky filled with stars. I was a fan of the original Stille Nacht, and I think the Defakto Mitternacht is an excellent addition to that lineup from the brand. defakto-watches.com

Watch Overview

Brand & Model: Defakto Mitternacht

Price: ?265 (inside EU incl VAT) / ?222.69 (excl VAT) (approx. $245)
Who we think it might be for: You want to carry that slice of peaceful calm experienced in the late night where you can get out and see this many stars in the sky
Would I buy one for myself based on what I?ve seen? This one is very much a temptation for me!

If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Aside from offering a small UV flashlight as an option, I would love to see a vantablack application for the dial base. Sure, it would be a bit more expensive, but the look would be amazing, I can only imagine.