How often have you heard the phrase “time and space”? Well, if you’re like me (and have a predilection towards SciFi), then you’ve heard it quite a bit. Up until recently, I hadn’t really considered that a watch could quite literally embody that phrase.
The obvious question then becomes “How did they do that?” Well, for starters, they’ve placed 70 small diamonds (total avg weight is 0.42ct; in the women’s model it’s 55 diamonds coming in at .40ct) in a oil-filled compartment (sealed, this is medical-grade oil which should never discolor), which gives the impression of stars. On our black dial, when the diamonds are shifting (as they’re loose, not mounted), it can almost look like the impression of a moving star field (think: the Millenium Falcon’s hyperdrive kicking in).
Ok, so that’s a tenuous association. For something that’s a bit more rock solid, take a look down at the 6 o’clock position on the dial. While it’s a bit tricky to see on our black dial model, there’s a small circle there that holds three small pieces. Of what? Well, get ready for this – there’s a piece of the moon (from a lunar meteorite), Mars (from a Martian meteorite), and something called a space gem, which is a 4 billion year old bit that fell to Earth in a (wait for it) meteorite.
The Space Gems
So, yes, you literally have pieces of space embedded in the watch! And just so you don’t think that this is some sort of fakery, all of the celestial pieces used in the Nuvati watches are authenticated by Steve Arnold (a professional meteorite hunter), and each watch comes with a certificate of authenticity. This all adds up to a very curious bit of trivia about the piece, as well as just intrinsically making the watch interesting as a whole. Now that we’ve got the space part of the equation out of the way, lets move on to the time side.
One of the first thing that hits you (after the gems and such) about this watch is it’s size. The stainless steel case comes in at 47.5mm x 56.5mm (32.5mm by 43mm for the women’s version), and it’s fairly thick as well (no doubt due to that sealed oil compartment for the diamonds). Functionality on the piece is limited to a simple three-hander layout (again, that oil compartment would make anything more a bit tricky), driven by a Ronda quartz movement.
The crystal protecting things up top is mineral, and the watch itself meets the shock resistance standard set forth in NIHS 91-10 (then again, quartz movements are generally pretty shock resistant). The caseback is solid, and this all nets a water resistance rating of 100 meters. Going along with that rating, you’ve got a silicone strap – so you’ll be set if you need to take a quick swim with the watch on.
In daily wear, the watch was fairly comfortable. The silicone strap wears well, and the slightly curved caseback helps to snug things in a bit more. Of course, it is a taller case, so slipping this under a cuff can be tricky, and you’ll want to watch where you’re swinging your arms around to prevent dings. With our polished case sample, it’s a watch that gathers some attention, while the reasons for it being an interesting watch (the space gem) are more subdued with the black dial hiding them a bit. The one thing I will caution you on is that crown – it does still out a fair bit, so depending on how your day goes (ie, a lot of typing) you may find that digging into your wrist a bit.
If you’re not a fan of our combo (polished case, black dial, white diamonds) but like the idea that Zanis is going for, then you’re in luck. They have plenty of other combinations, which include a red or white dial (with color-matched silicone strap), a brushed or PVD finish on the case, as well as black diamonds or pink sapphires replacing the white diamonds. One way or another, you can probably find a combination that further tickles your fancy.
So, who is this watch for? I think first and foremost it’s for the person who’s really in love with outer space, as that’s truly the main draw for the piece. I mean, otherwise, $1500 for a quartz three-hander ($1400 for the women’s version), even if it was part of a 600-piece limited edition (as the Nuvati is), would just be a nutty price. When you add in those bits of space (and of course, the diamonds), then you can start to come around to seeing why the price is what it is. Definitely not for the every day person – it’s for the folks who have (or had) dreams of going into space, or the collector who’s looking for something just a little bit different. Whatever camp they fall in, the person who picks up a Nuvati will have something that’s out of this world. zanis.com
