Over my tenure here at WWR, I have reviewed all manner of watches. Generally when they are coming in from brands I may not have heard of before, they are on the, well, heavier end of the spectrum. By this point, my wrist is fairly used to bulky steel divers. Today’s watch, on the other hand, was a bit of a “shock to the system” you might say. The Titan Edge is by far the lightest and thinnest watch I have ever worn.
Specs
So, let’s just get the almost unbelievable specs out of the way – the Titan Edge weighs a mere 36g, and is a hair under 4mm thick. To put that in perspective, a quarter measures in at 1.75mm. So, how do they get a watch to be so light, yet not make something that will bend the first time you put it on? They made the case out of titanium. No word on the grade used, but still – that makes for a very light and strong case.
Quartz
Tucked into that case they have an impossibly thin 1.15mm quartz movement. Yeah, its is just a simple three hander, but you really cannot expect more out of a package that small. Given the costs that are surely involved in making a watch of this nature, you would (justifiably so) think that Titan would skimp in some of the other areas, but that is not the case.
Watch Strap
The crystal up front and the caseback are both sapphire, the partially open-worked dial has a carbon fiber layer, and the whole package manage to carry a 30m water resistance rating (I wouldn’t swim with it, but you can certainly withstand the odd splash of water). The whole package is paired up with a 22mm watch strap with a deployant clasp.
This leather strap was really the one weak spot of the watch for me. It is fairly thin itself (as befits the watch), which is fine by itself. However, there is a ventilated pattern stamped into the strap. This, combined with the thinness, calls to mind (at least for me) a bandage. That all said, pairing a different strap to this watch would be tricky, even with the standard 22mm lugs. You simply would not want to get anything that was too bulky on it.
How is the watch to wear? When you get into the class of watches like these (and there are some mechanicals that approach this level of slim, but they are pretty spendy), comfort is certainly at the utmost. Frankly, once the watch is strapped on, you truly do not even notice that it is on your wrist.
Comfort
Sure, there is not much of a bend to the lugs, but that is fine in this case, as the watch really is not standing off from your wrist all that much. In other words, this was one of the most comfortable watches that I have worn, bar none. It is a little unfair to compare it to a 16mm steel diver, but I am able to do that for you, and it is what it is.
Time Keeping
In terms of telling the time, that works well enough. The actual time-keeping portion of the dial is fairly small, but the polished silver-tone hands stand out sharply against the black of the dial, which makes telling the time a simple affair. Should you not have any light, then you are out of luck. Perhaps fully-luminous hands (in white) would make for an interesting option.
Carbon Fiber
For our review, we were sent the ref. ND1576NL02A of the Titan Edge, which has portions of the dial filled in with carbon fiber, and the movement offset within the case. There is an option without the carbon fiber filling (which also has a rose gold tone finish option), and then there is a version that has the movement centered and a larger handset. In other words, there should be a style that is more to your liking, I imagine.
Price
As it was, the Titan Edge we were sent was a treat to wear, and quite unlike anything else I have had crossing my desk in my tenure here. Regardless of the style you choose, the Titan Edge carries an MSRP of $650. Now, on the surface of things, that seems pretty spendy for a quartz three-hander. This is unlike any other though, courtesy of the materials and movement used. Also of note, the wily web shopper can find the Titan Edge at a lower price floating down on the river. Even at MSRP, I think this is a reasonably priced watch; at any discount, it becomes quite the steal. titan.co.in
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Titan Edge
- Price: $650 (MSRP)
- Who we think it might be for: You want a thin watch that won’t weigh you down, but the mechanical options are just simply too expensive
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: I could see a time and place for a watch like this, so yes – though I might opt for one of the other models in the lineup.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: I would be curious to see fully-lumed hands showing up on the watch
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: Call me a weight weenie, but the lightness and thinness of this crepe of a watch is unlike anything else I have experienced.
Tech Specs from Titan
- Case: Titanium, 42mm diameter, 3.9mm thickness
- Movement: 1.15mm precision quartz
- Strap: 22mm calfskin
- Crystal and caseback: Anti-reflective sapphire
- WR: 30m
