If you recall, we’ve brought you word on a number of new Vesuviate releases, including the Attivo, Attivo Chronograph, and a rather lovely GMT. If you like the idea of being able to track a second time zone, but really dig the case profile of the Attivo lineup, then the Vesuviate Attivo Duplex is going to grab your attention.
What is the Vesuviate Attivo Duplex?
Looking at the Vesuviate Attivo Duplex, you can tell that it started life – at least on the design board – as a Vesuviate Attivo. In fact, other than the case being 0.5mm thicker, the dimensions are the same. So, we’ve got that square TV case as the platform, as well as the comfortable bracelet with its wide, polished, center section.
Where things get different, then, is in the crown placement. Or, well, the placement of the crowns. Given the fact that there are two movements in the watch, you’ve got two crowns. Rather than cutting into the flanges on the side of the case, you have them in opposing corners. This keeps things feeling balanced, particularly with the dial placements.
Wait – two movements?
That’s right, friend. If you want the simplest way to track two time zones, it’s going to be with two watches or two clocks. Or, as we have here, two movements. I’ve got some experience with this layout, as the watch I bought for – and wore at – my wedding was a dual movement watch. While that watch was quartz, the Vesuviate Attivo Duplex goes with an automatic mechanical movement.
As you might imagine, the Peacock SL-7020 is a rather small movement. While this allows Vesuviate to package two movements into one case, I like it for another reason. Frankly, this shows us just how compact a watch movement can be. Often when we’re reminded of this, it’s because the date display is set way inboard on the dial. With this watch, the sizing just doesn’t carry on the language of the line. It’s also part-and-parcel of being able to fit these movements in near each other.
What it’s like to wear
If you’ve worn an Attivo before, the Vesuviate Attivo Duplex is going to feel very familiar, as the proportions are all the same, and the bracelet appears to be the same as well. The big difference in wearing it is going to be setting two movements, should you let them wind down. There’s also the matter of keeping straight which one you’ve set to local time, and which has been set to the second time zone. I settled on the lower register being local, and the upper being set to GMT.
When it comes to reading the time, I’m of two minds. Most of the time, I could quickly look and at least see the minutes hand to see where in the hour I was. When it came to getting the hour (or the GMT hour) though, I found my brain getting tripped up. If I had my reading glasses on, it wasn’t an issue. However, without the glasses, it took me a lot longer than I’d expect to get the time. So, bear that in mind – if you’ve got less than perfect eyesight, the smaller dials could be a challenge.
Wrapping things up
While that can be a problem (if your eyes are like mine), it does allow for a very intriguing dial pattern. To my mind, it is reminiscent of either waves, or a field of seaweed waving away under those waves. At the end of the day, the Vesuviate Attivo Duplex wasn’t quite the slam-dunk for me as the Volare was. Then again, that’s me. So, if you want a simpler yet different way to track time zones, this is a solid and stylish way to go. If you want to pick one up, you have your choice of six different dial colors. Regardless of color, they all come on a steel bracelet, and go for $545. Check out the details, and order your own, at vesuviatewatches.com
Vesuviate Attivo Duplex Tech Specs
- Dimensions: Width 39mm x Length 46.2mm x Thickness 11.5mm (At the apex of sapphire)
- Case & Bands: Stainless Steel 316L case hardened to 1,100HV +/- 10% heat treatment
- Crystal: 2.55mm thick Domed Sapphire 2,000HV with inner anti-reflective (AR) coating
- Case back: 2 x 1.2mm Flat Sapphire Crystal 2,000HV, SS316 exhibition case back
- Movement: 2 x Peacock SL-7020 Gilt (Peacock Factory custom Gilt)
- Power reserve: ?36 hours (Typical)
- Accuracy: -10 ~ +30 sec (per Day)
- Frequency: 28,800 vph (vibrations per Hour)
- Jewels: 25 pcs
- Rotor Winding: Bidirectional
- Anti-shock: Shock Protection System
- Bracelet / Strap: 24mm, Stainless Steel 316L case hardened to 1,100HV +/- 10% heat treatment
- Water resistance: 10 ATM / 100m / 330ft
- Indicators: Hours, minutes, center sweep second. Swiss Super-LuminNova BGW9, Gr A
- Weight: 160 gm (complete with all the links)
- Designed: Singapore
- Warranty: One Year
