The Brathwait Classic Slim is the latest in the modern trend for slimline dress watches presented on Nylon NATO straps. Popularised in the UK by Daniel Wellington, they offer a combination of style and tradition. Looking equally good on men’ or women’s wrists, you can quickly change the look simply by switching out the NATO for a different colour, or even a leather watch band. How does Brathwait’s Classic Slim hold up against the competition?
Brathwait: About the Brand
Brathwait is an American brand. Their selling point is that they say their watches are sold closer to cost price than their competitors, and they even supply a cost breakdown on their website. They offer free worldwide shipping and a no-quibble 30 day return policy. All watches are guaranteed for 12 months.
Brathwait Classic Slim Watch – Features
Features:
- 1.9mm domed sapphire glass, with anti-reflective coating.
- Case made from 316l stainless steel.
- Swiss quartz movement.
- Water resistant to 100 metres (10 bar).
Dimensions:
- Case size: 40 mm wide.
- 7.5mm deep (including crystal)
- Living with the Brathwait Classic Slim
Living with the Brathwait Classic Slim Quartz Watch
We spent a week with the Brathwait watch to see how we got on with it in a number of situations.
What we liked:
- The red second hand is a nice touch and the overall presentation is superb. It feels like it costs a lot more than it does and it will make a wonderful gift.
- The Brathwait Classic Slim watch is really, really thin and fits easily under a shirt sleeve.
- The quartz movement makes it a good low-maintenance watch for occasional wear. It will sit in the box and keep time for months on end.
- The quick change NATO straps are a great idea. If you only have one watch you can change the look in seconds. It costs less than £10 for a decent nylon NATO watch strap in any colour scheme you can imagine.
What we didn’t like
- We could not get past the way that the hands on the Brathwait Classic Slim feel too short. They do not reach the markers on the dial. Brathwait claim this is because the watches are designed around the “golden ratio” but we think it looks odd.
- A date window is something we find essential on a watch for it to qualify as a daily wearer.
- We thought it looked great with a shirt, but rose gold does not suit sportswear quite as well.
- It’s expensive for a special occasion watch. You can pick up a basic dress watch in a similar style for much less that will do the same job. Amazon have them from just £15! Although the price is competitive compared to the high street, you can pick up a near-identical Daniel Wellington model for less than £100. The other watches in this style also usually have better-proportioned hands.
Buy a Brathwait Classic Slim watch
Overall, we like what Brathwait are trying to do, but we would not pick the Classic Slim over a similarly-styled cheaper watch. The domed crystal and red second hand are attractive but were not enough to make us fall in love with it.
You can buy a Braithwait Classic slim watch from eBay.
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