Pompeak Classic Watch Review

This website was originally set up to promote British brands: here’s our review of a new UK watch – the Pompeak Classic.

Pompeak Classic Review

My first impressions of the Pompeak Classic were very positive. The box has a lovely soft feel, and the watch sits on a good quality cushion within. Presentation matters more when it comes to dress watches, and Pompeak has not cut any corners here.

Let’s deal with the elephant in the room: I’m just not sure the name “Pompeak” fits a dress watch. It might grow on me, but it first brought to mind those DHgate watches with random Anglicised names.

Case

The Pompeak Classic wears larger than its 40mm case size would suggest thanks to its dominant dial, but the caser wears well, slimming down in all the right places. I thought that the side profile could have been a little more streamlined: the case brought to mind a dive watch rather than a dress watch – this one is more like a Rolex Explorer than a Cellini. It’s only 10.4 mm thick but looks like more because of the flat case sides.

Inside is a Miyota 825S movement (no ghost date position when you pull out the relatively small and fiddly crown) and around the back is a display case back. Pompeak has made some effort here, with a cutout rotor and decorated movement that doesn’t look bad at all. It’s all topped off with a sapphire crystal.

Dial and Hands

The hands-on this watch are superb; they have a  crease in the middle and catch the light in a beautiful way. The dial itself has a guilloche effect and is set out in multiple layers – not entirely unlike the similarly-priced Filippo Loretti Rome, I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. An open heart allows the balance wheel to be seen beating away at the front, and the seconds are in a small subdial. A seconds track around the outside has some applied dots and overall, there is a strong three-dimensional feel.

There’s a lot going on in the Pompeak Classic dial, but it never overwhelms, each element adding another layer of texture and coming together in an attractive whole. I would like an option not to see the open heart, which I am not enamoured by, and would have preferred the seconds sub-dial to have four tick markers rather than the numbers, but that’s not to say there is anything wrong with the watch as it is.

Bracelet and Clasp

It costs £5 more to have this watch on a bracelet rather than a strap, and I would recommend you go for the bracelet as reviewed. It’s a substantial solid steel five-part design with polished links either side of the centre. It is 21mm wide at the lugs – and so your choice of replacement straps will be limited. I’m not sure why Pompeak chose not to go for 20mm or 22mm here. The clasp works well – it’s a tried and tested butterfly deployant design.

Pompeak Classic – Video Review

What I Liked

  • The watch looks good and is well built
  • Full marks to Pompeak for coming up with an original design
  • With your WRUK discount code, the watch is very competitively priced

What I Didn’t Like

  • Open hearts are an acquired taste, and not to mine
  • I thought the numbers made the seconds sub-dial a bit too busy
  • I’m not 100% sold on the brand name

Pompeak Classic – The WRUK Verdict

Overall, I can absolutely recommend the Pompeak Classic. It’s not a style I would normally go for, but the whole package hangs together really well. The build and specifications are spot on, and it is well worth its RRP of £324. And with our 15% discount code, it’s even better value.

Buy a Pompeak Classic Watch

You can buy a Pompeak Classic at https://pompeak.com – use our Pompeak watches discount code WWRUK15 at the checkout for 15% off, which brings the watch as reviewed down to a smidgeon under £280.

Win a Pompeak Watch

Pompeak has kindly donated this review watch as a competition prize: enter here for a chance to win it: https://wristwatchreview.co.uk/giveaway

By Mike Richmond

Mike spends what little spare time he has writing for WRUK; and what little money he makes building up his collection of timepieces.

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