WT Author No.1968 review

Another watch has arrived from one of our favourite British brands ahead of their latest Kickstarter – how does the WT Author No.1968 measure up?

WT Author No.1968

 

At a glance

WT Author No.1968

Price
£350
Case size
44mm
Thickness
12.5mm
Water Resistance
100m
Movement
Ronda Swiss Quartz

Presentation of the WT Author No.1968 is to the brand’s usual high standards with a glossy book and their signature recyclable box – with a genuine wax seal. I love the way WT Author presents their watches, and this is no exception.

Case and Movement

The fact that the WT Author No.1968 is a quartz watch will put many potential buyers off, but there is a mechanical version at additional cost. For what it’s worth, the movement is a Swiss quartz, but I personally do not see any greater value in Swiss battery-powered timepieces over those from anywhere else. They’re all more accurate than the best mechanical watches and pretty much all have the same ticking second hand that enthusiasts seem to dislike.

It’s a shame, as the 44mm case is lovely – with a two-part design that emphasizes the thinness that a quartz movement allows (it’s just 12.5mm) and the trademark red crown that appears on all WT Author models. I doubt I’ll ever use the countdown bezel, but it has a positive click and no back play. The case back has engravings just deep enough to look professional and a lovely flash of red around the edge. The WT Author No.1968 is a very wearable watch and makes an ideal grab and go option for my collection.

Dial and Hands

The dial of the WT Author No.1968 is a lovely textured cerulean blue, with applied indices and crisp printing around the minute track. All the applied parts look straight to me, and everything seems as well made as ever.

The hands are white with silver outlines, which makes them a little indistinct – I’d have preferred a darker outline for more contrast. The orange second hand shouldn’t work against the red, black and blue colour scheme – but does. There is no date function – always an issue for me – but I do appreciate that the relatively tiny quartz movement would have probably placed it in an unattractive position on that big dial.

Strap and Buckle

The watch is presented on a rally strap made of Italian leather. It’s really nicely made, with a finish that is just rough enough to look credibly “hand made” but soft enough not to irritate the skin; the buckle is big and chunky, and I had no trouble getting the right fit. The A logo stamp on the tail helps tie all the branding together nicely.

WT Author No.1968 – Video Review

What I Liked

What I Didn’t like

  • The watch is great to wear
  • The design is lovely, with some nice touches, such as the textured dial
  • The strap is quite superb
  • Quartz watches divide opinion in the watch world
  • The standard price is high, even for a hand-made British watch, given its quartz movement.
  • I prefer a watch with a date function

WT Author No.1968- The WRUK Verdict

Overall, I did find a lot to like about the No.1968, but I can’t see where it would fit into most collectors’ collections. Enthusiasts tend not to buy quartz timepieces – especially at £350 – and much as I love wearing it, I can’t see myself buying one had WT Author not kindly provided this review sample free of charge.

Having said that, if you back the new WT Author Final Countdown watch, you can buy an earlier edition – including this one – at a hefty discount. So, if you are planning to back that Kickstarter campaign and you want a nice looking grab and go watch, maybe the WT Author No.1968 is the one for you?

Buy a WT Author No.1968

You can buy a No.1968 and find out more about their new releases at wtauthor.com.

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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