The Swiss are known for three things: chocolate, private banking, and yep you guessed it, watches. More specifically, the Swiss are all about precision. It is imbued in all things Swiss. For example, their folk hero William Tell is said to have successfully shot and split an apple from his son’s head with a swift bolt from his crossbow. Simply put, when it comes to buying a high precision watch, you can’t go wrong with Swiss.
This week, I got hold of a Rotary Dial Chronograph Watch. Rotary has been around since 1895 (it’s the third oldest dedicated watch manufacturer in the world) and in the 1940s was the official watch supplier of the British Army—a move which, no doubt, increased the profile of the brand in UK. Today, they are considered a superbrand.
You can get Rotary watches from a number of watch retailers, but nothing beats the convenience of ordering one from the internet and that is where WatchShop, the official UK Rotary stockist, comes into the equation. What’s wonderful about them is that if you order any watch over £60 before 4pm, you automatically receive free next-day delivery. This sounds just about right since you will be spending a fair bit of that student loan cash on the shiny new watch.
When I received the watch, the first thing that caught my attention on the bold white box was the text at the bottom – “International Lifetime Guarantee”. I guess this means I never have to worry about it breaking down and paying for repairs right? Well, yes and no.
There is one condition to this great promise. Rotary ask that you send the watch in for professional servicing at least every 3 years. The cleaning, lubrication, and replacement of any worn parts that ensues will cost you, but Rotary argue that this contributes to the long life of the watch.
The Guarantee Conditions
Now, on to the watch itself. Once you remove the presentation box, you find a standard watch casing. Opening this then reveals a white/cream interior with the softness and comfort of a luxurious sofa set.
As expected, the watch is wrapped around a mini-cushion which am sure would make a fantastic life size pillow.
Immediately, the watch exudes elegance and I can already picture myself wearing this at a ball, job interview, or even on a smart/casual night out.
Since it is a chronograph watch, you have a stopwatch function which can be activated by pressing down on the uppermost crown. The long thin hand represents the seconds, while the mini dial on the far left represents the number of minutes that have elapsed.
To reset the stopwatch, simply press down on the bottom crown. After seeing this for the first time, I realized that I could easily indulge in resetting the stopwatch all day!
When you push down the crown for the reset function, the seconds hand and mini dial are automatically driven back to zero in a fast, smooth, and rather gratifying motion. That alone makes me love the watch more, although I am not sure what I would ever need an analogue stopwatch for when I have a digital one on my iPhone.
Like many watches, stainless steel is used throughout and the bracelet is made out of solid metal. The silver colour makes styling much easier because you can wear it with virtually anything. Personally, I have a preference of matching it with darker colours.
Another cool feature of the watch is that it is waterproof. So on a night out, if you end up at a foam party and get all soaked up, you do not have to worry about your bling bling malfunctioning like I did with my old watch. This watch will keep on running regardless.
The Rotary Dial Chronograph Watch is a high performance watch that will add swagger to any student for many occasions. It may not be able to take all the surprises students can throw at it (for that consider a G-Shock watch) but if it can handle a foam party and the rainy days that catch you without an umbrella as you head to lectures, then you will be a satisfied customer.
The retail price is quite high at £185, however, the exclusive white summer edition which I got has been discounted for a limited period (until August 31st 2010) by 50% here. At £92.50, the watch is offers great value for money. With a lifetime guarantee, it will keep on running through your University years and beyond.
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