JAFO wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 10:20 pm To me, it actually comes over somewhat negatively that CW immediately dismiss the idea of customisation. I would have thought it would increase sales and revenue, and be very easy to do. They could even say no refunds on customised watches.

It's hardly any different to changing the strap, really.

Which brands that sell a similar quantity of watches to CW accept such customisation?

Neil

On this site there are some amazing photos of the silver and my worry about the detailed works being almost invisible on the silver dial are not unjustifiable any more (at least based on these pics) :
https://www.fratellowatches.com/hands-o ... o-classic/

In this photos the silver looks so much better than any color. The photos here are way better than the photos on CW own website.
If this watch truly looks like this Silver is getting higher on my list than Gold. Based on CW website I`m more into the gold, but based on this website Silver is more to my taste.

nbg wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 10:23 pm

JAFO wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 10:20 pm To me, it actually comes over somewhat negatively that CW immediately dismiss the idea of customisation. I would have thought it would increase sales and revenue, and be very easy to do. They could even say no refunds on customised watches.

It's hardly any different to changing the strap, really.

Which brands that sell a similar quantity of watches to CW accept such customisation?

Neil

I doubt there are any, or not many. However CW initiated a lot of things that are becoming industry standards. If not initiated they were early adopters. Easy strap changes, easy bracelet adjustment. Small order requirements for bespoke orders. They do engraved case backs, which is a customisation. I thought some other mods wouldn't be hard to achieve, and would attract enormous interest. That's all. It might be easier to achieve with a higher cost, carefully managed watch.

HAYQ wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 10:27 pm On this site I there are some amazing photos of the silver and my worry about the detailed works being almost invisible on the silver dial are not unjustifiable any more (at least based on these pics) :
https://www.fratellowatches.com/hands-o ... o-classic/

I think this reviewer has got it spot on about the stylistic mismatch of this watch and what is effectively the same bracelet as the lumiere.
They got a pass on the original Bel Canto, but on this guilloched geejaw (but undoubtedly lovely) example of a watch head, it comes across as a bit gauche. Opinions will vary and mine may well change on this point.
Perhaps it simply leaves opportunity for the designers to get it more right, the next time?

Griso wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 1:43 am

HAYQ wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 10:27 pm On this site I there are some amazing photos of the silver and my worry about the detailed works being almost invisible on the silver dial are not unjustifiable any more (at least based on these pics) :
https://www.fratellowatches.com/hands-o ... o-classic/

I think this reviewer has got it spot on about the stylistic mismatch of this watch and what is effectively the same bracelet as the lumiere.
They got a pass on the original Bel Canto, but on this guilloched geejaw (but undoubtedly lovely) example of a watch head, it comes across as a bit gauche. Opinions will vary and mine may well change on this point.
Perhaps it simply leaves opportunity for the designers to get it more right, the next time?

I completely agree with you. They’ve already done so much with the BC model—it now comes in almost all the colours of the rainbow, with options like lumed markers, Roman numerals, a sunburst dial, and even a guilloché dial.

At this point, the only things left to improve are making the case smaller, thinner, and updating the bracelet. Once they’ve tackled those three areas, I think it’s time for them to move on to new designs.

The article photographed the silver version so well that I’m actually a fan of it now, and even the bracelet looks decent! But if I decide to buy it, I’d go for the strap. If they release an improved bracelet later on, I’d consider getting it then.

Griso wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 1:43 am I think this reviewer has got it spot on about the stylistic mismatch of this watch and what is effectively the same bracelet as the lumiere.
They got a pass on the original Bel Canto, but on this guilloched geejaw (but undoubtedly lovely) example of a watch head, it comes across as a bit gauche. Opinions will vary and mine may well change on this point.
Perhaps it simply leaves opportunity for the designers to get it more right, the next time?

Or simply the opportunity for the would-be customer just to buy it on a leather strap instead?

Just to answer a couple of questions that have come up...

Answers from CW.

Q: Will the new dial affect the sound of te chime?
A: No change to the chime. Seems if any difference, it’s immesurable.

Q: Will the redesigned Bader Buckle be available across the line.
A: On the buckle, yes, it will be rolled out across all the obvious models (C1s) in due course. Not sure when yet. I’ll keep you posted.

Well, for me the timing is a no as I have a new motor vehicle purchase due in 3 months when it arrives on the boat from Japan and it's a chunk of change...and I'm excited for that!
At least it's open series.

Here's the thing though for what it's worth:
On my skinny 16cm wrist I can pull a Bel Canto off I think but it's absolutely as big as I'd want to wear. I expect it would wear pretty similar to my Moonwatch and that's fine (on my wrist right now...) but I've been preferring smaller recently, like my Twelve Ti 36. Which I like a LOT.

The Oro Classic is my favourite Bel Canto thus far, and clearly so. As for the Romans, the time-telling dial is fairly small so I doubt in practice it will have much impact either way on the look of the watch. I think the guilloche suits the watch really well. Contrast hands on this one - yes!

So when the dust settles on everything, maybe 12 months, might just get the itch with this, on leather. Rather fancy a BC and I think this would be it.
I expect it wouldn't spend that much time on wrist (there's a lot of competition in my collection) so the size is OK on that basis.

But I'm still of the view the BC is a special thing in the world of horology. I understand there's an element of "BC- yet again" for some but that doesn't change that it was a Good Thing on release and it still is.

Quickie:
Anyone notice the hands on the Oro version in this pic on the website?

@Noush - am I seeing correctly that they are the blue ones?

Your point on the sizing is one I thought of last night. 41mm for a sports/tool watch is not unusual, so I’ve never worried about size on my ‘original’. Once it becomes a ‘dress’ watch, 41mm is a little big for the style typically. So in my make believe dream world it would be great to have the Classic sized slightly smaller.

That’s obviously outside the realms of reality and not a complaint, just something I thought about yesterday. Probably won’t stop me ordering one.

Best,
TB

Noush wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 11:03 am Quickie:
Anyone notice the hands on the Oro version in this pic on the website?


8@2x.jpg

The hands on Oro look blue here and it looks very nice, so I wish they had kept it that way.
I was having hard time choosing between the gold and the silver versions however after see the photos on fratellowatches.com I`m getting more and more into the silvery version. It comes across as more classic and elegant looking, like subtle luxury as suppose to the flashy colours of blue and especially the Christmas-green.

Yes indeed, blue hands in that pic, dark grey elsewhere and the pic of the one already delivered. I'm guessing the pic above is prototype and it got changed in production. Better in the grey I think. Silver with blue hands does seem the more 'classic' option.

Personally it's not a dress watch. For me dress watches should be simpler and slimmer especially, although others will see it differently. For me BC is an interesting daily wear.

Noush wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 12:13 pm Yes indeed, blue hands in that pic, dark grey elsewhere and the pic of the one already delivered. I'm guessing the pic above is prototype and it got changed in production. Better in the grey I think. Silver with blue hands does seem the more 'classic' option.

Personally it's not a dress watch. For me dress watches should be simpler and slimmer especially, although others will see it differently. For me BC is an interesting daily wear.

I'm not entirely sure what officially qualifies as a dress watch, but I think it partly depends on wrist size. On my 17.5cm wrist, this size could work, though a slightly slimmer version would probably be ideal.

I tried on some Santos Dumont models at Cartier, and while I liked them on paper, they didn’t feel quite right in person. The slim case, though elegant, didn’t feel substantial enough for the price—especially the model I liked, which was €14,000. It looked good, but it felt a bit too delicate, almost like a toy for that cost. So I decided not to buy it.

Recently, I also tried the blue boutique version of the Tudor Black Bay Chrono. It’s 14mm thick, but on my wrist, it didn’t feel bulky or heavy. While it’s not a dress watch, I think watches slightly above 13mm can still look balanced on certain wrist sizes.

I do get your point, though—this watch seems to fall somewhere between a tool and a dress watch. Depending on wrist size, it can work as either, and more importantly, it has the flexibility to be a great daily watch.

Kip wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 10:47 am Just to answer a couple of questions that have come up...

Answers from CW.

Q: Will the new dial affect the sound of te chime?
A: No change to the chime. Seems if any difference, it’s immesurable.....

I watched the youtube video review by Chris [our forum member] and I think the new BCC's chime has slightly more resonant lower overtones. He played the chimes for both watches side by side.

HAYQ wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2024 1:17 pm I'm not entirely sure what officially qualifies as a dress watch…

You’re not alone. It’s probably as hard to define as (maybe harder than) tool watch. Worth a thread or two in its own right.