Regular Time Bum readers should already know a little bit about Chris Vail. He is the iconoclastic founder of Lew & Huey watches,
boldly waging a one-man war on boring watches. He is also an occasional
Guest Bum and all around mensch. This past week, he shipped me all
three versions of his new Cerberus, the everyday watch in the Lew &
Huey line up. Let me tell you, Chris has a refreshing idea of
"everyday."
If I were
asked to describe a solid everyday watch, I would say it should be a
42mm round case, as this is the size most guys seem to want. I'd suggest
100 meters water resistance, so you could get the most use out of it. A
bracelet would be a must. Maybe a combination of brushed and polished
finishes to make it interesting. Finally, a conservative black or white
dial. There, I've designed a watch! The most boring watch on earth. This
is why I blog and Chris designs.
The Cerberus
does indeed start with a 42mm stainless steel case with 100 meters of
water resistance, and it does wear a bracelet, a 22mm H-link that is
brushed with solid end links. It fits neatly against the case with no
unpleasant gaps and no squeaks or rattles. It secures with a signed,
tri-fold clasp. About the only criticism I can muster is that there no
polished surface on the bracelet to coordinate with the polished
surfaces on the case. Yes, I know. I'm nit-picking here.
The movement
is the Miyota 9015, a high beat, high quality automatic. It is an
excellent unit, and increasingly popular among micro brands. The only
negatives are a somewhat noisy rotor, and the fact that I have written
about it so many times I can recite its specs in my sleep: 28.8k bph, 24
jewel, hacking and hand winding capabilities, and a 40 hour power reserve.
Now it gets
interesting. The lugs are twisted, similar to the Omega Aqua Terra or
Lew & Huey's own Riccardo. The upper surfaces, bezel, and crown are
polished. The sides are brushed. The lugs curve downward to hug the
wrist, and feature drilled lugs for easy spring bar removal. The crystal
is sapphire, of course, with an anti-reflective coating and a barely
perceptible dome. Flip it over and you will discover the Lew & Huey
logo dog Sparky rendered in three-headed, fire breathing form. He also
appears on the crown in his usual one-headed guise. It is an attractive
case, with many welcome details, but it is not the star of the show.
The real
action is on the dial. The Cerberus comes in three color ways, each with
a textured dial surrounded by an brushed and anodized rehault that
lends a pop of color. You have the choice of grey and red, blue and
orange, and white and blue. Moving inward from the bright ring finds a
chapter ring in the main dial color, with numbers that match the
rehault. The index continues on a another brushed ring set below the
first, the indicies printed in the reverse color. Finally, you reach the
main dial with its vertical pinstripe texture, and Sparky in monochrome
relief. The applied markers are polished and filled with SuperLuminova,
just like so many others you may have seen, but close inspection
reveals another subtle detail. They have beveled edges that catch the
light, reflect the rehault color, and create a touch more presence. The
white date wheel peeks through a polished, beveled frame at 6 o'clock,
truncating that marker.
After all this
rich layering, you couldn't have boring hands, could you? They are -
and please stay with me here - a broad dauphine style, with blunt tails
and noses, polished, but vertically bisected with a black line, and
partially filled with lume that starts just behind the tip and extends
to only 2/3rds the length, creating the illusion of a semi-skeletonized
hand. The second hand has an aircraft style counterweight and is tipped
in the accent color. Got all that? If not, just squint at the pictures. I
remind you again, this is the sort of detail Chris lavishes on an
everyday watch.
Given my
description, you might think the Cerberus is part peacock, a flashy
confection ill suited to daily wear. Au contraire mon ami. The overall
effect is actually quite sober. What you notice at a casual glance is a
handsome dial that catches the light in intriguing ways, providing a
shifting array of tone and texture. The only element that demands your
attention is the color ring, and even then, in the best possible manner,
like a bright tie against a conservative white dress shirt and grey
suit.
The Cerberus
is also an appropriate size for a modern men's watch. A 42mm diameter is
on the larger side of mid-range, but it should suit all but the
smallest wrists. Lug-to-lug length is a relatively compact 50mm, made
ever so slightly smaller by the curved lugs. On the wrist, the watch
sits comfortably and with just over 12mm height, it tucks neatly under a
cuff.
This is a
watch you could easily wear every day. Need to wear a suit? The Cerberus
is ready. Pulling on a polo for some golf? Grab the Cerberus. Did it
get wet? No problem, just don't scuba dive with it. Through it all, it
will look amazing. Getting a little bored at that staff meeting? Just
gaze into that dial and try to count all the clever bits.
The Cerberus is available now for $575.
Pro: Magnificent details everywhere.
Con: Not much to gripe about here, but a little brightwork on the bracelet might have been nice.
Sum: An everyday watch, that is by no means ordinary. The Time Bum approves.
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