Really love the dial design, especially the font they chose for the numerals. The black applied indices look great too. The wide lugs do look a little off. The Orient that dress watch I reviewed had similar proportions with wide 22mm lugs. Always thought it looked just a little too wide.
Thanks for the review Shane! Comprehensive and balanced as always. Love the strap show and macro footage as well. I've had my pastel blue for almost 2 months now and have really been enjoying it. I love the color, the design and how it wears on the wrist. I've recently put it on 22mm Seiko bracelet from my SNZG13 which fit and it wears surprisingly well.
Bravo for doing a finished product Kickstarter review. I do think it's important to show the finished product and not just the prototype as often brands do "fix" any issues brought up by reviews of prototypes (Im wearing a watch that proves this!). As for this watch im really not a California dial person. I do like irregular dials on watches, but really get turned off by California dials. I rarely see value in Swiss movements so it was always gonna be far to expensive in my opinion. Having said that it's your watch, you should enjoy 👍
I agree about the rotor should have been customized. The movement is the BEST part of the watch. The rotor should also be skeletonized so we can see through most of it.
I think this watch would have worked better with a 20mm lug width, and/or a more aggressive taper. I think you hit the nail on the head about this about how it wears larger. Thanks for the review!
Very nice watch, the dial is beautiful. Only thing that bothers me is the proportion 40/22 but I realized it when you mention it😝 Good review Shane, thanks👍
Yet another watch I want to add to my watchbox. I tend to favor quartz watches for just sheer grab and go but that mint dial with a cognac strap looks amazing
Thought long and hard about one of these, when they were on 'Kickstarter'. Didn't go for one in the end,and although it's a nice piece, I think I can live with the fact that I missed out. As per, good, honest and in depth review.🖖
I think the seconds hand should be a little longer to reach into the seconds area. Otherwise I think the hands are fine. I would like to see Beaufort imprinted on the inside of the chapter ring area.
@@RelativeTime I meant like Rolex does, but I didn't want to mention Rolex. Inside the dial area, above the dial, all around the inside of the dial case, has "Rolex" imprinted. Some may consider it bling, but I consider it attention to detail.
This was one review I was really looking forward to! I'm as excited about this review as my kids are about some big Fortnite event going on now. They're in the basement going crazy and I'm like, shut up! RT is reviewing the Beaufort Aerotimer! I'm lusting after the salmon dial/ss case - but not for $500. More like $400. I need something like this in my modest collection, especially after picking up yet another black dial watch (Citizen BN0150).
That turquoise dial looks very good also i liked they did something on the rotter , tho i think they should do 20mm lug width , Great review mate looking forward to see that traska !
Some nice features on this watch, and I am a real fan of the California dial, but the watch is not for me. Thanks for the review, and I’m looking forward the Traska review. 👍
PRO: You sound rather like a broadcast journalist from back in the days when journalists still indulged in the quaint practice of committing journalism. Very pleasant; it almost oozes trustworthiness. If you could bottle that and sell itbb you would make a freaking fortune. Now, with this watch, you mentioned some subtle points of lug length, curvature, light reflectionand several other points - which I would never in a million years have picked up on (other than subconsciously) had you not, kindly, pointed them out. And, damned if it wasn't fun, seeing them spring into my reality (I'm speaking loosely, here) for the first time! CON: I just hate it when I am lulled into seriously considering a purchase, and starting to savor the feeling. Then I realize that I am lusting after a Kickstarter, which is, of course, just out of the Goldilocks phase of its pricing lifetime, turning safely (at least for the retailers) toward the stratosphere of purchasing unattainability. Don't you?
Thanks! Takes some time to put these together, so it's always nice to know someone new enjoys them. Unfortunately that's always how it is with Kickstarters. As well as the pre-sale discount's some companies do. It's nice when they work out and you get something great, but it's always a bit of a gamble.
This is actually very nice. They did a nice job with the case. The dial looks nice. Good choice with the movement. I really can’t get behind a California dial or these old-fashioned case designs. Just not my thing.
Good review. The pale blue is not all that bad. But, naming it Aerotimer missed the mark; I think. It comes off as more of a field watch of sorts. You could get a Hamilton for right around what this one is, I think.
You could get a Hamilton - smart choice. But at this point it's all about style and uniqueness. Obvious quality in both watches. Just a matter of what strikes your fancy.
Nice catch...I didn't even notice that. I was going off what the website says. I'll have to look into this then. It feels like pretty good leather, but it does say genuine on the back.
Not this time. In the last month I've already ordered 4 that haven't shown up yet. So I'm waiting for some of those to at least get here before even looking. With the way shipping is it might be another 2 months before they do.
Not a fan of the colour (even though it matches a '61 Triumph Bonneville, one of my favourite bikes) & would prefer a 38mm with 20mm lugs, I Love a Cali dial & the price seems good... Overall I like it, (in white or black) & will keep my eyes on this as a possible future purchase once this covid madness is over. Good review, Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻
I like the watch but I can’t stand that dial. No California dial for me. I prefer the dots for hour markers, I’ll rarely go for Arabic numerals....never Roman....and absolutely never half and half. Otherwise that’s a really great looking watch. It’s refreshing to see something that I don’t have to obsess about. Good review man!
I am curious about how it got started. My guess is someone was trying to repair a dial and ran out of Roman numerals half way through. So they said screw it and this is the result.
@@RelativeTime I was curious too and googled California dial. It turned out that Rolex got a patent for the dial layout in 1942 and in the application it says: "It will be seen that this layout gives a clear and simple turn of the hours, easy to realize with luminous material and allowing an easy reading of the time especially for wristwatch boxes whose dials are relatively small. In fact, the fact that the Roman numerals occupy half the dial and the Arabic numerals the other, clearly distinguishes these two halves. In addition, the Roman numerals chosen are those which are the simplest to perform and the easiest to read." The name California dial is later and there's some debate where the name originates. Here's an article about the issue: www.rolexmagazine.com/2012/09/the-history-of-california-dial.html
California dials disturb my visual processes. I find them very hard to read because they force me to think in two very different ways at the same time. They make me very uncomfortable also.
you are wrong hamilton is not more than $500 go and check Jomashop there are at lest 10 different hamilton models for cheaper than this price ... don't waste your money on kickstarter or microbrands
Well, I said some Hamiltons, I was thinking about some of the more casual/dressy ones. I didn't go into specifics with that for the sake of time. I mean you could do a whole video on just good looking Hamiltons. I was thinking of things like the Navy Pioneer which right now I think you can find for $600-$700. Same with some of the Broadway Day/Dates. Some of the Jazzmasters would also fit the bill too, and sometimes you can find a pretty good price on those. Although I think they are usually at least $500. It depends on the model. The only one that came to mind that is always a bit less might be the Khaki King (which I'm a pretty big fan of anyway). Which Hamiltons were you thinking of?
@@RelativeTime I was thinking of Jazzmaster, aviation and khaki field automatic , in my opinion as a watch collector I prefer to get a watch from reputable company and Hamilton have a long history making watches , however after looking at your channel I figured that you like to review micro brand which is completely fine by me I just wanted to point out that you can get a hight quality product for the same price ... cheers
@@markwayne7580 Gotcha. Well thanks for checking out the channel. Generally, I like to look at everything. It just depends on what opportunities present themselves and where my curiosity takes me.
V is five. Ten is X. Two is eleven. I do understand that people like something different, but these dials disturb me. Count me in the "Never California" group.
Am I the only watch guy who hates the look of a Nato strap with all of that extra length folded back and stuffed in, protruding from the outside of the wrist? All of these video guys who show their watches and it irritates me every time I see it. I'll NEVER buy a NATO strap where I have 9000 feet stuffed back in and sticking out like a defect.
It's sort of the style. Some people love it, others think it's stupid. The one nice thing about it is you don't have to worry about the strap being too small. Well usually.
California dial should be buried where it belongs, in the past. And 500 USD is way too expensive for what is basically a Chinese manufactured watch with no brand recognition.
@@PT111111 I give Beaufort credit for taking a chance and not going the safe, vanilla route. The Cali dial ends up looking so right with this watch. I'll tell you what I would like to see buried though - yet another Submariner homage. 😴
Nice watch, with an original and interesting design and good specs.
Really love the dial design, especially the font they chose for the numerals. The black applied indices look great too. The wide lugs do look a little off. The Orient that dress watch I reviewed had similar proportions with wide 22mm lugs. Always thought it looked just a little too wide.
There is just something about that font that looks great here against the blue backdrop.
Thanks for the review Shane! Comprehensive and balanced as always. Love the strap show and macro footage as well. I've had my pastel blue for almost 2 months now and have really been enjoying it. I love the color, the design and how it wears on the wrist. I've recently put it on 22mm Seiko bracelet from my SNZG13 which fit and it wears surprisingly well.
I like the blue dial.
This is a fabulous looking watch, the only thing I would change is the lug width, 20mm would be perfect. Great video review as always 👍🇬🇧
Looks great in the macro shots. A very nice watch! 😃
This is absolutely beautiful. I especially love that dial colour. Your video are such high quality. Maybe one day I'll get to this level.
I bought on kick starter as well... salmon dial with rise gold case. Extremely pleased with it.
Actually like that color, something different for spring and summer wear.
Bravo for doing a finished product Kickstarter review. I do think it's important to show the finished product and not just the prototype as often brands do "fix" any issues brought up by reviews of prototypes (Im wearing a watch that proves this!). As for this watch im really not a California dial person. I do like irregular dials on watches, but really get turned off by California dials. I rarely see value in Swiss movements so it was always gonna be far to expensive in my opinion. Having said that it's your watch, you should enjoy 👍
One thing this watch has going for it is the sapphire crystal on the caseback.
I like this kiwi, especially in this mint color.
I agree about the rotor should have been customized. The movement is the BEST part of the watch. The rotor should also be skeletonized so we can see through most of it.
I think this watch would have worked better with a 20mm lug width, and/or a more aggressive taper. I think you hit the nail on the head about this about how it wears larger. Thanks for the review!
Yes I totally agree!👍🇬🇧
I like the salmon dial. The light blue is nice as well, different, cool.
Very nice watch, the dial is beautiful. Only thing that bothers me is the proportion 40/22 but I realized it when you mention it😝 Good review Shane, thanks👍
Yet another watch I want to add to my watchbox. I tend to favor quartz watches for just sheer grab and go but that mint dial with a cognac strap looks amazing
great review shane that dial colour is stunning...waiting for the new phoibos review....
Working on that next, as quick as I can before they all sell out.
Great color. I would just remove the date. Keep digging Shane, thirsty eyes staring at the screen.
Thought long and hard about one of these, when they were on 'Kickstarter'. Didn't go for one in the end,and although it's a nice piece, I think I can live with the fact that I missed out. As per, good, honest and in depth review.🖖
David Lloyd Jones all Kickstarter watches end up on eBay half price .
I think the seconds hand should be a little longer to reach into the seconds area. Otherwise I think the hands are fine. I would like to see Beaufort imprinted on the inside of the chapter ring area.
You mean on the bottom. Sort of how Undone does it. That would look good.
@@RelativeTime I meant like Rolex does, but I didn't want to mention Rolex. Inside the dial area, above the dial, all around the inside of the dial case, has "Rolex" imprinted. Some may consider it bling, but I consider it attention to detail.
Great review of an interesting watch - Thank you 👍
Good choice on the pastel dial colour! I love the thick indices as well, class.
Stellar video
Thanks!
This was one review I was really looking forward to! I'm as excited about this review as my kids are about some big Fortnite event going on now. They're in the basement going crazy and I'm like, shut up! RT is reviewing the Beaufort Aerotimer! I'm lusting after the salmon dial/ss case - but not for $500. More like $400. I need something like this in my modest collection, especially after picking up yet another black dial watch (Citizen BN0150).
At that price, this watch runs into a lot of formidable competition. And yes, we agree, Cali dials are just bonkers.
He likes Cali dials, actually.
@@dparis2172 I know.
Well I am a little nuts...😎
@@RelativeTime Ha! Join the club. Great video.
Good comprehensive review Shane.
I rather like it, short hands are hard to unsee though & I think they could be a touch wider too but a very pretty watch.
That turquoise dial looks very good also i liked they did something on the rotter , tho i think they should do 20mm lug width , Great review mate looking forward to see that traska !
I'd wear it but not sure I'd buy it. Do you know what I mean?
You're looking for a sugar daddy?
So sad I cancelled my ks pledge. I think I missed out on this one.
Some nice features on this watch, and I am a real fan of the California dial, but the watch is not for me. Thanks for the review, and I’m looking forward the Traska review. 👍
PRO: You sound rather like a broadcast journalist from back in the days when journalists still indulged in the quaint practice of committing journalism. Very pleasant; it almost oozes trustworthiness. If you could bottle that and sell itbb you would make a freaking fortune.
Now, with this watch, you mentioned some subtle points of lug length, curvature, light reflectionand several other points - which I would never in a million years have picked up on (other than subconsciously) had you not, kindly, pointed them out. And, damned if it wasn't fun, seeing them spring into my reality (I'm speaking loosely, here) for the first time!
CON: I just hate it when I am lulled into seriously considering a purchase, and starting to savor the feeling. Then I realize that I am lusting after a Kickstarter, which is, of course, just out of the Goldilocks phase of its pricing lifetime, turning safely (at least for the retailers) toward the stratosphere of purchasing unattainability.
Don't you?
Thanks! Takes some time to put these together, so it's always nice to know someone new enjoys them.
Unfortunately that's always how it is with Kickstarters. As well as the pre-sale discount's some companies do. It's nice when they work out and you get something great, but it's always a bit of a gamble.
This is actually very nice. They did a nice job with the case. The dial looks nice. Good choice with the movement.
I really can’t get behind a California dial or these old-fashioned case designs. Just not my thing.
Good review. The pale blue is not all that bad. But, naming it Aerotimer missed the mark; I think. It comes off as more of a field watch of sorts. You could get a Hamilton for right around what this one is, I think.
You could get a Hamilton - smart choice. But at this point it's all about style and uniqueness. Obvious quality in both watches. Just a matter of what strikes your fancy.
Full grain Italian leather? But it says genuine leather on the back?
Nice catch...I didn't even notice that. I was going off what the website says. I'll have to look into this then. It feels like pretty good leather, but it does say genuine on the back.
nice watch love the blue cheers
Would've worked for me at that kickstarter price.
The kickstarter price was great. Current retail is reasonable, but also a ton of steep competition.
Do you plan on getting any watches from the AliExpress sale?
Not this time. In the last month I've already ordered 4 that haven't shown up yet. So I'm waiting for some of those to at least get here before even looking. With the way shipping is it might be another 2 months before they do.
It is a beauty. But agreed, 20mm lugs would have been perfect.
Anyone know which strap is used at 4:29?
That's a elastic strap from the watch steward.
Not a fan of the colour (even though it matches a '61 Triumph Bonneville, one of my favourite bikes) & would prefer a 38mm with 20mm lugs, I Love a Cali dial & the price seems good... Overall I like it, (in white or black) & will keep my eyes on this as a possible future purchase once this covid madness is over. Good review, Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻
Not a black dial, but a navy blue one. Great dial color options to choose from.
Thanks. Always good to think about it. Especially during uncertain times. I'm sure some of these will pop up on eBay as well for a little less.
Beautiful watch. I know you are going to think i am crazy but it reminds me of The Alpinist. Sarb 017.
Nice one Shane (:
Yup... your crazy. 😎
I like the watch but I can’t stand that dial. No California dial for me. I prefer the dots for hour markers, I’ll rarely go for Arabic numerals....never Roman....and absolutely never half and half. Otherwise that’s a really great looking watch. It’s refreshing to see something that I don’t have to obsess about. Good review man!
Completely agree
I reckon California dial is an April fool that people believed to be true ,They make me very uncomfortable ...a bit like trying to listen to jazz .lol
I am curious about how it got started. My guess is someone was trying to repair a dial and ran out of Roman numerals half way through. So they said screw it and this is the result.
@@RelativeTime I was curious too and googled California dial. It turned out that Rolex got a patent for the dial layout in 1942 and in the application it says: "It will be seen that this layout gives a clear and simple turn of the hours, easy to realize with luminous material and allowing an easy reading of the time especially for wristwatch boxes whose dials are relatively small. In fact, the fact that the Roman numerals occupy half the dial and the Arabic numerals the other, clearly distinguishes these two halves. In addition, the Roman numerals chosen are those which are the simplest to perform and the easiest to read." The name California dial is later and there's some debate where the name originates. Here's an article about the issue: www.rolexmagazine.com/2012/09/the-history-of-california-dial.html
Grab yourself your drink of choice and listen to Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis and go from there.
@@mrbacchus6127 Drink ?He needed heroin to play jazz .that tells me a lot lol
California dials disturb my visual processes. I find them very hard to read because they force me to think in two very different ways at the same time. They make me very uncomfortable also.
Sorry, ...but I hate the California dial......blame my OCD.....
I like them, but you aren't alone. For some people it's like nails on a chalkboard.
i have to agree with you, it does not appeal to me either
This watch would be too highly priced over $400.00, but since it's a starter watch....
I don't like the mix of arabic and roman numerals. Should be one or the other. Not both at the same time. Otherwise a nice watch.
That's a California dial. Read up on it. You don't have to like it but there is quite a bit of history on it.
I also don't like the mix - no matter what history is there. I am glad we don't have to like it because it disturbs me to look at any California dial.
My thought on California dials....................typical California, take something nice and screw it up.
you are wrong hamilton is not more than $500 go and check Jomashop there are at lest 10 different hamilton models for cheaper than this price ... don't waste your money on kickstarter or microbrands
Well, I said some Hamiltons, I was thinking about some of the more casual/dressy ones. I didn't go into specifics with that for the sake of time. I mean you could do a whole video on just good looking Hamiltons.
I was thinking of things like the Navy Pioneer which right now I think you can find for $600-$700. Same with some of the Broadway Day/Dates.
Some of the Jazzmasters would also fit the bill too, and sometimes you can find a pretty good price on those. Although I think they are usually at least $500. It depends on the model.
The only one that came to mind that is always a bit less might be the Khaki King (which I'm a pretty big fan of anyway).
Which Hamiltons were you thinking of?
@@RelativeTime I was thinking of Jazzmaster, aviation and khaki field automatic , in my opinion as a watch collector I prefer to get a watch from reputable company and Hamilton have a long history making watches , however after looking at your channel I figured that you like to review micro brand which is completely fine by me I just wanted to point out that you can get a hight quality product for the same price ... cheers
@@markwayne7580 Gotcha. Well thanks for checking out the channel. Generally, I like to look at everything. It just depends on what opportunities present themselves and where my curiosity takes me.
Like the color of the dial but really dislike those commiefornia dials. Overall a good looking watch
That seems to be the majority opinion. I'm tempted to through up a poll to see how many people really dislike the cali dial.
V is five. Ten is X. Two is eleven.
I do understand that people like something different, but these dials disturb me.
Count me in the "Never California" group.
I can understand people not liking California dials, but I don't understand feigning confusion over it.
Am I the only watch guy who hates the look of a Nato strap with all of that extra length folded back and stuffed in, protruding from the outside of the wrist? All of these video guys who show their watches and it irritates me every time I see it. I'll NEVER buy a NATO strap where I have 9000 feet stuffed back in and sticking out like a defect.
It's sort of the style. Some people love it, others think it's stupid. The one nice thing about it is you don't have to worry about the strap being too small. Well usually.
Why half roman numeral half Arabic? I don't like that at all.
It's called a California Dial and been around since the 40s. Some people love them, and some people can't stand it.
I liked you review,but the watch is not for me...................
Thanks. Some people love Cali dials, and other people have a violent reaction to them.
Beautiful dial color but California dial 🤮
California dial should be buried where it belongs, in the past. And 500 USD is way too expensive for what is basically a Chinese manufactured watch with no brand recognition.
That pretty much rules out all microbrands.
@@RelativeTime Helm begs to differ.
@@PT111111 oh Helms Great. Completely over built for $300.
@@RelativeTime Overbuilt, oversized and overweight, but if that's no bother then it's a lot of watch for the money.
@@PT111111 I give Beaufort credit for taking a chance and not going the safe, vanilla route. The Cali dial ends up looking so right with this watch. I'll tell you what I would like to see buried though - yet another Submariner homage. 😴
What's with Kickstarter pulling the black lives matter hashtag? Have they sold out?