The folks at Ballast
are on a mission to reboot the submarine-themed brand, adding a host of
new models to their line up like the Trafalgar BL-3133-02. The watch
will officially debut at next month's JCK Show in Las Vegas in June, but
sent me one early to put it through its paces, and I'm glad they did,
as the watch incorporates a unique mechanism that I was dying to try.
I first encountered Ballast in July 2014 when I reviewed the Trafalgar Dress GMT.
The Trafalgar watches are named for the famed British nuclear
submarines, and incorporate a fanciful interpretation of military chic. I
recall marveling at its Byzantine aesthetics while dropping gratuitous
references to "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." I'll spare you
the Jules Verne this time, but know that the new Trafalgar picks up that
same steampunk theme and then dials it up to 11. It is by no means
subtle. On its left side is a plaque proclaiming the motto of the Royal
Navy Submarine Service: "We Come Unseen." With this watch, that is
hardly likely.
It starts with a 46.5mm case (not
including the canteen) that is 14mm thick. Relatively short and steeply
angled lugs manage to keep overall length to 54mm. This imposing case
wears three distinct finishes. The main body is brushed IP rose gold
with a polished beveled edge that runs lug-to-lug. The side plaque and
bezel grip are a high gloss IP black, and the bezel insert is brushed
stainless steel. The tri-color motif even extends to the canteen guard,
which sports a stainless cap, black arm, and rose gold hinges. It is a
busy affair that presents some interesting contrasts. I rather like the
way the slim steel bezel insert is sandwiched between its black grip and
the dramatic turbine-like rose gold rehaut, which creates the illusion
of a much larger structure. Overall fit and finish are excellent, with
none of the unfinished edges or uncomfortably sharp corners I have
encountered on some other watches lately.
The dial is equally bold. White
luminant and grainy black surfaces peek through cutaways in the upper
layer. I love the fact that the big Ballast logo at 9 o'clock is also
cut away and lumed. I am not generally a fan of oversize logos, but if
you are going to place one on your dial, you might as well go all out
and make it a design feature. It looks particularly cool at night. A
channel exposes three-quarters of the date wheel for reasons that will
become apparent soon. Applied rose gold numbers mark the 12 and 6
o'clock positions. Everything about it is big, filling the entirety of
the space. Fortunately, the polished, pencil-shaped hands are large as
well, extending to graze their markers. A red-tipped, gloss black second
hand caps it off.
Turning the watch over reveals a
display window etched with a ghostly Ballast logo, and a Miyota 8215.
This reliable automatic movement has 21 jewels, a 40+ hour power
reserve, and 21.6k bph vibration rate, but this old news for us watch
nerds. The real fun is in its "Patented Bezel Control Engineering." To
set the watch, unscrew the canteen cap and push the button beneath. This
causes a smooth, low profile button at 3 o'clock to spring forth. You
now turn the bezel to set the date and see that ring of numbers
respond. Press the pusher again, and use the bezel to set the time.
Finally, press the 3 o'clock button flush and wind the mechanism by
turning the bezel counter-clockwise. It sounds complicated but makes
more sense when you see it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-DfE656fno.
This new approach is all very cool,
but a bit of a head scratcher. Arguably, bezel control could make
setting easier if you were wearing gloves, but it also means that you
cannot use the bezel for timing. Besides, nautical allusions aside, the
Trafalgar is more fashion statement than tool watch. A double-domed
sapphire crystal and 100m water resistance provide ample, but not scuba
worthy, protection, and frankly, you wouldn't want to mess up all that
fancy finishing by doing anything too rough. Viewed as a purely
aesthetic feature, the system does eliminate the crown so using a more
discrete 4 o'clock pusher would streamline the case, but on the
Trafalgar, this advantage is undone by the canteen lock. All said and
done, bezel control is just a nifty curiosity on this watch, but it has
the potential to offer more.
Ballast lavished a great deal of
attention on the Trafalgar, and they did not spare the strap. It is 22mm
wide and made of brown Italian buffalo hide leather that has fabulous
grain and tone. It is brown, edged in black, and accented with tonal X
stitching. The very PAMesque buckle is rose gold and decorated with a
submarine. Theis trap looks fabulous and its rugged leather complements
and balances the intricate head.
The Trafalgar is big, and this isn't
a matter of perception or illusion. It's just a beast. A 46.5mm wide
case is pretty imposing in and of itself, but factoring in the canteen
lock tips the watch over 50mm and that my friends, is too much for The
Time Bum's slender 6.5" wrist. What can I say? I am just not a big dude.
Were I 3" taller and 50 lbs heavier, I might pull it off, but as I am
not, the watch makes me look like a Flava Flav wannabe. Clearly, it is a
timepiece for a much bigger man.
The Trafalgar is currently listed on
the Ballast web site for $499 and should be ready for release next
month. While its size and flash may not be to everyone's taste, the
watch is nicely finished, undeniably eye-grabbing, and the bezel control
function is truly unique.
Pro: Brash looks, odd setting mechanism.
Con: Brash looks, odd setting mechanism.
Sum: Love it or hate it, this one won't go unnoticed.
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