Berhardt Instruments Binnacle
INTRODUCTION
I noticed Bernard's Avier dive watch on their site and thought it looked kind of cool, but above my price range. Bob "rhd" Davis' Thomas Gref diver got my attention, which is really an impressive watch, but again too rich for my blood. That is when I stumbled onto the Binnacle. I know what you are thinking, what the heck is a Binnacle, well, here is the text book definition:
"Anti-magnetic case that supports and protects a ship's compass, located near the helm."
A nautical term for sure, but a funny word nonetheless. When I first saw the watch on-line, it was just a rendering and I was not going to jump on it based on a computer generated picture, so I waited. Once nicer pictures started popping up, I got excited. It is just like Bernard's Avier, but way cheaper and in my opinion, a nicer dial! That is when I jumped! 2 months later, I have worn it swimming, working out, playing with my kids and even going out! So far, I am quite impressed. It is solid, well built and is keeping great time!
I have been trying to answer the many posts requesting information on this watch as best I could, but I feel a full-blown review would be paramount. Since I no longer write professionally, I need all the practice I can get. So here we go!
CRYSTAL, BEZEL & DIAL
The case measures 39mm in diameter and is a mere 12mm thick. It is nice mix of brushed and polished 316L stainless steel. Shape wise it is similar to the traditional Rolex Submariner design, but with screw bar lugs and a standard screw-down case back (non-coin edge). I honestly expected to have a hard time with the screw bars, like I did with my Dreadnought & Marathon SAR, but I did not! They were easy to take out and a breeze to put back together again. The unsigned screw-down crown is very efficient and sits perfectly between the significant crown guards.
The case back is a lot more impressive than I expected. Not Omega Seamaster or Dreadnought impressive, but way better then I anticipated. I thought it was going to be laser etched, but it is actually engraved. Not very deep, but you can feel it when you pass your finger over it. I am the type who appreciates a nice case back over a display back, especially on a 200m-dive watch.
When I first started this hobby, I loved thin watches and nothing over 48mm in diameter. How times have changed! Now I am into everything over 40mm, but I still prefer them rather thin. This one is just a smidgen under my preference in diameter, but perfectly and comfortably thin.
MOVEMENT
The flat sapphire crystal lies slightly below the bezel and is untreated for reflections. The 120-click bezel itself is nicely finished, but feels a tad clunky. I would have preferred it to be a bit smoother, but at least it is flawlessly aligned. I wonder if I popped it off and tightened the prongs a bit, would it be more to my liking? Hum…
The dial is very impressive! With Arabic numbers at 3, 6, 9 & 12 and the date displayed at 4 o'clock. Normally, I would have commented on the use of a black on white date wheel, but because of its location, at a glance it looks a lot like the other markers, which makes the dial extremely symmetrical. All of the markers are applied, with polished metal surrounds. The luminescent paint is evenly coated and pure white in daylight, making for excellent contrast.
The nicely designed hands are exceedingly legible and compliment the dial. I am especially fond of the bright red seconds hand. Reminds me of the Japy diver I had a few years ago. From the blown up pictures I have seen on-line, I was afraid all of the writing on the dial would be "too much", but it real life, it is unpredictably discreet! The red company logo and the Binnacle name all but disappear at certain angles and the rest of the writing is small enough not to be cumbersome. I also find the font choice for the model and company name interesting without being obnoxious.
A minor pet peeve is the writing SWISS MOVEMENT, which replaces 5 minute hash-marks at 6 o'clock. Why do this? Could they not have just engraved that on the back and saved the minute track?
The movement used on this model is the trusty ETA 2824, the same workhorse that powers the Breitling SuperOcean, the Tudor Hydronaut, the Doxa SUB750T and so many others. From my understanding, this is a raw movement, with no elaborate finishing and no adjustment. For the price, I did not expect anything else. Here are the movement's specifics:BRACELET
When I first got it, it was running at a very fast + 10 sec/day, but it has now settled to a reasonable + 5. Heck, my Seiko MarineMaster is running at + 8 and its pre-owned value is nearly 5 times the price of a NEW Binnacle!
CONCLUSION
This is where the Binnacle shines! Unlike most watches at this price point, the bracelet for this watch uses screws for sizing, and not just flimsy screws, but super thick ones! It is 20mm at the lugs and taper down to 18mm at the clasp. It is a mix of brushed outer links, with the middles ones being mirror finished. The sides are also polished, as well as the clasp portion the does the extending when opened.
The clasp is not your average stamped steel, but a solid design a la Sinn. There is no diver's extension, which surprises me, but since I do not dive, I do not really mind. In fact, I have owned many watches that have had rattling diver's extensions and wished I could bypass them. That is one of the reasons why I appreciated my MarcelloC Tridente. It gave me the option to have one or simply leave it off. Too bad other companies have not caught on to that concept. At any rate, I for one will not miss it.
As solid as this bracelet is, I feel it rattles a good deal. Maybe I am just used to more expensive watches, or maybe the watches I am used to have tighter tolerances, I do not know. It could also be that with age and acquired WISdom, I have become extremely anal and am way too difficult on my watches? Could this be the reason why I trade them so often? Hum…
The Binnacle also comes with a sporty rubber strap and push-button deployant buckle. It looks really nice on the watch, but the over abundance of fur on my wrist disallows me the pleasure of enjoying it. Instead I wear my Binnacle on a delicious Bros Magnum strap coupled with a polished push-button butterfly deployant. The latter combo really accents the lugs and makes the entire package extremely comfortable, to the point of not even realizing you are wearing a watch! Hey, I wear a 200g Seiko most of the time, this thing feels like a feather compared to that beast!
It is simple. I wanted something fun, inexpensive and different. Well, I found it. At $299, what other watch can boast a sapphire crystal, screw bar lugs, screws for sizing the bracelet, an ETA 2824, WR to 200m and all the other little details I mentioned above? All that and a 2-year warrantee! Not to mention that dealing with Fred was a true pleasure. I have seen him around on TZ for years; it was nice to finally buy something from him.Thanks for reading,
I asked him how he got the idea; he told me that he has been working on this project for years. He and his partner, Dan M. Burns, have been offering these watches to various Universities with customized dials, eventually marketing their own brand. I am pretty impressed with their first watch and look forward to what lies ahead. Who knows, Bernhardt Instruments just might be the next Limes!
Marc
N.B. All pictures above by Chris Hohne, Tim Philipps & Fred B. Amos. My pictures would have never done the watch justice.
