Horage Lensman 2 Exposure Watch Review

The slide rule as a concept is one that’s not exploited nearly enough. It’s a simple concept, even if it takes some serious ingenuity to put into action: you just slide turn the bezel to mark off one value and it’ll do the maths in finding another. The quintessential version of the Navitimer bezel, but that’s the idea’s final form, with a lot (maybe too much) going on. The Horage Lensman 2 Exposure takes a streamlined form of the slide rule bezel, applies it to old school photography, and looks damn cool doing it.

First of all, cards on the table, I am not a photographer. I’ve had a couple of sessions at Leica’s London academy but the lessons have stuck about as much as second-hand Sellotape. I do however vaguely know what ISO, f stop and shutter speed mean. The first is the sensitivity of the sensor, so how much light it’s picking up. The second is how much light the aperture is letting in. Shutter speed is pretty self- explanatory, the speed at which the aperture snaps shut.  The slower it is, the more light the sensor gets, the more exposed the image. As for precise numbers… well, that’s for the Lensman 2 Exposure to work out.

The defining part of the watch is, as you might have guessed by now, its photography-led bezel. On the right hand you have ISO, on the left f stop. These values are always correctly mirror each other, so you can use either as a starting point. You then match it against the inner scale denoting the weather, pictographically represented ranging from bright sunshine to slightly cloudy to indoors (with or without a bright light) to darkest evening.

So, line the correct one up with the ISO or f stop you’re using, follow one of the useful guidelines that cross the dial to the opposite inner scale for shutter speed. So, look at the watch and follow along: you’re shooting with ISO 200 at golden hour (sunset or sunrise); therefore your f stop is four and your shutter speed should be 1/250th of a second.

Now, most modern digital cameras will work all this out for you, so the Lensman 2 Exposure is really aimed at analogue photography, where your f stop is based on your film and won’t change between shots. Either way though, it’s an inspired function and looks cool on the dial, too.

Speaking of the dial, it’s a gorgeous bright yellow. Yes, I have a penchant for bright colours anyway but the bumblebee combination of black indexes and scale aplenty on the sunny backdrop makes for a standout look for all the right reasons. It also works incredibly well with the design, made to look like a vintage camera with its square (with slightly curved edges) case and that bezel imitating the lens.

That sounds like it would make for a relatively large watch, but the Lensman 2 Exposure only measures in at 39mm across. It’s also made from titanium so sits lightly on the wrist. It does make it look a bit busy, and I wouldn’t have minded a bit more breathing room for the scales, but the sizing keeps things tight and easily wearable – and there’s something to be said about this kind of overtly technical look.

Inside is the K2 micro-rotor movement, an absolute stunner with a mix of gridwork and Cotes de Geneve in dark anthracite grey. I’ve seen many movements recently at far higher price points that don’t really compare in style. It also packs a 72-hour power reserve and, as a modular movement, is versatile enough that you should see it across the Horage collection regardless of complication. It even has a silicon hairspring and escapement because at this point, why not?

That all might sound like it’ll have a hefty price tag attached and it would probably justify one. But as Horage have shown in the past, serious yet affordable horology is their remit. Remember their under £6,000 tourbillon? This is a smidge cheaper at CHF 4,900, so just over £4,350. That’s not inexpensive, but for something of this quality, it’s worryingly tempting.

Honestly, I want to see way more of this kind of niche originality. Forget tachymeters and diving scales, get specialist and downright weird. I love the Brew watches with their coffee-timing scales, I love tidal timers on the rare occasions they crop up and I love something so specific, so directly aimed at a tiny crossover audience, as the Horage Lensman. Even if you don’t shoot film, digital or at all (I’m largely in that last camp) it’s a cool thing to have, whether it’s actually useful or just a talking piece. At the very least, it’s a cool looking watch, backed by a great movement with a hook that deserves attention.