While you can definitely describe me as a fan of Brew’s cool retro watches like the Metric Automatic, recently it feels like their focus has been on being generically retro rather than the fun details that they originally made a name for themselves with. I’m specifically talking about the fact that they originally made watches that were designed to help you brew the perfect coffee. Over time it felt like the coffee aspect became less important to their designs but now it’s back in full force with the Brew Super Metric Chronograph.
The case will be largely familiar to anyone who has come across the Metric collection before with its characteristic cushion shape and integrated bracelet. It’s a really cool 1970s inspired design that looks great with its brushed finishing. It’s also charmingly svelte with a 36mm diameter, leaning into the smaller dimensions of vintage timepieces.
Where the Brew Super Metric Chronograph really comes alive is the dial. What really sticks out are the unusual rectangle subdials with the 6 o’clock subdial displaying small seconds on a vertical display and the 10 o’clock subdial showing a 60-minute timer on a horizontal one. The contrasting orientations of the rectangles is very distinctive, I’ve never seen it before in watch design.
As to the coffee reference, if you look at the peripheral chronograph seconds scale, you’ll see that the 25-35 second portion is highlighted with a different colour to the rest of the scale, marking the perfect timing for an Espresso shot. There are four options of the Brew Super Metric Chronograph available, each with distinct colours across said scale as well other accents such as the subdials and decorative lines in the 6 to 9 o’clock quadrant.
There’s Burnt Orange with a combination of black, grey and orange, arguably the most subtle and restrained of them all. Then there’s Royal Blue with dark blue, grey, black and yellow, Electric Blue with light blue, orange, yellow, black, grey and white and lastly Lumina Yellow with yellow, orange, dark blue, grey and black. The different combinations are each striking and remind me of the interesting variations you usually find on watches from Farer, like their retro inspired Cushion Case. Though if anything these Brews are even more colourful and eye-catching.
Beneath the colourful surface of the Brew Super Metric Chronograph is the hybrid meca-quartz VK68 movement from Seiko. If you’ve not come across meca-quartz before, they’re chronograph movements that use quartz regulators to power the traditional timekeeping elements of the display but then also use that power to operate a mechanical chronograph function, hence the term hybrid. It means you get the accuracy, reliability and longevity of a quartz timepiece with the tactile feel of a mechanical chronograph when you press the pushers.
That brings us to the price, which is £379 for all four variants. If you’re a fan of colourful watches (and most Brits are) then this is definitely worth looking at, especially as it’s not an unreasonable impulse buy if you have money burning a hole in your pocket. I know the rectangular subdials will probably be a marmite feature on this watch but for everyone who hates them, there will be someone who loves them.
Price and Specs:
More details at Brew Watches.
Classic look a bit like. The parking meter. And a all round good price