Speaking of price, the SevenFriday is priced well, but in the scope of timepieces, still exists in a niche category. With a US price of about $1,100 per watch, SevenFriday P collection timepieces are not cheap in the scheme of things. These prices are still way too high for the average mainstream consumer. They are, however, cheap when compared to most mechanical Swiss watches, especially those with wild designs. I will go so far as to say that almost zero Swiss watches offer genuinely interesting avant-garde watches for about $1,000. At that price you can get a Swiss Made mechanical watch, but for the most part they will be classically or conservatively designed. Of course, you can spend $10,000 to $100,000 on a wild Swiss watch, but then you are in a completely different demographic of people who aren’t just able to afford five to six figures on a watch, but people who are able to afford five to six figures on a watch they probably aren’t going to wear on a daily basis.
The short of it is that SevenFriday watches are priced well for what they are, but it really depends on your perspective. If you are used to spending Omega and Rolex prices and want a fun mechanical watch for occasional wear, then a watch from SevenFriday will look like a bargain. If you are going from a several hundred dollar Japanese watch to something like a SevenFriday P model, the jump will feel like a lot, though you do get a rather interesting design, and overall excellent product curation. Even the presentation is very good. Each SevenFriday watch comes in a large wooden crate-style box, and the overall mixing and matching of case, colors, and straps is very clever. I even really like the curvy adrillon strap buckle that thematically fits the shape of the case.
Inside each of the SevenFriday P1, P2, and P3 watches are Japanese Miyota automatic caliber 82S7 movements. The hands are, of course, highly customized for SevenFriday watches, especially as two of them are discs with indicator hands on the dial. The movement has 21 jewels and operates at 21,600 bph (3Hz). The power reserve on the 82S7 is about 40 hours and as a mid-range Japanese mechanical it won’t be the most accurate watch in the world, so if worn regularly it is best to adjust the time each week or so.
It is difficult to sum up the overall collection of SevenFriday P watches since there are so many varieties. About 10 versions currently exist and I am sure that more will be included in the future. I think my favorite is actually the original SevenFriday P1-1 watch in polished steel matched to a slightly glossy leather strap. The others are also cool but it depends on your mood and what colors you tend to normally wear. I don’t consider the SevenFriday as being a watch I would wear on a daily basis, but that is OK, timepieces like this exist for fun when you want to show off, not for business meetings or going on a hike.
Personally, I think it is wonderful when a brand finds a niche and becomes successful at filling it. SevenFriday isn’t reinventing bread, but it offering a new flavor for those tired of the same taste all the time. Considering the typical watch crowd who is used to spending $5,000 and up for a single watch, the roughly $1,100 price of a new SevenFriday P model seems like an inexpensive investment–and in truth, for the money, the quality ain’t bad. For those who can’t afford the truly remarkable wild mechanical watches that go for five figures or more, a very suitable (and cool) option exists with a SevenFriday timepiece. The average price of a SevenFriday P collection watch is 982 Swiss Francs but the collection currently ranges from 925 – 1288 Swiss Francs. sevenfriday.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: SevenFriday
>Model: P1-1, P2-1, P3-1, and P3-2 watches reviewed
>Price: 925 – 1,054 Swiss Francs
>Size: 47mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Seasoned watch lover looking for a modern looking mechanical watch that looks like nothing in their collection to wear a few times a month.
>Best characteristic of watch: Genuinely fun and innovative design with a good level of quality for the money. Refined produced presentation.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Dial can be difficult to read and it is hard not to want a Swiss Made movement. Large case size might be difficult for some to pull off.
