As a sports watch, the Ancon Magnus fares pretty well. The chunky case is antimagnetic, as well as water resistant to 200 meters. Around the dial is a diver’s style rotating timing bezel that certainly enhances the look. Despite the bulky nature of the 15.8mm thick case, it wears comfortably and looks pretty cool on the wrist. I suppose it should, being a “fashion watch.”
Attached to the Ancon Magnus is a thick Panerai-style leather strap with a matching Panerai-style buckle. If you like vintage-style leather, then you’ll like the strap a lot. It distresses nicely and offers a cool factor to go with the watch. I think what I most like about the Ancon watch collection is that they are proud to be big in size but cognizant of wanting to be simple in character.
Ancon offers the Magnus in three different dial colors, each with the bronze case. There is the Magnus reference 1943-AGC-4 / MAG001 in black, the 1943-AGC-4 / MAG002 in maroonish brown, and the 1943-AGC-4 / MAG003 in green. Each is pretty nice actually and the collection feels fun in its overall curation. Having said that, I feel that this black dial MAG001 model is the most versatile – though it was hard not going with the green MAG003 model.
Inside the Ancon Magnus watches are Japanese Miyota mechanical caliber 8125 automatic movements. I would have preferred Miyota 9015, but I won’t complain. So at the end of the day, the fashion writer was correct. The Ancon Magnus is a fashion watch, but in ways I didn’t expect. I think people need to stop using the term “fashion watch” as much as they do, especially because most alleged fashion watches simply aren’t that fashionable. The Ancon Magnus is, and for those who want a simple and fun mechanical watch in bronze inspired by great vintage sport models, these make for a pretty decent choice. The Ancon Magnus watch appears to retail for $899, but currently has been officially available for the price of $699. anconwatches.com
Thanks to Matt Baily watches of Montreal for supplying this review unit. Matt Baily is an authorized dealer of Ancon watches where you can order them online.Necessary Data
>Brand: Ancon
>Model: Magnus ref. MAG001
>Price: $699
>Size: 45mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Fashionable guy who is less into pure mechanical watches and more into accessorizing with timepieces that are well done and won’t make watch snobs flinch.
>Best characteristic of watch: Nicely assorted design elements and fun case and dial designs.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Hands could benefit from being a touch longer and have a bit more lumiant for darkness viewing.
