Color is an important detail of the design. Braun uses yellow for the chronograph, with their signature red arrow pointing to the case. A yellow dot is even placed on the chronograph start pusher, in addition to being used on the dial for the chronograph hands. It is a deep yellow that reminds me of what mango habanero salsa looks like. The dial itself is rather ingenious in its design. Braun has a sort of signature look to all of their analog watches, which is carried over from clocks, and personified in the BN0095 – at least in chronograph form.
It isn’t easy to take the look of a clock and turn it into a watch dial. It can be done, but much of the time it just ends up looking strange – as though the proportions are wrong. When it does work, the results are famous (think Mondaine’s Swiss Railway watch). The BN0095 dial starts with a matte black surface with three slightly recessed subdials. You then have a relatively large sloped flange ring with minute indicators. Hours use Arabic numerals rendered in that iconic soothing font that seems to indicate the time in a friendly manner. If Ikea made a high-end quartz watch, it would be this. No wait, I mean Braun. The hands are pretty well sized and block-like to suggest purpose. They are lume filled and small lume points dot the flange ring. A final thought about the dial is that Braun included everything needed for full legibility and function, yet succeeded in making it look open and uncluttered. Over the dial is a sapphire crystal.
There are four versions of the BN0095 available. Two in black and two in brushed steel, each with a black rubber strap or matching metal bracelet. The black version is the BN0095BK, while the brushed and satinized steel version is the BN0095SL. Personally I like the black model on the rubber strap the best. The bracelet isn’t half bad with its unique one link (on the outside) design, but the rubber strap here takes the cake for comfort. It comes with a deployant clasp that hides the excess strap on the inside, and offers a nice clean look to go with the BN0095.
Praise is due to the bracelet as well. It has half-links that allow for sizing precision, and it has a butterfly style deployant clasp. It isn’t at all bad, but personally I prefer the watch on the strap – which in my opinion looks best on the matching PVD black steel case. Inside the watches are Swiss quartz chronograph movements (probably ETA), that measure down to one second (not fractions of a second), and up to 12 hours. Again, there is a date window as well. Despite being modern and unique, the BN0095 is nevertheless conservative and simple. It is one of those watches you could gift without worry, or wear when you want something easy to look at and under the radar. Prices for the Braun BN0095 start at $725 and go to $850. For my favorite version in black on the strap it is $800. You can purchase them online via Braun’s site as well. braun-clocks.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Braun
>Model: BN0095
>Price: $800 USD
>Size: 43mm wide
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Design lovers on a budget who don’t ‘need’ a mechanical watch
>Best characteristic of watch: The beautiful dial layout and design
>Worst characteristic of watch: Pricey for quartz and special case should offer more water resistance.
