Newer watch brand ELYSEE offers a range of styles and values with most of their products being under $1,000. My primary interest is in their Swiss mechanical watches which includes this ref. 71003N (71003) Classic Aviator Automatic. It isn’t a complicated design, but rather, is intent on featuring a classic look in an easy to read and wear package.
The watch itself is 42mm wide in polished steel with a “coined edge” style bezel. This bezel was popular on historic aviator watches and can be found on “retro” models from today. Things get a bit more formal into the dial where ELYSEE used an engraved silvered dial with Roman numerals giving it an almost Breguet-esque look and feel. Sport returns as you see the minute scale on the periphery of the dial. The idea is simple as ELYSEE goes for a hybrid look between formal and aviator watches. I believe the look is quite successful as the dial design feels natural.
ELYSEE uses aviator style hands that are coated with lume. Trust me when say how happy I am that the hands are the right size! A date window is placed neatly neat 3 o’clock and over the dial is a sapphire crystal. Quality is impressive for this model as the case feels solid and the polish is nicely applied. In addition, the case is water resistant to 50 meters and has an aviator style “onion” crown that is easy to grip and operate.
Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2824 automatic movement. You can see the movement through the sapphire display back on the rear of the watch. Nothing super fancy, but there is a custom rotor plate. The watch wears comfortably with the padded black leather strap accented with contrasting white stitching. And there is a small ELYSEE logo engraved in the ardillon style buckle. It does, however, feel that maybe ELYSEE used a buckle that is about 1mm too wide. This doesn’t really affect much, though, as I am just being nit-picky at this point.
On the wrist, this piece looks pleasant; the lugs stick out a little but that should only cause an issue on very small wrists. The dial is very legible and I think it does a good job at taking cues and aesthetics from the two different style genres the design of the 71003 borrows from. I wouldn’t call it a sport watch but rather a formal/business casual watch that is unique but conservative at the same time. Price again is in the $1,000 range – and is closer to the high-end of what the brand currently offers.
