The iconic Movado Museum watch finally gets a design overhaul that actually makes it a good watch. Movado can call it what they want, but this new watch is a pure evolution on the design that put Movado on the map for mainstream watch buyers. The Museum Watch face design that Movado purchased was a brilliant move that made for a great looking watch. Only problem was that barely anyone could read the thing. Over time the cases the showcased the watch kept changing, in the end it was still hard as hell to read watch. The new Movado Master Collection does not exactly advertise this fact, but I believe is the thematic new step for the look, combined with a healthy amount of industrial design in the case shape.
When Movado puts effort into making a new watch, they would be dumb to limit it to one or two models. This new style will be for men and women, with all manners of decoration. The pictured model is one of the best. With an automatic movement and the clean smooth black sapphire (insert between steel) bezel. Quartz movement models will be available as well as those with all manners of diamond settings. Movements are all Swiss of course, most always ETA. The women’s models will be smaller of course (34mm), but the men’s watches will be a healthy 44mm wide.
With a bezel that looks like it moves (but it doesn’t) and actually moving articulated lugs, the design of the Movado Master Collection’s case is pretty intriguing. Overall I like the case, but an ugly face would kill the look. What holds it together is the attractive dial. You could remove the texturing on the face and the asymmetrical hour markers and you’d basically be left with the Museum Watch face. The quasi-sunburst pattern is part of what the original Museum Watch was all about – as the orb at 12 o’clock was meant to represent the sun. The message is pretty clear. Movado will always sell its bread and butter watches, but it realizes that in order to have a broader appeal, it needs to have timepieces available to watch lovers like me (and hopefully you) that need to have function first, then looks – but both are important.
All the little touches on the Movado Master Collection watches are pretty nice, and a black rotor with an engraved “M” is always fashionable. I can tell that Movado is serious about this collection and while I can pass on the diamonds, I think it is something to strongly look at for people who are taken by the looks. Hard to predict prices in this segment. I’d say $2,500 – $5,000 most likely. More than that and they are losing our interest to more exclusive brands.
See Movado Master and Museum watches on eBay here
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