Remember that bit about the reactions of industry insiders when they saw this watch? Well, the way the case is done plays a major role in that – perhaps as large as the globe and the quirky dial itself. In short, the case is fantastic in its execution. The bezel, lugs, as well as the concave profile are all highly polished, with neatly defined edges and beautifully crafted surfaces. The case gives so much to the way the Tycho Brahe wears: from up close as well as afar it makes it look like a luxury watch should, not just because it is shiny, but because the surface areas are proportionate to one another, making this 42.8mm case look smaller, more delicate, and tasteful than all luxury watches up to $20k that I have put on in recent years. It’s just right in every way, as far as I am concerned.
Wearability, thanks to the lightness and touch of titanium is great, further improved by the low thickness – at under 12mm with a boxed crystal, the watch feels as though it is sitting nice and low on the wrist, without any wobble. The blue, padded calf leather strap is thick and took about two days of normal wear to break in and get truly right: now it holds the watch securely and comfortably. The tan lining and white contrast stitching are a nice detail, and so is the choice of blue that is just dark enough to work with any attire thanks to it not being a “shouty blue” but rather a more discreet tone. The slight taper from the 22mm lug-to-lug width to the 20mm grade 5 titanium buckle enforces the strap’s elegant side, saving it from looking overly sporty. The polished titanium buckle does pick up scratches rather easily.
On a day-to-day basis I found the Vicenterra Tycho Brahe Tome 2 Blue to be as comfortable as I had hoped it would be – because this is a watch I want to wear and have on me all day, so that I can look at it whenever I want for a moment’s worth of entertainment and appreciation for the talent and attention for details hiding in indie watchmaking these days. I have worn watches that were light and yet not really comfortable before, so the titanium case by itself is no guarantee for anything. It takes good lug design, strap choice of material, taper and thickness, as well as choice of buckle all together to make for good wearability – and here, thankfully, all these boxes are ticked.
Summary
I’ve been thinking long and hard about any issues that I could find with the Vicenterra Tycho Brahe Tome 2 Blue. Any deal-breakers would have stood out for me long ago, so I’m just trying to nitpick and find hairs to split, but I keep coming full circle enjoying and deeply appreciating this watch as it is. My pet peeve (one of them, in truth) being watch hands – I would like to see them be a hair longer and a tad thicker, but this really is where things start and end as far as what I’d like to see slightly more refined is concerned… and it feels weird writing this, because I do actually like these hands and the legibility of the watch.
So there. Considering wearability, novelty-factor, reliability, legibility, comfort, pricing, design, attention to detail, and quality of execution, I don’t think anything comes even remotely close to getting this many things right in just one watch. And you see, it couldn’t possibly have been a diver, or a freaking lazy arse vintage re-release – because they drop out on the novelty factor (and often comfort and quality of execution). I hands down believe that if you get this watch, you’ll be very happy and satisfied with where your money went – and not just for a few weeks or months, as unlike most other gimmicky watches, this one does perform stellar as an everyday wearer that is comfortable and easy to read.
Wearing, reviewing, and digging into the details of this Vicenterra has been as refreshing as I expected it to be in the long run – as I keep wearing it for years to come. Well done. Limited to 99 individually numbered pieces, price for the Vicenterra Tycho Brahe Tome 2 Blue is 4,259 CHF without taxes – a price kept low by Vicenterra selling direct to its customers, eliminating the more than considerable margin a retailer would add. This watch is also available with a black DLC titanium case and dial for about 1,200 CHF more, also limited to 99. vicenterra.ch
Necessary Data
>Brand: Vicenterra
>Model:Tycho Brahe Tome 2 Blue
>Price: 4,259 CHF without taxes
>Size: 42.80mm wide, 11.70mm thick
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: All of them.
>Best characteristic of watch: Beautifully executed, novel concept paired with great everyday wearability at an extremely competitive price.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Make the hands a tiny, tiny bit longer and thicker.
