The horological fray in Singapore must be suffocating. So many microbrands are born out of the tiny Asian city-state that one wonders if there’s not something in the water. It could just be the fact that its residents both have money (it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world) and are very conveniently located near China. While new brands seem to pop up every day, many aren’t up to snuff, and among those that are, there aren’t many that truly intrigue. For me, Etien Watches is an exception, thanks to the Etien T02 and its gorgeous flinqué enamel dial. As the name suggests, the T02 is the brand’s second model. While the first model (released in 2021) also featured flinqué enamel dials, the watch as a whole was less thought-out with a barely-there minute ring, a case that seemed just a bit off, and a perfunctory automatic movement (I’ll touch on that later). With the T02, the brand seems to have found its stride.
The Etien T02 comes in a case that won’t win any awards but will please almost anyone who tries it on. At 39mm across and just 8mm thick, with a 46.5mm lug-to-lug, it wore very well on my 7-inch wrist and will probably do so on just about any wrist. The case features brushed sides and a polished top, including a round bezel. The pull-out crown yields just 50m of water resistance, which is exactly what I’d expect from a watch like this. Part of me would like to see a chamfer or two on this case to give it some character, but as it is, the design allows the dial to do all the talking.
The watch is equipped with a 20mm quick-release blue leather strap with light padding and a pin buckle closure. I’m not a huge fan of padded straps, but this was already broken in when it got to me, so I didn’t have any problems. I can’t speak to how pliable the strap is right out of the box, but I’ve never had a great experience with padded straps as they create unnecessary stiffness and thickness. I suppose some may argue the padding adds durability or luxury or something? I just know I want a strap that is good to go right away.
The dial of the T02 is absolutely stunning. While the brand calls this color “blue,” I’d say it’s closer to teal, but perhaps I’m splitting hairs. The flinqué enamel centerpiece is created by carving the guilloché pattern with a CNC machine, then layering translucent colored enamel over it to achieve the almost iridescent sheen. The subtle spiraling of the pattern is almost hypnotizing. This elegance—fanciness, even—is restrained a bit by the brushed metal chapter ring. The ring’s markings are cut and then black-filled to improve legibility, with polished leaf hands indicating the time. Smartly, the brand name is placed on the ring, and not on the centerpiece, ensuring an unfettered display of the enameled guilloché. The style of the chapter ring lends an almost industrial bent to the dial, keeping it from feeling too formal. But make no mistake: while I think there’s some flexibility allowed by the chapter ring’s more modern look, everything else about it (and the entire watch) suggests a dress watch.
Through a display caseback, the watch shows off its hand-wound ETA 7001 movement. There’s some nice striping on the bridges and some perlage on the baseplate, but other than that, this is a relatively no-frills execution of this common manual caliber. The movement runs at 21,600 vph with a power reserve of 42 hours. Some may prefer an automatic movement, but this is likely not going to be someone’s sole timepiece, instead getting occasional wrist time either in rotation or for more formal occasions. That type of wear really doesn’t necessitate an automatic movement, which would add unwanted thickness, and the power reserve should be more than enough to get you through a nice evening out.
If you take a look at the Etien T01 and its specs, what becomes clear is that the T02 isn’t so much a new model as an evolution of that original watch. It’s sleeker, sexier, and more refined. While the T01 sold out, the T02 shows a young brand that’s capable of improvement early on and willing to undertake the steps to make to be better. Rather than coming out with an entirely new model (like a market-friendly GMT or diver), Etien has perfected its image and, in doing so, has laThe Etien T02 is priced at $1,450 USD; the blue is limited to 50 pieces and available immediately, while both the ice blue and olive green options are limited to 10 pieces and are available for pre-order. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
Necessary Data
>Brand: Etien
>Model: T02-Blue
>Price: $1,450 USD
>Size: 39mm wide, 46.5mm lug-to-lug, 8mm thick
>When reviewer would personally wear it: To a special occasion where I want to low-profile watch that rewards those who spot it (and is a pleasure to see on my own wrist)
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone looking for a special piece with a lot of character, perhaps as a wedding watch
>Best characteristic of watch: Flinqué dial, obviously.
>Worst characteristic of watch: There aren’t any bad parts of this watch… I suppose the fully polished case is a bit generic?