Linjer Classic Watch Review – How Minimal Can A Watch Get?
I’ve reviewed plenty of minimalist watches before, but this has to be the most minimalist I’ve looked at so far – if that makes any sense.
This brand Linjer got started making leather goods a few years ago and has since moved into the watch space. Obviously, that puts them in my realm. I asked them if I could take a look at their watches a while back and they sent me two over. To be clear they haven’t paid me anything to say anything good about them, though they did gift me the products.
Linjer Classic Review
The first of them is this one named the ‘classic’ and I’ll be looking at that in this post, to see if it’s a decent watch.
Ok so, this watch has some striking styling choices that you’ll notice straight away. First things first is the lack of branding. A few of Linjer’s models go down this route, with no logos visible on the dial or even the buckle. The only time the brand is mentioned is on the rear of the case.
Watch Design
This uncluttered look is compounded by the lack of regular second markers, which are instead replaced by tiny debossed circles. This gives the dial the ultimate ‘clean’ finish and when paired with the lacquered dial you really get that super smooth look. This classic model features a raised chapter ring around the perimeter, not to dissimilar from that in the Nordgreen watch I covered a few weeks back.
The stainless-steel case goes really well with the dial and indices, this particular variant coming in a brushed gunmetal finish, with a single glossed ring near the top of the watch. I generally like these brushed cases as I think they often look higher quality than their fully chromed counterparts and typically look more versatile. A side factor is that they cope with fingerprints and smudges far better, which is something I find really useful.
The crown is really small and protrudes in the normal 3 o’clock position. This one doesn’t feature the regular horizontal notches, but instead features a deep vertical groove. The crown does function better than you’d expect considering the lack of grip, though with wet or sweaty hands, you may struggle.
DIMENSIONS
Size-wise this watch comes in at 38mm in diameter, with a 44m lug to lug size. Those lugs do protrude a little more than I would like, though the watch sits well on my 6 ¼ inch wrist; especially when combined with the sub-9mm depth. There is also a 41mm sized version, which is going to be the optimal choice if you have larger wrists. It’s pleasing that there are multiple options.
I think this is an attractive looking watch, it’s very simple and minimal, meaning it should wear well casually and dressed up, though I can see how some may view the watch as boring; there isn’t that much going on.
Movement
Housed within the watch is a Swiss Ronda 5 series quartz movement. This is a fairly solid movement and to be honest it’s nice to see one of these rather than the overused Miyota quartz options that are all the rage in these fashion watches. Obviously, these movements are going to be really accurate and this particular one has hit the second markers very consistently, though if you’re a fan of mechanical movements, this watch might not be to your taste.
The watch is covered by lightly domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. From tight angles you really get some of that light distortion and this not only looks good, but will provide great levels of scratch protection. You should have no worries about scratching this at work, home or wherever really. This is what I’d want to see at this price point, so I’m pleased it’s there.
Despite the 6 screws holding the rear in place, the watch disappointingly only has 30m of water resistance. If you’re unfamiliar with watches, this may sound like a lot, but in practicality, this means the watch is only really splash-proof. Therefore, I’d avoid washing the dishes or anything like that with it. Nevertheless, it is more of a dress watch, so it’s really not made for that sort of thing anyway.
Watch Strap
Now given this brand is first and foremost a leather company, I had high expectations for the strap. Fortunately, I was far from disappointed in this regard. The strap is made of full grain, vegetable tanned leather and is fantastic quality. It’s supple and feels like it will last extremely well. The strap is aided further by the addition of the quick release tabs. These are pretty common these days and allow you to quickly change between straps should you need to. The only thing that concerns me with this, on reflection, is the colour. It’s slightly more orange than you’d think and I’ve found it a tad tricky to match with outfits. If I could choose again, a darker colour would probably work better for me.
WHERE ARE LINJER WATCHES MADE?
The brand says they have a Norwegian design studio based in Hong Kong. I’m not sure exactly how that makes sense, but I’m gathering these watches are made in Hong Kong, which is what I’d expect for a brand like this. The build quality overall feels really solid and the piece has a good weight to it. Many slim watches can feel really light and brittle but this isn’t one of them, so whichever factory makes these, I think they’ve done quite well.
PRICE
Well, the list price on their website is normally £190, though this seems to be constantly on sale for the £160 mark. At £190, I think it would be overpriced, at £160, I think the price is pretty fair considering some of the specifications. You could definitely do a lot worse.
As a whole, the watch is fairly solid, it’s not my favourite, but I think if you’re looking for a minimalist watch this is a viable choice that’s infinitely better than a comparably priced Daniel Wellington.
Given some of the visible similarities, a couple of you asked me for my thoughts on how this compares to that Nordgreen watch I covered recently.
Personally, I do like the look of both watches, though if I was buying one, I’d probably lean towards this; primarily because it feels better quality. You’ve also got the assurance of the better glass for extra piece of mind, though does cost a slight bit more.
