A Look at A Local Microbrand
For most of us around, a watch is more than just a tool for telling the time, or a simple accessory that looks pretty. It’s a statement of our personality, values and beliefs. And being such a personal piece, who wouldn’t want to have one that is unique to us. Many brands around, whether they’re micro-brands or household name brands gives you the options of personalization- giving you the freedom to add a personal touch to your watch. Often from the caseback to the dial. Having the right watch to start with is the first and possibly most important step in personalizing your timepiece.
What with all the options of personalization available, and the array of watch designs around as well, finding the right one for you can be quite a challenge. If your timepiece is meant to be a statement to last you for a long time to come, then it will be best to stick with a design that is timeless; traditional dress watches, dive watches, sports watches or even skeleton watches are a great place to start. There’s something for everybody in this range, and local brand Aries Gold watches may just be the goldilocks of local microbrand watches.
Locally made affordable timekeepers
With an array of options available, from dive watches, dress watches, sports chronographs all the way up to skeletonized statement pieces, there’s certainly something for everybody in the Aries Gold catalogue. And with their intriguing designs and incredible value, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything else within the price range that offers the same level of functionality, fit and finish.
There’s a certain charm about having a watch that is made locally, perhaps it’s the heritage and closeness to history that gets us, or perhaps it’s the sense of identity and pride too. To have something so special to you that is made
right here at home. With that being said, we have to move on to the array of options that is available when you’re looking to customize your Aries Gold timepiece, and there’s really a lot for you to choose from. Today, we’ll be looking at 3 of their finest watches perfect for all occasions.
ARIES GOLD AUTOMATIC INFINUM EL TORO SILVER STAINLESS STEEL G 9005 S-S BLACK LEATHER STRAP MEN'S WATCH
There’s no getting around the fact that the Aries Gold El Toro is a striking watch. Right off the bat, it’s a skeleton watch, and I know many purists out there will have many things to say about skeleton watches. Some being nice things, and some, not so nice things. But to each their own right?
I think skeleton watches do have a place in most collections, and especially for those starting out into their foray for mechanical watches. A skeleton watch is just more interesting and intriguing to look at than one with a simple dial and a sweeping seconds hand.
Being a skeleton watch, means that there are certain levels of detailing that cannot go unnoticed lest the watch end up looking like a cheap skeleton watch. That’s where the Aries Gold El Toro gets off to a flying start. With a multi-layered and segmented dial, finished with vertical striping and sandblasting on the top and bottom half. Paired with blued applied roman numerals, hands and a neat plaque with the Aries Gold brand name.
It certainly offers a lot to look at, even with the otherwise ordinary but reliable Miyota automatic caliber beating away inside. I do like the hand-set too, blued with bold lume filled sword shaped hour and minute hands, as well as a needle like second hand with a circular cross counterweight adding more visual weight (pun not intended) to an already visually striking timepiece.
The case is neatly finished in a high polish, perfectly befitting of a watch of this stature, and the pronounced lugs take resemblance of a bull’s horns. Which is where the name of the watch comes into play too. El Toro means bull in Spanish, and the watch truly pulls off that bullish presence effortlessly.
All in all, if you’re in the market for a timepiece that really doesn’t look like anything else around, yet still offers the refinement and reliability of most name brand watches for less, then the Aries Gold El Toro should be high on your list of considerations.
ARIES GOLD BLACK SEA G 9027 CF-BKT2 MEN'S WATCH
The dive watch is like a rite of passage for virtually all watch companies around. For a brand like Aries Gold, more well known for their complex and intricate skeleton dress watches, you’d expect something a bit more unconventional and even strange from their new dive watch. But it isn’t. In fact, the Aries Gold Black Sea is a rather handsome vintage style diver that is a pretty good attempt for a brand’s first diver.
The Black Sea is certainly one of Aries Gold’s more tamed designs, looking very much like what a vintage diver should. A bold slap-sided stainless-steel case, with a conventional brushed finishing and a clean legible dial with bold hands and markers too. Paired with a rather slim dive bezel for an added vintage touch and what you get is a rather handsome and unfussy vintage style diver.
Powering the watch is an ever-reliable Japanese NH35A automatic caliber, offering a date and 41 hours of power-reserve too. The case features a threaded crown and offers 200m of water resistance, it doesn’t exactly offer the most ground-breaking performance but it gets the job done.
Reliable, tough and handsome, the Aries Gold Black Sea pretty much offers the performance of a Seiko Prospex diver, though it may be lacking the pedigree. But then again, they are two very different watches. One of them is a serious modern professional tool watch, and the other, is a celebration of an age-old design that has now become an icon in watchmaking. If you’re looking for a casual diver that carries the ethos of the iconic vintage dive watches of old, the Aries Gold Black Sea is certainly the watch for you.
ARIES GOLD LA ORO G 9026 RG-BK MEN'S WATCH
The wristwatch has been a staple of the man’s jewellery box since the dawn of time (well they only really caught on after 1904 thanks to the Cartier Santos but that’s a story for another day) and still is today.
I’m writing this looking at 6 very different watches in my own wardrobe and the one on my wrist and I personally can’t think of a better accessory for a man than a lovely watch sitting on my wrist. In my opinion, no design represents the traditional wrist watch as quintessentially as traditional 3-handed dress watch. While there are many modern variants around offering this timeless design and style, there is one from Aries Gold that perfectly re-creates this traditional, minimalist design for the modern world. I'm talking about this, the Aries Gold G 9026 CF-CF La Oro.
Featuring a stunning coffee brown sunburst dial, with slim and sharp applied indexes and hands, all fitted within a matching polished coffee coloured case. The La Oro in this colourway is unlike any other 3 handed-dress watch out there. The slightly domed sapphire crystal adds a sense of depth to this otherwise simple timepiece, and fits perfectly with the modern-vintage aesthetic.
Made locally in Singapore and powered by a workhorse Seiko Epson caliber, with a 3Hz frequency and 42 hours of power-reserve, the watch with a minimalist (albeit sunburst) dial can easily be dressed up or down effortlessly. A domed sapphire crystal protects the dial within, offering proper durability too thanks to its scratch resistance. With its simplistic design and a subtle sunburst detailing on the dial, it’s an easy watch to wear but one with a unique charm that you just don’t get anywhere else especially being the most affordable watch that we have here today. With timelessly elegant and refined looks, a rather modest level of attention to detail and a reliable movement beating away inside. The Aries Gold La Oro is a fun watch to have and is a great getaway piece for the first-time watch enthusiast.
The Perfect Gifts Too
Besides being a perfect statement for yourself, microbrand timepieces also make the perfect gifts as well. With a slew of personalization services available, such as caseback engraving and dial printing. Nothing says ‘I love you’ or whatever that you’re looking to express with your gift more, than a personalized watch. One that will always remind them of you whenever they wear it or look at it.
If you’re looking for the perfect statement for your style and personality, or just a brilliant gift. Then Aries Gold’s array of timepieces and personalization services are the way to go. Their watches are not just striking and timeless, but with a little input from you, they can be truly made with meaning as well.
