CT Scuderia Coda Corta
I am sure this has happened to many of you; you see a watch online, you look at some photos, and you say, I like that watch. You like it so much, you order it, only to get it in hand and not like it so much. Well, in a similar way, that has happened to me. I was asked by CT Scuderia if I would like to do a review and given a choice of models. I looked a few, and picked this one, the CT Scudiera Coda Corta. The case design intrigued me, and I have always been a fan of the bull-head design. When it arrived and I un-boxed it, I did not have that same feeling I did when I saw it in pictures. To be honest, I did not really pay too much attention to the dial when I looked at the photos, I concentrated on the case design. Why do I tell you all this? Simply so you have some background info on where I am coming from with this hands on review. I am not in love it with it, for a few reasons, though I do think it has its place on the market and from what I have seen on social media posts, many others do like it, some in fact love it.
CT Scuderia Coda Corta Specifications:
- 44mm case
- 52mm lug to lug
- 13.5mm thick
- 24mm lug
- Swiss Ronda Chronograph
- Sapphire Crystal
- 10 ATM
- Dark Brown Vintage Suede Strap
Price: Roughly, $1200
http://www.ctscuderia.com/en/cs10176/
Let me start with the case. It is quite interesting, being that it is comprised of multiple pieces that are screwed together. You can see that the main part of the case is all high polished and the lugs and attachment are brushed. This creates a unique look and one that is quite different than a brushed mid-case and a polished bevel or so. Even though I wanted the 40mm model to review but I requested the wrong model number and got the 44, it is not what I consider a giant watch. It is thick for sure, but it does not make a large footprint on my wrist. I am sure I would be happier with the 40mm in terms of just where I am at with watch sizes these days, but I did not have an issue with wearing this one at all. Take a good look at this watch though, whether you like it or not, you have to say a lot went in to designing and machining this case. Precision is key when putting multiple pieces together such as this and I have not found any gaps or seams that would make it look cheap or undone.
As I said, as far as construction and finishing on the case, it is excellent. No issues there. Where I did find an issue was the dial. It of course has the racing speedometer type of dial, and I actually quite like that, but the sub-dials are completely ruined and almost unreadable by the inner second track. Personally I see no reason it was needed and the fact that they overlap the sub-dials makes me question the designer. I rarely if ever use a chronograph on a watch, but I do like the aesthetic depending on the watch, but if I ever wanted to use this one, I would be SOL.
The bull-head style is nice as I said and even though it is a screw down crown, I found no issue with being able to adjust the time while it was on the wrist. This is a definite benefit of a design like this. The CT Scuderia Coda Corta has an attractive case back that is PVD plated and enameled that includes the colors of the Italian flag. Designed in Italy, Made in Switzerland is their tag line.
As I said, I do find this model to be very comfortable on the wrist, and that is attributed not only to the case design but also the very comfortable suede and leather strap. I’m not usually fond of suede straps but I have to say this compliments the design well and includes quick release pins and a Pre-V’ish type of buckle.
That brings me to a few other areas that I dislike. One, would obviously be the lume. I will let the picture below tell the story. The other would be that I can not find this watch for sale! Seriously, I can not find this exact model with this strap for sale anywhere. Yes, there are a good many versions of this CT Scuderia Coda Corta available out there, but with different straps or different case finishes/plating’s, different colors and more. If you really like this version and can not find it online like I could not, contact CT Scuderia directly. That is the only advice I could give.
Reviews of watches such as this aggravate me. I do not like to be negative but in cases like this, I am left with no other alternative. I am not really being negative though, I am being real. Some of the issues I have are not opinion, I mean who would think that lume above is suffice? Let’s touch on the price. It is somewhere around $1200 for the similar models I found online (same watch, different color variations). This is for a Ronda Quartz with a chronograph that I deem not very usable.
How do I wrap this one up? Well, I think CT Scuderia has an eye for design when it comes to the case and strap etc, but the dial could use some work. If you can get over the weird chronograph dial issue and just love the look and construction, you have to ask if all of that is worth it considering the movement. I am always willing to overlook the movement if everything else is top notch. I recently reviewed another very expensive quartz watch in the same price range, and I gave it a similar lashing as well. Not because I am a snob, as I am not. I firmly believe this CT Scuderia Coda Corta and other models from them are targeted more at the fashion watch crowd as opposed to the watch enthusiast. On the surface and at a glance, it is a damn cool watch. But when you get closer, it makes you scratch your head a little. As I said in the beginning of the review, there are people that seem to love it. Don’t believe me, check out our instagram posts and look at any time I posted pics of this watch. So, as sometimes happens, while this watch is not for me, it is for others. And that is good, as if we all liked the same things, life would be boring.
