Next, the Leoncino is fitted with a large double domed sapphire crystal measuring around 37mm in diameter. The crystal size will aid in the illusion that the watch is larger than the advertised 42mm if some of you might be worried with the actual case size. The Anti-Reflective (AR) coating is quite superb as I had little to no problems with glare while photographing the dial even with the doming of the crystal. Beneath sapphire crystal rests an absolutely gorgeous white dial. The dial is clean and uncluttered with very limited branding on the dial itself. Now, the company didn’t completely abandon all of the characteristics commonly found on Magrette watches. The same 12, 03, 06 and 09 dial numerals are present on the Leoncino as other Magrette timepieces. The sandwich style dial, the old radium colored Superluminova in the handset, and numerals and dial cut outs provide a aesthetically pleasing overall appearance. The Leoncino truly combines the best dial characteristics of past Magrette models with some new. The old radium Superluminova initially is quite bright doesn’t have quite the intensity or longevity of other forms of Superluminova but is adequate for a short period of time. Keep in mind the Leoncino is not a dive watch so lume isn’t ultimately as important as it would be on a true dive watch.
I want to cover a couple more aspects of the dial starting with what I believe was great choice of leaving out a date window. I have come to prefer no date watches over the past couple of years for a number of reasons and think the lack of a date window on the Leoncino maintains the aesthetic appeal of the dial. I firmly believe a white or black date window wouldn’t coordinate well with the old radium colored Superluminova aspects of the dial. I can’t move on from the dial without mentioning the stunning bronze/brass plated chapter ring, which corresponds perfectly with the handset finishing and the old radium Superluminova characteristics. I have noticed a similar style chapter ring on several luxury brands, which is quite frankly a perfectly subtle form of branding in most cases. I’m not a fan of overbranding, but it works well in the case of the Leoncino as well because the engraving/etching of the Magrette name around the chapter ring isn’t in your face so to speak.
Moving on to the screw down case back, we find another feature, which is rather atypical for Magrette or any watch brand for that matter. Many case backs follow right along with the overall case finishing especially stainless steel finished pieces. Magrette chose to DLC coat the case back which of course outside of the wearer no one will ever know. The DLC coating on the case back is well applied so it most certainly wasn’t just a whim or and afterthought in the design process. Another great upgraded feature is the sapphire display crystal which measures approximately 28mm providing a great view of the Miyota 9015 automatic movement. Sometimes the little details are what matter most. The Miyota 9015, as I have mentioned on many occasions, in my opinion, rivals the more expensive ETA 2824. The 9015 provides a smooth sweep of the second hand that so many of us prefer, as well as, a hacking feature for more precise time setting.
Finally, I was quite impressed with the strap options offered with Leoncino. The Leoncino, in this variation, comes with a brown and black leather strap. Past Magrette straps were, in my opinion, not as refined as the ones offered with the Leoncino. The brown leather is the perfect compliment to the white dial version of the Leoncino so I wouldn’t expect anyone will be too anxious to look for a custom strap. I’m not quite sure why a black leather strap with red stitching is offered with the white dial model but an extra strap is an extra strap. The straps are well padded measuring over 4mm at the 22mm lug tapering to slightly over 2mm at the 20mm buckle. Personally, I would prefer a non-tapering strap due to my 7 3/4 inch wrist as straps that taper too much tend to not feel as comfortable or balanced for some reason. I do really like the Lorica backing on the straps which should help with any sweat absorption which in turn should help with the overall longevity of the strap. Again the little things always stand out and in this case Magrette finishes of the strap with an absolutely gorgeous custom high polished buckle with a raised logo to boot.
I mentioned in the past about Magrette hitting home runs with their watch models, but in this instance I think they have stepped up to the Grand Slam. Magrette has produced its first quality, bang for your buck dressier style watch with the Leoncino. On top of all the quality specifications mentioned the white dial Leoncino is a Limited Edition with only 667 units produced. I believe the Leoncino is an extremely versatile watch that will function well in a wide range of settings from the boardroom to a night out on the town. Also, at 200 meters water resistant, the Leoncino will function admirably during a day at the pool. The little things that sometimes end up mattering most finishing off the look of a watch are also very evident with the Leoncino. The $650USD price tag, which includes shipping, seems to be extremely reasonable based on the above observations and knowledge of other watch models in this category available on the market. I would like to thank Dion at Magrette for working with WatchReport.com and each of you for reading the review. I look forward to your thoughts and comments as usual. Please take a moment to check out the brief YouTube video presentation on the Leoncino.
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