Minuteman Watch Co. MM04 Review

Recently, I sat down to review a watch that truthfully, I had never even heard of. I’d have to say that since becoming an independent reviewer, I have been exposed to so many refreshing brands that adorn the wrists of many, all while I continued to walk around in complete oblivion.

A few months back, Minuteman Watch Co. sent me their first production MM04 model, which arrived at my door step in no time. Being that I am a police officer, I was quite intrigued by the brand when I discovered that Minuteman Watch Co. donates 25% of the profit from each Minuteman product to charities that assist veterans and their families. While I am not a veteran, I have come into contact with many; some that I personally serve with, and others that I have dealt with on the streets that sadly so many have taken to. Who in the hell does that? In a world driven by profit margins and the me, me, me attitude? Minuteman Watch Co. does! Minuteman Watch Co. didn’t stop there. Their company actively seeks out American veterans, whenever possible, and employs them at either of their two United States based locations.

As I opened my brown colored delivery man box, out pops three sheets of crème colored paper, a black padded carrying case, an OD green zulu strap and of course the watch. While I can go directly into watch specs, I won’t, as I believe that you’ll really want to purchase a Minuteman Watch after you get to know who Minuteman Watch is, as a company. Truthfully, you can’t help but to love a company that selflessly gives a large portion of the money to those who are less fortunate.

Earlier I spoke about Minuteman’s two US based locations; one in Gurnee IL and the other in Quincy IL. The Quincy IL location also houses a nifty, thrifty retail store which houses the brand’s name. The stores are owned and operated by Certified Watchmakers, who together, along with dedicated staff, work tirelessly to establish Minuteman watches as a major player in the tactical quartz watch niche.

Contrary to the belief of some major review sites, Minuteman Watch Co. and their watches are not affiliated with LUM-TEC. With that being said, the elephant has now left the room allowing us to proceed, uninterrupted.

Their watches are as “American” as you can get, down to the padded carrying case, which is Made In America as well. Minuteman’s reasoning for the padded case vs. a clunky box is just that; a box is clunky. Most watch lovers only keep a box because we know that if we ever decide to sell the watch, we’ll need to include it as part of the total package. Personally, I can go either way, but in their minimalistic approach to save costs where they can; I can see why they went this route. Remember that saving money on one end can allow for it to be better spent in other areas, such as the actual watch. After having the MM04 model on the wrist for the last few weeks, that’s exactly what Minuteman Watch Co. did.

Specs:

Case Diameter: 43mm

Case Height: 12mm

Lug Size: 22mm

Lug to Lug: 52mm

Leather and Nato straps included

Movement: Swiss Made ETA 955.112 quartz movement

Crystal: Sapphire Crystal with internal A/R coating

Water Resistance: 200m/ 660ft

Limited Edition: 65 pieces for the 1^st production

Retail Price: $599

The dial on the MM04 is a gray-ish black, one that is a spot on match to the DLC case. When describing the watch to fellow watch enthusiasts, I have begun to affectionately call the color “weathered black.” On the dial you’ll find the minuteman logo, which happens to be a minuteman soldier, and of course the obligatory water rating and prominence. The hour markers, which are struck by a red second hand, are designated by a luminous square and an actual number, indicating the hour, underneath said square. I believe this was done for functionality, since it allows you to tell the hour easily at a glance. I did find the lume a bit lacking in regards to today’s insatiable hunger for a watch that has had fifteen applications of that glowy material. I understand this is something the company is aware of and is working hard to improve.

The date window is positioned in between the 4 o’clock hour marker and the 5, which in my opinion clutters up that particular section of the watch a bit. The white date window could have been completely left off on this model, as it would only have complimented its rugged no-nonsense design.