Nine Four Successor
Despite all that is going on this year, watch brands are still producing new watches. The Nine Four Successor is a new brand and model to me and with a recent wave of Genta inspired designs that I have had in for review, I was not quite sure what to expect, especially considering the very low prices of the Successor. Fortunately, the Successor is not only a very nice watch for the price but possibly the best of the Genta designs from microbrands that I have had in hand to date. Nine Four is based out of Milwaukee Wisconsin, with the production taking place in China. Coming in at just under $300, this watch has a lot to offer, so keep reading.
Nine Four Successor Specifications:
- 40mm case
- 10.5mm thickness
- 46mm traditional lug to lug
- Plank Dial
- Seiko NH35 Automatic Movement
- 10ATM water resistant
- Sapphire Glass
- 316L Stainless Steel
- Applied Indices and Logo
- Anti-Reflective coating
- C3 SuperLuminova
Price $299
https://www.ninefourwatches.com/collections/all/successor
The Successor is obviously the second model from the fairly new microbrand, and quite a departure from their first model as well. The Culture Chronograph was a fairly inexpensive Meca-quartz Chrono with a design that looked somewhat generic and never would have caught my eye. In fairness, it seems all versions of this first model are completely sold out, so apparently, I am in the minority as far as that watch goes. The Successor is the watch that made me take notice of the brand though and for good reason. It is heavily inspired by famous watch designer Gerald Genta designs, some would say most notably Audemars Piguet, others would say Zenith Defy Classic, I say it is a mix of both. I know what you are all thinking. “Another microbrand that does an homage watch and hopped on the current trend.” Firstly, I will not disagree, that is absolutely what Nine Four Watches have done. But unlike some of the other recent watches I reviewed that went this route, this watch comes in at half of what those models sell for.
Your $299 gets you a large stroke satin-finished case and bracelet with just a hint of high polish on the outside of the bezel, a solid NH35 movement, a very comfortable bracelet with a dual deployant clasp, and probably the best attribute-that dial. All colors of the Nine Four Successor come with this stepped, or more appropriately plank design dial. This dial and the applied indices are what make the Successor stand out in a very crowded market. I will go out on a limb and say if this watch had been produced with a more common dial such as a matte or sunburst finish, It may have never received a second glance from me. That may sound harsh and like I am discrediting the rest of the watch, but it is more about how great this dial looks and boosts this watch into another level.
I have been publishing the video reviews a few days before the written article for a while now, and there are a few reasons I do this, but one of them is that I like to compile some feedback from the comment section. I enjoy this Nine Four Successor dial and not just the plank lines. Forgoing the polished steel or chrome look most brands would use for a watch such as this, Nine Four decided to do a blasted finish for the outline of the applied indices, hands, and logo. A few comments have mentioned the size of the logo, and that they feel it is too large for the design and overall dial space. I’ll be real here, I could go either way with it. As it is, I do not find it to be that large, though if it was a little smaller, it could improve the dial somewhat. Fortunately, the owner of Nine Four Watches has stated that any future releases of the Successor will have a reduced logo.
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