Titoni Cosmo Automatic
Have you always wanted a Rolex Datejust, but just do not have that much coin? Do you like sunray dials or just a somewhat flashy but not overdone dress watch? All those things describe the Titoni Cosmo Automatic and with a price of around $1000 USD, it is not a bad pickup. Titoni is a brand that has been around for 100 years, (starting out as Felco) and claims to be one of the few remaining independent Swiss Watch companies on the market today.
Titoni Cosmo Automatic Specifications:
- 41mm Case
- 48mm Lug to Lug
- 10.5mm Thick
- 20mm Lug Width
- Sapphire Crystal With Dual AR Coating
- ETA 2824-2 Swiss Movement
Price $1065 USD
Where to Buy? Find a dealer on the Titoni Website:
https://www.titoni.ch/en/collection/gents-watches/cosmo.html
I have reviewed a few Titoni Watches over the years, my favorite being the SeaScoper, which somewhat had a Tudor Black Bay look and feel, as this watch does have a Datejust type of look Notice a trend here? Now, neither watch is what I would call a copy of the other at all, honestly more of a true homage than anything, as it has a similar look and inspired characteristics, but putting both side by side, and no one would really mistake one for the other. Titoni makes a pretty nice watch though, from the 3 or 4 I have handled, and do wish they did some more original designs, to set themselves apart. On the other hand, it seems they are more popular in Europe and Asia than they are in the USA, and what they are doing seems to work for them.
The standout here is that glorious sunray blue dial. Yes, the applied chrome markers are very nice and give a nice glimmer in the light, I like the handset they chose as well. Of course, the dial is nice and tidy and not filled with text, and the font of Cosmo gives it just a hint of sportiness. As usual with a Titioni watch, you get the applied flower logo as well-simple and clean. Back to that blue dial though, man, oh man do I love it. Between the shimmering of the dial and the dual AR-coated sapphire, depending on the lighting, this watch goes from a deep beautiful royal blue to almost a sky blue and looks fantastic no matter what.
At 10.5mm thick, this is a great dress watch, or if you like to wear something a little more upscale looking with your casual clothes, this watch will do the trick and you won’t even really know you are wearing it. Inside, beats the ETA 2824-2 automatic, the go-to Swiss Movement for many brands offering watches at $1000 or under, heck, some brands have this movement in certain models for close $3000. As I have said many times, it’s not the greatest ETA movement, and sometimes winding can be a little gritty, it is as they call it the “workhorse” Swiss movement (talk about an overused phrase).
The Titoni Cosmo wears pretty much as you think it would on the wrist. The bracelet is very long and should provide enough length for at least and 8 1/2 inch wrist, and if you are someone like me with a smaller wrist at 7.5 inches, sizing is easy via friction pins. I will say I am not in love with the push-button clasp though, it just feels a little cheap and while the entire watch feels good for the price, the clasp aesthetically does not cut it for me. I love the leather strap versions I seen on the website, but more on that in a minute.
The bracelet on the Cosmo feels solid, has no sharp edges, and overall is a well-made piece of metal. I just do not love the look of it, especially on this model. Using this bracelet helps the watch look less like a Datejust, but a part of me wishes they went with a jubilee bracelet to complete the look. On the Titoni website, you will find lots of variations of this model, two-tone versions, leather strap versions and more. If you do not care for the look of this bracelet as I do, maybe a leather strap option would be the way to go.
At $1000, the Titoni Cosmo is not without a lot of competition, be it one of the countless microbrands available these days, or many brands from the Swatch Umbrella such as Certina, Hamilton, and Mido, just to name a few. This Titoni uses the same movement that many of those aforementioned brands use in the majority of their models, or some use the new 80-hour power reserve movements and are right around the same price. One could argue the build quality is the same on all these brands, and while they are not the first company to make an inspired watch model, I do feel like Titoni went right in the middle- It is not different enough to stand out on its own, but it is not an exact copy either, so I am left not knowing what category to put it in to. I absolutely love the blue dial and maybe would like it even more on a leather strap. That said, this watch is just not for me, but I can see the appeal. Don’t forget to check out the video above and subscribe to our Youtube channel while you are there.
