At $699 there is no shortage of competition in the watch world, and the TW Steel MN Edition is one I would definitely put in the fashion watch category. If you are a fan of Mitchell Niemeyer, a more unique dial, or want a large watch that has some style, it is probably worth a look.
Here are the full specs:
Movement 6S20 (chrono) from Miyota
Made of high grade 316L steel
Steel case with PVD dk. titanium coating
Diameter of the case 45mm
Dk. grey dial with stars
Reinforced mineral crystal
The crown is covered by a crown cap, which is attached to case with a hook
10 ATM water resistant
Steel bracelet with PVD /Titanium coating & black coated links
Weight 188 grams.
Lug to Lug 54mm
This is not a watch that is really going to hit with the majority of watch enthusiasts, as it is not an automatic and does not boast high end materials like sapphire (something I really wish was used on this model), ceramic, tungsten or titanium. I will say it does have the look though. I do not want to harp on what it doesn’t have though, instead I will concentrate on what I liked.
On the wrist, it is very comfortable, despite its size or the large canteen crown. The watch is lighter in weight than I was expecting though. That can be good to some and bad to others. The lack of weight comes from the 22mm width bracelet. The links are not very thick and it while it is constructed well, does not have that solid feeling. The clasp is a push button dive clasp with safety latch and works well, and the bracelet does not grab at your arm hair. The links are held together with split pins, and they are easy to remove and size to your preference. I would say it should fit up to an 8 ½ inch wrist out of the box.
The mineral crystal does have a nice AR coating, allowing the dial to stand out and be seen at many angles. The dial itself, as I discussed before, I feel is a nice way to integrate the stars from MN’s tattoos and the applied steel indices and the accents of red around the dial give it just enough color. You also will notice that the center dial is more of a charcoal grey while the outer dial is dark black, giving that same contrast in color as the case and bracelet finishes.
My biggest issue with canteen crowns is the fact that it is easy even with bigger hands to grab the canteen. Once removed , the tiny time setting crown is hard to grasp and adjust the time/date. I would have also suspected that with the canteen style crown that the watch would be rated at 200m vs 100m water resistant.
The chronograph movement functions as it should, and being a Miyota movement, you know it will be a durable, and one that should not give the user any issues. The stop pusher of the chronograph is a little hard to engage though, because of the canteen crown attachment being built over it.
The lume of the TW Steel Mitchell Niemeyer was a lot brighter than I was expecting, and when fully charged is easy to see. It does not last very long though, fading out considerably within a half hour and then being almost non existent after an hour or two. This was after being outside in the sun all day, so I would say it was sufficiently charged enough come nighttime.
There are many different types of watches out there, and ones that will appeal to different watch enthusiasts. The TW Steel MN edition does have a great look, with a subtle flair to the dial, and if you want a grab and go watch with some style, this could be an option. Will it be for every WIS out there? No, but no watch really is. The only thing I really wish was changed at this price point would be the mineral crystal. I am just someone that always prefers sapphire. I would also have preferred an engraved or CNC case back, as the case back for a special editon such as this, with the laser etching is a little blah.
I have become aware recently that there is a big following out there for TW Steel though, and I know they have their fans, and compared to some of their more basic Canteen style models, I think the MN special edition is an improvement as far as the bracelet and more elaborate dial, and I am sure there are many out there that will enjoy the look that this watch offers.
Thank you for reading, please leave a comment in the section below. Thank you to TW Steel for providing the Mitchell Niemeyer Special Edition for review here on WatchReport.
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