My favorite aspect? The sandwich dial. The slightly textured black dial stands out against the bronze case, and underneath is the lume dial peaks through the rectangle minute stencils only. The numbers are painted on top of the dial, but are coated with as much lume paint as the dial underneath. I also appreciate the use of drilled lugs, as it makes strap changes so much easier.
Speaking of straps, that brings me to my least favorite aspect, or one of them. The strap is just not up to par with some of Magrette’s past releases, at least not to me. It is on the thin side, and just does not match up to the quality of the watch. I Would have liked one of the Magrette molded rubber straps included, as they are a fantastic strap and very comfortable. My other gripe? The way the crown is positioned into the case. It screws down and functions well but is difficult to unscrew, especially if you have medium or large sized fingers.
One of the reasons for the stainless crown and dlc exhibition caseback is because while that patina looks nice, it can also leave you with green skin, depending on how acidic your body is. So many bronze watches have the parts that touch your skin most, in either steel or titanium.
Yes, there is a helium valve. Not sure why, as I would not really call this a dive watch. But it seems to be the thing to do these days, put an automatic helium release valve on the watch. Lets be honest, 99.9% of us will never need or use this feature, just like the 500 meters water resistance. But if you are part of that small percentage, you will be happy to know it should do what you need it to.
On the wrist, it sits well and is comfortable, as most 44mm cushion cases are on my 7-½ inch wrist. It could wear better though, if it had a nicer or thicker strap. I think this would look great on an Isofrane.
Lume buffs rejoice, because if you like in your face will not quit lume, you have found a good watch for it. I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking.
Magrette is one of my favorite brands. I love the styling, case finishing, and overall everything they produce. This is not my top pick, mostly because of the bronze itself, but I think it has a lot to offer in the bronze microbrand race. As usual Magrette offers a nice value, especially with that sandwich dial and domed sapphire crystal.
If you are a bronze fan, or want to try out your first one, I do not think you can go wrong with the Vantage Bronze. Thank you to Magrette for providing for review, you can check out all of their offerings HERE. Please leave your comments below.
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