Watch Collection:
| The Grand Marquis is More Watch For The Money... |
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| Written by Larry Ward | |
| Tuesday, 10 October 2006 | |
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"The Ste•••art Grand Marquis is one of many “derivations” of the inimitable “Pilot” Design crafted by numerous "upscale” watch houses – including IWC and Glashütte Original (G.O.!) Of course, since the "Pilot" is so popular, the design has received a considerable degree of "homage" attention "across the board" from other, more "middle-of-the-road", manufacturers - such as Azimuth, Kobold and Stowa. Indeed, this design first caught my attention during a visit my wife and I took out to the Tourneau “Pavilion” in Scottsdale, Arizona. They only had one G.O. Big-Date "Pilot” on display, but it was enough to send me (or any true, blue-blooded, WIS) into "fits of rapture!" The design is simple, yet elegant, and, for my 8-¾ inch wrist, the Ø = 44mm size seemed just about right! And, although we "fretted" over the lack of a crown guard and an exhibition back, my wife and I definitely agreed that the "Big Date" was, well, "timely". BUT, needless to say, we were aghast at the $8,000+ price tag! Surely, I told myself, there HAD to be a nice watch “out there” that would satisfy my particular desire for a nice “Pilot” Design that utilized the well-established Unitas (ETA) 6497 HW (Handwound) Movement in a more affordable timepiece; i.e., less than $1,000! After much soul-searching, the Ste•••art Grand Marquis emerged as the clear winner! Basically, two features kept drawing me (like a moth to the flame!) back to the Ste•••art Grand Marquis; i.e., the fact that it is a true "Limited Edition" and that it has a beautifully-decorated Unitas 6497 - with, of course, an exhibition back! After several "overtures" to Jon from Ste•••art, I was assured that the Unitas 6497 in the Grand Marquis Ltd. Ed. IS Nickel-Plated AND ACTUALLY ENGRAVED with REAL "Cote de Genève" Machined "Striping" (as opposed to - BIG GASP! - an "applique!") ... and that the Grand Marquis ALSO employs a set of GORGEOUS Blued Screws!!! Say, Why DON'T the "Big Boyz" (like IWC and G.O.) include enhancements like these on THEIR "timepieces?" Gee, even though their "Pilot" Watches cost $8,000 on up to well beyond $30,000 (for Platinum!), Do THEY lack the "Investment Value" and "Pride of Craftsmanship" that Ste•••art has "in abundance?" Anyway, at $740 (or, for a limited time, $690 with the Ste•••art Newsletter Coupon!) - "The Price Is Right!" So, the Ste•••art Grand Marquis truly DOES represent "More Watch For Your Money"... EXACTLY AS THEIR MOTTO STATES! Finally, (and quite honestly!), I didn't want to "lose out" on Ste•••art's Limited Edition Grand Marquis (ONLY 88 Total!). So, AFTER All My "Machinations", it emerged as "The BEST Deal"... AND, therefore, "THE One" I HAD to order! After waiting ONLY 3 days, following the placement of my order, "Mr. FedEX Man" (who, BTW, is always a welcome visitor at my home!), strode quite briskly (as he's "wont to do") up the sidewalk to my front door! BUT, of course, I was THERE before he could ring the bell! (Yet another "Hallmark" of a True WIS!) Anyhow, after carefully unwrapping the very-securely-packaged outer box, I arrived at the "Coeur De la Matière" ("The Heart Of The Matter!"), a lustrous Piano-Black Hardwood Presentation Box that, upon opening, revealed MY Ste•••art Grand Marquis - firmly ensconced (and soft asleep) on its satin cushion! (BIG Sigh!) Then, as I reverently awakened this treasure from its slumber - I immediately observed the following... This watch is "As Solid As The Rock of Gibraltar!" It definitely does NOT "overwhelm" your wrist - even tho' its Ø = 47mm! The "Burnished Old-Gold" Patina of the brushed-case is hard to photograph, but quite stunning to behold! The "Cote de Genève" Striping, Nickel Plating, & Blued-Screws on the 6497 Mov't. ARE GORGEOUS! AND, after our "first 24 hrs. together", I ALSO noticed that... The "Super-LumiNova™" lasts ALL through the night & well into the "wee hours" of the AM! Packaging: Like EVERYTHING associated with this watch, the Glossy, Black-Lacquered, Wooden "Presentation Box" is superb! Case: Solid 316L Brushed Stainless, Fully-Plated (Front/Back) with 10-Microns of Gold! Ste•••art plated this watch beautifully; i.e., the entire case has a wonderful, softly-brushed, "Old-Gold" Patina that is REALLY quite attractive! The ONLY way to accurately describe it is "elegantly understated!" I'd bet that a LOT of folks who don't like gold-plated watches would change their minds IF they saw this one "up close 'n personal!" Bezel Size: Ø = 47mm (53mm with crown! - a NICE size on my big 8 and ¾-inch wrist! Movement: Genuine ETA (ne: UNITAS) Nickel-Plated 6497 FULLY-Decorated with "Cote de Genève" Striped Bridge Plates and Blued Screws ... (HUGE Sigh!) ... truly a Horologist's (AND WIS') "Dream Watch!"
Hands: Yet ANOTHER subtle "beauty-mark" on this watch is the "furnace-blue" outline on the "Pilot-Issue" Hands! Once you've looked at it carefully, it's a feature that begins to "stand out" - forever! (It's strange how one's memory works; i.e., especially for a "watch nut" like ME!) Water-Resistancy Rating: 3ATM = 30M = 100Ft ("Not too shabby" for a "Pilot" Watch; i.e., I've seen some that list in excess of $2,000 that only had WR = 10M... EGAD!) Crystal: BIG (41mm Dia.), Bold 'n Beautiful SOLID, Flat, Sapphire! (IMHO, the price of this watch would HAVE to increase by "an order of magnitude" if the crystal were actually "domed!"... But I digress! Dial and Luminescence: Flat-Black with (Super) "LumiNova C1" Markers AND Indices! (NB: When "flashed" with a 6000° Kelvin "DaLite" Fluorescent Bulb, this dial illuminates like a deep-sea anemone AND stays that way ALL NIGHT!) Special Markings: "Ste•••art, GRAND MARQUIS, LIMITED EDITION, (with Series No.)/088" and "SWISS MADE" lettered on dial face; "LIMITED EDITION" Plus "MADE IN JURA" and "REF. NO." Engraved on caseback! (NB: Watch also includes the famous Triangle Marker "at the 12" which is an integral "component" of the "Pilot" Design - PLUS, unlike so many other "homage" watches, it IS properly oriented!) Strap and Clasp: "Lusciously-padded", thick black leather, that's nicely "pebble grained" and has the "overt suppleness" of an old baseball glove! (HOW in the heck do they DO that?) ... Frankly, I've never seen/felt a strap this size that's anywhere near this soft 'n flexible! PLUS, on the Grand Marquis, Ste•••art integrated a lovely, spring-bar-loaded, buckle with the same brushed "Old-Gold" Patina as the watch case! (Yet ANOTHER subtle effort on Ste•••art's part that, in this case, lends their "Thorn" Design the same "pinache" as that of a high-end watch; i.e., Panerai's "Pre-Vendome" Radiomir Buckle!) Weight: It's NOT "Too Heavy" OR "Too Light" - It's Truly "JUST RIGHT!"... (But I suppose that I really should find out how much it actually does weigh!) [3.7 oz] Lug Width: 22mm (There are a "veritable plethora" of fine straps "out there" in this size!) I believe that Ste•••art is a relative newcomer to the industry. However, the documentation on their website's "About Us" section does give the true watch aficionado some fascinating "insight" into Ste•••art's business philosophy! Bottom Line? In my honest opinion, Ste•••art is definitely striving hard to "carve out" a niche in the watch market by combining a quality product with excellent "after-the-sale" service! This approach will surely benefit any and all prospective new watch purchasers; i.e., he/she won't be paying for the "hype" generated by companies that, unfortunately, continue to charge several times what their watches are worth! I strongly believe that, in the long run, Ste•••art's efficient business "model", product quality, and diligence will ensure their continued solid (and well-deserved) reputation for providing "more watch for the money!" Grading: Category 01 - PACKAGING & PRESENTATION: As I mentioned at the outset of this review, my Grand Marquis was securely wrapped for shipping and arrived in excellent shape! The glossy-black-lacquered wooden "Presentation Box" that "firmly ensconsed" my Grand Marquis is just gorgeous! GRADE = 9/10 Category 02 - MOVEMENT & ACCURACY TESTS: I've worn this watch for almost two weeks and it's amazingly accurate; i.e., it ONLY gains 3~4 seconds every 24 hours AND, when fully wound, the "power reserve" seems to be around 40 hours! I don't know if that's typical for a genuine Swiss-Made UNITAS 6497, but I'm "pleased as punch!". GRADE = 18/20 Category 03 - CASE DESIGN & OVERALL FIT & FINISH: What can I say except - Ste•••art has done the design justice, built the watch right and accomplished it all with "seamless craftsmanship" and integrity! They deserve a medal or a trophy or somethin'! GRADE = 10/10 Category 04 - DIAL DESIGN & LEGIBILITY: Needless to say, the dial, like all true "Pilot" Designs is EXTREMELY easy to read - even by someone as myopic as I am! ... PLUS the (Super) "LumiNova C1" Markers AND Indices will definitely "Knock Yer Eye Out! - Just like a "Genuine Daisy 'Red-Ryder™' B-B Gun!" GRADE = 10/10 Category 05 - STRAP/BRACELET & CLASP: I'd give it a "10" IF it had a DFPB deployant clasp - but, then, I DO have to admit that the brush-finished, "Old-Gold" plated, buckle that came with the Grand Marquis is really quite excellent! Perhaps I should make this a "10" also! GRADE = 9/10 Category 06 - CRYSTAL/HANDS/INDICES: IMHO, the Grand Marquis epitomizes what "Pilot" Watches "are all about"! Ste•••art managed to capture "the allure" of the design - particularly the "∆ at the 12" - without making things "too busy!" - I LOVE IT! (And, frankly, IF the dial were "domed" instead of "flat", I'd give it a "10" - but, IF that WERE the case, the world would be "beating a path to Ste•••art's door" and the line would be 100 miles long just to enter a drawing for one! ... But I digress!) GRADE = 9/10 Category 07 - OVERALL COMFORT: The extremely-"cushy" baseball-leather-type strap on my new Grand Marquis was one of many pleasant "subtleties" that I didn't expect! That, plus the fact that Ste•••art USA went out of their way to obtain a XL strap for me make my grade on this category a "slam dunk!" (Kudos to Jon from Ste•••art) GRADE = 10/10 Category 08 - WARRANTY: Two years through a "dedicated stateside" Ste•••art Repair Facility! GRADE = 9/10 Category 09 - DEALER SATISFACTION: I must say that, Jon from Ste•••art Watches, has gone "way beyond the call of duty" to make sure that I am "one happy customer"; i.e., he included a beautiful fountain and ballpoint Ste•••art Pen Set with my Grand Marquis and, then, expedited a NEW XL watch strap to me when I mentioned that the one that came with my watch was "kinda tight" on my big ol' 8¾-inch wrist! Frankly, this is the kind of "after-the-sale" service and support that a watch-lover dreams about, but rarely finds in the "Real World." I heartily recommend that anyone considering the purchase of a new watch checkout Ste•••art's "array" of designs and offerings - I'm pretty sure that "watch-buyer's remorse" will be a thing of the past once the decision is made to purchase a Ste•••art! Finally, as IF all that weren't enough, I am totally impressed with Ste•••art's NEW website; i.e., especially their enhanced Support Section - that includes a "Knowledgebase" and, when available "Live Support!" (C'mon folks, HOW often do you see these kinds of "features" available from ANY watch manufacturer? I'm tellin' ya', Ste•••art "wants your business and they're doin' everything they can to earn it!" 'Nuf Sed!) GRADE = 10/10 FINAL RATING And Comments: Well, I KNOW this is a HIGH Score, but, then my Grand Marquis IS that GOOD and DOES deserve it! Frankly, I have "more watches than brainz" (30+ now) and, for the money, this Ste•••art (my first, but, certainly, NOT my last) is DEFINITELY one of my "Top Three" Favorites! (FWIW, my other two favorites are my Subaqua "Meteorite" and my YES "Zulu" Ani-Digi!) Regardless, IF you are a connoisseur of (decorated) hand-wounds AND like the "Pilot" Design, You WILL be hard-pressed to find a "better deal" or "more watch for the money!" OVERALL GRADE = 94/100 = 94% = A SOLID "A+" So, after all is said and done, the Ste•••art Grand Marquis IS "Just Right!" And, based on Price, Features, Size, And Customer Support, It Truly IS "More Watch For Your Money!" - posted on BestDamnWatchForum by Larry Ward |
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