Lesablier Watches has been rather busy for a relative newcomer in the microbrand watch scene. The Virginia-based brand launched the Aviateur VQ 24-hour watch last spring, exhibited at District Time and LAMicroLux, and is now gearing up to launch an ambitious new model, the Sport Classic. I was lucky enough to be the first reviewer to get my hands on the full set of prototypes and let me tell you, they are amazing.
As you might have gathered from the name, the Sport Classic is designed to endure outdoor activities with a generous dose of panache. Outfitted with a screw-down crown, domed and AR-coated sapphire crystal, and SuperLuminova, and sealed for 100m water resistance, the Sport Classic is ready for anything short of scuba diving. It has a three-part, faceted stainless steel tonneau case, that is 40mm wide, 49mm long, and 14mm thick. That last figure gives the watch a sporty wrist presence despite its otherwise mid-sized measurements and dressier design elements.
The crown is knurled with an intricate enamel-filled engraving of the brand’s namesake hourglass surrounded by a spiral leaf pattern. Like the rest of the watch, it deftly treads the line between sport and dress, incorporating elements of both.
There are multiple facets and finishes at play here: vertical brushing up the case sides, fine grain brushing across to top, bright polish on the case back and the facets over its hooded lugs, and finally, a corse grain brushed north-south on the bezel’s face. It is a striking design, at once elegant and aggressive. I see something Genta-esque in the overall geometry; maybe a hint of Patek Philippe Nautilus in the relationship between the case and bezel. Still, it is an underlying inspiration, not in any way a homage. Nicely done, Lesablier. Very nicely done.
Flipping the watch over, you will find an octagonal case back secured by eight screws. A matte blasted ring features the watch’s key specs and a Datejust style polished, fluted ring frames the sapphire display window. Inside, is a Miyota 8N40 skeleton. This 21 jewel, hand winding automatic has a 21.6k bph vibration rate, and a small seconds indicator.
The dial leans more ”classic” than “sport” but it is in no way staid. The long, polished hands look almost stiletto-sharp. BWG9 SuperLuminova keeps them bright at night and visible against the darker dials in daylight. Lume is still a work in progress, the particular applications varying from one prototype to another, but what I saw looks promising.
A railroad track index yields to a second ring containing Art Deco Arabic numbers in a radial format except for the 9 and 3, both of which are positioned straight up. The small seconds is offset at 5 o’clock, snipping off the top of the 5 and just barely overlapping the hour markers’ ring. Normally, that intruding bulge would bother me, I must concede that a subdial small enough to fit neatly within its confines would likely have looked undersized. As it is, it fills out the dial and imparts some character that is in keeping with the Sport Classic’s quirky charm.
Speaking of quirky, just like the Lesablier Aviateur VQ before it, each Sport Classic dial will bear its serial number on the dial as well as the case back. It’s a brand hallmark and one that will no doubt be popular with collectors who chase particular numbers.
There will be five variants in three case colors from which to choose: PVD gold with a black enamel dial, steel with white enamel, steel with blue with a blue sunburst dial, and steel or PVD black cases with a fumé effect skeleton dial. That last dial really caught my attention. A translucent center that darkens as it reaches the hour ring shows the movement beneath — not in the obvious (and often garish) manner of a true transparent skeleton dial but in more of a ghost effect. It looks fabulous, yet it does not in any way impede legibility.
The white dial is also worth a special mention. Where the others have all white printing and lightweight numbers, this one has black printing, heavier numbers filled with lume and outlined in black, and a white-on-black minute index. It is also the only version with a pop of color in the form of tiny red markers in the index and a red brand name and serial number. For as much as I liked the ghost dial, I found I chose the sportier white model more often.
Each watch will come with two 22mm, quick release straps — one leather, one silicone — both with signed buckles. I had assumed that I would stick with the smooth, contrasting stitch leather, but I ended up wearing the slim, soft silicone as those straps are remarkably comfortable and a natural for the weekend wear. My only gripe was that they were quite long. On my 6.75” wrist I ended up wearing them on the very smallest adjustment, leaving far more tail than I would have liked.
The Lesablier Sport Classic will launch on Kickstarter June 28th. Super Early Birds will get the first 25 for $295, or 35% off. The next 25 will go for $320 and the remainder for $365. Full retail will be $455 after the campaign, $465 for gold or black IP cases.
I thoroughly enjoyed my week with the Sport Classics. These are handsome, practical watches with a unique design that attracts the right sort of attention from watch nerds and civilians alike. For more information and to sign up for updates, visit LesablierWatches.com. ⬩
