As anyone who lived through the past couple of months knows, life does not always go according to plan. Things happen. Sometimes it’s a deadly pandemic that turns our daily lives into a strange amalgam of panic, dread, and monotony but more often, it’s just something a charmingly simple as a late mail delivery. It was that second event that prevented the planned giveaway of two Helgray LeMans watches at the October 2019 District Time show. In terms of things that can go wrong, I much prefer that kind of problem to the one we are experiencing now, and while I can do nothing about the Coronavirus but stay home and wash my hands, I can definitely do something about those watches. I gave away the first when I hit10k followers on Instagram. Now, I’ll try to brighten up this next plague month by reviewing and giving away the second Helgray LeMans.
The Helgray LeMans is, as you have surely deduced from the name, a racing chronograph. It’s hard to go wrong with such a watch. Even though few of us time motorsports events with our chronos, their sporty style is hard to resist. The LeMans is a particularly fetching example of the breed. When I read that it was 42mm wide, I assumed it would be a large watch, but at 48mm long and just 11.5mm thick, it is actually quite sleek, fitting neatly on my 6.75″ wrist and tucking comfortably under my buttoned shirt cuff.
Chronographs are inherently sporty but the LeMans is one of the dressier examples of the breed. This Classic Silver variant features polished gold markers and hands on a piano black dial. A black date at 6 o’clock maintains the dial’s symmetry and color scheme. The mixed-metals arrangement is rather sharp-looking and a nice compromise for people like me who like a touch of gold on a watch but tend to shy away from gold cases.
That pretty face is tucked inside a brushed stainless steel case with polished chamfers on the top and bottom edges that dress it up while also slimming it down. Brightwork continues with a polished bezel and chronograph buttons, and finally, a glossy ceramic bezel insert.
Pretty though it may be, the LeMans is well-equipped for weekend duty with a 100m water resistance rating, lumed markers and hands, an anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal, and of course, the stopwatch function and tachymeter scale. A center-lock BBS basketweave wheel engraved on the case back reminds you of its racing roots.
On the supplied 20mm, 3-hole leather rally, the LeMans looks ready for a day at the track, but if you were to swap it for more conventional strap you could easily wear it with a suit. Want something even dressier? Try the rose gold case. Sportier? Then, I’d suggest the Midnight Black.
Every racer needs a proper engine. In this case, it’s a Miyota 6S21 quartz with small seconds and 60-min subdials, and a smooth four-beat sweep hand.
The LeMans normally sells for $399 but you can get on sale now for $299. If you want to buy one, head on over to Helgray.com. On the other hand, if you want to get one for the more appealing price of free, then all you need to do is click on the entry box below and follow the simple steps. A winner will be drawn after midnight April 30, 2020.
The giveaway is open to entrants at least 18 years old. Entrants are responsible for any and all duties, fees, or taxes. The giveaway is void where prohibited or restricted by law. You must provide a valid email address for notification and must respond within 48 hours of contact or another winner will be chosen, so be sure to watch your spam filter!
Please read the full Terms and Conditions on the Giveaway page for details.
Good luck! ⬩
The Time Bum Helgray LeMans Giveaway
