Review by Lauren C., @Watchmakers.Daughter
Craig Shelly of Beverly Hills is a watch and jewelry brand that is dedicated to social change. Their watches use Swiss movements and are assembled in the United States. More importantly, the brand donates a portion of every sale to worthy causes around the world. For this review, they gave The Time Bum a Pink Pearl ceramic watch from their Hope Collection, which we will raffle off to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank (see below).
My first thought when the FedEx box arrived from Craig Shelly containing their Pink Pearl for review was, “I wish I had a talent for unboxing videos.” The box is definitely top-notch; soft close, hidden hinges, quilted top, applied metal lettering, magnetic closure … and that’s all before you actually open it up.
In pride of place was the Pink Pearl and a pair of matching cufflinks (the buyer may choose a ladies’ ring instead). I was told before I got this watch in for review that the ceramic case would feel heavier than other watches of similar size. Being a person who generally shies away from watches bigger than about 38mm, I was afraid the Pearl would feel like an anchor on my wrist; however, it simply felt solid and well constructed without weighing my wrist down. The edges of the case and bracelet are well defined without being sharp. I really liked how the connection to the lugs tapered down from the 9mm case to the 4mm thick bracelet, making the watch contour to my wrist better than its 40mm diameter would suggest.
As the name implies, this watch is entirely pink. The ceramic case and bracelet are a light, blush color, and the dial is a hair darker. This color paired well with anything I threw at it: other pastels, navy blues, oranges, and of course, black and white. It’s also a bit of a marvel, at least as a woman who collects watches, that a pink watchwithout rhinestonesexists. I only wish that we weren’t in the middle of a pandemic so I could show this watch off at Saturday brunch with a mimosa in hand. This color may not be for everyone, but it is definitely wearable by anyone. It should continue to look good in the long run too as both the ceramic case and sapphire crystal are exceptionally scratch resistant.
Craig Shelly also offers the watch as the Gray Pearl ($995) and Black Pearl ($975). The Pink Pearl is the most expensive at $1,995, but a portion of the proceeds goes to various charities supporting efforts for childhood poverty, hunger, and veteran’s initiatives.
Every link on the bracelet is removable, making the bracelet adjustable to fit nearly any wrist size. The integrated bracelet may be a down point for some, but I think it merges well with the rest of the watch and flows well around my wrist. This watch is not a strap monster, but it’s not trying to be. Sizing the bracelet, I found my first quibble with this watch. The hidden butterfly clasp has no ability for micro-adjustments, so I found myself wishing desperately for a half link.
Setting the watch, I found the screw-down crown unexpected but welcome. The watch boasts a 5 ATM rating, so I felt perfectly comfortable going about my typical day, but the security of the screw-down crown, especially on a quartz movement, makes it a truly “set it and forget it” piece. Between the crown and the clasp, the watch felt secure, capable, and ready for nearly anything.
On the dial, the applied silver-tone markers and sunken center rail track add interest and flash to the watch without crossing the line towards gaudy. As previously mentioned, the movement is quartz, and unfortunately, the second hand of the Pearl often does not line up with the seconds track. This aspect of quartz watches generally irritates me enough that I usually chose quartz watches without a seconds track, or without a second hand. The hour and minute hands have inlaid white paint, which contrasts with the dial well, but I do wish they were lumed. The unidirectional bezel is probably the low point on this watch. It’s hard to grip and takes 90 clicks to go around the dial, instead of a more useful 60 or 120.
I’ve been fascinated by the Chanel J12 for a while, so I was very interested in seeing what a ceramic watch was like to live with. Here’s why I think the Pearl is a better choice: the case size is more modern and wearable by anyone, the dial design is cleaner, and I believe an integrated bracelet makes more sense. If I had a magic wand there are a few things I would change to make the Pearl even better. I’d include half links so that the wearer has more fine adjustments in the bracelet, consider adding lumed hands, choose a higher grade quartz movement, adjust the bezel to make it easier to turn and use, and lume the hour and minute hands (I think blue lume would look quite nice). Ceramic watches are a niche, but if you’re in the market for one, the Pink Pearl is definitely worth considering.
Charity Raffle
Now, if you are also in the market for a good deed, enter our raffle to win this Pink Pearl by making a donation to the Capital Area Food Bank, which provides meals to those in need in the Washington, DC metro area. Just follow the instructions in the entry box below. We will choose a winner from the submitted emails at random after 11:59 PM, August 31, 2020. The winner will be notified by email shortly thereafter. See ourGiveaway Pagefor the usual sweepstakes rules. ⬩
The Time Bum x Craig Shelly Pink Pearl Charity Raffle
