Cincinnati Watch Co. Captain

Cincinnati Watch Company has released five distinct models: the Union Terminal, the P-40M Mechanical, the Cincinnatus Field, the Diver’s Edition, and the Time Hill Collection. As you can tell by the links, I’ve reviewed three of the five. I’d argue the Union Terminal doesn’t exist because I didn’t review it, and this review resolves the heretofore inexplicable omission of the Time Hill Collection. Don’t ask me why I haven’t had a chance to review any of the watches from the Time Hill line–they’ve released three models in, and not once was I offered a review piece. Can you imagine such a world? Don’t. Not for too long, or you’ll become unfathomably depressed. Just be happy I’ve got all three variants of the new Captain “Colorway” edition.

What will jump out at you immediately is the bright, radiant dials, and shortly after that, the super-slim case made possible by the quartz movement. I know you just read “quartz movement,” but don’t get snobby and stop reading. These are super lightweight, incredibly charming, vintage-style pieces, and not once did I hear the sound of the ticking seconds hand, nor did its staccato cadence bother me.

Unsurprisingly, the Cincinnati Watch Co. Captain wears beautifully on the wrist. While it did help me realize that 36mm may be as small as I’d go, it never felt dainty or out of place on my 7″ wrist. The bracelet holds snugly, and the additional dome of the acrylic crystal never made the watch feel any thicker. In fact, there were multiple times when wearing these watches that I found myself struck by how svelte they were despite the dome of the crystal. Thanks to the Swiss quartz movement (and it’s a nice one: 5 jewels, gold-plated, hacking, power saving mechanism, EOL, 5-year battery life), the caseback is dead flat, which only aids in the wearability.

The finishing is sharp, as is always the case with Cincinnati Watch Co. pieces. The brushing is dominant, and that’s what you’ll notice when you glance at your wrist with the Captain on (if you’re not transfixed by the dial), but the polishing of the bezel and the center links are a nice touch. While the Captain runs full speed ahead toward its vintage aesthetic, it makes two concessions to modern preferences: drilled lugs and a screw-down crown, the latter of which will get you enough water resistance for deep cleaning your selvage denim in a Woolite bath…or just a regular swim.

There’s lots to like on these dials. Never mind the colors–pistachio, ice blue, and grapefruit–let’s talk about the texture. The explosive radiance from the center and the ever so slightly sunken 24-hour ring (I don’t know why it’s there, but it’s unobtrusive). Touches of brilliance. Add the blued hands, the bordered numerals, and the red tip on the seconds, and baby, you got a stew goin’!

These dials remind me of so many wonderful old watches I’ve seen pass through my local shop from old brands you’ve never heard and never will. And that’s a good thing: the Captain evokes the exact vibe it aims to.

When I was a kid, my mom would halve a grapefruit and cut the wedges apart, and I’d have it in a little red glass bowl for breakfast. So I’ve got a soft spot for the grapefruit dial.

While the Captain’s lume doesn’t hold a candle to that featured on the Diver’s Edition, it’s still plenty bright. The hands shone more than the numerals, but the latter were still perfectly legible even after a short charge (the difference is that the numerals are printed and, therefore, have less luminous material). While you can barely tell, the numerals are C5 lume, and the hands are C3–two very similar shades of green. One treat: the glow of the hands against the shimmer of the dial when there’s a little light around.

A lot of people are going to gripe about this part. The Captain has a somewhat jangly bracelet with a stamped, push-button clasp. I found the bracelet to be comfortable and the clasp to be secure–more so than many ostensibly more secure clasps I’ve experienced. This choice of clasp allows the watch to maintain its thin, lightweight profile and feel, and the 20mm-to-16mm taper of the bracelet only reinforces that. I won’t disagree that, in general, milled clasps are superior–they are. But sometimes, they don’t fit the aesthetic or wouldn’t make sense with the watch, like a watch that is aggressively vintage.

Don’t be misled by the conspicuous lack of strap combos in this review–I changed it up plenty. 20mm lugs and a super slim case mean this does very well on a variety of thinner straps. Leave your NATOs, rubbers, and chunky straps in your sock drawer–they’ve got no place on the Cincinnati Watch Co. Captain. Come to think of it; a Perlon may look good.

That said, you may never want to take it off the bracelet.

The Cincinnati Watch Co. Time Hill Captain is yet another great watch from a company that can’t seem to stop making great watches. When (if?) you hear talk about the intersection of affordability, design, and wearability, this is what people are talking about. The Captain fully embraces vintage inspiration in every aspect, and it pays off. I’m not really a fan of quartz, and I know most of you tend to avoid it, but this is a watch that forces you to question our predilection for mechanical movements. The beautiful dials, lightweight case and bracelet, and ability to just grab and go without thinking twice make this a watch that’s begging to be part of every collection. And if that weren’t enough, get this: not only is the watch designed and assembled in Cincinnati, but a portion of every purchase goes to the Cincinnati Museum Foundation. It’s available now for preorder for just $275 on the Cincinnati Watch Co. website, and the watches will ship in November 2021.