If you are reading The Time Bum, chances are, you did not buy a Tiffany & Co. Patek Philippe 5711. You know what? I didn’t either, and I’m good with that. I mean, it’s lovely and all, but given that I do not run in the same circles as Jay Z or Leo DiCaprio, I’ve got no place to wear it. That said, I do love a nice pop of aqua blue. I just need something that fits my budget and lifestyle a little better, like the Turquoise Radcliffe Signature I’m reviewing today. I’m not going to pretend that the Radcliffe is as desirable as the Tiffany Patek. I’m thrifty, not delusional. I’m just saying it is far more attainable and a really nice watch in its own right.
Radcliffe Watches (written as RADCLIFFe on the dial) is based in Oxford, England, and has three models in the works: the Haxel Chrono, which is coming soon; the Tsunami Diver that just launched on Kickstarter today, and the Signature, which is available for purchase on their site for the very un-Patek price of £289, or about $392 US. This sample was a prototype, so forgive any dust under the crystal.
The watch is listed as a dress/sport model, and I’d say that’s about right if you emphasize the latter part. It’s 40mm wide, 47mm long, and just a touch more than 12mm thick. While the case is nicely finished with a dapper polished bevel running its length, its flat sides, drilled lugs, and predominantly brushed surface definitely convey “sport,” a bearing backed up by a 100m water resistance rating. The knurled and signed crown also has toolish look about it, but appearances aside, it’s a push-pull, not a screw-down.
On the backside, a coin-edged ring frames a sapphire display window showing off a Seiko NH35 automatic. These Seikos are sound, reliable units but not generally particularly pretty. Radcliffe spruces it up with a gold guilloché rotor.
If you like guilloché, then we are about to get to the best part. Take a look at that dial! It’s not just the color but the texture that really makes it shine. For real fun, look at it off-axis through that high sapphire dome. Trippy!
Applied pill-shaped markers and a molded logo add even more dimension to the dial. The faceted hands are great, but I have a particular affinity for the second hand’s elegantly elongated tip.
Radcliffe probably could have stopped there and had a damn fine watch, but they went a couple of steps beyond. Peer through the polished, beveled frame on the 6 o’clock day/date window and note that it is both color-matched (black-on-turquoise) and printed in a stylized typeface. Pull back to the black chapter ring and note that it too is color-matched, this time turquoise-on-black to match the bezel insert.
It’s an uncommon bezel, this one. Polished and fitted with a sapphire insert, I first assumed it was meant to be a poor man’s GMT, but given the way the 4 through 8 are printed, it is clear that it is not. The bezel is actually fixed and simply serves as the 12-hour index for the dial. Why put the numbers all the way out here? Why not? It works. I love the look. It’s not lumed, but there is plenty of BGW9 on the hands and markers.
Radcliffe offers the Signature with a leather strap (also color-matched) or the 20mm beads-of-rice bracelet I sampled. I like a good beads-of-rice. I do not like it when the beads are fused as they are here.
It’s a disappointment in terms of flow and ultimate comfort but not a deal-breaker. The bracelet is not at all uncomfortable, and it does possess 95% of a true bead’s appearance. I do like the way it narrows to 18mm at that slim and compact push-button clasp.
This is a pretty watch. Strapping the Signature onto my 6.75″ wrist raised my game a notch, tempting me to remove my usual workday hoodie and dress like a grown-up again. I didn’t, but when that day comes, I would have no problem wearing this watch with a sport coat and tie.
The Radcliffe Signature is a genuinely appealing watch that brings the right dose of flash at an affordable price. Is it an alternative to a Tiffany Patek Philippe? Well, let’s just say it is as much of an alternative as I am willing to entertain. Radcliffe offers the watch in Turquoise Blue and the other color du jour, Smart Salmon. That’s it; just two hot colors, and I respect that.
If you want to get your hands on one, head over to RadcliffeWatches.com. The Salmon is in stock now, and the Turquoise will be returning soon.
