Let’s just get this out of the way: the Imperial Royal Guard 200 is an homage to the Eberhard Scafograf 200. Really, there is no doubt. All the elements are there. As the Scafograf 200 is one of my favorite designs, and I am unlikely ever to shell out the several thousand dollars required to own a vintage original, I was curious to try the Imperial prototype in hand ahead of its October launch. I’ve got to say, I loved it. It’s not perfect, but Imperial has produced a fabulous watch with uncommon style and period-correct details that you can order for just $350.
I understand that close homages turn some people off, and I get it. This is not a new design and not even a dormant model, as Eberhard will gladly sell you any of several new Scafograf variants. I, however, try not to get too wrapped up in that. Recycled designs are endemic in the watch world. If the watch in question does not misrepresent itself as an original and is a quality piece in its own right, I’m good. This one ticks both of those boxes.
Pretty as it is, the Royal Guard 200 is equipped to be a practical diving watch. True to its name, it’s rated for 200m water resistance. That big crown (7.5mm) screws down and extends miles from the case, so operation is a breeze. Bezel action through its 120-click rotation is crisp and wobble-free. As you can see, daytime legibility is not a problem; that creamy SuperLuminova filling the large markers and hands glows brightly at night.
Like the best vintage revivals, the Royal Guard has kept its proportions in check: 38mm wide, 47mm long, and 14mm thick with the dome. It’s fatter than the original but still in the ballpark. I’d attribute some of the thickness to its Seiko NH35 movement. I love these workhorse 21.6k bph automatics for both their durability and their low price. A slimmer and smoother (28.6k bph) Miyota 9000 series movement would have thinned that case a touch, but it would have cost more too.
Straight case sides and that gloriously tall sapphire crystal give it more presence than its compact footprint might otherwise suggest. A sliver of a polished chamfer on the upper edge lends a bit of flash that ties to the similarly finished bezel edge and the signed crown. Personally, I’d have liked to see more sculpting and polish on the case sides, either by curving and polishing them or by shaving more off the upper edge and doing the same along the bottom to create the illusion of a thinner case; however, I suspect many will prefer the tool watch look present here, particularly those who might otherwise consider this watch to be on the small side.
I have no such qualms. On my 6.75″ wrist, the Royal Guard wears beautifully. Tapered lugs with a 20mm opening keep things tight and tidy. Even though I often wear much larger watches, 38mm is my sweet spot.
The Royal Guard comes standard with a brushed and polished three-link bracelet that tapers from 20mm at the solid end links to 16mm at the signed, flip-lock clasp for a proper vintage look. While it’s a quality piece, it is also the object of most of my criticism about this watch.
First, the end links are too short. I believe an end link should match the length and curve/angle of the lugs, and this one falls well short. It’s not as noticeable on the wrist, but it’s there. Second, even though the link wears a combination of finishes, its execution offers too much contrast to the case. Circular brushing on the top of the case meets a vertically brushed center link. Slim polished accents and brushed case sides meet comparatively broad areas of polish on the flanking links. The designer tells me this was a deliberate choice for contrast, but it is too dissimilar for my taste.
Of course, the good news here is that no one is forcing you to wear the bracelet, and the Imperial’s old-fashioned appearance and vintage lume pair nicely with a variety of straps from Tropic rubber to nylon pass-through to weathered leather, which would be my preference anyway.
Scafograf fans know this dial well, gilt on black with huge triangles at the cardinal points. Imperial carried the homage even farther with their upward-slanting logo and throwback handset, although the Royal Guard wears the big arrowhead on the minute hand instead of the hour. I love the way the second hand’s lollipop head perfectly matches the size and placement of the hour markers, and those long minute markers look wild through the dome’s edge distortion.
Imperial applied an aged look to the aluminum bezel insert too, cleverly pairing the black dial with matte blue-gray to suggest fading. I really like it. If the watch is a success, I hope we will see other color variants as well.
I think the Imperial Royal Guard is a winner. Are there things I would have changed? Sure, but it’s a handsome, capable watch, and its vintage vibes are strong — even more so than Eberhard’s current Scafograf line. Better still, the price is crazy good. Full retail will be $450, and the $350 pre-order is damn near irresistible.
Imperial promises a launch date soon. In the meantime, you can cruise over to imperialwatchco.com and sign up for notification. You won’t want to miss this one.
