Maals Sligo

Today, I am here to tell you about something different; a piece unique, the Maals Silgo.

Based in the UK, Maals have been around since 2017 when they released the Jump Over the Moon, a fresh design that used a disc/hand hybrid to tell the time and moon phase. Since then, they have also created one-off requests for collectors.

Maals Jump Over the Moon

Maals Dreamchaser

The Dreamchaser was one of Maals’s first special projects. This marvelous green timepiece caught the eye of a watch enthusiast in the US who commissioned a design of his own. Those concept discussions eventually yielded the Maals Silgo, a 44mm chronograph named for a northern Irish town that is known for its medieval construction and lush green landscape. That heritage was woven into the design of the watch, most notably in its metallic green color.

The Silgo houses a Valjoux 7750, the venerable Swiss mechanical chronograph movement. It is a reliable unit that feels clinical and precise. It is a joy to feel the firm click of the buttons and see that sweep hand snap perfectly back the 12.

All things considered, a chronograph’s dial can be a very busy canvas, and indeed, the Sligo’s matte Moss Green face displays plenty of information: a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock, a 24-hour indicator at 6, a small seconds counter at 9, a tachymeter scale, and an Arabic number minutes track that changes layout in the final quadrant. With all that, I’m glad that Maals kept the branding to a minimum, just the brand’s twin-profile logo cut into the dial at 4:30. Brushed lancet-style hands lend the Sligo a touch of antique charm.

You will notice a unique combination of markers on this watch, a combination of batons, and just two Arabic numbers at 10 and 11. I was initially unconvinced by this design choice but quickly came around to it. Ultimately, it works well on this dial. All of the markers are cut away to reveal the SuperLuminova disk beneath. The surface is free of reflection and high contrast ensures that it remains legible.

A green and gold aluminum timing bezel lends the Silgo’s some diver style, and Maals backs that up with a screw-down crown and a 100m water resistance rating. No, it is not an ISO 6425-compliant diver’s watch, but it will handle most submersions without incident — so long as you don’t push those chronograph buttons while underwater, of course.

The case is truly special. Maals designed a unique mold for this watch. It was then cast in brass and plated with 2N polished gold. It is not common, but quite successful as its shine looks just right. When I took the watch out of the box, the heft and color made me think it was a solid gold watch. Another benefit of the plating process is that the brass won’t turn your wrist green.

Wearing the Sligo was a unique experience because it was made, quite particularly, for another’s wrist. Still, I enjoyed strapping that green nylon strap to my 6.25-inch wrist. Honestly, I believe the 44mm wide, 13mm thick case was too much for me, even though it was surprisingly comfortable. Given that an uncased 7750 is 8mm tall, the watch is relatively slim. I am sure its mystery owner will be very happy.

The Maals Silgo is a watch that was made from scratch to suit just one person’s style and need. As such, it is an intensely personal object. It may not be for everyone, but it does make you consider the possibilities of a truly bespoke watch. A partnership such as this allows the client to create their aesthetic vision with an ideal fit, like a tailor-made suit. As I inspected the Silgo, I imagined how it would to create a watch to my own specifications. Which movement or complication would I choose? What is my preferred case size? What would my dream dial look like? Undeniably, it all sounds fascinating.

It is good to know that Maals offers this possibility, but there are some less entertaining aspects to consider. Designing a watch from scratch takes time, and once built, those novel components and case must be tested to ensure reliability. In this case, the project took about a year — not terrible, in my opinion, considering that this was a bespoke project from end to end.

And then, there is the price. Maals did not share the cost of this piece, but suffice it to say that it was not cheap. There are a few brands that will allow you to customize your watch by selecting from a menu of parts and even some that offer bespoke dials, but the level of design required for a watch like the Silgo is almost unheard of. It represents a level of “true” luxury that is quite rare.

If you crave a one-of-one timepiece, or perhaps one of the far more affordable (£225) Jump Over The Moon watches, please visit Maals.co.uk.

Maals Silgo Technical Specifications

Movement

Valjoux 7750
Self-winding chronograph movement with 25 jewels, ball-bearing rotor, unidirectional winding, 1/8-seconds counter, 30-minutes counter, 12-hours counter, 28.800 A/h,
Power reserve ca. 44 hours.
Subdials at 6:00, 9:00, and 12:00 for hours, running seconds, and 30 minute chronograph counter, respectively

Case