Do you know what’s better than discovering a cool watch online? Encountering that same watch in person and discovering that it is even better than you thought. I had that experience at Watches and Whiskey in July when I tried on the Mark Time M 1.2.
Mark Time is a new microbrand based in my own Northern Virginian backyard. Their M 1.2 is comprised of a Japanese movement and Chinese-manufactured parts that are shipped to Hagerstown for assembly and regulation by Maryland Watch Works. Interestingly, Mark Time also ensures TÜV manufacturing certification for compliance with German standards.
I’d categorize the M 1.2 as an all-around daily watch. It’s not a tool watch, and it’s not too dressy, but rather, it’s comfortably stylish with sufficient water resistance (100m) to handle just about any activity short of scuba diving. Sapphire crystals, both front (double-domed and AR-coated) and rear (flat), provide excellent scratch resistance. Inside, beats a smooth and reliable Miyota 9039 dateless automatic with 24 jewels, 28.8k bph, and a 40-hour power reserve.
A look at the flip side reveals the brand’s motto, “Mark Time For Yourself,” a little play on words as a reminder of self-care. It also bears Mark Time’s three keys: Japanese Heart, German Love, and my favorite, Philly Sarcasm.
The M 1.2’s stainless steel case is 42mm wide, 49.5mm long, and just over 12mm thick on a 22mm strap. That sounds large, but its width spreads that 12+mm rather thin, giving the watch a low profile. A polished finish blurs the case’s crisp edges, and the smooth fixed bezel keeps your focus on the dial. Together, these elements conspire to shave a millimeter or two off of your perception of its size.
Strapping it on for the first time, I guessed it to be 40.5-41mm. Now that average watch sizes have shrunk, many of my older 42mm pieces feel somewhat oversized. This one does not. I thought it cut a rather dapper figure on my 6.75″ wrist.
The Mark Time M 1.2’s layout exhibits a strong German Modernist influence. I hesitate to say “Bauhaus” because so many watches are mistakenly attributed to that school of design, although Mark Times cites that school, as well as British Brutalism, as an influence. Maybe think about the Erich Dieckmann clock, add some Railway Clock, then gently fold in a cup of space-age industrialism like Krups and Braun produced in the 1970s and 80s … well, you get the idea.
Mark Time employs this aesthetic using a brushed sunburst sandwich dial where the cutaways show the space between the hours. The hands are broad beams with squared tips and bright white blocks of BGW9. The second hand is similarly styled and of equal width to the bridge-like hour makers. It is also color-matched to the dial, which seems like a counter-intuitive choice until you notice its dark tip, which also happens to be the same width as the hours’ openings.
Peer a little closer, and you’ll discover that it also matches the glossy squares forming the minutes track. Yes, you might have missed that index altogether, as the markers are the same color as the dial and rely on contrasting reflections to make themselves known. It may be a touch too subtle for precision timekeeping, and that is just fine with me. It’s just not that kind of watch.
This bold approach is clean, modern, and immensely satisfying, particularly at night when the second hand makes its shadowy journey across that bold swath of lume shining up from below.
If you really delve deep, you will notice the Mark Time brand and model name. The printing is tiny, in a lightweight typeface. It’s a complete departure from Mark Time’s first design, the M. 1, in which a logo filled the entirety of the dial. I much prefer this approach. The name is there if you look, and otherwise entirely subordinate to all other elements on the dial.
As you can see, Mark Time is not afraid of color. I had initially requested a classic black dial with a red accent for my review sample, but it seems that was everyone else’s favorite, too, and that batch quickly sold out. So, I said, “Surprise me,” and got this gorgeous teal blue. It makes for a fabulous summer watch, whether paired with the pale gray leather strap or the fitted black silicone. Other options include pink and silver dials in stainless steel cases or, for an entirely different feel, green or navy dials in bronze cases.
Like every other part of the watch, Mark Time took great care with the straps. The leather is slim, tapered, and neatly finished with a polished and signed buckle, quick-release pins, and twin rows of stitching at the lugs.
The silicone strap gives the watch a much sportier look. I love its fitted ends and remarkable softness. My only gripe is that its brushed buckle doesn’t match the case. Yes, I am picky that way.
Buyers will get the watch and both straps in a dandy, two-pocket, soft leather travel pouch. Stainless steel versions are $449, the bronze are $489.
I found the Mark Time M 1.2 to be a delightful watch, and clearly, I am not alone, as every variant is currently out of stock except the green/bronze and the blue/steel pictured here. What I want to know is why that one hasn’t sold out, too. Maybe you need to see the color in person to truly appreciate it, but trust me, you will.
For more information or to snap up one the last of this batch, head over to marktimewatches.com.
