For some people, one watch is enough. It’s their consistent companion and the thing they reach for first in the morning, regardless of the day’s plans. Manime seeks to make La Fidele, their second effort, a loyal companion that will accompany the wearer wherever they go.
When I put on La Fidele the first thing I noticed was the very significant taper from watch head to bracelet. The watch itself is 38mm wide by a very short 42mm long. The bracelet is only 22mm at the case and tapers down to 18mm at the clasp. More typically, integrated steel sports watches have a 24-26mm wide bracelet link at the case before tapering down. As a result, you really feel the weight of the watch head on top of your wrist and the rest of the bracelet melts away as you’re wearing it. At around 11mm thick, the case sits low and the bracelet links articulate freely to curve around my 6.5” wrist.
The case is a nice mix of brushed surfaces and mirrored chamfers, with gradual transitions between the two. The sunburst brushing on the bezel matches perfectly with the brushing on the case and moves seamlessly to the brushing on the bracelet. The lug chamfers taper from the bezel to the end of the case, further highlighting the transition from the wide case to the comparatively narrow bracelet. The chamfers continue from the case right through the rest of the bracelet, with mostly consistent width. The curve from the widest part of the case to the bracelet is mirrored in the chamfers, which I think shows fantastic attention to detail in the design process.
The bracelet consists of screwed links, which makes sizing it extremely easy. Very few brands go through the effort of screwed links, so this upgrade is definitely appreciated. After sizing it for my wrist, there were three expansion links left on the watch and 5 on the bench, so there is lots of room to accommodate a variety of wrist sizes. The butterfly clasp is engraved with the Manime logo and snaps securely. The lugs have drilled holes to make swapping the bracelet easy, but I measured the lug connection as approximately 18mm, so a normal strap would probably end up looking a little odd. I do think that Manime should consider including branded notched rubber straps as an addition to the bracelet. That would definitely add a sporty vibe to La Fidele.
The dial colors Manime chose to use are a refreshing change from the typical blue, black, white, and [insert other random color here]. Instead there is copper, champagne, khaki (an olive green), military (a matte brown and no date), and anthracite. I was given the anthracite model to review. The dial is a deep gray that also seems to pick up the colors I’m wearing – a nice feature in a watch that’s trying to be The One Watch. The date window is chamfered and otherwise unobtrusive. The hands and applied markers are faceted to catch the light and filled with BWG9 lume. Overall, the dial is well laid out, concise, and attractively minimalist, just like the rest of the watch.
Manime went with a Miyota 9015 for the date models and a 9039 running the no-date Military variant, which you can see through the sapphire case back. The movement runs quietly and unobtrusively – I experienced no issues with timekeeping during the review period. One thing that did surprise me was that the crown, generously sized and easy to use, was actually a screw-down crown rather than a push-pull. This is what I get for not reading the specs section before I try setting the watch. Minor user hiccup aside, the crown operated smoothly and I was able to quickly set the time and date.
The caseback has the Manime logo printed in silver on the inside of the crystal in lieu of a decorated rotor, similar to their first model, the La F. Personally, since the Miyota 90xx movements aren’t decorated, I’d consider going with an engraved caseback with the same design, as it’s one less possible point of entry for water. Though at an advertised 200m of water resistance, the case and seals are certainly up to whatever adventures you choose to enjoy while wearing La Fidele.
At approximately $600 (converted from 550Euro) for this automatic, stainless steel, nominally integrated bracelet sports watch, the obvious comparison for the Manime La Fidele would be the Tissot PRX. With La Fidele, you get improved water resistance, a more distinctive design, a no-date option, interesting dial variants, and a generally more subtle wrist presence.
I think the La Fidele is a successful second effort from Manime. It seems like it would definitely be a constant and loyal companion, up to any daily life activities or adventure. To learn more, check out the La Fidele on Manime’s website.
