We’ve been here before. Me, and MMI watch, you, dear reader. I’ve had the opportunity to review several of MMI’s offerings and have regularly found them to be good value, well-built, and cohesively designed. Their newest model, the Cuttlechron, is the most interesting watch I’ve seen from MMI, in large part because of its distinct case shape.
I remember reading a car review several years ago in which the vehicle’s steering wheel was referred to as a “squircle.” That descriptor fits the Cuttlechron’s case, which is both square in dimension but curved along its sides. Dimensionally, the squircle is 42mm x 42mm, and is just over 12mm thick – very trim overall, which helps the Cuttlchron to wear very comfortably. These dimensions are much friendlier than the 46mm hulk that was the MMI Dumbo, the Cuttlechron’s recent ancestor.
The case finishing emphasizes this shaping, as fine, fairly deep vertical brushing on the case flanks contrasts with a polished bevel running the entire upper edge of the case, together emphasizing the curve of the four sides. The tiny bit of flat surface peeking out at three of the four corners is radially brushed, fitting the combination of arcs and lines that shape three of the corners. The fourth corner, at the bottom right of the case, houses the inset crown, the placement of which prevents it from digging into the wrist. The inset corner placement also reduces the visual mass of the horizontal dimension, and makes the 42mm wide case appear more like a 40mm watch with a crown at 3. The quality of finishing on each surface is a step up from what I’ve observed on other MMI models, and collectively the surfacing adds an elegance to what could otherwise be a brutish case. Production steel models will have an anti-fingerprint coating to preserve the case finishes from grubby human fingers.
The elegance of the case continues on the dial, which sports a brushed metallic finish that makes light dance. In dimmer light conditions, the dial looks relatively straightforward, but direct, brighter lighting enlivens the tiny etched edges of the horizontal brushing. The variation isn’t binary, as there are shades between the flat, darker hue of low light, and the brightness that shows when the dial is directly lit. The effect is fun, and beautiful to observe.
The rest of the dial is more familiar MMI fare. The brand’s roulette pointer date function defines the inner and outer portions of the dial. As with the brand’s Nor-light sports watch, the sequencing of the date function runs counter-clockwise, a function of the Miyota 9015 within. Within the printed dates, you’ll find minimal text – just MMI’s graphic and text logo above the pinion and “automatic” printed below. MMI has noted that the graphic logo on the production models will be embossed to add more dimension. I appreciate the minimalism either way, as it allows more of the radiant dial surface to shine.
The perimeter section of the dial houses applied indices that are round at all positions except for 12, which uses a bisected home plate shape. There are undoubtedly other descriptors for this shape, but the MLB playoffs are upon us, and I am merely a product of my environment. A minute track printed in a muted orange follows the edge of the dial plate, complementing the signal-orange seconds hand. A rehaut surrounds the dial plate, and houses cantilevered hour markers that, while functionally redundant to those on the dial, are shaped to point your eye inward. All of the hour markers are robustly lumed, as is the date indicator the turns beneath the dial plate. The lumed hands are bisected obelisks for the hours and minutes, and seconds are tracked by the aforementioned orange arrow-shaped hand.
As per usual, MMI offers the Cuttlechron in a variety of colorways, including versions with a bronze case. The bronze model will not include a bracelet, but bears the same quality finishing of its steel counterpart. You won’t see many photos of the bronze model here, as I wasn’t particularly fond of the combination of the lime-green full-lume dial with that case. There are multiple colorways, though, that contrast much more pleasantly with the bronze, particularly the green and blue non-lumed dials.
Around and above the dial is a 120-click unidirectional bezel with a fully-lumed, ceramic elapsed-time insert. The coin edge of the bezel could be slightly deeper to make operation easier, but the squared case sides at 12 and 6 enable confident operation even with the shallower grooves. On the steel model I had on hand, the bezel insert was blue, to match the dial. The color matching carries to the black and green non-lumed dial versions for both steel and bronze cases, while the green and yellow lumed dials get black ceramic inserts. I suggest going for the blue or green brushed dials to maximize the light-catching effect of the horizontally-brushed dials.
The case back is an uneven octagon that follows the overall shape of the case, and is affixed with four screws, helping to provide the Cuttlechron with 150m of water resistance. The brand noted that their aim was 200m, but the size and angles of the case and caseback limited them, as corners are harder to waterproof than curves. The 150m depth rating is more than sufficient for the aquatic activities the majority of the population will pursue. Nestled within the inner portion of the caseback is an embossed image of the curious and delightful Cuttlefish, which provides half of the watch’s moniker (the other half, chron, is the suffix for “time”). Cuttlefish are super weird, but in a “wow, isn’t life amazing?” way, not an “oh my, look at that thing!” manner, and the image adds a playfulness to the watch.
The underside of the case also houses 22mm inset lug boxes that are brushed to help reduce the surface scratching that frequently results when changing a bracelet or strap. While the Cuttlechron has the look of a strap monster, the tight dimensions of these lug boxes dash those dreams. The space between the springbar holes and the edges of the lug box is tight, and won’t accommodate as many straps as would a watch with protruding lugs. The watch would look excellent on a fabric single-pass, but you’ll need curved springbars to make it work, and it’ll still be a pretty tight fit. Unfortunately, I only had one such springbar on hand, which allowed me to confirm their capability, but not wear the Cuttechron on a single pass. The strap pairing limitations, though, are a fair trade to make the squircle case work without requiring it to be a much larger watch. Unlike other case shapes, MMI can’t just extend the lugs for more clearance – any extension of the case along the vertical axis would require an equivalent increase to the horizontal, or be left with a less attractive overall shape.
On the steel versions of the Cuttlechron, strap pairing limitations are mitigated by an H-link bracelet with flat surfacing, befitting the squared theme of the watch. The links feature vertical brushing on top, horizontal brushing along their sides, and a polished bevel separating the two, while a simpler transition adorns the lower edge of the links. Like the case, the bracelet’s finishing is superior to that of previous MMI offerings. Although it tapers from 22mm at the lugs to 20mm, 18mm at the clasp would have been even more in line with the subtle elegance of the Cuttlechron’s design. That clasp is another improvement from previous offerings, as it includes toolless micro adjustment and carries an engraved MMI logo on its vertically-brushed outer surface.
In my last few reviews of MMI’s watches, I expressed my curiosity to see how the brand would grow and elevate its work. In the Cuttlechron, I see subtle traits that evince the evolution of design and quality. The brushing and polishing of the case and bracelet, and the crisp transitions between these surfaces, are of higher quality than I observed on other MMI models. The downsizing of the platform from the Dumbo to the Cuttlechron, and the latter’s improved proportions, indicate a level of design refinement that is a hallmark of the better affordable enthusiast brands. The Cuttlechron appears as an evolutionary step up for MMI and it offers a fun, creative take on the dive watch.
The Cuttlechron’s Kickstarter, which has exceeded its funding goal, closes October 6th at 11:00 am EST.
