About a week ago, I shared the story of how I (re)discovered the brand JEANRICHARD (formerly Jean Richard) on timezone.com (click here for the original post). I mentioned at the end of the post that I would be picking up a JEANRICHARD Terrascope Blue soon, but I didn’t think it would happen this fast.

The Terrascope is the revamped JEANRICHARD’S most basic offering, with a core design that has been adopted in their other collections such as the diver Aquascope or the chronograph Aeroscope. The Terrascope is a simple, no-nonsense 3-hand watch with a date function.

But creating a simple yet original design that works is usually more onerous feat than something overly complex; especially if as a brand you’re going to be basing all your other collections on that one design.

Luckily for JEANRICHARD, they got it absolutely right with the Terrascope.

The case, inspired by many vintage cushion shaped watches from decades past, is actually more complicated than it looks. When I first laid eyes on it, I though the entire case was crafted out of a single block of steel. Upon closer inspection however, I noticed that the case was much more complex than I could have imagined.

From top to bottom, there’s a round bezel that’s polished on the sides and vertically satin-brushed on top, giving it a sportier feel than say a fully polished bezel would. Under it is the cushion-shaped middle case, also satin-brushed. Attached to that are the case’s side inserts, which also act as the lugs. The caseback is a screwed-down steel plate stamped with the JEANRICHARD logo. Since all the attaching case screws are on the inside, you really get the impression that it’s made out of a single carved chunk of steel.

What attracted me most to this particular Terrascope is the dial. I’ve seen my fair share of blue dials (one of the major trends at Baselworld this year) and this one is by far, well, the bluest. I can’t quite describe the tone but it’s unusually vibrant; something between cobalt and electric blue. The problem is that the almost fluorescent intensity of it just doesn’t come out in photos. The glossy dial almost always looks washed out in photos and even on the brand’s website and catalogues. This is the closest I’ve come to capturing it’s true hue, which is still way off.

The dial is well proportioned to the 44m case size, with its polished and chiselled rhodium-plated baton hour markers tipped with Super-Luminova and just enough text on the dial to give it balance. The minutes and seconds track is slightly raised, giving the dial some depth. The legible white date wheel is placed discretely next to a shorter 3 o’clock hour marker. The signature large arrow and losangé hour and minutes hands, inspired by the pieces from the former Jean Richard (and big sister company Girard Perregaux) are faceted and polished with a rhodium surface, complete with copious amounts of luminous material. A touch I really like is the red tipped seconds hand, a small detail that makes the entire watch “pop” and gives it a sportier, more modern look.

Another strongpoint for the new JEANRICHARD collections is the large choice of straps. The watch is delivered on a matching buttery-soft blue calfskin strap with silvery-white stitching, but there are also other colors and leathers (such as ostrich), plus a range of colored rubber straps for those hotter summer months. There’s also a metal bracelet available. The buckle is an easily adjustable folding steel buckle, stain-brushed and stamped with the JEANRICHARD logo. Even on a dainty wrist like mine, it wraps around the wrist and sits quite comfortably.

Did I mention the packaging? Aside from the more traditional cardboard box, the actual watch is delivered in a leather case that can double as a camera carrying case, perfect for my Canon G 15. Now how “Philosophy of Life” is that?

In a segment filled with so-called sports watches, the JEANRICHARD Terrascope offers something refreshingly different. With its smooth lines, alternating satin and polished surfaces, it has a retro-chic air about it makes for a great “smart casual” watch. Priced in the $2-3k range depending on bracelet choise, The JEANRICHARD Terrascope (and their entire collection for that matter) offers tremendous value for money. For me, this has been one of the most satisfying purchases I’ve made lately in terms of horological bang for my buck.

Whether you’re looking to invest in a mechanical watch for the first time or are just looking for something new to add to the collection, I highly recommend having a look at JEANRICHARD.