Summer might be almost over, but that doesn’t mean the bright tones have to go away!
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’d know that I have a thing for RJ Romain Jerome, and especially the Steampunk collection (which reminds me, I need to post my review of my Titanic DNA Steampunk Chrono). With its generous proportions, voluminous dial and unique interpretation of “steampunk”, it’s a watch that rarely goes unnoticed. But with its rusted bezel and dark nuances, the Titanic DNA Steampunk collection may be a bit too out there for most.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a non-Titanic Steampunk collection presented at Baselworld, the Steampunk Chrono Colour. It retains the same edginess as the Titanic DNA Steampunk but in a brighter, more playful package.
Unlike their rusted counterparts, the Steampunk Chrono Colour come in a fully polished stainless steel case and bezel with the signature brushed PVD treated case and lug sides. They still measure 50mm wide, but thanks to the short bezels, integrated strap and wide bezel it’s easy to get used to the size.
The dial is actually integrated onto the movement’s bottom plate, and thus gives a very architectural, three-dimensional feel. The raised parts like the Roman XII hour marker and the spinning propeller are finished in vertical satin-brushed gray ruthenium, while the lower part receives a more “raw” matte, almost frosted silver texture. The subdials and their hands resemble pressure gauges, a small detail which really adds to the steampunk theme.
What I find exceedingly well done with the Steampunk Chrono Colour line is how the colors are present in just the right amounts. It would have been easy to make say a full red or blue dial with a matching colored rubber strap, but instead RJ Romain Jerome struck the right amount of chromatics to make the piece stand out, but not overbearingly so. The vibrant tones are present on the raised rehaut bezel and the constant seconds hand at 9 o’clock, as well as crown’s rubber element and the strap’s sides and stitching.
The Steampunk Chrono Colour comes in 5 varieties: red, orange, yellow, blue and green (which I unfortunately didn’t get to photograph). I like how they’ve taken the same elements from the grungier Steampunk Chrono and applied them in a softer yet equally eye-catching watch. If you like the original Steampunk but aren’t too keen on the rusted bezel and more industrial look (which I personally love), I highly recommend checking out the Steampunk Chrono Colour.
More info at www.romainjerome.ch
