No Longer Made is a collection performed in collaboration with our companions at eBay, by which aBlogtoWatch editors function their favourite watches which are not in manufacturing.
Prior to publishing this watch evaluation however after it was written, RJ watches ceased operation resulting from its major funder selecting for the Swiss watchmaker to turn into bancrupt and declare chapter. That may be a disgrace and, over the course of 2020, there might sadly be extra collector watch manufacturers that finish operations, quickly or completely. That mentioned, this RJ Arraw Marine Ceramic evaluation remains to be one thing aBlogtoWatch wished to publish — albeit now as a “No Longer Made” article, versus a conventional watch evaluation of a product that shall be extensively obtainable for the time to come back. With that in thoughts, please get pleasure from the next evaluation of the RJ Arraw Marine Ceramic watch.
It wouldn’t be RJ if the gathering didn’t embrace some completely wild stuff… however kind by way of the 34 (at current on the RJ web site) Arraw mannequin watches, and also you’ll see this one piece in black ceramic that’s significantly attention-grabbing. That is the RJ Arraw Marine Ceramic watch (reference 1M45C.CCCR.1517.RB) and, for my part, it’s in all probability the most effective factor produced by the model at the moment. I’ve been following this quirky model for some time now (over a decade) and thru a number of CEOs. Maybe the largest change on the model just lately was the transition from being referred to as “Romain Jerome” to simply “RJ.” Additionally new is the CEO, Mr. Marco Tedeschi, who I spoke with over a yr in the past when he first joined the RJ model. At this time, I evaluation the RJ Arraw Marine, which might be most attributable to the efforts of the model’s present chief.
Former RJ CEO Manuel Emch positioned the model as a maker of fully limited-edition watches with small productions, quirky designs, and costs that almost all conventional timepiece collectors would possibly scoff at. Romain Jerome was decided to promote its toy and art-style watches for large children with a lot of disposable earnings. Apparently, for some time, this was a wholly sound enterprise mannequin. Sadly, not so any longer. The issue with the previous enterprise mannequin, for my part, was the tug-of-war earlier than product novelty and worth. Romain Jerome may definitely make a really authentic set of 50 watches however not with out pricing every of them very excessive as a result of there are such a lot of new components and improvement wanted for a comparatively small variety of watches.
Whereas unique limited-edition timepieces will nonetheless in all probability be an enormous a part of the RJ model, completely limited-edition watches won’t — and I feel that may be a good factor. The Arraw would possibly are available many kinds, however the core assortment is supposed to be a everlasting member of the RJ product household. Take a look at the design of the case and individuals who know the model shall be accustomed to the look, however not the title. Greater than eight years in the past I reviewed the Romain Jerome Titanic DNA watch that originated this case design underneath the management of then-CEO Yvan Arpa. The Arraw case isn’t the Titanic DNA however it’s impressed by it.
What might be most noteworthy concerning the Arraw is that RJ took what it felt was a very good core Romain Jerome design and sought to totally replace it as a brand new and trendy timepiece. The Arraw has all new components and options however is designed to appear like it exists within the DNA, which RJ has made for itself. That is in all probability the best Romain Jerome / RJ timepiece I’ve ever worn from the attitude of being appropriate for each day put on. This isn’t only a praise to RJ’s present staff, however it’s additionally a message to timepiece lovers who might have skilled a cool, albeit uncomfortable, Romain Jerome watch prior to now that they could wish to attempt once more.
The Arraw was RJ’s first “core assortment mannequin,” supposed to obtain consideration and mannequin variation with fashions. I don’t actually perceive the title, since “Marine” is utilized by different manufacturers like Ulysse Nardin and the Arraw isn’t a diver’s watch, neither is it nautical-themed. In actual fact, the one “Marine” a part of the watch I can consider is the core design’s relationship with the Titanic DNA assortment, which is probably not the marine-theme most shoppers wish to take into consideration. Then once more, I say that as somebody who in all probability is aware of far more than most about RJ.
The very first thing folks with Romain Jerome expertise would possibly discover when placing the Arraw on their wrist is that the case form is similar to the older fashions however thinner and extra snug on the wrist. The case is an ample 45mm-wide and about 15mm-thick with a roughly 55mm lug-to-lug distance (case is water-resistant to 100 meters). These will not be the scale of a small watch, however thoughts you that is smaller and extra wearable than earlier than. The one subject for me is that the lug design, by nature, signifies that smaller wrists could have the longer lugs jut out previous their wrists a bit.
The Arraw Marine Ceramic — because the title implies — options black-colored ceramic as a major case materials. RJ did a lovely job giving the ceramic a horizontal brushed end, which truly makes it appear like steel. Should you advised somebody this was a black-coated steel watch they might imagine you. This implies you get the ending of a steel watch with the scratch-resistance of ceramic. Different case supplies embrace some steel in addition to the “RJ bumpers” in rubber which come from the “X” shapes which went by way of the dials of some former Romain Jerome watches.
One of many new methods the Arraw case has is the power to simply take away the straps by pushing the 2 steel pushers on either side of the lugs. These was screws on former design, and now they’re pushers to launch the straps when you push them down each firmly sufficient. It isn’t the world’s most subtle strap-removal system, however it works nicely and the straps are fairly positive when in place. The draw back is that you simply appear to solely have the choice of getting different RJ straps which have the proprietary connection system.
The strap itself is in black rubber and includes a a lot improved fold-over deployant clasp. A number of former RJ watches have overly thick straps with cumbersome deployants that earned them few followers. This thinner rubber strap type and extra compact titanium deployant was the suitable technique to go. That is additionally the place you see a number of the Hublot affect, as Mr. Tedeschi was previously at Hublot for numerous years.
Satirically, each Marco Tedeschi and Yvan Arpa (former Romain Jerome CEO) labored underneath Jean Claude Biver at Hublot. Yvan Arpa was a part of the staff who designed the unique Hublot Huge Bang, and after that, we went to RJ to design the Titanic DNA. Now Marco is available in and updates the core RJ look, bringing with him plenty of classes he realized at Hublot — such is the knowledge of manufacturing modular case designs in order that aesthetic components and supplies may be so simply adjusted. Because of this the Arraw Marine remains to be a brand new piece however has practically three dozen fashions to this point.
Look carefully on the Arraw dial, and also you’ll see its high-quality supplies and enticing design. The look could be very Romain Jerome, but in addition has components of older Porsche Design (which RJ type of mimicked just a few years in the past). The type is nice however not as authentic as I would like. It additionally suffers from legibility points because the skeletonized brushed fingers hover over plenty of components which are completed the identical method. Designers appear completely obsessive about skeletonized fingers today, and their arguments for them are two-fold. First they are saying that skeletonized fingers helps with studying chronograph subdials extra simply. OK, I agree with that however I remind them than most individuals depend on the watch dial for studying the time in all probability 99 occasions out of 100. So, provided that kind of utilization, emphasis needs to be on legibility for studying the time. Second, designers merely argue that skeletonized fingers are extra “trendy.” Once more, that may true however I don’t give folks factors for merely being fashionable.
Whereas RJ can definitely tweak the Arraw dial design sooner or later, it’s rendered very nicely with a gorgeous dark-gray gradient dial and the utilized brushed steel dial components. I’d say that if it have been as much as me, for the following spherical of Arraw Marine dials I might give attention to having RJ maintain enjoying with the fingers and hour markers. Over the dial is a really nicely AR-coated and barely domed sapphire crystal.
Look on the again of the watch, and also you’ll see a “thriller” automated rotor which is supposed to appear like a spinning nautilus shell. Is that this why the Arraw has a “Marine” modifier to the title? This can be a enjoyable design factor however not authentic as we’ve seen on Blancpain watches and, in fact, the Nautilus title is most carefully related to Patek Philippe. I don’t actually know why RJ was going for this theme exterior of wanting watch lovers to consider different fashions. This isn’t a problem per se, however it’s a signal that RJ has but to search out its groove by way of design originality in just a few key areas (such because the rotor design).
Below the automated rotor (not seen to the eyes) is the RJ caliber RJ2040 automated chronograph motion. Produced for RJ by Concepto, I imagine, this motion operates at 4Hz (28,800 bph) with 42 hours of energy reserve. The automated motion contains the time, 12-hour chronograph, and date window positioned at 6 o’clock on the dial. For the worth of this watch, RJ would possibly wish to present the motion off a bit extra or at the very least prominently embrace pictures to it on the web site. Not that something is mistaken with the motion, however for a timepiece like this from a smaller unbiased model at over $10,000 in worth, I imagine shoppers wish to know a bit extra concerning the aesthetics of the motion inside it.
The Arraw Marine field itself is a murals and the model even has its personal Bearbrick figuring that’s sporting a printed RJ watch. For individuals who have the disposable earnings to buy a timepiece resembling this, which is extra about visible distinction than easy model consciousness, I feel RJ is a extra enticing choice than ever earlier than. Worth for the RJ Arraw Marine Ceramic is/was 11,900 Swiss Francs. Whereas there aren’t any of those watches particularly obtainable as of tnow, there are some attention-grabbing RJ/Romain Jerome items on eBay at present which are price looking. See extra on the RJ Watches web site right here.
Obligatory Information
>Model: RJ
>Mannequin: Arraw Marine Ceramic reference 1M45C.CCCR.1517.RB
>Worth: 11,900 Swiss Francs
>Dimension: 45mm-wide, ~ 15mm-thick, and ~ 55mm lug-to-lug distance
>When reviewer would personally put on it: As a comparatively snug each day put on once I need an unusual black ceramic sports activities watch.
>Pal we’d advocate it to first: Anybody who has been within the Romain Jerome (RJ) model for some time however who hasn’t felt that any of the earlier fashions felt good on their wrist.
>Finest attribute of watch: A superb job of reinventing a watch meant to appear like a model basic however trendy and well-suited for at the moment’s shopper tastes and expectations. Nice construct high quality total.
>Worst attribute of watch: Some design components are nonetheless not as cohesive as they might be. Case is lengthy for smaller to medium wrists.
