The watch microbrand D1 Milano is very young - entrepreneur and enthusiast Dario Spallone founded it in Milan in 2013. However, the growth of the brand in just 10 years is impressive: today D1 Milano watches (as many as 8 collections, both quartz and mechanical) are sold in more than 600 retail outlets located in 156 countries around the world!
The main factor in the success of the D1 Milano was a deeply thought-out approach to creating watches. All models of the brand externally resemble one or another masterpiece of the “grands” of Haute Horlogerie and are, by and large, at the same level of quality. But the economy and aesthetics of the D1 Milano are special. Let us note two main points:
- Price-quality ratio. We mentioned quality (and will continue to talk), but as for the price, it is expressed in tens of thousands of rubles. Whereas the price of iconic “analogues” (models from Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Bulgari) is also expressed in tens of thousands, but in euros, dollars, Swiss francs.
- Style. D1 Milano's signature slogan reads: 70's SOUL WITH A MODERN TWIST. In their models, designers inventively use elements that became a new word in the 70s of the last century, mainly through the efforts of the brilliant Gerald Genta. And not only that: nostalgia for the era of half a century ago is also manifested in such “tricks” as imitation of pixelation on dials, reproduction of fragments of the first computer games, etc.
Retro and vintage style is in demand today, and the strategy of Dario Spallone and his team has certainly found many, many connoisseurs.
Today we are looking at the D1 Milano Automatico Retro Blue watch.
First impression
They meet you by their clothes... Let's say right away: everything is in order with clothes! A black box made of thick plastic, even with an abstract geometric pattern on the top edge. Inside there is not a single space, as is usually the case, but two compartments. In the larger part – the watch itself (on a pad, of course), in the smaller part – the instruction manual, also known as the international guarantee. Additionally, the kit includes a warranty card from the Russian distributor.
Next - about the watch itself.
Movement
Here we have a three-pointer with a date powered by the Seiko SII NH35 automatic caliber. As is known, this is the designation of the Seiko 4R35 movement when assembled outside of Japan. Seiko strictly monitors the quality of its products regardless of where they are made, so the quality of this caliber cannot be doubted. But in terms of price, it noticeably outperforms many competitors, not to mention the in-house mechanisms of the “grands”.
The caliber diameter is 27,4 mm, the thickness is 5,32 mm, it operates on 24 jewels, the balance makes 21600 vibrations per hour. The mechanism includes a shock-absorbing Diashock module. Self-winding system – Magic Lever (double-sided). Stated: power reserve 41 hours, accuracy -20/+40 sec per day. But we will check this.
Case, bracelet
In dry numbers: case diameter 41,5 mm, thickness 11 mm, weight (assembled) 170 g. Material – stainless steel 316L, with alternating polished and satin surfaces.
And now - without dryness: respect for the legacy of Gerald Genta is undeniable! The octagonal configuration of the case is a clear reference to the legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The hexagon of the crown is the same. But this is by no means a mindless copying: for example, the designers of the D1 Milano did not succumb to the temptation to place screw heads on the bezel, but “hid” them on a solid back cover - also 8, but smaller and slightly differently located.
To finish with the back cover, let's note the laconic engraving on it. There is a brand logo (naturally), a serial number of the item (which is nice), a water resistance characteristic (5 ATM = 50 meters) and an ITALIAN DESIGN indication. Well, that’s also nice, because Italy is considered the leader in world design.
And we can’t help but mention a touching detail: the film on the back cover is equipped with an honest notice ASSEMBLED IN CHINA. The times when one should be skeptical about such things are over. Today, the assembly of products at a modern Chinese enterprise will cause no more complaints than at a Swiss, Japanese, Italian, etc. But the cost is significantly lower. Which is in favor of both the customer of this assembly and the final buyer.
A few words about the crown. It's screwable. For 50m water resistance this is probably reasonable. When unscrewing, the head automatically moves to the first position - in this position manual winding of the mechanism is possible. The main thing is not to over-twist: 40 turns, and no more is needed. In the second position, turning the crown counterclockwise advances the date display. Finally, in the third position, the “stop-second” function is activated, and rotation of the head (of course, in either direction) serves to set the time. Having completed these operations, it is important not to forget to screw the head back, for which you have to lightly press it.
On the front side there is a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. This is a clear indicator of the class of the model.
Finishing talking about the case, we note the impeccable processing of all surfaces.
And finally, the bracelet. It is integrated, three-row, with a folding clasp. Everything is comfortable on the hand.
Clock face
The best part is for dessert... The creative team at D1 Milano came up with (and implemented) a “space” watch – not for actual space flights, but to satisfy nostalgic memories of space-themed computer games of the 1970s. The background of the dial is matte blue, and on it: a figurine of an astronaut reading a book (9 o’clock position); spaceship (in the center of the dial); an astronaut dog at the tip of the zigzag second hand.
And all this is done in the manner of pixel graphics, characteristic of the era of 8- and 16-bit computers. Funny, stylish and again touching...
It remains to add that the hour markers are applied, steel, echoing the polished edges of the case.
Express test results
The fully wound watch stopped after 43 hours and 17 minutes. Let us remind you that the caliber manufacturer guarantees 41 hours.
During the day the clock fell behind by 7 seconds. Not COSC, but reliable within the limits stated by the movement manufacturer (-20/+40 sec.).
