If the watch is dedicated to the Mandalorian, the review should definitely be called “That’s the Way.” The Mandalorian's name doesn't matter.
WRIST MONsters for 1/100th the price
The Invicta company appeared in Switzerland in 1837 and for a hundred years (like everyone else) made watches and movements. In the 1970s it went bankrupt and, after a series of resales, went to the Americans. Now the headquarters is in Florida, some of the watches are made in Switzerland (marked Swiss made), the rest are made in China. And since 2004, Invicta has been a group of companies with several brands, including Glycine and TechnoMarine.
By the way, do you know “WRIST MONsters” by Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin? They have a unique design and mechanism, hand-made production and a prize from the Geneva GPHG.
“WRIST MONsters” - a unique watch from a world-class master - costs about $25. If you don’t have that much, but you like a monstrous face on your wrist, take a look at Invicta’s collaborations with Marvel, DC Comics, Star Wars... Some models are terrible, others are very good - and two orders of magnitude cheaper than “WRIST MONSTERS”.
My favorite among them is the limited edition Joker.
And in a solid second place is the watch from this review: Invicta IN37209 Star Wars Boba Fett. This is also a limited edition (1977 pieces, the same as the year the first Star Wars was released), but they are still on sale.
Boba Fett studies
Boba Fett is a Star Wars character, a Mandalorian mercenary, the son (more precisely, a clone) of the Mandalorian Django Fett. We meet Boba as a boy halfway through Episode II; at the end, he clutches the severed head of his father, who died in a battle with the Jedi. In Episodes V-VI, he, having inherited Jango's armor, pursues Han Solo. And in 2021 he appears in the spin-off “The Mandalorian” - the series “The Book of Boba Boba Fett”, where he tries to lead a criminal empire.
Watch designers are very attentive to the hero. The colors match Fett's armor: green for the armor and cape, dark red for the bracers and visor trim, and yellow for the shoulder pads and knee pads. The voluminous helmet is detailed: damage and a “picket fence” of yellow markings are visible. The “12” mark on the bezel is the Fett badge. And the mythosaur skull (the symbol of Mandalore that Boba Fett wears on his left shoulder) is visible on the dial and second hand.
Size matters
In the photo, the watch looks harmonious, and the dry numbers “diameter 48 mm, thickness ~18 mm, from lug to lug ~6 cm” are not scary. And they should. In reality the clock is huge.
The watch is thick, like a Boba Fett bracer with a built-in harpoon winch.
Oddly enough, they fit comfortably on my modest 16,5 cm wrist. This is thanks to the strongly curved lugs and the cool silicone strap - also curved, soft and stretchy. But it’s better to wear a watch with short sleeves, because it’s difficult to fit even under the sleeve of a winter parka, not to mention all sorts of cardigans. Over the course of a day, the size and fit make your hand tired, and the hands are disproportionate to the gigantic body. And also - hello to door jambs: clocks will often meet with them.
But the appearance of the dial pleases with its depth, because the dial is really deep - about a third of the total thickness. I was especially impressed by the marks: vertical right-angled triangles, the height of which is one and a half times the width.
In general, the size is not a minus here, but a highlight. Do you like to shine with a big watch? Ready to wear them in the summer and put them in a box in the winter? Can be recommended for purchase.
The width of the strap is also generous - 26 mm. Appreciate the unusual decor with rods.
The quality of the
The watch is inexpensive, but of good quality: simple but smooth geometry, IP-coated steel, Flame Fusion glass. It's not sapphire, but according to reviews, it doesn't scratch much - I think the IP on the case will pick up scratches faster.
The watch is good from afar, at arm's length: deep dial, voluminous details, brutality...
Up close you can see the affordability of the watch. Let's say the lume on the marks is a little crooked. The delicate white arrows are an illusion: thin contours are drawn with white lume on a rather simple black die-cut. But something can be praised up close. The dial is nicely layered, and the skull medallion at the very bottom is riddled with gouges and scratches, as if it had been in trouble with a Mandalorian mercenary.
Inside is the quartz TMI PC21AF (TMI is part of Seiko), a super budget caliber for an inexpensive watch: its price is no more than 3-4% of the total cost of this Invicta. There are no stones in it, and if it breaks, it is simply replaced with the same new one. However, you can live with it: the rated accuracy is acceptable +/-20 or +/-30 seconds per month (depending on the model), and the SR 626 battery will last for 2 years. There is a hack, and although the second misses the marks, it’s not very strong.
As a clock
Yes, the Invicta Boba Fett is primarily a Star Wars accessory that, thanks to its arrows, can be worn on the wrist. How are they as clocks?
And they are surprisingly good as watches! Readability is quite good: the white hands contrast with the dial, and the time can be read without strain. There is lume - short-lived, but quite bright.
You expect high water resistance from the huge case, but the crown does not screw down. Therefore, WR is only 100 m (well, “just” - this is the standard for everyday watches). The large watch is convenient, but sensitive: when you set the time and click it into place, the minute hand often moves. The bezel, surprisingly, is not fake: it rotates (120 clicks) and can record time.
Who is this watch for?
If you're (1) a Star Wars fan, (2) like a very flashy watch, and (3) comfortable with the size, this is the watch for you. If at least one of the points is missed, then no.
I am sure that even with these restrictions, a series of only 1977 high-quality and inexpensive thematic watches will easily find their buyers.
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