Hands down (no pun intended) my favorite aspect of the watch is the handset. At first, I was afraid that the off-centered minute hand was going to bother me to no end, but I found myself thoroughly enjoying the fact that it sets the handset apart. While it isn’t exactly a sword-and-shield combo unless you are a huge fan of Bleach (let’s see how far this one goes), there’s almost a fantastical element to them and I can’t help but see the sails of a cutter ship when they overlap. Additionally, the brushed finish of the steel provides superb legibility despite the white lume-filled center against the white dial being very similar. The hands are a perfect length with the hour hand reaching perfectly to the inside track, and the minute hand to the edge of the indices.
The watch utilizes a standard SW-200, and I can hear the collective groan of our readers, but I’m honestly not surprised or upset by it at all. I think with Swatch limiting the availability of their ETA bases next year, we are going to see a lot of microbrands utilizing Sellita and Miyota movements to keep costs and availability under control moving forward. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the SW-200, as it’s a proven movement, and I can’t blame a brand for looking for alternatives to an ETA when they can’t produce their own movement.
Moving on to the strap options, I chose both blue versions of the leather and Perlon straps. The Perlon strap is bold and I felt it was sufficiently lightweight for the hot Tampa Bay summers – though it did stretch a little after first use, and get dirty fairly quickly. That’s par for the course with a light-colored Perlon strap, I guess. The leather felt great, featuring a padded buffer that runs the entire length of the belly not only making it a comfy fit but also flexible. Considering that the only strap options at the moment are NATO style (something I would typically loathe), this was important for me as I am rarely a fan of the case being pulled hard into my wrists by a flared strap that sits on top of the lug bar. The clasps are brushed with a polished center featuring a subtle “F____E” logo with an oversized leather loop to catch the excess strap that isn’t irritating, and sits mostly flush against the wrist. I would definitely like to see a bracelet option. Though, with the nature of this particular case structure, I can see where that would be challenging. If I could offer any suggestions going forward, it would be to manufacture a bracelet that can be fastened to the existing lug bars.
Before I wrap this up, I want to talk about my hopes and what FUGUE will be offering in future segments. I emailed the brand to get a sense of what I can expect going forward, and that only stimulated my excitement for the watch. Currently, the Chronostase as you see it is available on the website and is a seriously limited edition piece. But a quick chat with the founder and a hefty amount of Insta-fu yielded a few new case and strap options becoming available soon, and a bunch more in the works. While I do love this case, there is a more traditional ’50s-inspired round case reminiscent of an old Seamaster that I’m really vibing with and a ’70s-inspired case that looks like it came right out of Back to the Future – opening up a new look for a lot of different occasions and styles. My hope is to see a bracelet option, some new strap designs, and case shapes – and it really looks like those could be coming.
Overall, I have had an immense amount of fun with this watch. I’ve grown up, and my hobbies have grown more complicated and expensive, but the FUGUE Chronostase brought a glimpse of my childhood back, even if it was only for a little while. With the limited amount of options currently available, I still spent almost every night for the first week swapping things around and playing with the straps that came with the watch; and that makes me excited about the endless possibilities the brand can bring in the future. Modular watches are a polarizing topic, and I haven’t found a brand that has created one that is both high-quality, easy to use, and fun. That is to say, this is the first I’ve found that has done it right. These won’t be for everyone, but the appeal is largely to the enthusiasts like myself who like to fidget with something during a meeting. While I do think the watch is a bit too expensive, coming in at $1,534 USD, I’ve seen worse value propositions considering what you get with this watch – especially considering it’s currently limited to 300 pieces. fuguewatches.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: FUGUE
>Model: Chronostase Automatic
>Price: $1,535 USD
>Size: 40mm wide
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: The guy who has all of those fidget games on his desk.
>Best characteristic of watch: The modular nature and the endless possibilities in the future.
>Worst characteristic of watch: The polished sides of the case tend to be scratch magnets, and the raised sapphire is so high that it’s largely unprotected.
