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The ITAnano Phantom Carbon Automatic 49 is shipped with a leather strap and a rubber strap. Upon receiving the watch with the leather strap installed my first move was to remove it and swap it for the very soft and flexible, hypoallergenic rubber strap, which exceeds the leather strap by lightyears in terms of quality of material and wearing comfort. It wraps the wrist very nicely, is soft to the touch and overall just a much nicer alternative to the stiff and arguably inferior leather strap. Matching the case back of the watch, the buckle is in satin finished stainless steel and it bears the ITAnano logo. And while it is neat to have the watch with two straps, the leather strap and the lack of a second buckle make for a more tangible form of “cost-optimization.”

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Speaking of which, let’s look at what is inside the carbon case: while the Phantom Carbon is available with a Swiss Ronda quartz movement as well (at a substantial discount of around $280), the watch we had in for review is the automatic version with a Japanese Miyota 8215 movement. It offers automatic and hand-winding – yes, the latter has to be mentioned here as many lower-end Japanese automatic winding movements lack the latter feature – and a date indication, but no hacking seconds.

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Perhaps the greatest compromise of the 8215 however is its accuracy, as it is rated to run somewhere between -20 and +40 seconds a day. And while at this price point that still does not bother me too much, it has to be noted for those more keen on having an accurate timekeeper. In conclusion, the quality of the leather strap, the slightly lower-end movement and the “K1 mineral” front crystal is where the competitive pricing of the Phantom Carbon is most noticeable.

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So far, have established that the wearability of the ITAnano Phantom Carbon Automatic 49 is exceptional and that it offers compromised chronometric performance. Despite the latter fact, it still offers great legibility with properly sized hands – a problematic aspect of numerous modern watches, especially when it comes to ones of such gargantuan proportions. It also has polished indices which show high contrast against the matte black dial, while the red accents and central seconds hand add a splash of color. One gripe that we do have regarding the legibility of the watch is the “K1 mineral” front crystal which is not only less scratch-resistant than sapphire, but also could have used a bit more anti-reflection coating.

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Whether the design matches one’s taste or not is a different – and very subjective – matter, and we do expect the blue-blooded watch enthusiast out there to notice the undeniable resemblance between the Phantom Carbon’s octagonal bezel and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. With that said, the design appears to flow nicely, with a tasteful balance of curved and angular elements, making for a more masculine aesthetic.

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Overall, it can be said that, while the looks may not be for everyone, the Phantom Carbon has considerable potential in the fashion watch market, with a cool feature – its carbon case – an automatic movement and superb wearing comfort and legibility. What renders it interesting for all watch enthusiasts however is that it manages to offer a material that is practically useful and technically challenging to manufacture and, more important, something that was considered to be exclusive to the big guns in the industry. The price for any one of the five versions of the ITAnano Phantom Carbon Automatic 49 watch is €405 or $537. itanano.com

Necessary Data
>Brand: ITAnano
>Model: Phantom Carbon Automatic 49 (ref. H4900-CBN PH01S as reviewed)
>Price: $537
>Size: 49mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Would prefer the 43 mm version.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: The one with a limited budget and a taste for modern and masculine designs.
>Best characteristic of watch: Definitely the carbon case with its astoundingly light weight and great wearing comfort.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Lack of a sapphire crystal and a more nicely executed leather strap.


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