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In a world filled with smartwatches, it sometimes feels that more traditional timepieces have taken a backseat. But there will always be a need for regular watches. For starters, you don’t have to charge them all the time. Some, in fact, run for pretty much forever. If you’re looking for a regular watch that has a premium look and feel, but won’t break the bank, then maybe the Valuchi Expedition Series could be the watch for you, and here’s why.
Design
Upon first glance, the Valuchi Expedition Series looks like one of those luxury Swiss timepieces that would set you back thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars. But the best part is that it is priced starting from $189. I know, it’s kind of crazy, right?
The watch features a square-ish face. This is ideal if you want something a little more sharp compared to more traditional round watch faces. Its case has a diameter of 40mm, which is admittedly a bit small for my wrists. This isn’t really a bad thing. Smaller watches have a more subtle look to them, perfect if you don’t want your watch to distract from the rest of your outfit.
This doesn’t mean that the Valuchi watch is boring to look at. It’s anything but. It is rather striking in terms of design, but the smaller size means that it won’t stick out like a sore thumb. It also features a screwed-down case with exposed screws, giving it a bit of an industrial/raw look to it which we like.
Valuchi has even included nice details like a 30-day moonphase cycle tracker. This adds a touch of whimsy while keeping things functional. The watch also measures 13mm thick and has a width of 38mm lug to lug. It comes with a strap that measures 35mm wide and overall, the entire watch weighs 86.8 grams.
Materials
The casing of the Valuchi Expedition Series is made out of 316 stainless steel. For those unfamiliar, when it comes to stainless steels, there are various grades. This choice of grade usually depends on its purpose. In this instance, 316 stainless steel is actually one of the more popular choices when it comes to watches.
316 stainless steel is known for being corrosion resistant. This means that the watch will have no trouble retaining its sheen and shine despite being worn on your wrist and potentially exposed to your skin oils and sweat, all of which have the potential to cause corrosion on lower-grade materials.
It also features a hardened mineral crystal. Once again, hardened mineral crystal is a material commonly used in a lot of watches. While materials like sapphire are more resistant to scratches, they tend to be more expensive. Unless you have an eye for it, we doubt that you can really tell the difference.
Valuchi has also chosen to use rubber for its straps. The choice of rubber is a good one. Rubber is more resistant to staining and smells compared to leather. It also makes the watch perfect for an active lifestyle, whether you’re running, at the gym, or taking a hike. It is also comfortable if you plan to wear the watch all day.
Last but not least, Valuchi has coated the hands and markers of the watch with luminous oil. This is designed so that even at night or in the dark, the hands and markers can clearly be seen to help you tell the time. Plus, the glowing effect is also pretty cool.
Movement
Lastly, let’s talk about movement. The movement is easily the most important part of a watch. Without it, you’re basically just wearing a non-functional piece of jewelry on your wrist. You can also think of the movement as being similar to how a PC cannot operate without a CPU. It is the watch’s heart and brains, so to speak.
With the Valuchi Expedition Series, the company has opted to use the Miyota 6P24. This is a quartz movement. When it comes to watches, there are three types of movements which include mechanical movement, automatic movement, and quartz movement. Quartz can be thought of as the more “modern” movement.
It is also one of the more common watch movements you can find. Whereas with mechanical movements, those tend to be found in more expensive watches. All three movement types are highly accurate. With the Miyota 6P24, it has an accuracy of +/- 20 seconds per month. It has a battery life of 3 years, and it is also used to power the 30-day moonphase tracker.
It’s also worth noting that Miyota was originally created by a division under the Citizen watch company. Citizen is a highly-regarded watch brand and in the early days, the Miyota movements were actually used to power some of their watches.
Pricing & availability
So, if you are interested in getting a new watch that won’t break the bank, the Valuchi Expedition Series could be it. If you are sold on the watch and want to get one for yourself, they are launching a Kickstarter campaign on the 27th of August, 2024 where you can pledge your support to get one when it starts shipping. It is priced starting at $189, which is honestly a pretty good price for what you’re getting.
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