Sternglas is an exciting new player to the watch world, but don’t let that deter you as this German-owned company is bringing quality and affordability to the iconic Bauhaus styled watches with their own unique twist.
Sternglas first entered into the market in 2016, debuting their first watch through the popular crowdfunding website Kickstarter.
They raised 16,500 € in backing which would help launch Sternglas’s timepieces to a small group of passionate fans that would help spearhead the company to the next level.
Today we are taking a closer look at the Topograph which is my favorite out of Sternglas curated range.
The Topograph initially took my fancy because the design reminded of an older styled airplane gauge which, as a fan of old fighter planes, it really tickled my fancy and I had to get my hands on this watch.
So on that note lets take a deep dive review of the Sternglas Topograph and why you may be interested in adding it into your collection.
Specifications
Diameter: 42 mm stainless steel
Height: 10 mm
Movement: MIYOTA Caliber 821A
Power reserve: 42 hours
Vibration frequency: 21,600
Jewels: 21 pcs
Guarantee: 24-month
Glass: Domed sapphire glass
Case back: sapphire glass
Lug width: 20 mm
Water resistance: 5 ATMv
Design
The 3 words to quickly describe the design of this watch is: Detailed minimalism, simple and tastefully modern.
But let yourself be the judge
The design pays homage to its German Bauhaus style roots which came to prominence in the world of architecture by Walter Gropius.
Bauhaus is known as a slick International style of architecture which is still used to this day.
The Sternglas Topograph is measured at 43mm diameter with a silky smooth to the touch stainless steel casing, completing the assembly with beautiful brown leather straps.
Back to the casing, it features an exhibition case back where you see the Japanese MIYOTA Caliber 821A automatic 21 jewels non-hackable, hand-wound movement ticking over with a 50 meter water resistance rating.
The Topographs dial is protected with a genuine domed sapphire crystal to assure the best protection from scratches and maintains a clear and non-distorted view of the dial no matter which angle you look at it from.
The white timing indicators on the black matte dial are flawless in print quality reminiscent aviation gauge style as I mentioned earlier. It’s easy to read, even if you have bad eyes like me.
The Topograph to me gives me the illusion of a “layered dial” because of the way the hands are painted in white and black.
It looks like there’s a black round panel thats hiding the ends of the white hands as they draw to the center of the dial.
At the 3 o’clock position you have a clear view of the date window that runs in line with the crown along with you numbers of the dial being relative to the position.
The outer ring of the dial displays 1 – 60-second markers which is a cool touch, and finished with the Sternglas branding.
The Unboxing Experience
The Sternglas opening experience is clean and ‘to-the-point’, forget all the un-needed fluff that would otherwise go into the trash.
Its neatly packed in a compact shipping box with matte black color matched protective filler which I found to be a nice touch of congruency with the Sternglas branding.
The watch comes in a classic sleeve styled cardboard box and, inside you are greeted with a plastic welcome card in both German, and English which really sets a positive tone that Sternglas cares for their customers and strives to produce quality timepieces.
You are then presented with the essential operation manuals for easy setup and the essential 2-year warranty cards for peace of mind.
At the bottom of the box lays the Sternglas Topograph, securely bounded to the bottom of the box to protect it from moving freely around during shipping with the protective plastic film on the glass.
Wearing Experience
Over the past few days of wearing the Topograph its been like eye candy.
I love watching the sweeping of the seconds over the dial.
In addition, it’s an amazing conversation starter and, as an entrepreneur myself who moves around working in different co-working spots and coffee shops in town.
In the past week, I’ve had 3 interactions with completely new people to add to my network that all began from this watch.
This is a great casual wearer for most occasions.
Perfect for work, social and more dressier occasions.
As mentioned it may even be a conversation starter in amongst new friends.
Pros
- Easy to wear and fits with most style choices
- Strong construction
- High-quality dial printing and exquisite attention to detail
- A great conversation starter
Cons
- It may be a little hard to read in dimly lit situations.
- No lume. It would have been a cool little touch to see some lume on the minute and hour hands
Final Verdict
If you are looking for a unique twist in minimalism and simplicity, then the Topograph Bauhaus design is what you are looking for.
I think this a great casual watch for creative professionals, designers, programmers, and for people who like to think outside of the box.
If you are a watch collector who likes variety in their collection, then the Sternglas Topograph a great addition that won’t break the bank.
You can pick up the Sternglas Topograph for €329 here
