Review: Straits Foundry Expedition Sandblasted 36/500

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telepgm
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Review: Straits Foundry Expedition Sandblasted 36/500

Post by telepgm » 03 Oct 2016 10:52

Straits Times, Straits Index, Straits of Malacca, Straits of Singapore & now I present to you: Straits Foundry.

The founder and owner of Straits Foundry saw one of the reviews I wrote and decided to reach out to me. He has requested that I write an objective review of the watch and I am very honored to do so indeed. Let's get on with the review, shall we?

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The packaging of the watch is elegant, a box within a box gives the new owner of any Straits Foundry a sense of mystery before getting to the timepiece itself.

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The inner rosewood piano-polished box is solidly built, with a push button to release the catch of the lock.

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When opened, the mystery finally unravels. The watch is placed in the middle, silently gazing at the owner. The watch in this photo is another of their works - Maiden Voyage Mirror.

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Today, we are reviewing the Maiden Voyage Mirror's cousin; the Expedition model in Sandblasted finishing, limited to 500 pieces worldwide. I got lucky 36/500 for this review. Some of the points I like about the watch, are also points I wish the Strait Foundry can look into improving for their next design. Ironic it maybe, but there's always two sides to a coin. Right?

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Here's the link to the product details from Straits Foundry official page: https://straitsfoundry.com/products/ex000b-sandblasted" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
But here's my summary of the specs:
Diameter: 40mm not including crown
Movement: Miyota 82S0 (Automatic, Handwinding capabilities, Non-Hacking)
Finishing: Choice of Sandblasted, PVD and Chrome.
Crown: Signed, Screw-in.
Caseback: See-through, signed
Lug Width for Straps: 20mm
Other inclusions: Additional matching Nato Straps with Signed Tang Buckle & a hand-signed "Thank You & Warranty" Card.

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What I like about the watch (Part 1):

The brand / logo: The word "Straits" will resonate well with Singaporean Watch collectors, and may create curiosities for others overseas. The Merlion-holding-a-Trident logo is Straits Foundry tribute to the Lion City, masculine in vibe with Neptune's weapon of choice. Fierce. I like.

The attention to details: From the high quality packaging, to the quadruple signed watch (Crown, Caseback, Buckle on both Butterfly Deployment and Tang Buckle on Nato) to the handsigned papers and documents, to the branding of the logo on the handmade leather straps, Straits Foundry spared no effort in making their maiden project a carefully detailed one.

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What I like about the watch (Part 2):

The diameter: We are going through a phase of "bigger is better" in the watch fashion currently. Even some of the respectable swiss made giants are coming up with Version 2 of their classic models with wider diameter to cater to this trend. 40mm is not small, but not exactly in trend for now. The Expedition feels more more like a 38-39mm on wrist to me. However, in an environment with a sea of "Goliath", wearing a "David" could jolly-well earn the wearer some attention and maybe even a decent icebreaker in a conversation. It is refreshing to see a new watch brand, not following the trend.

Like an independent band, playing music with their own rules, not caring about what the mainstream music has to say. As a freelance artiste and musician myself, I connected this this immediately. I admire Straits Foundry's attitude.

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What I like about the watch (Part 3):

The Dial of the Expedition: It's clean. It's simple. It's a pick-up-and-go-everyday kind of watch. Easy to read. I have always like my watches simple and the Expedition scored a major point for me in this aspect.

The inclusion of matching Nato Strap: When the Expedition is on the handmade leather strap, she seems to be ready for any serious occasions. But once she's on a Nato, the Expedition transform into Indiana Jones: Ready for Adventure and Fun. The option of addtional strap is not unusual, but it's always nice to have a choice.

The weight and comfort:This watch is a pleasure to put on without heavy gravitational pull.

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What I think the watch could be better:

The diameter: I have mentioned earlier that it is refreshing to wear a smallish watch amongst the bigger one, but the Expedition loses it's charm and excitement after a while. It would be perfect if The Expedition were to be 41mm or 42mm. 2mm could make a world of a different for a jewellery of this size. On the other side of the coin, the Expedition could be suitable for ladies who wants something unusual.

The price point: The Expedition's is on par with popular European micro-brands, Swiss made watches with Swiss movement. Leading by a fair lead over respectable Japanese branded watches. The design and the story of the Expedition (i.e. marketing of Straits Foundry) determines the willingness to pull one's wallet.

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Conclusion: The Expedition, overall, is a well-built time piece, running on a very reliable Japanese made automatic movement. The attention to details is incredible and the packaging is really "up-there" amongst the big brands. Both the designs, Maiden Voyage and Expeditions are simple, clean and makes time-telling accurate and reliable. That's the main function of what a watch should do anyway.

Taking away price point as a consideration, the Expedition is a handsome looking time piece for both serious and casual occasion. If you are not fuss about the size of the watch, looking a no-frill handsome timepiece, and lastly, wish to support a Singapore brand, I would encourage you to consider one from Straits Foundry.

While Straits Foundry is barely 2 weeks old, the main challenge for Krogman and his team for now is to get the word out there quickly, have Straits Foundry more visible and let more watch enthusiast learn about this brand.

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Acknowledgement and thanks: Special thanks to Straits Foundry to loan me the Expedition for this review. You can write to me at hello@jaspe.com.sg if you should have question about this review, and you can reach out to Straits Foundry at https://straitsfoundry.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

It's my pleasure and honor to have written this review. Thank you for your time.

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Last edited by telepgm on 04 Oct 2016 07:48, edited 19 times in total.
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Ed.YEO
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Re: Review: Straits Foundry Expedition 36/500 in brushed Ste

Post by Ed.YEO » 03 Oct 2016 12:01

telepgm wrote:Image
Hmmm... hope u didnt paid too much... just for the piano finish rosewood box...
yan sang yew guo dak fai lok, zao yew dui yan hor see zou luo jik xing geh fan sik yu goon cha, ng hai zou yoo chun mong mok dek pan duun... yoo guo yi liong din doh mou geh wa, yat gor yan geh yat sang zao guo dak gey pok gai loh...
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Trident
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Joined: 29 Sep 2013 11:20
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Re: Review: Straits Foundry Expedition Sandblasted 36/500

Post by Trident » 04 Oct 2016 06:56

Nice write up telepgm, I liked the open heart better, just wish that it's in Roman!
straitsfoundry

Re: Review: Straits Foundry Expedition Sandblasted 36/500

Post by straitsfoundry » 05 Oct 2016 15:57

Trident wrote:Nice write up telepgm, I liked the open heart better, just wish that it's in Roman!
Interesting thought @Trident. When considering roman numerals would you keep it at even hours, or all hours? This is definitely something to look at moving forward. :idea:
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