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Marvin Malton 160 Rectangular Flying Hour Watch Review

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:07:49 +0000

Very rarely do I get to review a watch that is actually a remake of another watch the brand made just a few years earlier - that I also reviewed. This Marvin Malton 160 Rectangular Flying Hour watch (ref. M024.14.41.64) is a follow-up piece to the brand's previous Marvin M014 watch that I reviewed here. In addition to a new case design, the new Malton 160 (to be honest I still don't understand what the "Malton 160" name in new Marvin watches means) Rectangular Flying Hour piece improves on two important areas over the original.

From a design standpoint the Marvin Flying Hour (as I will refer to it) is a very unorthodox looking watch. The case combined with the dial design is less than typical, and the way of telling the time takes some getting used to. This is actually interesting to me as much of what the brand does these days represents cool designs based around very standard layouts. It takes come getting used to, but this watch does have a lot of charm.

In polished steel, the case is 35mm wide by 50mm tall. It does not feel small due to the length of the case. More refined and interesting compared to the M014, the case has well-done edges and the sides are much more interesting than the previous model. In addition to polished surfaces the sides also feature some sandblasted surfaces for a cool effect. The caseback of the watch is curved a bit for wearing comfort and the entire thing is water resistant to 50 meters.

Over the dial is an AR coated sapphire crystal. Though due to its curvature it does get some glare. Much of the watch face is black-coated perlage which makes for a nice background. If you checked out the link above you'll see that the Marvin M014 I reviewed also had a perlage dial. The idea in a sense is to replicate the the look of gauges on old planes and automobiles.

On the Marvin Flying Hour the dial indicators are larger compared to the previous model - they also look more like actual instrument gauges. Reading the time is simple once you get the idea in your mind. The top gauge shows the hours and minutes. Hours are told on a moving disc with a red arrow pointing to the time, while minutes are told via a hand. In the right light the hands are legible, but I would have liked to see hands that contrast better with the dials. This is hard to plan for because the design phase is all computer driven and it is hard to see how finishes and materials work together in real life. Really, only brands that have in-house production can effectively prototype in any time-effective manner. As it is a larger dauphine style hand, the minute hand is much easier to read than the seconds hand which is on the lower dial. No lume on this puppy.

If you recall from the M014, one issue with it was that it had two crowns. Only one of the crowns actually did anything. Marvin felt (and I agree) that from a design standpoint the watch looked better with two crowns. That was because the placement of the movement required that the crown be placed near the top. So Marvin added a second non-functioning crown to balance out the design. Still, it essentially had a faux-crown. On the Marvin Flying Hour however that isn't the case. Both crowns actually do something. The top one is used to adjust the hour and minutes, while the lower one is used to stop and start the seconds.

This is all done by having the watch incorporate two distinct movements. Those being Swiss quartz Ronda 753 and 751 calibers. Their independence makes it possible to adjust the seconds separately from the hour and minute. Interesting idea, I know. It does seem to work for the theme that Marvin is going for.

Attached to the watch is a really nice thickly padded calf leather strap with contrast stitching. The inner lining is that cool Marvin red. Thanks for the strap and case design I must admit that this is a pretty comfortable watch to wear. Reading it takes some practice, but isn't very difficult. It works really well if you want a sober looking slick design that is still highly abnormal. Price is $1,020 and it is available online via their website here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Marvin Loeb Rally Collection Watches

admin — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:04:17 +0000

Marvin watches has released two new versions of their Sebastian Loeb collaboration watches with these two new pieces, one being a limited edition. Not just mere color changes, these have different, more refined dials and a great sporty look. These are the best looking Marvin Loeb Rally Collection watches yet in my opinion. I wrote about the original Marvin Loeb collection here.

Using the top-level models with the Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movements, these are offered as two sets of watches with either a red trim or yellow trip. The red trimmed model will be a limited edition of just 88 pieces. As is the case with all Marvin watches, the 8 o'clock out indicator is specially indicated. Loeb's signature is applied on the dial under the day/date window for those who need some rally driver reassurances on a regular basis.

The watches each come in 44mm wide PVD black steel cases. The Loeb case shape remains the same with its neat chronograph pushers and spring mounted moving lug structure. The back case and mostly black dial work well together. I like that the dials have been revamped and look more refined. The larger hour indicators are a big plus, and they are coated with SuperLumiNova. The newly blackened hands look nice in the renderings. You'll also notice how the chronograph subdials have been tastefully redesigned.I wonder if these would look even better with black discs for the day/date windows.

The cases are 100 meters water resistant and have sapphire crystals. For these version Marvin uses black rubber straps. Which is an upgrade I believe from some of the previous polyurethane straps from before. The red trimmed limited edition Marvin Loeb Rally Collection watch will be limited to 88 pieces, while I believe that the yellow trimmed model will not be limited. Both will be available on Marvin's eShop. Price is $3,820 each.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Marvin Malton 160 Cushion Khaki Watch Review

admin — Mon, 23 May 2011 07:09:04 +0000

Marvin is one of the most interesting brands out there that common people can afford. This is in large part due to the brand's leadership - a spunky and creative woman named Cecile Maye. Her view of design is highly emotional which lends to theme and philosophy being one of the main driving forces behind the design. Plus talent, of course. On Marvin's current list of designer credits are the famed Jean-Francois Ruchonnet and Sebastian Perret, both of whom worked on the newer Marvin Malton 160 collection.

I first wrote about the Marvin Malton 160 collection of watches here. After that I went on to discuss the Malton 160 Cushion collection which includes this Marvin Malton 160 Cushion Khaki timepiece which is an automatic three-hander in green. Rather than take a military approach to advertising the khaki green colored watch, Marvin opted for a more fairy tale theme by suggesting that the watch was akin to a frog prince. Interesting, right?

A watch in the $1,000 range (give or take), this timepiece has a lot of style and character. The steel case is 42mm wide with both brushed and polished surfaces and is very comfortable on the wrist. It is actually thinner than you'd think by seeing images of the watch. I would say that for the cushion shape the watch is a really good size, especially with the short lugs helping it feel proper on most wrists. The underside of the case has a sapphire crystal exhibition window for seeing the automatic movement with the Marvin rotor.

The dial is quite fashionable with its metallic green hue and textured face. There are applied, polished hour markers that are a mix of Arabic numerals and baton markers. Note the small red mark for 8 o'clock which is a signature element in all Marvin watches. On the side of the case is a historic Marvin logo engraving. The angled, geometric crown is a nice touch with the Marvin crown logo in relief.

A white minute ring around the dial gives the watch a more purposeful sport look while the hands are totally retro inspired. However, the hands tend to blend into the face in some lighting situations. But, overall, the dial is a handsome and fashionable "green" look. In this instance, I don't even mind the "open" date window.

Inside the watch is a Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement which is basically the same as an ETA 2824. Marvin always tends to do straps rather well and the one on this Malton 160 Cushion is no different. It is a perforated leather, in green, with a red lining. When is a watch like this a good idea aside from St. Patrick's day? And when you want to be a frog prince? Green has been working its way back "in" and I think that you could pull this watch off in a number of casual occasions.

This timepiece is a bit of a hybrid as Marvin has taken the classic look it constructed with the Malton 160 Cushion and added a high style fashionable look with the green tones. You could even think of it as a military inspired watch once in a while. Overall, a timepiece with a lot of character that you'll want to revisit on your wrist from time to time. Priced at $1,260, you can buy them online directly from Marvin right here.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Last Marvin Malton 160 “Toujours Plus” Cool Hunting Watch On eBay

admin — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:50:20 +0000

I wrote about the limited edition Marvin Malton 160 Toujours Plus watchÂ recently that was made as a set of 8 pieces for the website Cool Hunting. The last of the 8 pieces is being auctioned off right now on eBay with a starting price of $1,250. The proceeds of the sale will go to charity (Animal Haven). See and bid on the Marvin Malton 160 Toujours Plus watch auction here.

Very Rare Marvin Two Tone Military Mens Watch Working

US $499.00

Balance staff watch movement part for Marvin 10½

US $6.99

Lot of watch movement parts for Marvin cal 100

US $9.99

Sport Metal Watch MARVIN THE MARTIAN Custom NEW

US $15.00

MARVIN REVUE ELYSEE QUARTZ SWISS WATCH

US $48.00

TM Warner Brothers Character Wristwatch Sylvester Pepe LePew Marvin Daffy HTF

US $75.00

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Marvin Malton 160 Cushion Limited Edition “Toujours Plus” Watch For CoolHunting

admin — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:00:39 +0000

Apparently CoolHunting.com is on a "limited edition kick," and will offer a few such items. One of them is going to be this highly limited Marvin Malton 160 Cushion "Toujours Plus" watch that will only have 8 pieces. The watches will be available for sale (via CoolHunting I believe), but one of them will be auctioned off to benefit the New York City Animal Rescue (animalhavenshelter.org).

Technically the watch is identical to the current Marvin Malton 160 Cushion three-hand automatic. The difference is in the colors as well as the dial and some text on the watch. The 42mm wide steel case is PVD black with a black and green textured dial. "Toujours Plus" is the French translation of CoolHunting's motto "always more." I wonder if aBlogtoRead.com needs a motto?

Not sure who footed the bill for this project. Probably a joint effort between CoolHunting and Marvin. We are talking about just 8 watches, but the expense is really in the tooling and custom parts. The black and green tones suit the watch well. Still, Marvin was able to put in a red marker in at the 8 o'clock indicator. Inside the watch is a Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement. Price for the seven pieces (one will be auctioned off) will be $1,250 - the same price as the basic model. Glad there is no "limited edition premium."

Now I need to get going on some aBlogtoRead.com limited edition pieces. Who would be up for that (I promise no aBtR branding on it!).

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Marvin Sebastian Loeb World Rally Champion Watch

admin — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:06:08 +0000

The wait is over and the Sebastian Loeb watch by Marvin is here. Loeb is a World Rally Champion race driver. I saw some concept art for the watch early on, and now the final piece has been released (actually there will be two models). Following a tradition of many race themed timepieces, the Loeb watch spins a new yarn on the idea of a timepiece linked to the world of motor sports. The piece looks as though it was made from miniature parts taken right out of a rally car parts pin. An interesting mixture of concepts to yield a piece that tasteful but visually indicative of its cause.

As Loeb is a rally car champion driver, the watch pays homage to timepieces in this range. The most noticeable design element is the "shock absorber" springs on lugs that actually to function as part of the system that "wraps" the straps around your wrist. I was told that from the start Loeb wanted springs in the watch somehow, and it was a challenge for designers Sebastian Perret and Jean-Francois Ruchonnet to figure out how to incorporate them. Loeb himself was quite instrumental in the design direction of the watch.

The chronograph watch is 44mm wide in steel and will be available in both automatic and quartz variants. The mechanical version will be limited to just 777 pieces, while the quartz version will be part of Marvin's main collection for the time being. Note that the chronograph pushers look like gear changing paddles from the car, and that the stars around the bezel signal Loeb's champion status. According to Loeb, the dial is modeled after the dashboard and instrument cluster on his rally car. I like the "digital" style font used for the subdials.

On the case the steel is both satin finished and done in black PVD. The style of the case is complex, and quite technical. You see a lot of watches such as this at sporting events. Having gone to a few races myself, I can assuredly say that people who own these wild race themed watches take the opportunity to wear them out to such events. It is fun to see the driver's people are fans of based on the watches they are wearing. For comparison's sake, you can check out this Edox Chronorally watch that was was also done in honor of these types of racing events.

Inside the automatic version of the Marvin Loeb watch is a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement, while a Swiss quartz chronograph movement sits in the other version. Price for the automatic version is $2,520 and $970 for the quartz model. The watches should be available soon.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Marvin Malton 160 Cushion Watch Hands-On

admin — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:01:47 +0000

Taken in a dark room under less than ideal circumstances, these are images of the Marvin Malton 160 Cushion collection watches. At least one of them (the black dialed chronograph automatic) should be out now. Some of these other watches will come later, and a few might not come out at all. One that I was told isn't necessarily destined for production (soon or anytime) is the white dialed chronograph automatic that has a Daytona-esque dial to it. This is for me my favorite model of them all. If you like it too, then tell Marvin to make it by commenting on this article.

The Malton 160 Cushion is part of the new Malton collection that was designed by esteemed (but known to be hard to work with) Jean-Francois Ruchonnet. Marvin was seemingly lucky to have Ruchonnet work with them, but the relationship was terminated not too long ago. Ruchonnet did leave his mark on the brand though. I covered some of the other Marvin Malton collection watches here, which are more of his contribution to the brand. He was able to take the classic demeanor that Marvin is known for, and produce a sexy line-up of watches for today's man.

The Malton 160 Cushion watches are in steel and 42mm x 42mm. The squarishness of the case makes them feel nice and big. Promotions are good, and I like the different types of polish (brushed and polished surfaces). Note that the watches you see are all pre-production prototypes. Meaning they are gonna be a bit beaten up. "Extensive testing?"

The big red cabochon in the crown is nice, as is the hex shape of the brand and swoopy chronograph pushers that look like a crown guard. The piece has a very impressive stance to it. Don't forget the Marvin signature red color on the 8 o'clock hour marker (that is on all of their watches). The Malton 160 Cushion will arrive in several styles. There are two types of chronographs - with automatic or quartz movements, and various three hand models. The three-hand models should have Sellita SW200 automatic movements or alike. There is clearly a lot of influence here from older Rolex and other traditional watches.

With two available chronograph models, you have slightly different designs based on the movement. The automatic has a Valjoux 7750, while the other model has a ETA quartz chronograph. Note the different style of the flange rings. I love the applied polished hour markers and the colors of the dials. The designs really is a sweet spot between class and classic sport. The dials are legible enough, but the thin strips of lume provide only adequate darkness viewing.

Overall these Marvin Malton 160 Cushion watches are quite good. Prices are likely to be approximately $1,000 - $2,000 for the various models. As you can see there are some limited editions, but I don't have details beyond that. Marvin watches are slowly coming into the US and North America overall, and I am happy to have been a part of that. So look for Marvin watches close to you soon.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Last Chance To Enter And Win Marvin Automatic Chronograph Watches

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:06:23 +0000

The end of the month is almost here and you have just a bit more time to enter for a chance to win one of two beautiful mechanical chronograph watches from Marvin. Your choice of their 103 or 107 models. Retail priced at about $1,800 each.

Click here to get to the giveaway page. It will just take a moment.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Giveaway: Marvin M107 or M103 Automatic Chronograph Watch

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:05:28 +0000

I am very excited to bring you a special watch giveaway here at aBlogtoRead.com. This month you can enter to win your choice of either of the above two mechanical chronograph watches from Swiss Marvin watches. These are the Marvin M107 (in the rectangular case), and the M103 (in the round case). I actually reviewed the M103 here - and it is really a great watch. I wanted to offer either of them because they have same Swiss Valjoux 7750 automatic movement inside, and are very close in price. It is up to the winner watch model he/she prefers. What more can I say? These are two excellent timepieces, with a movement that no watch lover should be without in their collection. The Marvin M107 retails for $1,860, and the Marvin M103 retails for $1,790. I anticipate this being a popular giveaway, so enter below with your best response.

To Enter You Must:

1. Comment on this post below with your valid e-mail address where required. In the body of your comment mention your favorite watch complication(s) (functions/technical features) aside from merely telling the time.

2. Be a pal. If you are feeling up to it, Facebook friend/fan all or any of the following:

3. Wait until the giveaway is over on August 1st, 2010 for the winner to be chosen at random.

A couple of basic rules. You can only enter once. You must comment with a valid e-mail address where you can be reached. Your comment must be confirmed and approved. You must complete the objectives to be considered. You are responsible for providing your contact shipping information if you are chosen. Shipping restrictions to non US entrants may apply based on sponsor's policies. Giveaway watch selection based on sponsor's inventory and watch availability. All comments made after the end of the giveaway period will not be considered. For the full terms and conditions, please click here.

Good luck, and thanks to Marvin Watches, the sponsor of the Marvin M107 or M103 watch giveaway here at aBlogtoRead.com!

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Marvin Malton 160 Watches Hands-On

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 07:03:00 +0000

A lot of people have been talking about the new Marvin Malton 160 collection watches. The collection was designed be esteemed designers; Jean-Francois Ruchonnet and Sebastien Perret. Together they have been able to give a new appearance to classic watches. The result are attractive, eminently wearable, and affordable watches - for people who like watches and otherwise. The collection has a few months, mostly mechanical with one quartz model. One of the interesting elements of the watches are the "indented sides" as I call it. The sides of the watches and the lugs have been engraved in an interesting touch that looks really cool in person.

The Malton 160 Cushion is still just an image (seen below), so I didn't get to see it. It looks to have a Valjoux 7750 automatic movement and a great style. I would gladly wear it. Love that red cabochon in the crown. An interesting way of inserting color into the watch (there is also a thin strip of red in the 8 o'clock hour indicator).

The Malton 160 Round watches are each 42mm wide in steel. Marvin also says that the watches are available in PVD rose gold.Â The size feels very appropriate for the design, and the watches are comfortable. The case design is well done - giving the watches a classic feel... with something a little bit more. The signature classic Marvin watch company engraving on the side of the case returns, but is placed in a more central position on the side of the case. The watches have sapphire crystals, and exhibition casebacks for the mechanical models. Dials are available in black or "grained opaline." Both look good, but I think I like black better for most of them. Each it connected to a black leather strap.

Marvin did a great job with the hands and the hour indicators. The classic feel of the watches is really all about the hands, and to a lesser degree the hour indicators. A stunning homage to "good clean looks." My favorite model is at the top - the power reserve. It has an ETA 2897 automatic with a power reserve indicator. A great looking piece that is executed in a very polished way. Very similar to it is the more basic three hand model with a Sellita SW200 automatic movement in it. These two watches are likely to be the top sellers.

For the more avant garde, there is the Marvin Malton 160 Regulator and the Big Date. the Regulator uses a Dubois-Depraz Calibre 14070 manually wound movement. It is really for people who are fascinated by regulator watches, and those looking for something different. It is probably the best choice for people looking for an easily accessible, entry level mechanical regulator watch.

The big date with subsidiary seconds model is the only quartz model of the bunch and contains a Ronda 7004 B quartz movement. The easy to read dial has a top mounted big date window and an otherwise attractive layout. A good piece for those who aren't quite ready for mechanical watches. The price should be pretty good as well. Overall the Malton 160 collection is a good addition to the Marvin line that is of the only brands offering affordable classic designs with a highly polished modern twist. I don't have the prices precisely right now, but I expect the watches to be a couple of thousand - which is a good value for what you get, from a serious up-and-coming brand (that will officially come to the US soon).

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.