mally, this movement has the small seconds offset in the lower right quadrant of the dial, but here it has been rotated to place the seconds at 6 and the crown at 4 o ' clock. This is not a common configuration for a wire lug style, but it works well and allows a larger crown than a 3 o ' clock position would. Indeed, the Mansfield’ s crown could stand to be a touch larger as its position makes it tricky to pinch when unscrewing. It is a minor complaint, eliminated on Battenkill by a larger 6mm crown.
Trench watches surely endured harsh conditions, but with their unsealed cases and conventional glass, they were positively fragile compared to most modern watches. The Mansfield’ s and Battenkill’ s are better prepared for life in the field. They are fitted with scratchresistant, anti-reflective coated sapphire crystals and the screw-down crowns, and case backs ensure 100 meters water resistance.
Named for the highest peak in Vermont, the Mansfield draws heavily from the Zenith Pilot, or more specifically, from the early 20thcentury Zenith cockpit clocks that preceded them. It features a railroad track index and oversized Arabic markers in the heavy Gothic typeface that was common among pre-WW2 military timepieces. Silver sword hands and a silver small seconds register with a red needle complete the look. C3 SuperLuminova lights the hands and markers. The case is a stealthy matte black PVD, secured with an appropriately rugged tan suede strap and a matching signed buckle.
The Battenkill harkens back to the same era as the Mansfield, but its theme is more motoring than martial. For this model, Doug found
his muse in Depression-era dashboard clocks. The case is brightly polished and sports a tan leather strap with white stitching and a signed buckle. Its white dagger hands, vintage SuperLuminova, and textured small seconds on the black dial are charmingly delicate when compared to the bolder pilot ' s watch. Even the logo is a touch smaller. To my eye, the Battenkill is perfectly proportioned, which goes far to project an image of quality beyond what one might expect from such a reasonably priced watch.
One of the nicer aspects of buying from a micro brand is that you often get to learn a bit about the people behind it. Doug is active on the Watchuseek Watch Forums, taking questions and soliciting input on new products. He also cultivates customer loyalty by offering a 10 per cent discount for returning customers and donating at least 1 percent of his annual profits to St. Jude Children ' s Hospital and / or the Make-A- Wish Foundation.
Manchester Watch Works has established a solid track record in a very short time and shows no sign of slowing down. In addition to the forthcoming Beluga diver, Doug is also planning the fourth and final watch in his Iconik series, each of which has offered a contemporary spin on a timeless classic.
To order a Manchester for yourself and to keep abreast of new editions, visit ManchesterWatchWorks. com, and follow him on Facebook( facebook. com / mww802) and Instagram(@ manchesterwatchworks).
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