Quick Backstory: While walking through Macy's department store I caught a glimpse of a similar black skeleton Kenneth Cole watch, which immediately got me fixed on skeleton watches. While searching on Amazon for a better price (who buys retail?), I saw this INCREDIBLE watch in the "Product Recommendations" slider. Reading the reviews, and the amazingly low price ($92 ish), I had to pull the trigger.
I could NOT be more satisfied with this watch! The look is bold, manly, sophisticated, modest yet insanely flashy at the same time. As a slim guy, this watch fits my wrist perfectly, and though slightly larger than most watches I find it very comfortable to wear under my dress shirts. It isn't very "tall" or bulky at all, and the extra face size is appreciated by the intricate details you get to see within the watch.
I didn't think I would like the "rubber" strap, but the quality is extremely high and the overall look is very polished - it doesn't even pull at my arm hair. They really thought this design through! It is NOT cheap rubber, but very silky, almost satin feeling rubber. I had thought about taking the strap off and using a leather one instead but I've since changed my mind. The addition of not 1, but 2 strap holder makes this watch very clean to wear (you know, the things that you slide the strap into after you've secured the watch? I don't know what you call them).
One issue that I've noticed: The rubber strap collects "dust" or something similar as it is never quite fully black, but seems to attract tiny white specs throughout. Washing the band does not help. Anyone else experience this? Doesn't really bother me, but is worth noting.
This watch is my newest infatuation and I can't wait to show it off. If you're on the fence, think of the last time that $90 had the opportunity to make you THIS happy. I have many expensive watches, but this one is now my favorite.
**UPDATE** : This watch is still awesome, and looks great, but constantly runs 3-5 mins fast even while using an automatic watch winder. I don't mind adjusting it when wearing it on the weekends, but just a heads up. For $100 it really doesn't matter. Kenneth Cole New York Men's KC1607 Automatic Rubber Strap Watch
In short, this watch scores high on aesthetics and value, but scores low on reliability.
The see through design of the watch is beautiful. From the top, you can clearly see the active components of a basic automatic watch: the balance wheel, escapement, etc. I found myself staring at this watch for minutes at a time, just observing how the mechanism worked. From the bottom, you can see the weight that spins when you move and charges the watch by winding the mainspring. I learned about these automatic watch components as I observed the movement and looked up what each part was online. The value is good because the price is quite low compared to other automatic watches, specially watches that have views of the movement.
The down side is that this watch is unreliable. The time is not precise. It runs slow as the power reserve diminishes. Take this criticism with a grain of salt, as this con may be common to all automatic watches. Not only is the timing off, but when I rested the watch at certain angles, the whole watch would stop. I would have to manually wind it or swing the weight to get the watch started at times when the watch mechanism got stock. If you get this watch, don't be surprised if everything freezes if you get the weight and mechanism stuck in the wrong position. Unreliable time is a BIG problem for me. I even wound the watch manually so the mainspring was fully charged, yet it still got stuck somehow.
Also, the rubber strap seems durable but it is a dust magnet. Have fun trying to pick white dust off of black rubber.
I returned this watch and I purchased a solar quartz movement (Citizen Eco-Drive) so I can get a precise, reliable movement without the need for changing the battery.
First off...thumps down to the guy who gave this watch a two star because the band is not leather.....the description of the watch specifically states rubber so I have no idea why you'd think it's leather!!! People need to read a product's description before ordering! That said I FELL IN LOVE THE MINUTE THIS WATCH WAS IN MY HANDS! It is a LOVELY watch....very manly...big nice face....and boy oh boy there is nothing more masculine than seeing the inside of your watch while it works....it's super cool. I love rubber bands because I like to be able to wash my hands after using the loo etc without worrying about getting my watch wet...and leather bands tend flake quickly and stain when they're wet...not to mention smell when they get wet...and I'm a living human being...I sweat! Rubber bands are easy maintenance.
This was my first skeleton watch, so I'll admit my review might be alittle biased because of it. Regardless, this is a fantastic watch at a fantastic price. The rubber band is elegant enough to wear in the work place or throw on with a pair of shorts. Posibly because the face garners so much attention. The face is properly sized to appreciate the detail in the skeleton feature, however dont expect an array of moving parts here. The only thing I suppose worth any relevant warning is the fact it is a bit difficult to read, making it more decorative then a time piece. But if that's the only thing i can come up with at a fault, it definately could be worse.
The clockwork on this watch is absolutely fascinating; it's truly one of a kind. I didn't foresee this upon purchase of the watch, but I get compliments for it every single weak. This watch simply draws attention - it will get noticed. So, it looks great. Some people might prefer leather, but the rubber is more durable in my experience and it won't leave your wrist all sweaty. So, rubber is definitely more hygienic and it's a comfortable watch as well. It's very light and feels very natural on the wrist (after the first hour you spend getting used to it, of course).
The only problem you might have is that this watch will slow down slightly if you don't wear it each day. See, this watch doesn't use batteries (meaning you won't have to replace them, but also that you must use this watch consistently or it will slow down). This isn't really a problem though, as you can quickly fix it with the small gear on the side that you twist to change the time. It's a minor annoyance on an otherwise awesome watch.
I'm very satisfied with the watch. It's the most unique watch you'll ever find, although you can definitely find watches that are more precise. Ultimately, it's a matter of preference: do you really care if your watch is on the right millisecond or do you prefer a practical, stylish watch? If you're not a nuclear physicist, just buy it.'
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