INTRODUCTION
Many already are familiar with Glashütte Original and possibly the "Sixties" models. I have always wanted to have something that my grandfather could/would have worn, yet the standard sizes in the 60's ranged from 32mm to 36mm for gentlemen's watches make them just look ridiculous on me. The Sixties by GO has brought that look back and with the PanoDate at 42mm, straight to my wrist. Never expected to ever own a Glashütte but I could not resist. Here is the large date version...NOTE: I have, and will in the future, deliberately skip any references as to the "chronometrical" aspect of the tested watch/es. The reason being that such test are futile, misleading and either unfair to the brand or the owner. Should a "particular" watch be deficient in its function that does not mean that all are. The same is true the other way around, if one works that does not mean that they ALL work. However, references about known issues with specific movements or a faulty after-sales service will NOT be left out.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
10-DAYS...
Day 1: Very well proportioned and comfortable to wear. The dial is very clean and pleasant The large date is well placed and proportioned on the dial. Nice piece!
Day 2: First night with the Sixties and although the Super LumiNova is present it is not especially bright. The hours and minutes are very similar in length and position on the hands. I wonder if designers ever test the placement of the luminous material at all? One thing is to look at it fully charged in the day time when you are lucid... another is to wakeup at 4:00 in the morning and have to concentrate to discern the actual time.
Day 3: As mentioned before the finis of the movement although perfectly executed and completely scratch free could be a bit finer. My eyes tend to go to the edges of the movement were the finish gives the impression to be a bit "raw".
Day 4: The front and back sapphire glasses make this a very smooth and comfortable watch. You can't get caught up in anything since everything about this watch is very well rounded and polished. The "plexi" look of the front sapphire is very well executed and together with the dial really work the "sixties" theme to perfection.
Day 5: The more I look at it the more I think they made a great job on the outside. The rear convex sapphire glass is very pleasant to the touch. To make this watch perfect it should have been manual and with a slightly more advanced movement finish. It is really starting to get hot here... I am thinking of putting it on a NATO strap. Hmmm, let's see what do I have in my strap arsenal...
Day 6: I thought I mention this; It has been a long, I mean LONG, time since I have had a hand assembled watch with hands so well aligned (with the added challenge of the hands being so long and thin). Here I challenge any that read this to check their watches how well aligned they are. The procedure is simple... put on your reading glasses, align the hour hand at exactly 12 o'clock (or preferably another hour not to block the view) to the nearest micron and now check the minute hand. Is it it at 12 o'clock, or several minutes past? Here is a picture to illustrate;
Day 7: Today it is 40º outside my doorstep. Finally equipped the Sixties with some summer clotting... Don't know about you but it looks surprisingly well on a NATO.
Day 8: The night visibility is a bit better than anticipated at first although it could be better. I do not understand why the Super LumiNova was not applied to the whole length of the hands. I don't think it would have influenced in a negative way where the design is concerned.
Day 9: Sourced a 22mm Glashütte Original buckle to fit it to the NATO strap. Looks great. I also removed the excess strap by sniping it away with a pair of scissors and melting the end with a lighter to prevent unraveling. Not difficult but recommend a bit of practice with the discarded piece before you go ahead with the good piece of strap. I do not remember where I got this particular NATO but it should not be too dificoult to source if you google "NATO STARPS".
Nice option but unfortunately the original buckle is not available in 22mm. Too bad, the original 20mm buckle is much nicer aesthetically and finish wise.
Day 10: Ten days are over and although I do not consider this as a "summer" watch (only waterproof to 3 ATM) it was quite a joy to wear. Very comfortable and pleasant to wear.
CONCLUSION
Operation:
- Seconds-stop function: yes
- Date change: at 00:02
- Alignment of hands at 12 o'clock: PERFECT
- Anti-reflective coating: yes
- Contrast Day: ****
- Visibility Night: ***
Comfort
- Watch Case: ****
- Strap: ****
- Ardillon Buckle: ****
- Crown: ****
- Watch Case: *****
- Bracelet/Strap/Buckle: *****
- Dial & Hands: ****
- Crown: **
- Movement: **
Price: Aprox. 7,050€
I must say that I was quite impressed with the look and feel of the Glashütte Original "Sixties PanoDate". The case construction and dial finish really manage to convey that "sixties" feeling with modern day quality and construction. The added bonus of having it in 42mm enables it to be worn on medium to large size wrists, unseen so far in these genre of watches. The dial and hands are not what I would call complicated to make but they are so well executed that they are beyond reproach. The hands are aligned to perfection (other more prestigious brands seem to have trouble with that...). Very much like the movement, that I would rate as having mediocre finishes but they are executed to perfection without any signs of scratches, dented or damaged screew-heads, no oil stains and very minimal particles of dust. The strap seemed of way over average quality and the ardillon buckle very well finished and designed. The buckle gives the impression of being milled out of a piece of metal and not stamped. That is a very welcomed detail since many watches that are three times the cost have buckles that look like they where made in a Vietnamese "sweat-shop" with a bored looking individual pulling on a leaver while looking bored with a cigarette stump logged in the corner of his mouth... Here you go... 1,000 buckles... next... Get the picture?
The only complaint I can make about this watch is that the crown seems a little awkward. It is a bit too prominent/tall and considering it is an automatic it is not absolutely necessary to have maximum grip on the crown. For some reason the finish of the crown does not look or go well with the watch. I do not know if it is the size, the polished surface or the design but something bothers me about it. If feels a bit like when you get a replacement that is not "quite" the original.
A minor issue would be the 3ATM (20 meters) waterproof rating. It is a bit low for todays standards and could be slightly better yet I do not consider this a summer watch so this is a minor issue as long as it is at least shower proof.
Overall, the Sixties is a very well balanced and finished product on the outside, which in the end is about 99% of your interaction with it. But, I do believe that at slightly over 7,000€ the finishes of the movement deserve either to be more refined or a 10% to 15% price drop would make this a much more competitive product. I found myself yearning for the same version (42mm with the large date) in a manual wound movement. That would have been perfect...
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