TW Steel is a really fascinating brand that has made a huge impact on the watch market in a relatively short amount of time. The youthful and dynamic Jordy Cobelens established the company nine years ago. Prior to this Jordy owned his own record label and was a renowned DJ. Ultimately it was his fathers experience in the watch industry that encouraged him to develop his own brand.
On Total Watch Reviews I am always interested in featuring brands from different countries. The headquarters of TW Steel are located in Amsterdam, Holland. On 4th December I featured a small independent watchmaker called Fred Dingemans (Dingemans Mechanische Horloges). He produces a range of handcrafted watches with vintage movements in very limited numbers. By contrast TW Steel are a lot more prolific and have several different collections. So far my main contact with the organisation has been with PR and Communication Manager Stuart Morrison. In our recent discussions he explained that the company’s prime objective was to manufacture a range of well-designed and affordable timepieces. In my opinion the TW925 Yamaha perfectly illustrates this point.
To most people the name TW Steel is synonymous with bold and distinctive watches. On that basis I opted to review the 48mm TW925 version rather than the slightly smaller 45mm model. A few years ago XL timepieces were considered a trend that wouldn’t last. Clearly this isn’t the case as numerous brands produce watches on this scale and in excess of 50mm. Nevertheless I can concede a watch of this size won’t appeal to the more conservative buyer. Generally I found the watch very comfortable to wear and didn’t experience any friction from the lugs. Principally this is down to stylish case and use of 316L stainless steel in construction. Realistically this timepiece could be worn for any occasion and definitely for daily usage.
Visually the TW925 Yamaha has the appearance of a much more expensive watch. The dial is fabricated from carbon fiber, which is one of the favourite modern watch materials. In my opinion the black texture works in prefect juxtaposition with the large white markers. I love details like the raised Yamaha logo, blue chapter ring and chronograph counters. Other design features include shock absorber style pillars on the side of the case and exposed screws on the bezel. Overall the composition has superb industrial quality and the finishing is first class.
Beneath the sporty façade lies a Japanese quartz Caliber Miyota 6S20, which is what you expect for a watch at this price point. Ideally I would love to see a mechanical special edition version in the future but realise this would elevate the cost. The TW925 Yamaha features hours, minutes, seconds, date and chronograph functions. It is also water resistant to a depth of 100 metres.
The TW925 Yamaha has a blue silicon strap with raised white Yamaha logo and engraved steel buckle. Priced competitively at $849. http://www.twsteel.com
