Melbourne Hawthorn Watch Review
Specifications:
- Case – 42mm 316L Stainless Steel
- 48mm lug to lug
- 11.5mm thick
- Movement – Miyota Cal. 8205 Automatic
- Crystal – Anti-Reflective Sapphire
- Dial – Carbon Fibre centre texture, C3 Super-Luminova applied markers
- Hands – C3 Super-Luminova applied
- Strap – 22mm Leather Strap, 20mm Stainless Steel Buckle
- Water Resistance – 100m/10ATM
- Warranty – 24 Months
- Price $302 USD
As you can see, I’m doing a little bit of a new format. Nothing drastic, just listing the specifications first, so you, the readers, can look quick and see if this watch is something you want to read a review about.
When it comes to the watch I am reviewing today, the Melbourne Hawthorn, I have to say I thoroughly enjoy this watch. If you follow WatchReport regularly, you know we are no strangers to Microbrands, myself included of course. Many watches pass through our hands for review, and while every watch I review is worn, this one has been worn more than some others. And let’s face it, that’s normal. While I review every watch I get objectively, it stands to reason that I do not love every watch I review, or that they are always my personal style. And that is another thing that is changing for me personally, the style of watch I like. I am gravitating more and more towards watches of this style and size, something I could not have predicted a few years ago.
Maybe it is due to my age (35) and not wanting to have a massive ostentatious watch on the wrist, or it’s a comfort level. Now I know, some are reading this and are like, you are not that old, or you’re a young pup. And while that might be somewhat true depending on what side of the age bracket you are on, everyone can agree that our styles and tastes change many times as we go through life. When I was in my 20’s it was large 48mm and bigger watches. And it has gone from that to 44-46mm watches, and now has gravitated to 40-44m watches. Now I do not see myself ever going below 40mm, but I have found my current sweet spot.
So, with all that said, my review might seem biased if you will, because I really am gravitating towards this style more lately. That, and this watch is just damn well done for the price point of $300.
The 42mm by 48mm case wears great, almost perfect on my 7-½ inch wrist. Because of the lack of a bezel, it wears more like a 43mm dive watch would. The case is all brushed stainless steel, and just look at the photos of the case and lugs. Does this look like the finishing of what you think of as a $300 watch? The crown is nicely textured for good grip and has the Melbourne logo engraved into it. All around, the case is well finished and well proportioned. The only thing I could say is missing would be drilled lugs, to make strap changes easier, but this might take away from the clean-brushed case.
The strap on the model I am reviewing is a tan leather, with a suede or nubuck type of finish. This is the type of strap that will only get better looking as it ages, and every wearer’s strap will age different depending on how much they wear it and what they put it through. Think of it like your old favorite pair of Wolverine boots. You know the ones others might think of as dirty, but you feel they are just getting broken in. It is 22mm with a taper to 20mm at the buckle and should fit up to a 7 ¾ inch wrist comfortably. That is one issue with the strap, the length. If you have a really large wrist, you would need to put this on another strap. The Hawthorn also has an option of a black leather strap or a solid stainless steel bracelet. I have also included a photo of it on my own personal Hirsch Accent rubber, which I think compliments it nicely.
The dial has applied chrome markers, is clean with only the important text and also has the day/date window. The star of the dial would of course be the carbon fiber center, which gives it that sporty/casual feel and is a beautiful carbon fiber, at least on the model I have in hand. The red second hand gives it just a splash of color.
The movement is the Miyota 8205; the day/date version of the workhorse 8215. While it is not the most accurate and does not hack, these movements have been proven to be very dependable and I have no issue with it at this price. The exhibition case back allows you to see the movement, though as I have said many times, I am not fond of seeing the Miyota movement as they are very bland and dull in terms of appearance.
As I said, overall the Melbourne Hawthorn has a lot to offer, both in looks, comfort and price. The one area it is lacking would be the lume. This is something I have noticed on non-dive watches of this price point is the lume is not as strong. This is something that I hope to see improved by many brands. But that is the one thing we as watch enthusiasts have going for us; we have more brands to choose from than ever. It is a great time to be a watch nut, and if Melbourne keeps producing watches such as the Hawthorn I think they are going to be around for quite a while. They are still relatively a new brand at roughly 2 years old, and hail of course from Australia, where we have been seeing many great micro brands emerging lately.
Thank you for reading. You can see all Hawthorn and other Melbourne Watches HERE
