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Review: Atom Watches Blue Atom

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Review: Atom Watches Blue Atom

Post by watchpalooza »

Introducing Atom Watches

Atom Watches is a French-based brand formed out of the partnership between two watch enthusiasts Soufiane and Xavier who met in 2016. Soon after meeting, the pair set out to “manufacture an automatic watch combining French and Swiss know-how for a price of less than €1000”. Here on ManOnTime, Xavier posts under the account [mention]Atwatches[/mention].

The brand began in 2017 with a Kickstarter campaign for the launch of the current models. The name “Atom” derives from the philosophical “atomos” in Greek, meaning “indivisible”. As the atom is also the smallest particle of an element that can take part in a chemical reaction, the logo for the brand has been fashioned after the notation of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Beauty_1459_Fotor.jpg
In line with their mission, Atom Watches are designed and assembled in Paris at the Atelier Parisien d’horlogerie, where the owners offer tours of their workshop and operation.



The Range: Models and Options
Currently Atom Watches offers a contemporary take on the classic dress watch, offered in four vibrant colorways: Deep Blue (above), Lagoon, Black and Red.


Atom Lagoon
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Atom X (Black)
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Atom Red
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The vital statistics are:
  • 38.00 mm 316L steel case (excluding crown), 10.08 mm thick
  • Flat sapphire crystal
  • Swiss Automatic ETA 2824-2 (25 jewels, 28800 A/h, reserve of 42h)
  • Ostrich leather band, color-matched to the dial
  • 10 ATM water resistance
  • 2 year warranty


First Impressions
For this review, Soufiane sent a watch in the deep blue colorway, As soon as I opened the box, I was struck by the sleekness, simplicity and the vibrant hue of blue on the uncluttered dial. The design is so clean, and the dial color progressing from light in the center to a deep and rich smokiness around the edges creates a stunning optical effect. These are indeed beautiful watches. I could not wait to try it on the wrist.
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The Case
The 316L stainless steel case is fully polished and pleasantly shaped. In French tradition, the design is simple and elegant…nothing less and nothing more. The fixed bezel is well-proportioned to the dial and deeply beveled, drawing the dial out to the eye. It is just wide enough to frame the dial but not detract…allowing the colorful dial to take center stage.

The short lugs emphasize the circular / round quality of the case as they are not elongated. At 38mm this makes it a very good fit for even smaller wrists. The case is also fairly low-profile with a height of only 10mm. There is just enough weight to feel like a quality timepiece, but no undue heft.

The lugs are not drilled.
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The Caseback
The caseback is a fairly standard exhibition back (screw-down type) with sapphire crystal to permit viewing of the movement. The locking ring is engraved with “Assemblee in France”, “10 ATM” and “Edition Limitee”.
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The Crown
The grooved crown is signed (engraved) with the brand signature “At” and for me is a perfect size to operate. The engraving here and on the case back are of high quality and are detectable with a fingernail. There is also a slight ridge at the base that makes pulling it out to set the time very easy. The operation is smooth and does not feel gritty or inconsistent.
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The Crystals
Both crystals are flat sapphire and provide high clarity and scratch protection. I am unsure whether there is an AR coating, but did not notice any issues with reflection.


The Dial
The dial is where this watch really shines. It is so uncluttered and clean, and with such a beautiful deep, rich blue that I found myself looking at it often throughout the day. Especially sticking out from a dress shirt cuff, that vibrant blue and simple clean design make it difficult to stop appreciating what is on your wrist. The “smoked” effect, with the color fading from dark around the edges to lighter color at the center work to draw the eye in toward the center.

There is no day/date window, and I think that is a great choice for the aesthetic of this watch. If they do add a future model with one, I hope they color match the date wheel. Otherwise I think a white-background date wheel will mess with the overall slick design and wow factor that this watch exudes.

The indices are simple raised white dots for hour markings, with the one at 2 o’clock slightly larger, a signature detail of the brand that represents the friendship of the founders. It is a tiny and subtle detail that nonetheless lends a great deal of character to the watch. The hands are also white and are thin and spear-shaped, keeping with the overall slick aesthetic. The seconds hand is counter-balanced with a small closed circle…another nice detail.
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The Movement
The Atom watches employ the tried and true automatic Swiss ETA 2824-2 movement in standard grade. The rotor is embossed with the Atom logo, and in production models the movement has been modified to remove the day set position. On the prototype I received the “phantom” position was still present.
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The Lume
The guys at Atom opted not to lume the dial or hands at all. If I had to levy a criticism on this watch, this would be it. By no means a show-stopper, but for me readability at night and in clubs is a real plus.


The Strap
The color-matched ostrich leather strap appears of high quality and includes quick-change spring bars. The leather smells great and though not overly soft or supple, is flexible and comfortable to wear. The buckle is of noticeably solid construction with a thick retention bar that appears to be wanting to be signed with the logo. It’s a minor detail, but adding the logo here would have made sense…perhaps it was passed up to keep costs down.
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Pricing
The price on the Atom Watches website for the Blue Atom as reviewed is €450. The Lagoon and Atom X models are also similarly priced, with only the Red Atom priced higher at €550. At these prices, you get a very well-designed watch for your money.


Bottom Line
With their first release, Soufiane and Xavier deliver on their commitment to marry the best of French and Swiss watchmaking into a timeless beauty. The rock-solid ETA 2824-2 combined with high attention to detail and slick styling make the Atom very desirable. This is a watch that can be worn to the most sophisticated events or in casual settings, and will equally garner compliments and appreciation. I definitely recommend to check them out.

If you wish to learn more or purchase an Atom watch, go to atomwatches.fr.

See also the launch thread in [mention]TheJohnP[/mention]’s hosted Group Funded Watches forum.


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Re: Review: Atom Watches Blue Atom

Post by Atwatches »

Thank you very much for this amazing review Stephen !

Some precision : There is an AR coating :)

About the red dial, it’s an Alligator strap that explain t he price of 550€.

If you have any question feel free to contact us :)
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Re: Review: Atom Watches Blue Atom

Post by watchpalooza »

Atwatches wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2020 10:14 am Thank you very much for this amazing review Stephen !

Some precision : There is an AR coating :)

About the red dial, it’s an Alligator strap that explain t he price of 550€.

If you have any question feel free to contact us :)
Thank you for the opportunity to review it for our community. It is a beautiful watch, and hopefully a great first of many. For me, your adherence to a pure vision and attention to the small details is greatly appreciated, and what will ultimately set your brand apart from the pack.
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’There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.’ - Leonard Cohen, Anthem
’One man's faith is another man's delusion.’ - Anthony Storr
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