Disclaimer: This watch was sent to me to review, and I do not need to return it after my review is complete. This watch was given to me without restriction and is not contingent upon a particular outcome for my review. All opinions here are my own, and Constellar Timepieces had no influence over the opinions stated here.
Constellar Origin ‘Pewter Grey’: https://constellartimepieces.com/collections/constellar-origin/products/pewter-grey
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Review
Constellar Timepieces was founded in 2018 by Edgar Koh and Lim Wei Song, and they initially struggled to get a product to market, but have since designed the impressive watch we’re looking at today. Edgar Koh is a well-known figure within the Singaporean micro-brand scene, and is an impressive watch photographer, which has undoubtedly influenced the aesthetic finesse of their watches – similar to other photographer-designed brands like MING. Despite the challenges faced with their earlier project, the Constellar Starseeker, which was unfortunately shelved due to funding issues, the duo has persevered. They had openly shared their setbacks in a candid blog post back in 2021-ish, and I greatly admired their humility and transparency.
Since 2020, Edgar and Song have been at the drawing board, directing their creative energies into the Constellar Origin, infusing it with unique design elements reminiscent of the Starseeker but with added originality and personality. This model, priced at $1000 USD, offers a palette of dial colors: Pewter Grey, Vermilion Red, Cerulean Blue, Viridian Green, and Cinnabar Brown. Today we’ll be looking at the Pewter Grey version, which features an accompanying bracelet and is presented in a cork fold-able watch box.
Let’s check it out!
Case
The Constellar Origin showcases a case and bracelet made from 316L stainless steel. I measured the case to be 38mm in diameter, 44mm from lug to lug (extending slightly to 45mm with the end links), and stands 11.5mm tall with a 20mm lug width. The design particularly shines in its finishing techniques, employing at least 4-5 different techniques throughout the case.
One of my most favorite features of this watch is its lugs, which boast a flared design reminiscent of one of my grail watches (Patek Philippe 5270). The lugs are elaborately finished with polished inward slopes that angle towards the end links, a brushed top surface, polished external bevels and sides, and a unique sandblasted recess along the sides. They really went to town with this design, sparing no finishing technique! And I think they absolutely delivered. If you’re looking for a reason to buy this watch – these lugs are it.
The bezel is uniformly brushed and subtly slopes into the case via three facets, topped with a sapphire “top hat” crystal that has plenty of (blue) anti-reflective coating. The tapered crown, crucial for a manual wind watch, is particularly ergonomic at 5.5mm. It features a media-blasted finish and the brand’s space inspired logo on the cap, with a polished body. The crown is easy to grip and operate, and is not screwed down.
Transitioning from the bezel, the mid-case introduces a dramatic change from horizontal to vertical brushing, echoing vintage watch designs while leading to a flat, sapphire crystal exhibition case-back. The watch boasts a 100m water resistance rating, impressive for a piece with sapphire on the top and bottom, and without a screw-down crown.
Overall, I love the case design and how it wears. The attention to detail is commendable, and they managed to squeeze in 4-5 different finishing styles into this case without making it look like ‘too much’. The thoughtful design elements with vintage throwbacks, especially the intricately finished lugs and effective use of contrasting textures and angles, make this case quite a memorable one.
Dial
The Constellar Origin is offered in five distinct dial colors, and this is Pewter Grey version is a striking example of how good watch design can effectively blend futuristic and classical elements. It is a tricky combination of stylistic elements, but I think they did a great job turning that inspiration into a cohesive product. The Origin also manages a balance between sporty and dressy aesthetics, opting for brushed and media blasted finishes on the dial elements instead of traditional high polish, which gives it quite a unique personality.
The dial features a recessed outer seconds track with clearly printed ticks that further suggest its sporty appeal while maintaining millisecond legibility. This detail, along with the over reaching seconds hand, emphasizes the watch’s functional DNA. Above this track, the dial boasts a raised beige/cream section that houses cantilevered diamond-shaped hour markers. The diamond hour markers are the star of the show here. Diamond shaped indices are not uncommon to watch designs from the past, but the way these are executed suggest more futuristic inspiration to me. Their sandblasted finish and faceted design is also quite unusual, but results in excellent legibility and beautiful light play. The entire raised section is colored beige with a matte finish, subtly bordered to create visual depth and subtle shadows on either side of it.
At the 12 o’clock position, a seamlessly integrated day window fits snugly between two hour markers, featuring a dark beige background with crisply printed white text, mirrored by a similar date window at 6 o’clock. The branding on the dial, with the watch’s name and logo, is applied, with polished finishing for the name and media blasting / matte finishing for the logo. The inner section of the dial is finished in a circular brushed grey, surrounded by hints of beige from adjacent elements.
The entirely brushed hands are an unusual choice for a watch with such strong dress watch influences, yet they enhance readability and complement the dial’s diamond markers with their sharp, light-catching design.
Overall, the design of the Origin’s dial is not only a testament to a well-thought-out design process but also showcases the influence of Edgar Koh’s experience in watch photography, bringing a level of detail that is both intricate and enjoyable to capture. While there are minor areas for improvement, such as the specks of dust on the covered seconds hand pinion, these are minor when considered against the complexity and quality of the overall design. This dial will be difficult to forget, given its clever construction and the successful execution of a complex, layered aesthetic at a competitive price point.
Movement
The Origin is powered by the Elaboré grade Sellita SW240-1M movement, a descendant of the ETA2800 movement family. This hand-wound movement, which I personally find very satisfying to use, features a date display at 6 o’clock and a day window at 12 o’clock. Operating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), the movement maintains a power reserve of up to 42 hours when fully wound.
Constellar has opted for the Elaboré grade for this movement, which not only has tighter performance bounds (+/-7 sec/day up to +/- 20 sec/day) but also has pretty decent finishing applied to it, such as Geneva striping and blued screws. It also incorporates Incabloc shock protection, making me wonder if it is actually a Top grade movement instead. The accuracy has been very good, with deviations within single digits per day. The tactile experience of winding a hand wound watch every day is something I enjoy, and is also more practical for someone like me who cycles through different watches daily anyway.
On The Wrist
This watch perfectly fits my 6.75″ wrist, with its case diameter of 38mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 44mm. Its bold lugs make it appear larger than similarly sized watches, such as the MING 17.09. The watch sits low and comfortably on the wrist, thanks to its 11.5mm thickness and flat case-back. The well-designed and well-articulating end links, extending the lug-to-lug width minimally to 45mm, allow the watch to wrap snugly around the wrist, providing an excellent fit that I would rate highly in terms of comfort and aesthetic.
The bracelet on the Origin is notably distinct, featuring a bold design that might be polarizing for some. Each center link displays polished edges with a diamond motif pattern in the center, seemingly laser-engraved, that runs down the entire bracelet and extends into the signed clasp. The links articulate smoothly, ensuring a comfortable wear without any discomfort from hair pulling. However, the clasp design does leave something to be desired. For a watch at this price point, the clasp feels somewhat outdated, equipped with only one micro-adjustment slot and lacking on-the-fly adjustment capabilities. While the small link size aids in achieving a near-perfect fit, some wearers may find adjusting the bracelet size slightly cumbersome due to the traditional pin system used for resizing.
Overall, the bracelet is well-crafted, with a lot of added effort going into making this unique aesthetic possible, and enhances the wearing experience with its unique aesthetic and comfortable design. For those preferring a more subdued look, switching to a strap completely transforms the aesthetic into a much more restrained look.
Wrapping Up
This review has been a bit lengthy, so I’ll wrap it up with this: the Constellar Origin is a meticulously crafted, detail-oriented watch that justifies its price tag. The case design pays homage to vintage aesthetics while incorporating modern elements that feel both fresh and familiar. The dial beautifully integrates a practical complication in a design that has one foot in the past and another in the future, in a package that manages to play both roles with ease.
The choice of a manually wound Sellita movement aligns perfectly with the tastes of enthusiasts who, like myself, prefer the engagement of a hand-wound watch over an automatic. Additionally, the bracelet’s unique design sets it apart in the market, adding a distinctive flair to the overall package.
Overall, I think this one is a winner. I’m glad Edgar and Song stuck to their initial vision because they’ve arrived at a design and product that is far superior to what was initially proposed many years ago and I can’t wait to see what they do next. Constellar is a brand to keep an eye on.
