Going Back To The Beginning With The Makina Uriel_VII

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of reviewing three watches from Makina. The young Filipino brand has quickly demonstrated a wide range of offerings. What ties the different models together is their combination of industrial, almost futuristic design that still features a good injection of classic watchmaking elegance. With the new Makina Uriel_VII, the brand goes back to where it all started. The Uriel_I was the first Makina watch that came out in 2017. For the newest iteration of this previously time-only watch, brand founder Danilo Villanueva decided to incorporate triple-calendar functionality. The result is the new Makina Uriel_VII.

When the Makina Uriel_VII first landed on my desk, I was slightly surprised. The Uriel seems almost conservatively different from the other Makina models I’ve reviewed in the past year. But after reading about the latest version of the Uriel and its predecessors, I quickly understood the journey that Villanueva has been on for the past decade. With the new Uriel_VII, we circle back to the beginning and get a great little visual walkthrough of the brand’s history.

The details of the Makina Uriel_VII

One quick look at the pictures, and you will see that the new Makina Uriel_VII is a charming watch with a cushion-shaped case and the looks of a late ’60s or ’70s chronograph. But look again, and you will see that it’s actually not a chronograph. The two sub-dials, in fact, display the days and months. Add the date at 6 o’clock, and you have triple-calendar functionality. This calendar display is far from new, but it’s fun to see here because it’s not so common these days, especially among more affordable offerings.

The new Uriel_VII features a 38mm cushion-shaped stainless steel case with a 12.9mm profile and a 44mm lug-to-lug. This overall cushion shape has been a constant in the Uriel line, but the finishes and details have varied widely. The Uriel_VII displays a mix of finishes that nicely emphasizes the flow of the design. A polished bezel sits above the case’s circular-brushed top surface. The tops of the lugs, however, display vertical brushing, while the case flanks feature a horizontally brushed finish. This elegantly transitions to a mix of circular brushing and polishing on the case back. This choice of finishing provides a good idea of how well the case is designed to ensure it sits comfortably on the wrist. The bezel, crown, and single pusher on the right side feature polished finishes for a nice contrast.

The lively black dial stands out immediately

The case is paired with an asymmetrical satin-black brass dial featuring a refined texture. At first glance, there is a lot to take in, but the different pieces of the puzzle quickly begin to fall into place. It starts with the white double-lined chapter ring that holds a 12-hour scale. Moving inward from there, we find polished and faceted applied hour markers placed among a minute scale printed in white. Located at 3 o’clock is a sub-dial for the months, and at 9 o’clock, another sub-dial displays the days.

Both sub-dials are slightly recessed and executed in panda and reverse-panda color schemes with teardrop-shaped hands hovering over them. Lastly, the framed date display at 6 o’clock completes the calendar functions. Turning above the dial are centrally mounted, sharp-looking dauphine hour and minute hands, as well as a nicely contrasting white needle-shaped seconds hand.

The Miyota 9122 caliber

If you turn the watch around, you will get a clear view of the Miyota 9122 movement that powers it. This 26-jewel automatic caliber, part of the brand’s Premium series, runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers approximately 40 hours of power reserve. It also has an average accuracy of -10/+30 seconds per day.

Operating the caliber is easy. If you unscrew the crown and pull it out to the first position, you can adjust the day and date. Turning the crown clockwise advances the date, while turning it counterclockwise moves the day hand forward. If you pull out the crown to the second position, you can adjust the centrally displayed time. Lastly, a click on the pusher on the right side of the case will advance the hand displaying the months.

Wearing the Makina Uriel_VII

The Makina Uriel_VII comes equipped with a black canvas strap and a brushed pin buckle featuring the brand name. The strap’s lining is leather, improving the overall comfort. As with most canvas straps, the one used for the Uriel_VII needs some time to break in. But you can feel that once it has, it will be very comfortable.

Upon strapping the watch to my wrist, I quickly noticed how nicely proportioned it is. The 38mm size is perfect for a cushion-shaped watch, as it doesn’t feel or look too big. That’s one of the main gripes many people have with square/cushion-shaped watches. But the Uriel_VII feels spot on. Furthermore, the dimensions allow it to sit nicely on the wrist and comfortably slip under a cuff if necessary.

Final thoughts on the Makina Uriel_VII

After wearing the watch for a bit, I quickly took a liking to the dial’s design. I appreciate the funky approach that Makina took to the sub-dials. The use of both panda and reverse-panda schemes for these keeps the watch from becoming too obvious, which fits Makina’s overall design ethos. Using the calendar function is easy, although I did wish the pusher had more defined clicks when adjusting the month. In theory, owners will probably not use this pusher often, but whenever pushers are present, it’s hard to resist the temptation to use them, at least for me.

In terms of presence, the Makina Uriel_VII reminded me somewhat of the classic Heuer Camaro chronographs. If you ask me, that is a big compliment because I adore the Camaro as one of the great chronographs that Heuer made in the 1960s. If you are looking for a calendar watch with a similar charm to classic cushion-shaped chronographs, this Makina Uriel_VII could be a nice choice.

At US$750, it combines great quality, charming looks, and a fun complication for an affordable price. Furthermore, it is a nice change-up from the more futuristic releases we’ve seen and will undoubtedly continue to see from Makina. I’d say this Filipino brand is one of the microbrands to watch in 2026.

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