Hands-On With The Peren Regia Lunar Eclipse Dark
What does it mean for a watch to be “stealthy”? Does that translate into one that is as dark as possible on the wrist, even if it means forgoing readability? A good example would be the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black Black,” a fully blacked-out ceramic Speedy that is as “undercover” as it gets. Or does “stealthy” mean a watch that is fully blacked out except for its functional elements? An example of this is the new Peren Regia Lunar Eclipse Dark, or Regia LE Dark, as the brand refers to it. The blacked-out case and dial are contrasted by bright white hands and markers, so it’s always easy to read the time. I had a chance to take the stylish Regia LE Dark diver for a spin to find out more and see what “stealthy” means to me.
It’s not the first time that I’ve had a chance to try out the Peren Regia. In early 2024, I reviewed the regular version. Though that is a minimalist dive watch, it is not as toned down as the new Regia LE Dark. The case was not blacked out, and it featured a full set of markers for the diving bezel. This new Regia LE Dark plays with the same aesthetic and takes an even more minimalist route. But that route was not without its smaller steps. Peren founder Andy Bica has released a series of Regia models that play with the minimalist style of the watch. It’s a great design exercise that shows the versatility of design within a relatively small space. It reminds me somewhat of the different possibilities the guys at Unimatic have explored with their design language.
The story of the Peren Regia LE Dark
Upon seeing the new Regia LE Dark, the Unimatic Modello Quattro was the first visual reference that came to my mind. But despite the design similarities, they are rather different watches. Let’s explore the details first. The Peren Regia LE Dark has a 39mm stainless steel case with a 12.8mm thickness, a 45.3mm lug-to-lug, and a 200m water resistance rating.
The case features a black DLC coating and a bead-blasted finish. It also has hand-polished chamfers that bring some visual excitement, but the polished edges only stand out in bright sunlight.
Peren matched the case with a conical 120-click unidirectional bezel with a black DLC-coated stainless steel insert. The lume pip is the only marker on the insert to keep its timing function. In all honesty, though, people won’t use this as a serious dive watch since this execution is mostly an aesthetic exercise. Within the case lies a matte black dial with a debossed minute track and a white dot for every five minutes. The characteristic circular and oval hour markers are solid white 3D Super-LumiNova blocks. Additionally, the white hands contrast with the dial and feature white Super-LumiNova. All the lume lights up blue in the dark so you can read the time and easily set the lume pip to the preferred position.
The date window at 12 o’clock is a remarkable detail
While the dial design is similar to that of the regular Regia model, the blacked-out case and the minimalist black bezel differentiate this watch from that one. What has stayed is the date window at 12 o’clock. It seems like an odd placement at first sight, but if you know something about the Regia, you know there’s a story behind it.
The dial design and placement of the date window at 12 o’clock were influenced by the Sarmizegetusa Regia calendar. This ancient calendar system was used by the Dacians in Transylvania, where Peren has its roots. Brand founder Andy Bica incorporated details into the Regia dive watch that hint at this calendar, and they work just as well in this blacked-out variation.
An automatic Sellita caliber inside
The movement running the show is the Sellita SW200-1, which operates at 28,800vph, has 26 jewels, and offers 38 hours of power reserve. Peren regulates the caliber in-house. It comes with a Nivaflex mainspring and shock protection to ensure reliable daily usability.
Wearing the Peren Regia LE Dark
Once I strapped the LE Dark to my wrist, I was reminded how comfortable the Regia is. Thanks to the spot-on proportions and the comfortable FKM rubber strap, the watch sits very nicely on the wrist. The brand also offers the option of a fabric NATO-style strap, but I would always pick the rubber strap because it’s super comfortable.
I wore the watch for multiple days and received several compliments from Fratello team members and people who are not into watches. So, despite its stealthy looks, the watch stands out. Granted, I always match the colors of my watch’s dial or strap with my outfit, so the watch never looks dissonant. But receiving all the compliments says something about the eye-catching style of the Peren Regia LE Dark.
Final thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed wearing the Regia LE Dark. But I must also admit that it didn’t impress me as much as the regular Regia and Regia X that I reviewed before. That is both because the design is familiar and I loved the more dynamic presence of the other models. Still, this blacked-out version is a logical next step in the design, and, of course, it has a distinct look that people will love.
The new Peren Regia LE Dark feels very well made and has plenty of intricate details that show how much love and attention Peren puts into every release. On top of that, the watch is nicely balanced and comfortable on the wrist. At CHF 777, which translates to roughly €835 at the time of writing, the watch is a nice pick under €1k.
As we know, there is a lot of competition at this price point. That’s why the distinct design makes Peren stand out in the crowd. Lastly, to come back to which take on “stealthy” I prefer, I’d go with a fully blacked-out aesthetic, even at the cost of instant legibility. But maybe that is going to be the next step for Peren with its popular Regia. We will have to wait and find out.
