Hands-On With The Sternglas Hamburg Automatik Edition Marine
It’s nice to review a truly affordable watch like the Sternglas Hamburg Automatik every so often. After all, entry-level mechanical timepieces are great for daily wear and can provide a start for new collectors. Sternglas does these watches well and adds thoughtful details, including attractive dials with uncommon lume colors. Today, we’ll look at the latest addition to the lineup, the Hamburg Automatik Edition Marine.
With the introduction of the Marine, Sternglas now offers five versions of the Hamburg Automatik. Indeed, it’s a popular model because of the color options and attractive pricing. Also, the brand makes ordering easy and offers a wide range of strap and bracelet choices. Let’s examine the newest addition to the lineup.
The Sternglas Hamburg Automatik Edition Marine
For those familiar with the Hamburg Automatik, the specifications won’t be a surprise. The watch has a 42mm diameter, a 45mm lug-to-lug, and a 12mm overall profile (with a 6mm-thick mid-case). A significant change, though, is a polished gold PVD coating on the 316L stainless steel case. Until now, Sternglas has only offered this model in polished steel and bronze PVD. Even in a dressier guise, the watch has a depth rating of 50 meters.
A blue dial befitting a naval image
The Marine has a matte dark blue dial with contrasting details. Sternglas chose the combination of blue and gold because it resembles the historic uniforms of naval officers. The polished gold-tone hands and frame for the date window all match the case. A white minute/hour track ensures optimum legibility against the dark dial. The other fun addition is the application of orange Super-LumiNova on the three central hands and pips at 3, 6, 9, and 12. It complements the gold case without matching exactly.
While the luminous application isn’t heavy, it provides enough coverage to be effective in low-light situations. We assume wearers won’t be helming a frigate by night, but visibility-wise, the Hamburg Automatik Edition Marine is up to the task! Otherwise, the dial layout is clean and follows the Bauhaus-inspired form established on the original silver model.
An engraved case back
The latest Hamburg Automatik leans into the Marine theme further with an engraved case back. A historic windjammer ship recalls the merchant vessels sailing from Hamburg in prior centuries. It’s a nice detail, especially for a reasonably priced watch. Furthermore, it houses four screws which keep the case back in place and assure water resistance.
The automatic Miyota 8215
True to its moniker, the Hamburg Automatik has an automatic movement. The Miyota 8215 is inside and has a frequency of 21,600vph with 42 hours of power reserve. Plus, it offers hacking seconds, manual winding, and a quick-set date function. With an officially stated accuracy of -20/+40 seconds per day, it’s no Master Chronometer, but it allows Sternglas to offer a good-quality, reliable mechanical movement at a reasonable price. Plus, my experience with the 8215 is that it normally runs more accurately than the specs suggest.
Wearing the Marine
The Hamburg Automatik Edition Marine cuts a handsome figure on the wrist, especially when paired with the dark brown Heritage strap (that’s Sternglas speak for an alligator-pattern leather strap) and pin buckle. It’s dressy but not stodgy, and it looks expensive. I’ll address the elephant in the room regarding the 42mm diameter. Due to the slim bezel, the watch does look large, but it wears well due to the short 45mm lug-to-lug distance.
Sternglas also makes it easy to modify the watch and offers four other pairing choices. Brown suede (my favorite), gold-plated Milanese mesh, a slim gold-plated bracelet, and black alligator-pattern leather are options at no additional cost.
Pricing and availability
The Hamburg Automatik Edition Marine is a great addition to the Sternglas catalog. It offers a more formal option while capitalizing on the current trend of gold watches. However, it’s still a fresh and modern-looking design with its ageless Bauhaus styling and orange Super-LumiNova. At €429, it’s reasonably priced and available on the brand’s website. Yes, there are other competitive options, primarily from Japanese brands, but Sternglas brings European style to its designs. That surely resonates with some buyers.
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