Martenero Edgemere Reserve – An Affordable Mechanical Watch with a Nautical Theme

Founded in 2014 in New York, Martenero already has six lines of watches in its portfolio. Their latest line, the Edgemere Reserve, is the most detailed piece yet with three complications. Inspired by the marine chronometer (a timepiece accurate enough to allow ships to use celestial navigation), the new line has bold, contrasting colours and a bit of playfulness that remind me of watches from Farer Universal. Like that company, Martenero has found a unique aesthetic without going overboard, being both fun and sophisticated. The Edgemere Reserve follows the original Edgemere with a more mature sequel and is the first follow-up to a piece for the company.

The dial of the Martenero Edgemere Reserve is deceptively detailed. It’s multi-dimensional with the outer hour ring raised above the inner dial. That interior dial has an engraved line pattern that adds a visual texture, while the outermost minute track adds more contrast with its own colour. The hour ring also has applied numerals that add even more depth. There are five different colourways available (blue, white, silver, dark blue and black), each with a unique flavour. The colour of the hour and minute hands are solid, whether white, red, silver or black, but the tips of the minute hands all have a contrasting colour. The central seconds hands also have their own unique tips. The three complications are a power reserve indicator (hence the name) at 12 o’clock, a date at 3 o’clock and a 24-hour time sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Splashes of colour are found throughout the reserve indicator’s gauge and sub-dial, while the date window is oval with a coloured rim. These dials are anything but boring with a lot of attention to detail.

All versions share a stainless steel case that’s 40mm in diameter and 11.8mm in height, which hits a solid middle ground for a contemporary watch. They’re polished and brushed, adding more visual contrast, and there’s a double-domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating. A sapphire exhibition caseback displays the automatic movement and a nautical compass is etched into the crystal. The crown is stamped with an M and although it screws down, only allows the case to be water-resistant to 30m.

The heart of the Martenero Edgemere Reserve is the well-known automatic Japanese Miyota 9132 calibre – a common engine for various microbrands. It has 26 jewels, beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) with a 40-hour power reserve. It has hours, minutes, central seconds, power reserve indicator, date and 24-hour time sub-dial. This is a very decent yet inexpensive movement that’s readily available for young watch brands to keep costs competitive.

There are eight different 20mm American leather straps to choose from with stainless steel buckles with Martenero’s name engraved. Colours include black, espresso, marine, oxblood, ruby, chestnut, cognac and sand, and any strap can be chosen with any colourway. The straps also have hypoallergenic leather linings for comfort.

The Martenero Edgemere Reserve is currently on Kickstarter until October 26 with a price of USD 459 (first 100 watches). The regular Kickstarter price is USD 499 and various discounts are being offered when buying multiple pieces. The retail price after the crowdfunding campaign is USD 695 and estimated delivery is May 2019. More details available at their Kickstarter page.