Hello everyone, and welcome back to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Saturday, I’m reviewing the Galaxy from German watch microbrand, Achtung.
The Galaxy is Achtung’s latest watch, and it immediately caught my attention when I saw photos of it being shared on social media. It looked incredibly unique, especially in its blue dial variant. I asked TVG – the exclusive distributor of Achtung watches in Singapore – if I could have one for review, and they kindly sent one over. Let’s see if it’s any good!
Achtung – the Brand
Achtung is a German microbrand that was launched in 2017. The name is a German word used to command attention, and can be also construed to mean “warning” or “alert”.
The raison d’etre of Achtung is to make statement timepieces. Their watches are meant to command attention and to stand out on the wrist. I’ll admit – some of their early timepieces aren’t my cup of tea. I found them to be a tad garish, and lacking refinement. That changed when I saw the Achtung Galaxy, which looked light-years (pun totally intended) ahead from their earlier models.
Without further ado, let’s delve into the review!
Achtung Galaxy – Video Review
For those who are interested in viewing some hands-on footage of the watch, do check out my Youtube review of the Achtung Galaxy below!
Achtung Galaxy – Build Quality
The Achtung Galaxy has decent specifications for the price.
Firstly, the Achtung Galaxy utilises a flat sapphire crystal. As aforementioned numerous times in my previous reviews, I’m a huge advocate of sapphire crystal due to their inherent scratch-resisting properties. Personally, I always look for sapphire crystal in my modern watches as it adds greatly to the durability of the watch. In addition, the Galaxy has 50m of water-resistance, which should render it robust enough for most everyday activities that doesn’t involve prolonged submersion in water.
The Achtung Galaxy is powered by the workhorse Seiko NH35A movement. Some quick specs: the movement beats at 21600 vibrations per hour, has 42 hours of power reserve, contains 24 jewels, and is hacking. I’m a fan of the Seiko NH35 movement, and greatly prefer it to the Miyota 8 series movement (which is the alternative movement commonly seen with microbrand watches). This is due to the fact that unlike the NH35, the Miyota 8 series movements are non-hacking, suffer from a stuttering second hand (some models), and in my own experience with the Miyota movements, are also more prone to accuracy problems. In contrast, the Seiko NH35 is a movement that is as reliable as they come.
This variant of the Achtung Galaxy comes on a blue calf leather strap, which features quick-release pins for easy interchangeability. In fact, Achtung actually provides an additional black strap in the package, so you can switch up the look of the Galaxy depending on the situation. However, I absolutely love wearing the Galaxy on the blue calf leather strap. It’s embossed with a crocodile texture that actually looks pretty good, and feels premium on the wrist. There’s a rose gold, signed pin buckle that matches the Galaxy’s case. That being said, the leather isn’t a full-grain one, so the strap will not patina over time, which is a slight shame.
The Achtung Galaxy comes with lume – Achtung doesn’t state what kind – and boy, is it a sight to behold. It’s genius, and it really does evoke the sight of the cosmos at night. You can’t really tell the exact time in the darkness as the hour ring isn’t lumed, but I doubt many buy the Galaxy with legibility as their priority anyway.
All in all, the Achtung Galaxy ticks all the boxes I look for in an affordable (sub-US$500) watch – there’s sapphire crystal, a reliable Seiko movement, two decent straps with quick-release functionality, and lume. What’s not to like?
Achtung Galaxy – Design
Nevertheless, no one buys an Achtung watch – especially this Galaxy – for its specifications. It’s the cosmos-inspired design that is the showstopper here.
For one, the blue dial possesses a stunning sunburst texture that morphs in different lighting conditions. Scattered across the blue dial is a tapestry of little stars. The stars are of varying depth – some appear to be nearer to the base of the dial, whilst others appear to be “floating”. It’s a really intriguing look that unfortunately was very difficult to photograph, but trust me when I say that it one of the most unique dials I’ve ever seen in the microbrand sphere.
The celestial theme of the Galaxy extends to the way one tells the time on the watch. The moon is the hour hand, the plane denotes the minutes, and the shooting star sweeps across the dial when the watch is running. It took me some time to get used to telling the time on the Galaxy, but once I did I appreciated the innovative approach that it has taken here. I should also highlight that technically, the hour and minute hands are “invisible”, in the sense that one doesn’t see the traditional hands that are connected to the pinion of the dial. It reminds me of the LeCoultre Mystery dials – some of the coolest vintage watches out there.
Furthermore, there’s a strong sense of depth due to its raised hour ring that surrounds the dial. The rose gold coloured hour ring is satin-brushed too, which provides a nice juxtaposition against the polished bezel and sunburst blue dial. Once again, I’ll reiterate that the Achtung Galaxy has one of the most mesmerizing dials that I’ve ever encountered at this price point. The only thing that I’ll change is probably switching the white date wheel to black – a dark date wheel would have blended in better with the dark blue dial.
The Galaxy comes clad in a rose-gold cushion-shaped case that is reminiscent of Bell & Ross watches. There’s plenty of aesthetically pleasing finishing on display, with alternating polished, brushed and beadblasted textures present. I find the hollowed-out edges of the case, which gives it a sophisticated look. I should also point out that whilst square cases are not novel for Achtung, I found the cushion case of the Galaxy to wear much better than the square cases of some of their earlier models. And again, the angular nature of the Galaxy’s cushion case reinforces the bold look of the watch.
The sides of the case are actually slightly faceted, and vertically brushed. There’s also a signed crown, which is substantially sized for easy hand-winding. The winding motion is buttery smooth, and it is simply a pleasure to wind the Achtung Galaxy.
While its 44mm width may sound big on paper, I actually found the Achtung Galaxy to wear perfectly well on my 7-inch wrist. As can be seen from the above photo, the watch doesn’t overhang at all due to its short lugs. It’s also svelte enough to be paired with smart casual clothing. I would say that it is definitely significantly more wearable than Achtung’s earlier watches, which have a 48mm case and sometimes felt like a brick on the wrist.
Overall, I’m absolutely in awe of the Achtung Galaxy. It was love at first sight when I saw it in the metal. The sunburst blue dial was mesmerizing, the floating stars captivating, and the unique hands intriguing. Its cushion case was impressively finished, especially considering its price tag. As an overall package, the Galaxy is striking but not gaudy, eye-catching with the right amount of taste. While I suspect it may still not be everyone’s cup of tea, the Galaxy is definitely something different, a timepiece that is so off the beaten track that it will be a worthy addition to any watch collection.
Shootout – Achtung Galaxy vs Xeric Trappist Automatic
If you’re on the hunt for a sub-US$500 microbrand watch that is inspired by the stars, the Xeric Trappist Automatic would be another one to consider.
In terms of specifications, the Achtung Galaxy edges out the Xeric Trappist. The Galaxy uses sapphire crystal for enhanced scratch-resistance, while the Trappist has a hesalite crystal that is more historically accurate, but less durable. I also prefer the Seiko NH35A movement of the Galaxy as compared to the Miyota 82S0 that powers the Trappist, due to reasons mentioned earlier on in this review.
Aesthetically speaking, both the Galaxy and the Trappist are certainly conversation starters. However, I would say that the Galaxy comes across as better finished. The “stars” of the dial appears to be floating and possess more depth, as compared to being simply applied lume dots on the Trappist. The case of the Galaxy is finished to a higher degree as well, featuring alternating polishing/brushing techniques. That being said, if you’re a true space fan, the NASA branding of the Trappist might appeal more to you as a result.
Both watches are statements on the wrist, and honestly are pretty unique in their own right. However, if I had to choose one I’ll probably go with the Achtung Galaxy – it has the more sophisticated look, the better specifications, and is even slightly cheaper than the Xeric Trappist.
Conclusion – so the Achtung Galaxy “shiok” or not?
I’ll say this – the Achtung Galaxy is my favourite microbrand watch of this year. It has decent specifications for the price, and a complex, highly articulate look that punches way above its price point. The finishing is immaculate too, and a marked improvement from that of Achtung’s earlier models. I hope Achtung continues making this sort of bold – but still tasteful – statement watches. The Achtung Galaxy has definitely converted me from a cynic to a fan!
Those interested in purchasing the Achtung Galaxy can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” to enjoy 10% off Achtung watches – and all other brands – from TVG’s online store. After the discount, the Achtung Galaxy would cost just S$648, which I think is a great price for such a unique design. Just look at the above wrist shot – it’s a stunner of a watch!
View the Achtung Galaxy here.
View the rest of Achtung’s watches here.
View the entire TVG store here.
Specifications:
- Rose Gold IP case
- Width of 44mm
- Date window
- Seiko NH35A Automatic movement
- 40 hour power reserve
- Sapphire crystal watch glass
- Complimentary leather watch strap
- Quick release calf leather strap
- 5ATM, 50 meters water-resistance
- Limited to 28 pieces
- 2 years warranty
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wahsoshiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.S.S.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
