Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Saturday, I’m reviewing the Icon V1 from American watch microbrand, Egard.
The Icon V1 is one of Egard’s best-sellers, featuring Egard’s trademark oblong case. It’s also their foray into making an integrated bracelet sports watch, a segment that has boomed in popularity recently. Let’s see if the Icon V1 is any good!
Egard Icon V1 – Video Review
If you guys would like to see some hands-on video footage, do check out the Youtube review below! I’ll be doing Youtube reviews as well from now on – to accompany these written reviews – so if you like the content, please do consider subscribing to the Youtube channel.
Egard – the Brand
I’ve previously covered Egard as a brand in my review of the Egard Dali. If you would like to learn more about the Egard brand story, do read the article here. I also reviewed the Egard V1 Class auto – a bang-for-buck automatic watch – here.
Egard Icon V1 – Build Quality
I’m pleased to report that the Icon V1 has pretty good build quality for the price!
Firstly, the Egard V1 Icon utilises a 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. I should stress that the sapphire crystal used here is in a unique oblong shaped. Egard states that: “The sapphire crystal placed in the Icon is one of the most difficult crystal shapes to cut. The oblong nature of the crystal must fit perfectly in the case which is a challenge in itself.” The crystal is curved on top and bottom, and has a curvature throughout the entire crystal as well to wrap the case. In other words, Egard had to custom make the sapphire crystal to fit the unique dial shape of the watch. I must applaud Egard for taking this extra step – most watches at this S$500 price point don’t even feature sapphire crystal (ahem, Seiko)! In addition, the Icon V1 has a 100M WR rating, meaning that you can wear the watch in the pouring rain, under the tap, and even in the shower without worry.
The Egard Icon V1 is powered by the automatic Miyota 82S7 movement, which is unsurprising given that it’s one of the only affordable skeletonised movements on the market currently. It beats at 21,600 bph, hand-winds, has about 42 hours of power reserve, but does not hack. It also features a day/night indicator, and a sub-second dial. I’m usually not fond of the Miyota 8 series movements due to the stuttering of the second hand, but this issue was not present on the Egard V1 Icon.
Where the Icon V1 really shines is in its superb integrated bracelet. I’ve handled quite a few microbrand watches with an integrated bracelet, and I must say that the Icon V1 reigns supreme. It’s well-constructed and very comfortable on the wrist. The butterfly clasp is a treat to operate as well. It is clear that a lot of thought has been paid to the bracelet – it shows. Egard also includes a rubber strap with the Icon V1, but unless you’re planning on exercising with the watch I suggest sticking with the stunning integrated bracelet. It’s a wonder to behold.
All in all, the Egard Icon V1 possesses great specifications for the price. There’s a uniquely shaped sapphire crystal, a respectable 100M WR rating, a workhorse Miyota movement, and a fantastic integrated bracelet with a rubber strap thrown in as the icing on the cake. What’s not to like?
Egard Icon V1 – Design
Make no mistake – the distinctive design of the Icon V1 is definitely its calling card.
First off, the Icon V1 has a unique teardrop bezel/dial design that has become a trademark of Egard. It’s an aesthetic that appears on multiple other Egard watches, such as the Egard Dali that I reviewed previously. I’ll go so far to say that the Icon V1 is instantly recognizable as an Egard watch due to its teardrop bezel/dial, which reminds me of the melting clocks in Dali’s famous “Persistence of Memory” painting. It’s no mean feat for a microbrand to have a distinctive design associated to them, akin to how SevenFriday’s made square watches their own. In addition, I think having such a distinctive design helps separates the Egard Icon V1 from other integrated sport microbrand watches. Usually, when a microbrand makes an integrated sports watch it gets dismissed as a homage of the iconic AP Royal Oak, but that accusation cannot be leveled at the Icon V1 – no one will mistake this for a Royal Oak! I also find the decision to have the screws on the case (as opposed to on the bezel ala Royal Oak style) extremely smart.
As you might have noticed, this variant of the Icon V1 features a black/gold aesthetic. The screws, bezel, crown, and dial of the Icon V1 are treated PVD black, which contributes to a stealthy, sporty vibe of the watch. This is, for a lack of better words, a “macho” watch. It’s a watch that I can imagine Connor Mcgregor or Tyson Fury wearing, someone that’s not afraid to be stand out and be different.
Moving on to the dial itself, I’m pleased to report that there’s actually quite a bit of detail! Firstly, there’s a day/night indicator. It’s not the most practical of complications (who needs a watch to tell day from night?) but it’s aesthetically pleasing. Secondly, there’s a sub-second dial with a striped texture, providing visual intrigue to the dial. Thirdly, there’s an open heart whereby one can glimpse the balance wheel of the Miyota movement beating within. In addition, there’s a nice applied logo of the Egard brand, which coupled with the open heart results in a dial that possesses significant depth. Lastly, a guilloche pattern can also be found on the right side of the dial, leading to a nice contrast of textures (striped, matte, guilloche). Ultimately, this is a dial that – apart from being uniquely shaped – also features depth and multiple textures. Kudos to Egard for being able to squeeze in all these details in the dial without making it seem crowded!
Although the case of the watch is PVD gold, it features a host of finishing techniques which is impressive at its price point. The front of the case is brushed, whilst the sides of the case are polished. There’s also polished beveled edges running along the sides of the watch. In addition, the PVD black crown is signed, which is a nice touch. However, I did find it to be a tad too small for hand-winding the watch.
Usually, the casebacks of ~S$500 watches often look like afterthoughts, but that is not the case here. I have to say that the caseback of the Egard Icon V1 is one of the most striking that I’ve come across. It depicts a crescent moon, alongside what I assume are clouds. I find the contrast of colours/textures (the silver and black portions) very interesting, and applaud Egard for taking the extra mile when designing the caseback artwork. It looks like an artwork straight out of a tattoo parlour!
On my 7 inch wrist, the Egard Icon V1 actually wears pretty well with its 42mm wide specifications. While it is a “showy” watch – something rappers or MMA fighters might wear – I appreciate Egard’s restraint in not making the watch overly big (say, 45mm). The case proportions are really a treat here, striking but not obnoxious.
Overall, I really like the design of the Egard Icon V1. It has a unique dial/bezel design, an integrated sports watch look that’s in vogue, a sporty gold/black aesthetic, a well-finished case, and a beautiful caseback. It even wears sensibly on the wrist! I really can’t find much to critique about the watch, except perhaps the lack of legibility on the dial. Due to the dial’s black minute markers, you can’t really tell time accurately. However, if you’re looking to pick up the Icon V1, I don’t think time-telling is a key consideration. If you want a highly legible watch, get a flieger instead!
Shootout: Egard Icon V1 vs D1 Milano Skeleton
If you’re looking for an integrated sports watch that makes a statement, one of the more popular alternatives – that I see people buying anyway – is the D1 Milano Skeleton.
In terms of specifications, both watches are actually pretty similar. Both watches feature sapphire crystals, a workhorse Japanese movement (Seiko NH70 in the D1 Milano, Miyota 82S7 in the Icon V1), and an integrated bracelet. However, the Icon V1 does have a slighter higher WR rating of 100M as compared to the 50M of the D1 Milano, and lume as well. As such, I’ll say that the Icon V1 edges out the D1 Milano on paper.
From an aesthetic standpoint, which watch is better depends on your personal taste. The D1 Milano Skeleton is ultimately a fashion watch, and I must admit that it looks good. The skeletonisation is intriguing, and the watch looks cool on the wrist. However, from a watch enthusiast standpoint, I find the D1 Milano Skeleton to be too derivative – the case is essentially a rip-off of the Patek Philippe Nautilus. In contrast, the Egard Icon V1 comes across as more innovative in terms of its dial and case design, and has the more detailed dial as well. Comparing the two wrist shots of the watches, my personal opinion is that the Icon V1 is the more striking one on the wrist.
Where the Icon V1 undeniably trumps the D1 Milano Skeleton is in its value. At just $369 USD, it’s almost half the price of the D1 Milano Skeleton, which is priced at a whopping $725 USD. Given that both watches share similar specifications, I would say that the Icon V1 is definitely the better value proposition. Therefore, the Egard Icon V1 would be my pick in this shootout.
Conclusion – so the Egard Icon V1 “shiok” or not?
As I mentioned earlier, the Egard Icon V1 is a love it or hate it design. I’m sure there will be some that finds it too blingy, too ostentatious. However, if you’re on the hunt for a conversation starter, or something new to add to your collection, then the Icon V1 would be a perfect watch for you. It’s a watch that shows attention to detail and innovation, which isn’t something that I can always say about ~S$500 watches. Furthermore, if you find the gold colourway too flashy, consider the steel variant instead!
For those interested, you can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK15” to enjoy 15% off all Egard watches site-wide! After the discount, the Egard Icon V1 can be had for just $369 USD/ ~S$506, which I think is a great price considering its specifications and the thought and effort that went into the design.
View the Egard Icon V1 here.
View all Egard watches here.
Specifications:
Case size: 42mm oblong case
Case Material: Two piece curved 316L stainless steel
Water Resistant: 100 meters
Strap Width: 22mm
Movement: Automatic 82s7 with modification
Glass: Uniquely curved sapphire crystal
Strap: Metal bracelet + High grade rubber strap
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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.
