Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean watch review! On this shiok Sunday, I’m reviewing the Regent from German watch microbrand, Manufaktur Waldhoff.
The Regent was one of the first few models that Manufaktur Waldhoff debuted. Billed as an affordable, no-frills dress watch, the Regent is one of the most restrained designs in the brand’s current collection. Let’s take a look at the watch in further detail.
Manufaktur Waldhoff – the Brand
I’ve previously covered the Manufaktur Waldhoff brand in detail in my review of the Capital. If you haven’t already done so, do read my review of the Capital here!
Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent – Build Quality
Like most of their watches, I’m pleased to report that the build quality of the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent punches above its price point.
Firstly, the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent 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. Elsewhere, the WR rating for the Regent is 50M, which is pretty much the norm for dress watches nowadays.
The Manufaktur Waldhoff features the Seiko NH38 movement, the open-heart variant of the workhorse NH35 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 NH movements, and greatly prefer it to the Miyota 8 series movements (which is the alternative movement commonly seen at this price point). This is due to the fact that unlike the Seiko NH movements, 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.
The straps have always been a weakness of Manufaktur Waldhoff watches, and that continues to be the case here. The default strap is rather average – it’s stiff, and the inner lining feels cheap and cardboard-like to the touch. In addition, the leather quality is simply “Genuine Leather”, which is the lowest quality tier in leather. For the uninitiated, leather generally comes in three quality tiers – genuine leather, top-grain leather, and full-grain leather, in ascending order of quality. Unlike top-grain and full-grain leather, genuine leather will not patina with age. However, given the affordable price of the Regent, I find the strap of the Regent to still be serviceable (at least it comes with quick-release spring bars), though I’ll personally be swapping the strap out.
Lastly, the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent even comes with Swiss Tri-Tec lume! Although it certainly won’t win any lume awards, it’s actually surprisingly decent, though I’m not quite sure if it’s a necessary addition on a dress watch. Still, it’s there if you need it.
Overall, the specifications of the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent is great for the price. For S$348, one gets sapphire crystal, a reliable Seiko NH38 open-heart movement, and even Swiss lume! The strap isn’t great, but that’s a quick fix with an aftermarket option.
Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent – Design
In a collection full of skeletonised watches, the Regent is Manufaktur Waldhoff’s most “classic” take on a dress watch.
Despite the low price point of the Regent, the dial of the watch is full of detail. Firstly, depth is created on the watch due to a combination of applied indices (and an applied logo) as well as a multi-layered dial. Secondly, there’s nice contrast in texture too – the base centre sector of the dial possesses a striped texture that juxtaposes with the matte black texture of the upper layer. I also like the way the brand uses its logo as the counterweight on the second hand, which in my opinion is executed tastefully.
Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be a Manufaktur Waldhoff watch if there isn’t some sort of skeletonisation of the dial! With the Regent, the skeletonisation comes in the form of a “semi” open heart. I’ve personally never seen a “semi” open heart on a watch before, and find its crescent outline intriguing. Usually, I’m not a fan of open hearts as it often looks like the brand simply cut out a circle on the dial without much thought put into it. However, I must say that I definitely appreciate the way the open heart is designed here, which gives the wearer a subtle reminder of the mechanical marvel powering the watch. In addition, I should also point out that the quality control of Manufaktur Waldhoff is pretty good. I examined the dial of the Regent I received under a macro lense, and (as shown in the photo above) one can see that the applied indices lines up perfectly with the printed minute track. On more affordable watches, the quality control – especially for microbrands, unfortunately – can be quite bad at times, so I’m definitely pleased with the brand here!
The sides of the case, as well as the bezel, are polished to a gleam. There’s nothing much wrong with that, but one certainly don’t find the bevelled edges and polishing seen in more expensive watches here on the Regent. Nevertheless, one does find a signed crown – something not all watches in this price range feature. The crown is also terrifically sized, making hand-winding the watch an enjoyable task.
At the back, the screwed down caseback is brushed, with some relevant information inscribed. The main draw has to be the exhibition window though, through which the Seiko NH38 movement can be viewed. Whilst the Seiko NH movements are usually not the prettiest movements around, Manufaktur Waldhoff has actually gone the extra step to not only have a custom rotor, but to also decorate it with perlage. I certainly did not expect to see such decoration techniques on a S$300+ watch, so kudos to Manufaktur Waldhoff for going the extra mile in this aspect!
Coming in at 42mm wide, the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent definitely veers on the more modern side when it comes to its dimensions. Personally, I would have loved for the watch to be slightly smaller – perhaps 39-40mm – given that the Regent is billed as the brand’s most “classic” style. Still, the watch’s 42mm sizing should cater to a wide variety of wrist sizes. Furthermore, it’s also relatively thin at 12.5mm, ensuring that there won’t be too much difficulty fitting under the shirt cuff!
All in all, I find the design of the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent to be thoughtful and well executed. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to dress watch design, but it does possess enough depth and contrast – as well as an intriguing “semi” open heart – to hold its own against the throngs of fashion watches (Fossil, MVMT, etc) in the market currently.
Shootout: Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent vs Manufaktur Waldhoff Capital
Previously, I’ve stated in my review of Manufaktur Waldhoff Capital that the watch was one of the best dress watches under S$500. Given that the Regent falls under the same category, I shall be pitting both watches against each other today!
In terms of specifications, both watches are fairly even. Both watches feature sapphire crystal, the same leather strap, lume, as well as sturdy build quality. The main difference lies in the movement used. On paper, the Hangzhou 7500 movement of the Capital trumps the Seiko NH38 found in the Regent. It has a higher beat rate at 28,800 bph, and boasts an impressive 80 hour power reserve – twice that of the Seiko NH38 movement! However, I’m sure there will be skeptics that doubt the reliability of the Chinese Hangzhou movement, preferring the workhorse nature of NH38 is a much more common movement as well, which should result in no serviceability issues. If you’re fine with a Chinese movement, the Hangzhou 7500 of the Capital is no doubt the technically superior option. However, if you’re someone who looks for reliability in a movement above all else, the Seiko NH38 found in the Regent might be the better pick.
From an aesthetics standpoint, it’s again a matter of taste. Both dials are full of detail and thoughtfully executed, full of depth and contrast. Personally, my preference goes towards the Capital – I love the resplendent blue, the way the dial is skeletonised, the “framed” balance wheel at 6 o’clock, as well as the dressy feel of the Roman numerals. However, if you’re not a fan of skeletonised dials – I know a lot of watch enthusiasts who detest open dials – the Regent is a great alternative. It’s definitely not as eye-catching as the Capital, but there’s still tons of depth, texture contrast, and overall class in its dial. In particular, I found the crescent shaped open heart visually interesting.
Whilst the Capital is already pretty affordable, the Regent can be had for even less! Ultimately, I think it boils down to this: if you’re a fan of skeletonised dials, and have ~S$400+ to spare, the Capital is undeniably the better choice. However, if your taste leans more towards the traditional side, and you’re on a tighter budget, the Regent is an awesome pick.
Conclusion – so the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent “shiok” or not?
In my opinion, the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent is a great value proposition as a dress watch. At just S$348 (after promo code below), it boasts specifications – sapphire crystal, workhorse Seiko NH38 movement, Swiss Tri-Tec lume, detailed and well-executed dial – that punches above its price tag. It may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to dress watch design, but it should fit the bill if you prefer a more classical timepiece. For those who find the design of the Regent a tad boring, go for the aforementioned Capital – that one is a conversation starter for sure!
For those interested, the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” will grant you a whooping 30% discount off certain watches from Manufaktur Waldhoff (Multimatic, Capital, Regent, Tornado)! After the discount, the Regent can be had for just $257 USD/S$348, which I think is a great price – it’s half the retail price of the Seiko Cocktail Time despite arguably having better specifications! If you’re looking for an affordable, everyday dress watch, do check the Manufaktur Waldhoff Regent out.
View Manufaktur Waldhoff’s full range of products here.
Specifications:
- Case: 316L stainless steel
- Size: 42mm
- Dial: Metallic with pinstripe pattern applied by hydraulic pressure
- Hands: Diamond cut hands with Swiss TriTec luminous
- Thickness: 12.5mm
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Caseback: Transparent exposition caseback
- Movement: Seiko NH38 mechanical with automatic winding, 21,600 vibrations per hour, 42 hour power reserve
- Functions: Hour, minutes, seconds
- Strap: Quick-release spring bar (easily interchangeable)
- Strap width: 20mm measured at the lugs
- Strap material: Genuine calf leather
- Buckle: Solid steel with pin
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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