Crafter Blue is not a brand I can claim a huge amount of personal familiarity with, based as they are in Hong Kong with a small but versatile range of accessible tool watches. However, with the Bon Voyage Macaron Super Chrono strapped to my wrist, I’ve quickly become a fan. It’s an accessible dual time chronograph in fun colours with a neo-retro vibe that feels perfect for summer.
Jumping right to the case, it measures 42mm in diameter with a thickness of 13.4mm, which on paper I would usually say is verging on the larger side of watches I’m able to wear. But it wears very well thanks to the slope of the curving lugs perfectly contouring to the wrist. It’s also by no means the largest chrono around and a size of 42mm does allow for a wide dial giving good legibility to the subdials.
The other aspect of the case to dwell on is that it’s nice and tactile. The bi-directional, 12-hour bezel has a smooth, no-click motion that’s fun to play with and the chronograph pushers have a satisfying amount of resistance. The screw-down crown is also well sized making it easy to use – slightly on the larger side giving the piece a faint aviation flair that suits the chronograph and dual time function. The aviation connection is confirmed by the engraving of a plane on the caseback.
Rather than a GMT, the dual time function here uses the 12-hour bezel to keep track of a second time zone. You can then also pair that with the 24-hour subdial to allow you to also keep track of day/night. The 24-hour subdial is a lovely shade of yellow, a pale buttercup. It’s a very close match to the old radium style lume across the hour markers and numerals.
Opposite the Bon Voyage Macaron Super Chrono’s yellow subdial is a sky blue one, which is the chronograph 60-minute timer. Both of the subdials are set against a dark blue dial with a grained texture. It’s a very unusual combination of colours but I’m quite taken with it. The asymmetrical distribution across the display feels quirky and fun and the combination of yellow and blue feels almost tropical – like the sun reflecting on a pool.
Housed inside and protected by the solid caseback is the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement, a staple of accessible watches from around the globe. Meca-quartz, for those unfamiliar with the term, means that the regular timekeeping functions are powered by a quartz but the chronograph is mechanical. Due to the lack of running seconds, this gives the watch the more luxurious appearance of being mechanical. For diehard collectors, it’s a more palatable take on quartz.
With a price of $299 (approx. ), this is a watch you can wear hard for the summer and not be too concerned about scratches or damage. It has a 100m water resistance rating meaning that it should even survive a little bit of aquatic abuse if you fall in the pool, though it’s not a diver by any stretch of the imagination. As a value proposition with a sunny disposition, the Crafter Blue Bon Voyage Macaron Super Chrono is great.
Price and Specs:
More details at Crafter Blue.
