Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver review: A classic, low tech watch

When I received the Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver wristwatch to review, I was excited. I love watches, own more than a few, and wear my Mickey Mouse Citizen Eco-Drive daily. For some time now I have been reading predictions that the wristwatch will soon be obsolete. Doomed to become nothing more than a relic of an age gone by. A curiosity gathering dust in drawers, bins and on antique shop shelves. I believe these predictions to be wrong. There is something classic about the simple wristwatch; it brings to mind a more civilized time. A watch lends an air of dignity that can not be matched be a fiddly piece of button ridden technology that requires constant attention. I’m sure not everyone agrees with me, but for those who sometimes long for a simpler time, please read on for my review of the Silverstone Silver watch.

Specifications

• Case: Polished stainless steel
• Strap: Silver metal mesh
• Case color: Silver
• Dial color: Eggshell white
• Small pointer color: British racing green
• Movement: Citizen Miyota Japanese quartz
• Case size: 40 mm Ø
• Case thickness: 7.3mm
• Water resistance: 5 ATM

What’s In The Box

• Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver
• Extra Perlon strap in British racing green
• Watch tool
• Extra spring bars

Background

When I received the Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver, I couldn’t help but think of the few years that I had recently spent in England. I remembered more than once walking up Wardour street in London, passing the busy M&M World while headed to visit the Yamaha music store. After the music store, I would invariably find my way to a small Lebanese restaurant not far from there. Those were great times; the food was good, and I always took Ben’s Cookies home for dessert. But enough reminiscing.

As I read the name Wardour & Brewer, I couldn’t help but wonder if this watch company had any association with the Wardour street I had walked in London. Upon reading their story on their website, I realized that indeed there was a connection. The co-founder of Wardour & Brewer, Mathias Klingvall, recounts that it was while enjoying a coffee at the corner of Wardour and Brewer streets in 2014 that the inspiration came to create elegant watches. He says that while watching people walking up and down the street, he thought of how elegant and classic the 1950s were. It was then he decided to “turn his love of history and passion for beautiful, vintage fashion into something more.”

I was in England from 2012 to 2015. Perhaps I was one of the passers-by that Mr. Klingvall watched on that fateful day. Regardless, it was there, at the corner of Wardour and Brewer streets, that the vision for Wardour & Brewer watches was born. That desire to take British heritage and combine it with precise Swedish design has culminated in a watch that looks and feels classic.

Design

The first thing I noticed about Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver was the beautiful presentation box in which the watch came. Before you even see the watch, the box itself exudes a distinct sense of old-world craftsmanship and pride. The box is covered with soft, supple British racing green leather. The Wardour & Brewer name is stamped on the top, and their W logo is stamped on the sides. From the grain of the leather to the stitching along the top, everything is preparing you for something classic inside.

I opened the box, and besides the watch that lay inside, I noticed more leather on the inside. This leather is a lovely cream color that perfectly complements the British racing green on the outside of the box. The leather and the colors bring to mind classic British cars of the 1950s such as the Austin-Healey. I love the look of the Austin-Healey, most especially when the body color is British racing green. Matching that with an interior presented in cream leather is a thing of beauty. I have yet to inspect the watch fully, and already this experience is dripping with nostalgia.

Finally, I pulled the watch out and noticed that it is remarkably lightweight. The silver case is made of polished stainless steel with the bezel around the crystal being quite narrow. The hour, minute hands and sticks are all presented in the same glistening silver as the case. The dial is eggshell white, and the small pointer is highlighted in British racing green. The Wardour & Brewer W logo, again in silver,  adds a nice touch at the 12:00 o’clock position. Every design element evokes a sense of subdued elegance. There is no bling here. The soul of this watch hails from a more innocent time before that word existed.

The band of the Silverstone Silver is the same color as the case and made of a tightly woven metal mesh with a security clasp. I have worn more than a few metal bands in my life; this is by far the most comfortable. If you like the look of metal bands, but hate when they pinch, the Silverstone mesh band is different. Usually, when I wear a watch, I know it is on my wrist. I feel it moving, and I have to adjust it. Sometimes I even take it off for a few minutes because it gets uncomfortable. Not so with the Silverstone Silver. I wore this watch for a few weeks, and it was so comfortable, I forgot I was wearing a watch. So if you like metal bands but avoid them due to comfort, the Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver may be for you.

Besides the metal mesh band, all of Wardour & Brewer’s watches come with a British racing green Perlon strap. If you are not familiar with Perlon, it is a tough, and comfortable, nylon. When I first put the Perlon strap on, it barely fit over my large (19cm) American wrist. So I took it off and gave it a good stretch. The band fit perfectly after that and was very comfortable. Wardour & Brewer also sent a classic padded black leather band. It looked great on the watch and was very comfortable. I had the same problem with fit, but sadly the leather band does not stretch.

Setup

There are only two things you need to set up on the Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver watch, the time of day and the bands. Both are very straightforward, for the time you simply pull the crown out one click to move the hands. Strap setup is a bit more difficult. Wardour & Brewer were kind enough to include a watch tool to help with changing straps. These steps are the same for the metal mesh and the leather straps.  First, insert the straight end of the tool between the lug and the spring bar and gently pry it out. The spring bar is under tension, so take care that it does not go flying across the room. Once you have removed the spring bars, put them into the new straps and do the first step in reverse. The last part is a bit more difficult, but with practice, it becomes easier.

The Perlon strap is a bit different. The first step is the same as it was for the leather and metal bands. Now put the watch on top of the Perlon strap. Make sure the top of the buckle is facing up. Next, pull one side of the strap over the top of the watch and insert the spring bar into the lugs. Repeat these steps for the other side of the strap. I accidentally put the strap on upside down the first time I tried the Perlon strap. You can’t buckle the strap if you make that mistake.

Performance

The Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver watch performed fine in its ability to keep proper time. Over the past several weeks it has not lost any time of which I am aware. Now I did not measure it down to seconds, but in comparison with the official GMT, it stayed right on track. The Silverstone does not have a backlit dial or glow in the dark hands and sticks. This does make it difficult to see the watch in low light situations. The Silverstone is water resistant to 5 ATM (50m or 164ft). I didn’t test this of course, but I did drop the watch into a glass of water for just over one minute. I will admit that I was a bit nervous doing this. But the watch came out just fine. The case kept water out, and the watch just kept on ticking.

Price/Value

The Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver is listed at $148.00USD. Wardour & Brewer also has a large selection of bands from $24.00USD to $38.00USD. Between the quality of the watch and the variety of bands available, I think this is an excellent price. But I understand that some may think this price a bit high considering you get no tech with this wristwatch.

Wrap Up

If you love the classic look and quality feel of timepieces from yesteryear, you should have a look at the Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver. From the eggshell white dial to the British racing green second hand, everything about this watch feels nostalgic. The watch is lightweight and bands are all very comfortable. It all adds up to a vintage look with modern sensibilities. The Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver is indeed a watch for the ages.

We were sent a sample of the Wardour & Brewer Silverstone Silver wristwatch for the purposes of this review.