Watch Review: Modern Made Man Belfort

Time. Something that we cannot control and there never seems to be enough of. Watches. Something we can control but there are so many out there. Time. There is not enough time to experience them all. Limitations. Set by oneself to control something. Restrictions. Can limit experience. Time…… This can become quite circular as you can see. My point here is why limit your experiences in life just because of the limits of time? Something I really thought about when I first saw today’s watch that we will be exploring together. It made me think about my review process quite a bit and my approach on the various style of watches that I do experience in my review endeavors.

The geometric shapes and the polished/brushed combo finish of the Belfort watch is what caught my eye initially. The stainless steel case has some very nice angles that are created by the merging together of the said geometric shapes. I not only like the eye pleasing aesthetics that the shapes create but the light catching effect of these angles really add to the watch whether it’s on or off the wrist. These shapes do make the watch wear larger than the 42mm circumference suggests but I personally don’t have a problem with that and it does look nice on the wrist. What I do have a slight issue with that I want to get out of the way early on in this review is the fixed bezel. Now my issue isn’t with the fact that the bezel is fixed nor is it with the combination of brushed and polished finishes. It looks beautiful. My issue is with the screws on the bezel. This is my plea to all watch companies. If you are gonna do a fixed bezel and decorate it with screws, make the screws actually functional. When they are just faux screws it really takes the watch in my opinion.

Now everything else on the Belfort’s case works well in terms of design aesthetics and function. I absolutely love the absence of crown guards which allows you to really admire the geometric shape that matches brilliantly with the case itself. The generously sized crown is easy to grip and operate. I like what I have been seeing from watch companies lately. No matter what the style of watch, dress, dive, etc the company is now making the crown screw down which is an awesome design addition. The added protection that a screw down crown offers is always appreciated. This geometric design of this case gives the Belfort a very industrial feel. Had the screws on the bezel been functional it would have added functional detail to the exhibition case back as well. The Miyota 9015 is nothing special to look at if you seen one before, well you know.

MMM really added the detail to the Belfort’s dial. In my opinion they nailed it. The dial is full of depth and detail. It conquers the cohesion between case and dial by utilizing the same finish combination of brushed and polished. Look at the above picture and you will see where this dial could have been taken from awesome to totally awesome in the words of Bill S. Preston Esquire. The holes in the layer that line up with the hour markers would have looked damn cool if the were each filled with the same screw style as on the bezel. The brushed hour and minute hands look incredible in length, width and finish. The finish on the dial creates a nice sunburst effect. I like that the 12 and 6 have a polished finish because it makes for better legibility and when the light hits the dial it is aesthetically pleasing. The hands have just enough lume for nighttime legibility. Take a look at the pic below you can see the chapter ring in which the added details allow you to tell the time when viewing the dial at angles.

Modern Man USA has created a watch that is an alternative to what is currently trending with the masses. There are a few areas for improvement in terms of design and quality. These areas are not deal breakers by any means, but are areas that Modern Man should address to make their watch a true competition for watches in this price point. There are some really good details on this watch that I really like. The domed sapphire crystal, the geometric shapes, the screw down crown, the thick brown leather strap just to name a few. This watch definitely falls into that category of when my female friends ask me which watch would be a good gift for their husbands/boyfriends. It’s a tough little watch that has some good wrist presence and isn’t just another sub clone. The polished and brushed finish combination with the geometric shapes/angles allow the Belfort to play brilliantly in all lighting situations. This watch definitely has some sexy angles especially at the lugs. You can check the Belfort out on Modern Made Man’s website via the link below. Be sure to checkout all of their other products as well.

I want to thank you all for reading and sharing in our crazy passion/love of watches.

Thank you to MMU. https://modernmademan.com

Technical Specs