I am beyond excited for this one. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Ennebi….well for starters they are more Italian and more authentically Panerai than modern Panerai. That’s not a Panerai slam either, if you are one of those people who view the people behind the brand as important watchmaking history, then you understand what I mean by my for starters comment. Here’s a brief and quick history of Ennebi, told by one of it’s founders, the master himself, Alessandro Bettarini.

“At the beginning of 1980, after that my family workshop had been an external supplier of Officine Panerai for several years, I was employed by Panerai and I had as first duty the testing activity within reaserch jobs that the company carried out mainly on demand of the Italian Navy. After a few years, I became the manager of the mechanic planning and drawing sector of Officine Panerai.”

“In 1982, due to my efforts, I was allowed to contact some watch-making operators. I remember to have shown the Panerai watch model the “Egiziano” to BINDA. Yet, our director refused this offer because he did not want to have a commercial relationship at the same level, but to maintain a leadership position. Moreover, in that period Officine Panerai had many orders from the Italian Navy and so they could not allow workers to waste energies for other activities. I kept on insisting till the company decided to plan and build a new watch to present to the attack diver unit of the Italian Navy. The purpose was to make an up-to-date instrument after several years of inactivity in the watch-making sector.”

“I started to discuss often with the friend of mine, Luciano Nincheri, whose acquaintance was dated back to the works with the numerical controlled lathe, about the possibility to plan and build wrist devices to measure time and for navigation. Our intention was to establish a company carrying on the Florentine tradition lost with the sale of the Officine Panerai brand and to find an appropriate way to point out this continuity. I made the former colleagues of mine known about my intention because their collaboration would have given more importance to the continuity with the past. After a few years my project had not started yet due to some uncertainties.”

The 60 pieces made of the Seimila Metri, were designed to operate under a pressure of 6000 meters. Each of those 60 watches are put through an individual test at a pressure of 720 bar run by OGMA Research – spin off of the Engineering Department of the University of Florence.

The engineering on this watch is exactly what you would expect from Mr. Bettarini aka a master of his craft. It doesn’t get any better than this in terms of Italian craftsmanship of yesteryear infused with the DNA of a modern watch. The case is awe-inspiring and the color the case just adds to that appearance. It measures in at 49.4 mm. It’s a large case but the titanium Ti-6Al-4V makes it light enough to wear easily. This watch has been my daily wearer every single day for the last month.

I really appreciate how uniform and precise the micropeened natural finish is. Obviously the crown locking mechanism is an instant draw for the eye. It’s the detail that initially attracted me to this watch the most 4+ years ago. I was so intrigued by it and was in complete wonderment with how exactly it functioned. The 12mm thick crystal is also a major attraction for my eyes. It’s not just meant to be an eye drawing detail either. In order to withstand 3.7 miles of sea depth, it has to be nice and thick. I love the windows that are cut out of the fixed bezel. If you look through them at an angle it looks like the dial itself is sitting on top of the crystal instead of below it. A very awesome and beautiful optical illusion.

One of my friends mentioned the other day that I love large cases on watches but it’s just coincidence that all the extremely well engineered watch cases just so happen to be what most people consider large. That is especially true now with the current trend being 36mm and below. For me personally case size is a completely irrelevant factor in why I choose a watch. Bettarini designed this case from the ground up. It is truly a work of horological art. I honestly don’t care about brand history. That is another irrelevant factor in my watch buying decision but when a watch is designed by a living legend, one can’t help but to be enamored with the Italian history behind this brand.

It’s going to take me a long time to give proper attention to all of these details. Obviously the crown locking system is an attention hog. It’s not only difficult to deter my eyes from it, but it’s equally difficult to not want to constantly fidget with it. To operate the locking mechanism you push the top long lever that is shaped like the letter L, pushing it away from the case, which unlocks the crown. Then you are free to operate the large crown to manually wind the movement, or pull it out a click to set the time. Not only is this mechanism beautiful designed from an aesthetic perspective but it is also beautifully designed from a functional perspective. It all operates with such a smooth fluidity yet feels incredibly solid. That was one of my issues with the U-Boat U42 watches I used to own. The crown design was cool, but felt so incredibly cheap and flimsy.

Once you are done operating the crown, simply push the L shaped lever back towards the case until it clicks into the full closed position. This mechanism and its fantastic engineered design is what initially drew me to this watch 4+ years ago. I have been a long time fan of Alessandro Bettarini and his watches, it’s a real honor to own his greatest masterpiece. If you Google Panerai Millemetri you will see Mr Bettarini’s prototype that he designed for Panerai when he was their chief of mechanical engineering in the 1980’s. His Fondale design for some of his first Ennebi releases resemble that prototype and have been copied by many brands over the years, but Ennebi’s Fondale models are the only true versions.

I am so happy that Mr. Bettarini held true to his values and passions and made the decisions that he did many moons ago. The fact that he could have easily sold his soul, like Panerai did and went the Swiss route, but instead he decided to continue with the true Italian watch making traditions.

Ennebi packed so many beautiful details into this case but they did it with such precision. Those who think oh, it’s just a big, hefty watch need to stop and realize how much thought & planning went into this engineering. Alessandro Bettarini designed this watch from the ground up. It’s one thing to have the design perfected on paper but to execute those designs into a well functioning watch is truly an amazing accomplishment.

The sandwich dial seems quite simple when compared to the case, but the dial is just as much as a work of art. The black textured top layer of this dial is pure magic in it’s own regard. It absolutely loves to play off of light and angles. I love how in one type of lighting and angle it appears matte black, but it it catches the light just right you are in for a special textured treat. The light dancing on all of the textured details looks like a night sky full of stars. It’s really quite mesmerizing. The bottom layer of the sandwich dial is where the lume comes to play. During daylight, the ivory white greatly contrasts against to the black allowing for some nice legibility.

Once the sun goes down, that white glows a magnificent shade of green. The red/orange hour hands add to the legibility and the white second hand is the cherry on top of this legibility sunday. There is something just so classic about the cardinal 12, 3, 6, 9 hour markers. I like the way that Ennebi added in the other hours, minutes/seconds markers. They aren’t anything big or busy, but it’s just enough to add a welcomed amount of detail. I can say the same thing about the NB logo and the model name that are printed in white on the dial. I will take a lume shot so you can see the color of the hands. The lume is something to behold. It was a pleasant surprise.

The titanium beauty of an Italian beast is one of the most impressive engineered watches I have experienced. I can honestly say that this is Alessandro Bettarini’s greatest masterpiece. One thing I wanted to touch on was why the crown is stainless steel and the rest of the case it titanium. Titanium on titanium when friction is involved doesn’t react well together which results in unwanted wear & tear. I am not talking that nice, earned ASA either, I’m talking about parts failing in a bad way. Stainless steel and titanium have found a way to play nice together in terms of friction & wear.

Some of the specs:

Movement: self-winding mechanical (power reserve about 38 hours), 28800 beats/hr, calibre 26 mm, 25 rubies, 2824-2 movement

Case: 49.4 mm case in titanium Ti-6Al-4V with micropeened natural finish. Titanium Ti-6Al-4V case back fixed on the case by 5 screws DIN 912. Fixed bezel for the protection of the sapphire crystal, provided with 6 radial windows.

Dial: sandwich dial with luminous numerals

Crown: Stainless steel crown X5CrNiMo 17-12-2 with micropeened natural finish

Strap 24 mm

Crystal 12 mm thick sapphire crystal
Water-proof Pressure and water resistant up to 6000 m. The tightness on crown ensured by 4 O-rings on the shaft and 1 flat mounted on the body, sealing of case-back bottom and crystal guaranteed by large section o-rings

This 12mm thick crystal is a behemoth block of sapphire sexiness. Ennebi wasn’t satisfied with just letting it be a thick and functional beauty either, they went and designed this fixed bezel to accentuate the crystal’s beauty. The six DIN 912 screws that fix the bezel to the case are lovely and functional details. Functional, because obviously they are attaching the bezel to this case but also functional because they align perfectly with the 12, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 hour markers on the dial. I also like that there are six because this is the Seimila Metri, which translates to six thousand meters. This is the type of attention to details that separates this watch from so many others.

Speaking of attention to detail, also found on the fixed bezel are six porthole cutouts so that you can view into the crystal. The solid case back is beautiful in it’s own simplistic design. It’s held in place by screws, that add a bit of detail and depth to the caseback. The Ennebi logo is deeply engraved in the center and along the outer edges of the caseback is an engraved deep sea diver’s helmet and some information about the watch itself. The Seimila Metri comes with two straps, a hand crafted vero cuoio aka real leather strap with a signed roller buckle and the other strap is a rubber strap with those killer metal keepers. I like that Ennebi included two straps and two buckles. There have been so many times when a watch company includes a few straps but expect you to maintain the balance with just one buckle.

I find myself enjoying titanium cases so much more. Not because of the weight because I never notice the weight of a watch once it’s on my wrist. The reason why I like titanium is because of the color, how it darkens as it oxidizes and because it’s a resiliently strong case material. Bronze and titanium are definitely my favorites. What is your favorite case material?

The short drilled lugs allow the Seimila Metri to wear comfortably and smaller than the measurements suggest but make no mistake, this is a hulk of a watch. The screw in lug bars are thick and solid that secure what ever strap you choose for this watch, regardless of the strap it’s going to be strongly secured.

I’ve been busy working on my review of this watch over the past few weeks. My takeaway from my time with this watch is that it’s an incredible piece of Italian watchmaking engineering. It’s not from just any rando watchmaker either, it was designed by a living legend. Alessandro Bettarini is from an era that almost seems to be lost in the hype that devours today’s watch industry/community. I’ve been talking a lot lately about buying watches that are unique to the individual who is buying it. So for me, it’s not about a name on a dial, it’s about the individual behind the watch.

Huge companies, with huge numbers of employees and manufacturing huge numbers of watches isn’t for me. For me it’s about a small company that is still connected to the passion of watchmaking and not about creating a ginormous money sucking vacuum. The connection between watchmaker, the watch and the customer is a short and simple chain with links that are closely and tightly linked together. To those who like the hype and the big name on the dial, I support your decisions on buying what works best for you as a fellow watch obsessed member of this community.

If you are like me though, and appreciate the small artisans, the connection to the roots of an almost forgotten handmade horological art form, then Ennebi is a brand that you might want to look into. The quality and engineering is beautifully executed. Every detail was well thought out, executed with absolute precision and functions as smooth as il burro. The watch is beautifully presented in a handmade wooden box, that includes two straps, the watch, strap changing tools, a book written by Mr Bettarini and of course the watch.

This watch has definitely continued the trend of the watches of 2023 I’ve reviewed. Each watch has been an awesome surprise in terms of design, execution and quality. I don’t make recommendations on I would change this or it would be better if it had this. Every watch started with the watchmaker’s unique vision for that watch. So if I say I’d change this or that on the watch, then it just makes that watch more like other watches instead of allowing the watch to be an individualistic/uniquely it’s own thing. I will still make suggestions in terms of quality improvements though.

As I wrap up this review of this piece has truly amazed me in every way a watch could. It’s engineering is absolutely impressive! For example, this watch has a water resistance of 6,000 and the crown isn’t even a screw down! For me, this watch is everything that is special about true Italian watchmaking. The people behind the brand have such rich and deep history in Italian watchmaking that it makes this watch even more special. How you view things in this hobby is always going to be unique to your own personality. For example, I view this watch as having more old school Panerai DNA than any Pam that was produced after Vendome/Richemont bought Panerai. Why do I think this? I think this because of the two men behind Ennebi, who had such a rich history in Panerai’s progression before the buyout. There’s no right or wrong on how you view Ennebi or Panerai, it’s all open to personal feelings and interpretations. I still appreciate Panerai but I prefer Ennebi.

If you want to read more about Ennebi’s history or see this watch and other pieces available to buy, then checkout Ennebi’s website:

https://www.ennebi.eu/en/welcome-from-ennebi/

Thanks for reading! Thank you to Ennebi for continuing an almost forgotten watchmaking tradition 🖤🇮🇹🖤

As always, not a paid review.

Here is a short interview I did with Alessandro Bettarini, please enjoy:

Stephen: Where do you find your inspiration from when designing a watch?

Alessandro: This is not inspiration; it is a common process in all design activities. Specifications are established such as the environment in which it must operate, the stresses it must withstand, etc. After that, one looks for technical solutions that meet the specifications; lived life, military and professional experience help.
All this applies to operational or professional instruments. In the case of design objects the approach is different, but it is an area to which I do not pay much attention.
One consideration that is valid in a great many fields: a good technical solution generally produces an object that is pleasing and harmonious.

Stephen: Can you describe the process of how the Seimila Metri came about? From design to finished product?

Alessandro: The Seimila metri was created to demonstrate a design and implementation capability beyond the ordinary. We were not aware of any operational need at such depth. It was a design vanity operation. And why precisely six thousand meters.
The reason was a hydraulic press that reached such a depth. A press that came from the workshop of Officine Panerai in Florence. Purchased when said company closed its Florentine headquarters. At the design stage then I discarded the idea of using that trough for watertightness and presso resistance tests.
The nameplate depth, in this case 6000 meters of water column, cannot be the test pressure, but must be increased by a coefficient called the safety coefficient. I assumed a coefficient of 1.2. In addition, it was appropriate that pressure resistance and watertightness tests should be carried out by a certification body. In our case, we relied on a spin-off from the University of Florence. Each watch is tested, in a specially constructed chamber, at the pressure corresponding to a water column of 7200 meters.
The most critical point of the project was the watertightness on the axis of the winding crown. The solution I adopted, with 4 radial o-rings and 1 axial o-ring, passed the test brilliantly.
Another critical point was the sapphire crystal both for mechanical attachment and thickness such thatitcouldwithstandtheoperatingdepthbyawidemargin. Thethicknessofthecrystalwassuch that to increase the brightness on the dial I drew openings on the bezel that mechanically fixes the crystal.
The material adopted for the watch is grade 5 titanium, Ti 6Al 4V. The mechanical workings of the body of the Seimila metri are similar to those of other Ennebi watches. I enclose a descriptive document of this watch.

Stephen: Is there a watch that you designed that stands out the most for you? One that you are most proud of?

Alessandro: I am very fond of the 47 mm FONDALE. It is the first watch produced by Ennebi and it is the one I wear frequently on my wrist.

Stephen: How much of the watchmaking are you still involved in? Are you still on the bench assembling watches?

Alessandro: Mine is a full-time job. I design and draw the watches and finally assemble them. In between I follow the construction of the parts at our suppliers. From 2004 to the present, I have assembled all the watches produced by Ennebi.

Stephen: Are there any watch brands that you enjoy aside from Ennebi?

Alessandro: For sentimental reasons, the brand I am fond of is PANERAI. I do not know and do not follow closely the current production, I am fond of the historical and vintage models i.e. those before the Florentine company sold the brand

Stephen: Are you surprised by the cult following that Ennebi has?

Alessandro: Frankly, I have to say that I am surprised that I am known in many parts of the world. I have never done much for the communication and diffusion of the Ennebi brand. For some time now my son Lapo has been involved in this aspect, and perhaps the increase in awareness of our brand depends on his work.

Stephen: What is the most important thing you have learned over your years in the watch industry?

Alessandro: The thing that I have learned over the years and that does not only apply to the watchmaking world is absolute respect for the customer. The customer who buys a watch from Ennebi establishes a direct relationship, I cannot say he is a friend , but he is much more than a customer.

Stephen: Is there anything that you would like your fans to know that perhaps they don’t?

Alessandro: I don’t know. I am always available to anyone who asks for information. Without reservation.

Stephen: Your watches have been a huge inspiration for me as both a watch collector, photographer and reviewer. It is an absolute honor to be able to ask you these questions. I want to thank you for what you have done for the industry. You are a living legend. Do you have any closing words?

Alessandro: Thank you for the appreciation, I don’t know what to say.

A true gentleman!