It has been more than a few years since I was fortunate enough to visit South Korea. A country that to me, is a combination of high tech and tradition. Man, where do I start with this one? Well, full disclosure, I have a jar of Kimchi in my fridge. Working for a tech company based in South Korea gave me the blessing of meeting many South Korean people, and their country. From drinking Soju and eating tons of amazing food, to the strictness and respect to tradition that identifies some Asian countries. And how to forget the blue square sponges on car doors, to not ding the car next to you while opening the door? South Korea is a combination of all that. The extremely fast development of high tech and the direction the country has taken, is somehow reflected on the development of the Blazer. I will tell you what I mean by that in the following paragraphs.
The Case
The case of the Blazer is a 38.5mm width case and a 45mm lug to lug. Let’s add to that, the shape of the lugs reminds me of Omega lugs. This is not a bad thing, but a GREAT thing. Which by the way, the Speedmaster is 43mm wide and 47mm lug to lug and it fits amazingly well. Based on numbers and photo references, I assume the Blazer would be somehow similar, if not better due to its smaller size.
Details were not spared, even on the case back. Close to the edge, we can appreciate a dodecagon (12 sides if you don’t like geometry) shape. And surprisingly pleasant to not find too much engraving. There is a traditional Korean pattern along the edges, and the Varon Chiri logo in the middle. This leaves some, but not much, room for engraving.
The Dial
The Dial on the Blazer is one of my highlights. There is a sunburst finish on the watch, where I would usually be concerned about making the watch too flashy. In this case, and remember I am judging by the photos, it looks somehow muted, which I appreciate. I’m only into flashy, depending on the day of the week. Besides the sunburst finish on the dial, there is also a very distinctive detail on its chapter rings. The inner ring has a seconds track. Correct and useful. But the outer ring is raised higher than the seconds track and, at least on the Korea edition, there is a distinctive and beautiful pattern.
Now, I understand and respect the decision of having two iterations, the standard and Korea editions. But my favorite by far, is the Korea edition. It is a signature, it differentiates the watch from the others. If you take and release the standard edition, alone, it almost strikes me as a generic Micro Brand. But I believe that Varon Chiri has a winner on the Korea edition. I have always been attracted to monochromatic dials but in this case, the ice mint is my favorite.
The Movement
The Miyota 9039. A proven watch movement that should not let you down. Mind you, this is a 3.9mm movement, which allows the Blazer to be 9.7mm thick. Not bad at all if you ask me. This is a no date variation, hacking, unidirectional rotor and 42 hours of power reserve. If you want to learn more about the movement you can head to Caliber Corner and give it a look HERE.
The Bracelet
The Bracelet of the Blazer is another highlight. 20mm? Sweet spot. Screwed down links? check. The clasp is fitted with easy micro-adjust, to adjust the bracelet on the fly during those hot Summer days. Finally, quick release spring bars for convenient strap changes. Now, I cannot tell you how comfortable it is, or if it is a depilator or not. That will come after a hands on with one of these. Overall, it seems like a really good bracelet, specially at this price point.
Ok, now here is the real deal, and I quote from the press release here:
“Varon Chiri’s V-shaped side links are inspired by the looks of rafters used in Korean palaces. Just as the rafters support the roof, the most important element in a building, the Varon Chili’s iconic bracelet firmly supports the case, the core of the watch. ”
Using your background to bring differentiation to your brand, that pulls me in. It doesn’t have to be your country or culture. It could be a hobby you like or any other personal detail. Those easter eggs is what I love discovering.
Final Thoughts
Again, the details and easter eggs are really important to me. My highlight is the chapter ring. I could also highlight the bracelet but they can be deceiving. I would rather handle a bracelet and give you an opinion, rather than just judge by photos and specs. The features sound amazing, but again, the fit is another factor to make a bracelet remarkable.
The beginning of Varon Chiri has been great, listening to the enthusiast community, to create a watch that lands some of the sweet measurements that we all like, for an everyday watch. My prediction of the brand’s future, if it keeps reflecting what South Korea has become, is very bright and will evolve in a positive way. A South Korea made movement in some years maybe? Learn more about Varon Chiri and the Blazer HERE.
Thank you for stopping by,
DL