James McCabe Heritage Chronograph

1/8/2018 4 Comments

James McCabe Heritage Chronograph

Today we are going to talk about a brand I have featured a few months ago on the Watch Addict channel, James McCabe. They recently released a vintage styled chronograph watch on a skull embossed leather strap and it really appealed to me in many ways. First off, James McCabe themes their brand after the iconic watchmaker whose roots originated in Ireland and later in London. Some famous faces who have worn Mccabe watches were Lord Horatio Nelson, and George Washington. George Washingtons pocket watch was actually sold at auction for a staggering ammount a few years back. Now let’s get on to the watch, shall we?

Case
The 39.5MM case is comprised of 316L stainless steep in a very fine brushed finish and has some nice vintage aesthetics to the overall shape and look of the watch. For a chronograph being 14MM thick I do not see it as being oversized or too thick in my opinion and it fits the wrist just fine in these dimensions. They really did a good job mimicking the circular bulb shape of older vintage chronographs and it definitely shows.

Movement
This is a chronograph so to state the obvious the JM-1030-04 is equipped with a fully functional chronograph measuring up to 60 minutes. I believe it is using a Japanese Quartz Miyota chronograph which is not too bad especially for the pricepoint of this watch. The movement also displays a 24 hour subdial over at the 3 O clock position which does come in handy for daily use. I would expect this movement which is powered by a battery to gain around 2 seconds a month which is very good.

Dial
The model I have for review is their white or off white variation and it gets the job done proving that they can display a vintage aesthetic quite well in these modern times with modern machinery. We do get 12 and 6 applied arabic numerals as well as small applied circles to tell the time. They are raised a bit and definitely legibile at a glance, although some might prefer complete arabic numerals around the dial. I myself would of liked to see maybe a 3 and 9 marking, but as the subdials are quite large I dont think it would of been possible. Another nice touch is the railroad going around the outer portion of the dial with Tachymeter readings. The printing is very fine and neat down to the McCabe logo under the 12 position and “Chronograph” which is written anove the 6 position. The subdials are recessed a bit and are super legibile. The 3 o clock subdial measures 24 hours while the subdial over at 9 measures your 60 minute chronograph countdown. This dial is topped off with a domed mineral crystal.

Hands
Initially I assumed the hands were black from the stock ohotos I saw of the watch prior to release. When I received the watch I was amazed to see they are actually BLUE! These are not heat treated blue hands like you would see in luxury higher end brands but they do look quite elegant and go along with the vintage theme here. In terms of styling these are Breguet styled hands and hands that I do personally adore.

Strap
The 20MM strap which tapers down to 18MM at its smallest is a genuine leather brown 2 piece strap
of really good quality. I was expecting this because the other James McCabe watches I have reviewed in the past always had very high quality and supple straps. This one is a little different as there is Skulls embossed on the backside of the strap which give the watch a bit of a more modern aesthetic. Now keep in mind nobody but you will be able to see this because it is on the underside. The strap will need a couple of wears to get it broken in , but once broken in it certainly conforms to the wrist. The buckle is brushed and signed with the McCabe logo in a medium size. Another thing to take note of is the quick-release pins installed on the strap. This makes it very easy for the wearer to change out straps within seconds. Well done McCabe, well done.

Caseback
The caseback is screwed down and allows for 5ATM of water resistance which is definitely not something you want to submerge underwater but do not be frightened washing your hands while wearing it. We do get a beautiful design displayed on the caseback featuring the words “Assembled in the UK” which is good to hear.

Conclusion

Furthermore, I think if you are in the market for a reliable quartz chronograph with style, vintage aesthetics, a well built and finished case, and a beautifully designed leather strap that will not break the bank at 150 GBP ( 30% off with code WA30 ) you can not really go wrong. They are not asking an insane ammount of money like some other companies are really giving you a hint of the past for a decent bargain. I have left their website below and my special discount code ( WA30 ) to enter at checkout to save 30 percent on any McCabe watch. Check the full specifications and pictures below.

COLLECTION : HERITAGE CHRONO MODEL : JM-1030-04
MOVEMENT : Japan Quartz Chronograph with 24 hours
CASE MATERIAL : Stainless Steel
CASE DIAMETER (mm) : 39.5
CASE THICKNESS (mm) : 14
CASE SHAPE : Round
CASE COLOR :Stainless Steel
DIAL COLOR :White
BAND : Genuine Leather Strap
BAND COLOR :Brown
BUCKLE : Strap Buckle
BAND WIDTH (mm) : 20-18
WATER RESISTANCE : 5 ATM
WATCH WEIGHT (g) : 70
WARRANTY : 2 Years International