Spectre Phantom II Watch Review

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Case

The all new limited edition Spectre Phantom II is designed with a genta-ish case comprised of solid 316L stainless steel with a diameter of 39MM and a height of 48MM. In terms of case thickness, it is most definitely comfortable at 11.5MM. The dimensions are just right and sit right at home on my 6.5” wrist comfortably. A smooth brushed finish covers the entire case without any sharp edges or roughness. To the skin, the steel feels very smooth and brushed with care. One of my favorite aspects of the PH II is the 100M of water resistance we get, thanks to the screw down crown and caseback. Getting to the caseback, we get a nice sapphire display of the swiss automatic caliber and its’ perlage work. Lastly, as expected at this price a flat genuine AR coated sapphire covers the front of the watch as well.

Dial

The dial is actually black, but can appear as a deep grey due to the sunburst effect this model has. Other than that the dial is rather simple, symmetric, and down to the point. The applied markers are filled with superluminova as well as the S logo below 12:00. A neat detail is the black date wheel which does match the dial quite well, if you did not notice. The bezel is neat, brushed, and fixed with perfectly circular aligned screws just as a Hublot or Audemars Piguet RO would be.

Movement

To be 100% honest, I have never experienced a Fossil group STP1-11 Automatic movement prior to receiving the Phantom. It did quite surprise me with its’ neat perlage work and blued screws. It is basically the equivalent of an ETA 2824-2 and has precise accuracy as well. My model is running at +3-5 seconds per day and is very consistent. This movement contains 26 jewels, beats at 4 HZ, and contains a hacking and winding feature as well. A nice little touch is the custom spectre logo on the actual rotor.

Bracelet or Leather?

Considering this is a integrated case design, your strap options are going to be cut short. However, the stock bracelet is definitely a very nice and well finished one. It also is extremely fluid and comfortable, and does not pull a single hair off my arm. Small subtle polished edges allow for some visual flair while the extemely fine brushing sits comfortable on the wrist. The bracelet was a breeze to adjust with screw links and a screwdriver which came inside the box itself. Comparing this bracelet to their first ever release “Phantom I” - there is a huge increase in overall quality on this model. The butterfly clasp is tight, secure, and even is signed when you completely fold it over. The good thing about this type of clasp is the seemless and clean look it has
once fitted correctly. If the bracelet doesn’t suit you, a second end fitted genuine leather band comes in the kit as well. The strap is of okay quality and definitely wearable, but I do much prefer the bracelet.

Conclusion

Furthermore, the spectre phantom II does
not dissapoint, and I was actually quite surprised at the actual quality and feel
of this piece when I first received it. It is indeed a well made watch and well worth the asking price in my
opinion. The Phantom II is also a very versatile
watch as it can be worn dressed up or down, and even while swimming. Im glad I had the chance to experience this watch and it is evident they truly have stepped their game up in terms
of movement and overall case/bracelet quality.