Nezumi Studios Corbeau Field Chronograph - A Delightful 60s - 70s Vibe with modern materials

Nezumi has released another piece available for Pre Order in a few days. They dubbed this model the “Corbeau”. We get a field style chronograph with a great Seiko movement and some excellent vintage aesthetics. The Bezel on this watch is somewhat similiar to the previous “Baleine” diver which was a delight to wear. Lets get into it!

Case

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The completely 316L brushed stainless steel case comes in at 40MM ( 47 Lug to Lug ) which is a delight to see in todays times where most chronographs are 42+ MM. The thickness measures in at 11.75MM which is also super thin compared to a modern mechanical chronograph. The reason behind this is most likely the movement used inside this timepiece which we will get into further down the page. The crystal featured on this model is a genuine double domed sapphire crystal with a nice Anti-Reflective coating on the underside for extra legibility in high light conditions but please keep in mind the prototype is a bit different as the crystal is not domed as much but I have provided a picture of the actual crystal ( Case In Photo is Satin Finished and this will not be used on the final product ) that will be implemented on the production models. On top of this finely brushed case sits a Uni-Directional 60 click bezel ( on final version ) ( Sample Contains 90 Click ) with white markings for timing. I really am one that loves a rotating bezel on a chronograph for the simple reason I al getting more function for my money. The Pull/Push crown is signed with an “N” , and we do get 5 ATM water resistance or 50M which is typical for a chronograph.

​Movement

The movement David at Nezumi decided to go with on this model is the well known Seiko VK63 Meca Quartz movement. This movement is a mix between Mechanical and Quartz components giving the chronograph hand a nice smooth sweep just like a fully automatic timepiece. The upside is we get the superb accuracy of a regular quartz movement, which no automatic movement can honestly compete with on a long term basis. As I stated earlier, the beautiful dimensions of 40MM and 11.75MM thick could of never been possible with a movement such as a Valjoux 7750 or another mechanical chronograph movement. I think this was the right choice and it helps keep the price down as well.

Dial and Hands

The version I have today is “Courbeau 2” which features a black dial, off white subdials with a nice circular texture going around them. I really love the semi Panda look we have going on here and it came out great. The sub dial hands are black to match the dial of course as well. The Hour, Minute, and Chronograph hand are done in an off white color that sort of resembles a faux patina color. They definitely play along with the theme of this watch as I believe it is inspired by the 50s-60s-70s era of timepieces. The arabic printed numerals and hands are filled with Swiss SuperLuminova in a vintage or patina color which look great in all honesty. There is not one part of this watch that does not go along with the other.

Caseback

I have owned 2 Nezumi timepieces in the past and the work on the caseback is always on point. They do a custom moulded screw down caseback with their logo at large in the center, company EST on the left hand side (2011), and technical aspects written around the outer edge which are small and good in size to keep out of the way of the beautiful raised N logo and “Nezumi” “Creating Bonds”.

Strap Options / Dial Options

The Corbeau comes standard with a very good quality NATO nylon strap which is super tough and certainly not one of those cheap nylons you see some other brands use. This one is meant to last and certainly goes along with the case perfectly. The color options available are black, burnt gold, grey, and olive. This model also comes in three different flavors as pictured below so there is a sure fit for each customers tastes.
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Conclusion

Furthermore, the Corbeau offers a very distinctive style and design that you will not see elsewhere which is a big plus in my book. They definitely took the time out to design and create this timepiece which shows dedication, honesty, and trust within the founders of Nezumi. The materials used are top notch for this bracket and there are honestly no errors from what I have seen so far. The dial is super legible , the chronograph is snappy, and I LOVE a rotating bezel on a field style watch. The pricing for this model is listed below and you do save 20% off the final price by doing so.

​Pre-order prices start at 20% off msrp:
Non-EU: 288 euro inc. shipping
EU: 316 euro inc. shipping


Retail prices when in stock will be 360 euro and 395 euro

​Website Link: http://www.nezumistudios.com/product/nezumi-corbeau-black-steel/