Mach
5406
Some live shots of the Moritz Grossmann 37 Arabic Vintage . . .
.I’ve been dying to see one of these in the flesh ever since it was announced: www.watchprosite.com
From the start, I loved everything about it — the design, the proportions, the vintage cues. It all spoke to me. But I had one lingering concern: the brushed stainless steel case. In press photos, it almost looked plastic — a tough detail to overlook.
So I made it a point to track one down. In fact, that was the entire reason for my trip to San Jose, CA. I found an AD that had one in stock, and as soon as I walked in and introduced myself, I made a beeline for the Moritz Grossmann display case.
Finally, there it was. I was excited — but, surprisingly, also a bit taken aback.
The dial looked . . . muted. Much more subdued than anything I’d seen online. Even on the wrist, it didn’t immediately strike the same chord.
To be fair, the boutique lighting was very bright. But as I stepped away from the overhead glare and into a dimmer corner of the store, the dial began to come to life.
It was subtle but dramatic: in lower light, the watch finally aligned with my original impressions from the press materials. Richer tones, more depth, and a quiet elegance started to emerge.
This piece has what I can only describe as a “bipolar” personality — under bright lights, it’s flat and restrained; in softer lighting, it really comes alive.
You can see this stark contrast when compared to my Omega CK 859:
And the 37mm vintage sizing really stands out when placed next to their 41mm stainless steel Tremblage:
There’s also a notable difference in thickness — 9.2mm vs. 11.35mm — which has a big impact on wrist presence and wearability.
From the press release, I wasn’t sure if the Benu side profile had any curvature or “love” to it. It’s not immediately obvious in my photos, but I can confirm: they did put some sculptural finesse into the case. It’s subtle, but it’s there.
Flipping over to the engine room, this piece is brought to life by their in-house, manual-wind calibre 102.1, beating at 21,600vph with a 48-hour power reserve.
And finally, I have to give credit for the strap choice — the brown kudu leather pairs beautifully with the vintage vibe of the piece. And let’s not forget those thin, elegantly shaped hands — beautifully executed.
Overall, I’m so glad I made the trip. I’m not sure I’d call this a pure dress watch, but it’s absolutely a future acquisition target for me.
Curious to hear your impressions — anyone else seen this one in the metal?