(4.5 / 5)
The Anomaly series is on its last run, but CODE41 has released an improved version that will take itâs place. Check out my review of the CODE41 Anomaly Evolution!
IMPORTANT: This is their last run, and then they will stop producing these models. So be quick and get one if you are interested đ
CODE 41 has been stirring up the online watch community for a while now with their aggressive marketing based on the dissection of the âswiss madeâ label. Most of this is true, and it is nothing new to many people, but they are the first to market themselves in this fashion. But i donât review marketing campaigns, I review watches, and they seem to have built some really good watches.
Their design appeals to me and it is therefore my great honour to review the Code 41 Anomaly 01 with the steel bracelet (you can check out more strap options on their website). Most of the photos you can find online of this watch has a leather strap attached to it, but I really think the watch looks much better with the steel bracelet!
Code 41 would never have existed without the crowdfunding community platforms, nor the people who donated their money into the project. And I love that! I will not talk too much about their story, because they have a section dedicated to that on their website, which is quite detailed. I will focus on what matters most:Â
Is this watch worth the money?
First impressions
The watch comes in a very unique futuristic looking cardboard and foam packaging, and it really protects the watch from shocks since the watch case is lodged into the foam. A pretty cool looking packaging in my opinion.
At first glance, the watch is stunning! It plays so well with the light, and it looks solid and heavy. The sapphire crystal is the first specific part of the watch that caught my attention. It reflects so little light which is usually something i see on Breitling or Rolexes, not watches in this price range!
Combining the almost flawless crystal with the perfect machining of the metal, itâs considerable weight and itâs clean and layered dial, and you end up with a watch that feels like 3000 Euro watch.
What i like
The sapphire crystal
I start with the crystal because it is simply stunning! Donât believe me? I have only adjusted the contrast of the mid-tones in the picture above, and the picture was taken outside. That should tell you all you need to know.
Yes, it is just a flat transparent protective cover, but when you start entering the world of watches, there is one thing that separates the luxury watches from the affordable ones: How much light the crystal reflects back. On some high-end timepieces you can barely see that there is a crystal!
Most companies, luxury or not, use an anti-reflective coating on their sapphire crystals. But the quality of those can vary, and i have never seen so little light reflections in this price range before. I had to bring out my Breitling to compare them, and Breitling does it a tad bit better to be honest. My breitling also has a curved crystal and their anti-reflective treatment only reflects back blue light, which is really slick! But considering the price difference (750 Euros vs. 4000 Euros) I have to applaud Code 41 for that!
The dial
Because the crystal is so well made, you get a great view into the layered dial. And it is just as stunning as the rest of the watch! There are a lot of cool elements on this dial, so bear with me as I invoke everyone one of them.
It has a total of 4 layers, very well divided out to give it immense depth! Itâs almost fully brushed, except for the inside wall of the hole above the balance wheel jewel, the holes holding the marker above the seconds wheel and the 24 hours wheel and other various holes showing the movement. This is a very subtle detail that still manages to impress me.
The markers are very crisp when considering they are luminescent, and I love how they chose to put the brand name at the eleven oâclock position! The markers on the second and 24 hours wheel are also very crisp, but they are not luminescent.
They also have chosen to engrave the words âautomaticâ and âttoâ at the 5 and six oâclock position. This is a great choice, since I find the word automatic redundant, especially when you can see the balance wheel moving. For those who are thinking âwhat does TTO means?â, itâs simply means âTotal Transparency on Originâ. You can read more about TTO here.
I would assume itâs made out of PVD coated metal, and their choice of not coloring it fully black and using a brushed finish works well for this model. It gives it a more metallic look, whereas totally black PVD coated metal can sometimes look more like plastic.
The machining of this different parts are up to par with any luxury watch i have seen, and the more you look at this dial, the more details pop out and satisfies your eyes. Nothing is misaligned and even though there are many elements on this dial, it manages to not feel overcluttered.
Something I truly enjoy with this watch is how they display the seconds and the fixed GMT using wheels instead of hands! I donât know if they are the first to do it, and if you guys know of another watch with the same features, i would love to see you link to it in the comments.
I also love the little âarmâ that sticks out above the balance wheel. It has no purpose, but is designed to replicate the balance cock and i canât imagine the watch without it!
The hands
Everything about this watch is unique and eye popping, so of course the hands has to be as well!
The hour and minute hands are made of polished steel, which is a great contrast to the dial and makes it very easy to read the time. They also cut twice at a small angle which is really cool and reinforces the overall depth of the dial. Leaving parts of the hands âskeletonizedâ helps see more of the dial and reminds me of the hands on the Omega Seamaster.
One small detail that pops out immediately when turning the watch in the light, is the brushed circle that sits on top of the hands at the center of the watch. It gives a cool contrast to that area when the light hits it!
The lume on the hands is very powerful and does what itâs supposed to do. Itâs much brighter than the lume used on the dial markers, giving it a good contrast in the dark, but also accentuates the depth of the dial when in dark areas!
The case
The case I very well machined and has a unique shape that is somewhere between round and squared. There is a slight 70âs inspiration, but because the dial almost goes out to the edge of the case, it becomes more than just an homage to the era.
The brushed finish of the case is also impeccable, and very subtle, so that it almost looks beat blasted. If you look closer, you realize that certain parts have a different finish: There is a polished ring on the high angled bezel, polished spacers where you attach the spring bars and the engraved lines on the side of the case are polished inside as well. There is also a line right above where the spring bars are attached, that i believe is beat blasted.
All of these elements show how much care and thought they put into this watch case, and it helps accentuate itâs futuristic look and give it a very cool personality.
It also worth noting the lugs are very far apart, and they had to put in a spacer so that the strap wouldnât have to be over 24 mm. The big screws on the side of the lugs is another great detail that helps give this watch a futuristic and industrial look.
The crown
The crown is also unique to Code 41, and compliments the watch very well. It is polished expect for the circular edge where the logo is engraved. Its has some really cool triangular shapes to help with the grip, its has the perfect size and the logo is deeply engraved into it.
Simply put, the crown looks as futuristic as the watch case and dial, without being to big and too much.
The metal bracelet
I you decide to buy this watch, I would highly advise to put in the extra money and get the metal bracelet. Not only does it reinforce the whole futuristic look, but the bracelet itself is quite unique! The hidden butterfly clasp is great, the shape of each individual piece is unique and they play well with brushed and polished surfaces, like on the watch case.
What could have been better?
The bracelet
I just praised the metal bracelet a few lines earlier, so what gives? As i mention later on under âPriceâ, I asked some of my friends to guess the price of the watch. One of them is a watch enthusiast like myself, and he said the thing that gave away the real price of the watch was the bracelet. Had i given him just the case, he would have guessed higher.
I would love to see an option to buy a âluxuryâ metal bracelet that is as well built as the watch itself. Itâs a shame to have such a well built watch, and then an inferior (although great) metal bracelet. One thing he said gave it away was the use of pins instead of screws to connect some of the parts of the bracelet.
The bracelet also doesnât have any micro adjustment options, which can cause problems for a select few. I am lucky that it fits quite well, but some will see that the bracelet is either going to be too tight or too loose.
The movement
Even though Myiota movements are very reliable and robust, I would expect to see a watch of this caliber with an ETA movement. ETA has slightly stricter manufacturing procedures, making them less likely to put out faulty movements (check the comments, some people have had this problem). Some companies lets you choose your movement, which might be a valuable option to have.
If anyone from CODE 41 is reading this, take it as a compliment! Your watch is so great that it deserves the best movement possible!
The price
I think the price is fair
The price is one of the first things that seduced me, since i am not in a position to throw several thousand euros after a watch. Yes, this is a japanese movement⌠But the quality of the build left me with a feeling of having paid the right amount of money for this watch.
Because i really felt like the quality of the watch case and sapphire crystal was above what i payed for, i asked some of my friends to guess the price of the watch. One guessed 1000 Euros, another guessed 2000 Euros and the last one guessed 600 â 800 Euros. The friend who guessed the smallest price is actually a fellow watch enthusiast, and he said that what gave away the actual price of the watch was the bracelet. Had i given him just the case, he would have guessed higher!Â
This was an interesting experiement that i might have to start doing in my other review. Let me know in the comment if you think itâs relevant.
The brand
Before creating watches, the people at Code41 were behind the megaphone of the GOLDGENA PROJECT, an initiative that aims to reveal the usurpers of the Swiss Made label. I have since learned that many swizz made watches are mostly made up of parts from China, which can be misleading. The companies has also driven up the prices to unfair amounts, simply because they can and because they often rely on larger distribution networks.
This is nothing new, as many other companies have used japanese movements for many years, that are very reliable. Seiko is a good example of relatively cheap but very good automatic watches. CODE 41 are simply the first to market themselves this way so intensely, which is smart because they are not wrong.
I really enjoy the fact that they are open about their company, history, and processes for future colelctions. Other watch brands are abd at doing this, wich is a shame since they often have great stories. You can see the details and origins of the watches and all the history of the brand in details on their website: code41watches.com
Code41 clearly shows where the different parts and services comes from and clearly shows you their profit margin and different production costs. It made me think of Premiere Manche, a shirt brand that I tested a while ago that is very open very open on the origin, the quality of the fabric and their profit margin. I like that, and i believe it is the future of marketing as we consumers get more and more critical.
Conclusion
CODE 41 has managed to create what feels like a true luxury automatic watch, for a very affordable price. Yes, the movement is not in-house or anything too fancy, but itâs put inside a beautifully crafted and well designed quality watch. The Anomaly 01 not a diver watch, not a dress watch, nor a sports watch. It resides within its own category, and can therefore hold the throne indefinately.
But I have to be honest. Using Japanese movements is nothing new and many other brands sell great watches with Miyota or Seiko movements. I have reviewed a few of these in the same price range, but none come close to the quality and level of detail of the Anomaly 01. Ultimately, you have to fall in love with the design and if you do, you can rest assured that you will get a great watch for the money!
63 Comments
This brand is not luxury at all and seems quite overpriced. Another Shinola but not as good at marketing themselves. FYI, Shinola are grossly overpriced.
No heritage, no trust in their quality. Snooze. Look at Seiko, Orient, or Hamilton for a quality watch brand with a mechanical movement under $1000.
Well, to be honest many brands now throw around the word luxury (Daniel Wellington, Filippo Loretti)… But to their defense, they use realtively good movements (Myota and ETA is quite good) and the cases and materials are superior to many other brands selling automatic watches. Shinola produces many generic looking watches, and at least Code 41 stands out for their design (and Shinola is more expensive)! So i wouldn’t be scared of the movement failing you or paying too much. I held one of these bad boys, and it doesn’t seem cheap at all, so i wouldn’t say it’s overpriced. I have held Hamiltons that seemed cheaper than that, for the same price. Also, every brand has to start somewhere and i am willing to put my money on this one đ
The fact is you have to fall in love with the design, not the promise of a Bretling equivalent for a chunk of the price.
But having some common sense when shopping today is far from bad, and i applaud you for that.
Sincerely,
Frederik
My watch was bought June 2018 and barely worn. When wearing it after a week it just stopped working March 2019. Sent the watch to a designated watch maker provided by Code 41. They said the problem was caused by a scratch on the bezel?!? So no guarantee! Beginning of April 2019 I payed âŹ133.60 for repair, no idea which part has to be replaced. Today end of May 2019 and the watch was not sent back yet. Conclusion; Bad quality, No guarantee, Very poor after service …
Hello Stefan!
I’m sorry to hear that! Miyota movements are usually relibale and robust, and i can only recommend Miyota, Seiko, Sellita and ETA movements from personal experience. It’s a shame since the watch itself is very well built! I think many watch companies will ingore the guarantee if there is a big scratch on the watch. This can usually be a sign of someone dropping the watch, which is never good when talking guarantees. Miyota is only reliable if you take good care of them, and they don’t test their watches for shocks at thouroughly as Breitling or Rolex.
I have heard of some unlucky buyers who ended up with a bad movement and you are probably one of those. What i can’t talk about is their customer service… I know they read these review and if your scratch is insignificant or non-existant, then i hope they will consider changing the way they handle these scenarios.
It is important to consider that to get a watch at this price from a microbrand comes with a risk. They usualy do not have a big customer service departmement, nor the budget to accept every guarantee claim.
Anyway, i hope this doesn’t scare you away from microbrands in the future. Their are plenty of good ones out there, and i will continue to post reviews on my blog!
God speed Stefan!
Hello Stefan,
Thank you for sending us the link to your comment!
Your watch has indeed been analyzed by our independent repair center, and it came out that it was not in a very good condition with scratches and a twisted crown. As it is not a default of the watch, we were unable to take it under guarantee.
We have updated you on the delay, and realized you had two different email addresses, maybe this lead to a misunderstanding in our communications.
A message has been sent to you in order to propose you a commercial gesture, so we invite you to come back to us by email regarding this.
Our client service remains at your disposal.
All the best,
Marcia
Team CODE41
When I read this I doet believe the Code41 Team, I think they dong sell Mitchell so donut give much garantee.
A swiss friend of my family saĂŻd its not that much of a bargain. There are several good and real swiss watches for les.
Just look at Watch2day or one other watchhouse or swiss watches under there price with fantastic garantee and service.
I donât buy from new startups let them first work for 10 years and toen look again. Look at Victorinox is fantastic and so is Hamilton and a lot of Othelloâs brands.
Hello Mike!
Sure there are plenty of cheaper alternatives, but they also don’t have as many unconventional design choices making them cheaper to produce (stock market hours and minute hands vs. original design for example).
Too bad you can’t hold one in your hand… That convinced me:)
I have a longines hydroconquest automatic with Swiss movement. It looks great, keeps good time and it has the same movement as an omega.
All for under ÂŁ1000.
Hi Stephen,
Longines makes GREAT watches as well, although i am not a huge fan of some of the crown guards on some of their Conquests! I do however LOVE their other collections, like the Masters collection.
I do however think that Longines uses ETA bases for their movements just like some Omega movements.
What i don’t get with Longines is the risk taking design that CODE 41 has tried out. I constantly have watch enthusiasts stop me to look at my Anomaly 01. Not everyone likes it, but no one has seen anything like it before.
Keep enjoying watches!
Kindly,
Frederik
At this price point you would want a good working watch.And as a crowd funding set up it could well end up like Tupperware washed up literally.Always look at establishment time of company you canât beat over a hundred years of experience.As like everything in life you get what you pay for.
Seems overpriced for what it is. You could buy a mint Gucci Pantheon with the Valjoux 7750 inside for 650-750 preowned. Some might say a new Seiko 5 for 220 Euros offers the same reliability. A Bulova for 400 offers similar Miyota quality too.
Bonjour Alastair,
Alltough you are probably right, i don’t see the relevance…
A Peugeot offers same, if not better reliability than a BMW, but the BMW is usually more expensive. But you can also buy an old BMW for the price of a new Peugeot, which could be just as reliable.
Seiko produces EVERYTHING themselves and can therefore lower the price, making that comparison unfair. Bulova makes great watches and they have a done so for long, giving them an advantage as well. CODE41 has to order everything custom made (non-generic) and in small quantity, but if they grow then they can compete with the other brands in a few year perhaps. I do like being the only one with this watch
What i find funny is that all the positive comments are most often from people owning a CODE41. amd the negatiove comments are from people who doesn’t (but most liekly want to, if they were sold for less).
And don’t even get me started on GUCCI watches, i wouldn’t wear one if you paid me đ
Hope i didn’t sound to defensive, but i actally own 2 CODE 41s and they really feel like luxury watches (and i own a few of those as well).
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
For that money I’d buy a Longines hydroconquest anyday.
Hello Kay,
I see your point đ The cheapest Longines Hydroconquest goes for a little above the price of the anomaly 02.
BUT, i don’t feel like the quality of machining of the CODE41 watches are below their price point. Movement wise, yes, Longines wins… But they also have 188 years of headstart compared to CODE41 (and no one will argue against the ETA 2428 i believe).
All in all, what you get with CODE41 is a VERY original design! That’s something Longines has failed to deliver in my opinion, which is the reason no one talks about them online (Oris came out with the Big Crown ProPilot X and that really got everybody talking). Even the new Seamaster is much more original, proving older and respected brands can deliver new things while keeping their spirit alive.
I hope you get a Hydroconquest and enjoy it as much as i enjoy my CODE41’s. You should always buy the watch you like, not that makes sense to buy đ
Cheers,
Frederik Drost
Longine “fails” to deliver is design!? Are you for real? You will never reach 5% of their achievements.
Hi Fabrice,
I am always 100% for real đ
I believe is said, and i am paraphrasing:” Longines has failed to deliver original designs”. This is of course my opinion, and i believe they have not taken any design “risks”.
Code41 has, and i have to applaud them for that, even though i know it won’t be to the liking of everyone. It seems, however, that they are doing great and many people appreciate their watches.
I’d rather not try to achieve 5% of what Longines has achieved, nor did i state i ever wanted to. But please do share a recent Longines design you find origina, i would love to see it.
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
overpriced for a poor movement and finish. the accuracy is like a $20 china watch. My opinion: Buy a known brand and get VALUE.
Ask yourself why their latest model is not cosc certified. for $3000 more you get a rolex with inhouse-movement, fully master certified.
Hi Ramsey,
I respect your opinion but that seems like a very harsh statement. Even the picture doesn’t show a poor finish and i can GUARANTEE you it’s better than a 20 dollars china watch (but please do send examples, i am very curious)…
Have you ever owned a CODE41 watch?
You don’t buy these watches for the precision movement and intense mechanical achievement. You buy these for their unique design… Value is subjective đ
Everyone with a little success and no taste has a Rolex these days. My blog is trying to help people achieve a unique style, so the last thing i want to review is a Rolex Submariner.
I do hope you have a watch you love to wear! In the end, that’s what it’s all about, wouldn’t you agree?
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
Cheap design, I do not like this watch – Dial is too busy for ‘no reason’, minute track is really poor, fake-looking functionalities like on the Sevenfriday’s cheap concept, hour markers are not visual, and the case has nothing special. I do not like their website either which does not look professional.
Hello again Fabrice đ
You really don’t like these watches…
I respect your opinion, even though i think their website is more than fine compared to other microbrands out there. A Little more whitespace in their design would be nice though đ
I haven’t met a person who wasn’t intrigued by this watch yet, but not everyone liked it… I guess my point is that original design will always split opinions, just like many cult movies today did when they were released.
To call the design cheap is however, a cheap insult đ I agree, the dial is a little too busy, which most watch purists would agree on. But is still enjoy turning my watch in the light to this day, and it is very well executed.
Hope you find a watch you love out there!
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
I believe the brand is paying you to leave these comments Frederik Drost, or you are actually employed by them. Case 1 is unlikely, that means there are liars within this organization. Say what you want, I made my point, and you probably lie also about your “customer comments/reviews” and remaining stocks, costs prices etc… etc…
Hello fabrice,
No, i am not paid directly by CODE41 and if there is one thing i believe my blog is, it’s honest. Please check out my other reviews, i do mention the bad things as well!
However, all reviews are opinions in the end, so perhaps you just don’t agree with my opinions (which i totally respect). I have a lot of experience with micro brand watches, so i know the landscape. However, suggesting i am employed by them is a bit far fetched, but points for being imaginative đ
I actually have to approve all comments that goes live on my pages, so the fact that i choose to approve the negative comments should debunk your whole theory đ And trust me, i am tempted to delete yours because i believe they really don’t bring any value to my readers.
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
Fabrice you really need to get a life. It’s only a watch.
FWIW I love mine
Thanks for saying what i refrain from saying đ
I love mine too, always in rotation !
Kindly,
Frederik
I got a watch 6 months old. Whenever I have wear it, i have to adjust the time coz the movements stop if I don’t wear it for a day!!!
Hello Ravi,
They usually last a bit longer than a full day, but that depends on you wear pattern and many other things. But yeah, mechanical watches do have that “charming” flaw đ
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
I like the design of ANOMALY-01, but I wish to have it with an ETA movement. I don’t like the design of ANOMALY-02.
Hi Andrea,
I with you! I do know for a fact that CODE41 monitor these comments, so perhaps they will pick up the idea? Let’s hope they put it in as an option..
However, there is a lot of talk about how good ETA really is compared to Miyota… Citizen has some experience making movements, so perhaps they are not as bad as their price would suggest.
The watches may be good but their marketing is cheesy. If they want to be taken seriously, then they should move away from those clickbait ads (like âwhy thousands of customers in The Netherlands are falling for these new watches!â). Brands that have quality to sell donât resort to cheap ads.
Hi Johan,
I agree to a certain extent. Their marketing is not perfect, allthough i see more ads from them just showing the watch. How they started the project can be critisized, allthough they are not the only ones and marketing in general in meant to be luring.
However, quality brands sometimes to resort to cheap ads… But they tend to feel the effect of them to and learn. I feel it’s cheap to just put your watch on a famous person, it lacks originality.
Maybe associating yourself with famous persons is cheap and easy. But it is better than being mixed in with shady ads for learning a new language in ten days, meeting beautiful women, knowing what is the number one thing you should do for your health, and other clickbait.
At a certain price (letâs say above a Pulsar or a lower end Citizen) you donât just sell a watch. You sell the idea of (affordable) luxury. And then I wouldnât want to see âmyâ brand using clickbait ads.
BTW; I agree about Longines (and Certina!) being great Swiss brands for their price. I have a watch of both brands, and they are very well designed and made.
Couldn’t agree more. If their marketing wasn’t as ubiquitous and clickbait-y (that’s not a word, right?) I would have bought one by now.
Still tempted, but I think I’ll stick to the Hamilton I have my eye on.
Hamilton is a great choice ! I think you will not be dissapointed.
I believe CODE41 has now switched to more classic “show the timepiece” style of marketing, but i could be wrong. What’s problematic is that it seems that for a micro brand to reach the bigger main consumer audience (not just watch enthusiasts), they need to play with this kind of marketing.
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
This is a great review Frederik. Iâve had my eye on this watch (as well as the X41 and Day41 that Code41 offer) for a while. My collection of watches ranges from one that costs ÂŁ100 to ÂŁ6000 and I am always on the look out for something different, without having to pay tens of thousands for the privilege of owning it! I personally feel Code41 have really hit the mark with this watch, and the other two I mentioned. After much deliberation I decided to purchase this watch and canât wait to be able to wear it! Your review has definitely opened my eyes to thinking outside the box and stepping away from the âbig brandsâ.
Hi Eddie!
I am very happy to hear that ! PLease do share you experience once you have worn it! I am very pleased with mine as to this day.
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
Over priced tat.
The market is over crowded with âdesignerâ watches which focus more on the branding and, so called, style, that the actual watch. We donât need another one, certainly not one people have been fooled into funding.
Hello Brian,
The market is saturated with “fashion” watches, not original micro brand watches..
Have you ever held on of these watches? They are selling out, so i assume people love them and don’t return them (which they can).
Any watch brand needs branding, even brands like Rolex and Breitling. Rolex is the “financial” success watch, and we all know it, and they like to keep it that way.
But hey, if you don’t like the design, i can relate to that đ Let me worry about the quality đ
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
Don’t understand some rather negative comments: design is in general priceless in my opinion!
Just bought the Anomaly-01 black PVD because of that beautiful design. Would fit nicely to my collection of IWC, Parmigiani, TAG Heuer, etc.,, though it will the cheapest one.
Really looking forward to receiving it next week!
Hi Archi,
thanks for the comment! Nice to hear you bought one!
Please share your experience here when you have worn it for a while đ
I hope the watches are better than the spelling on their website
Hi Frederik,
I’m on the verge of buying an Anomaly 01, but some of the comments above have made me question whether I should. In terms of one comment about having to reset the time due to not wearing the watch regularly, how often would I need to wear it please? I own several watches and don’t wear any with great regularity, so would this become a constant issue is need to get used to? Thanks
Hello Anhgus,
Sorry for the late reply, i was on vacation đ
It generally is an issue, but if you wore it every third day, you might have to get used to setting it… However, i actually love setting it, it’s streghtens the bond with the watch. You might actually learn to love it.
You could also wind it manually every day and that would give you some extra time. Say every thrid or fourth day you could wear it!
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
overpriced. fine watch making means quality. anomally-01 has an accuracy of +/- 1 minute/day which is higher than any chinese watch for $30.
I am also womdering about the company behind code41. Is it registered in switzerland ?
Hi,
I don’t believe it has such good accuracy, but rather a nornal standard of 10 to 25 seconds a day depending on the movement.
vorrei acquistare il nuovi Chrono41 ,però sono rimasto un pò sconcertato dalla sua relazione.
Lo scheletrato non mi entusiasma,anche se sicuramente è una novità Però avevo compreso che la meccanica fosse ETA e non giapponese.
Inoltre sono meravigliato che il montaggio sia eseguito dai cinesi,con quale controllo di produzione?
Cioè il mio punto di domanda è proprio sulla reliability dell’orologio,essere bello,ok ma poi deve funzionare anni,io non lo vedo come oggetto da ” vetrina” ,ma come un oggetto che ti deve indicare le ore ed i giorni con sicurezza.
Fra l’altro non ho compreso come viene regolato il giorno!
Hello Sergio,
COuld you perhaps wrrite in English?
Kindly,
Frederik Drost
I can’t understand the ignorance about mechanically wound watches …. That’s what they invented watch boxes for .. OK ,. extra expense .. but people with watch collections that are serious about their ownership buy a
watchbox ….( mechanical watch winding ) .LOVE the look of these watches … sorely tempted .. but the price would be the deposit on a Rolex GMT … A replacement for the one I sold ten years ago for ÂŁ1600 ( I’m an idiot )
Also the cost of the code 41 would cover the deposit on a Tag Monaco watch …..
.
Hello Nigel,
I didn’t even know AD’s used deposits for Rolex.. They don’t need insurance, if you say no, they can sell it the next day đ
For a Monaco, i understand. I would buy it used, there are some great deals.. I can get you a blue dial used for 3000 Euro. a black dial for around 2000 Euros (serviced)..
Kindly,
frederik drost
Frederik you spend an enormous amount of effort and time defending the trick brand Code41. So either you are payed, or a Swiss made screw is somewhere loose with you. The mechanical clockwork originating from Japan is a standard 65 dollar one, it says it all. I’m Code41 and will trick you 41 times. Please close this marketing site.
I spend very little time responding to comments to defend my opinion, not the brand.
Yes, miyota movements are cheaper than others, but many brands also use Sellita and bulk order them, in watches costing way more… That’s says nothing. The level of finishing and details on this watch is what justifies the price, which is why Panerais with basic ETA movements can cost so much. And this dial is well finished with chamfered holes, impecable satin finish etc. something you don’t always find even in watches going for that price.
Ironically, it’s always people who buy one who has positive things to say, while people who never had one in their hand are doing all the hating… Weird.
I will give you this. They could have used a better movement in that model, but i don’t know if other manufacturers makes movements with this specific complication. Also, most forums will agree with me that Miyotas are good for what they are and if it breaks in 3 years, as you said, it’s cheap to replace :).
Lastly, i manually accept these comments, and that would never go through on a paid reveiw, and my screws are thightened just fine. I have a successful watch blog, so i think i know my watches and i gave this watch it’s fair time with downsides. I am not going to say it’s badly finished if that isn’t the case. You guys get held u in specs and forget to so many other things that go into a watch, which is a shame.
Kindly,
Frederik
My excuses Frederik, I stepped into the “shouting” pitfall as some others do on social media, it doesn’t bring up the best in man. I love the mechanical movements in my watches so seeing that the hart of this watch is a simple one pushed me over the edge. Indeed for it’s price the Miyota is a very good movement. On the other hand, you don’t put plastic seats in a Lamborgini… đ Cheers.
Hello Peter,
I do make that mistake to, more often than i like đ
I believe one of my grievances in my review was that they should have put a better movement in this watch, it truly deserved it. It’s under the “movement” section. Also, the lume is just shit, and i said that too, which is a shame.
Cheers đ
Do NOT buy from this brand. Poor quality (bracelet is hurting, watch has been sent back for repair after only 6 weeks…)
Return conditions are way too restrictive considering the fact that you buy online. Impossible to try it without the stickers making impossible to really experience the product.
Code 41 is spending too much in their marketing not to leave room for proper client service and product reliability.
Orient star, that is a brand that the price of the watch is the price of the watch and very little else. Have many Orient star watches and love them all
I really liked the design of the watch, a little quirky with the the different levels across the face and the rotating clear discs, etc. However, I only wear the watch occaisonally and most of the time it is in my winder so I don’t have to re-set the time whenever I wear it. I have had the watch for a little while and recently it just started to go wrong, losing time and stopping. Considering that this was not a cheap watch I find it very disappointing.
Yes, the movements are less reliable than the price point suggests, which is why they are moving towards STP movements. Mine stopped but my watchmaker fixed it in 5 min and it cost me barely nothing.
SERGIO
27/09/2020 – 18:34
I would like to buy the new Chrono41, but I was a little disconcerted by your report.
The skeleton does not excite me, although it is certainly a novelty. However, I had understood that the mechanism is ETA and not Japanese.
I am also amazed that the assembly is done by the Chinese, with what production control?
I mean my question is about the reliability of the watch; to be beautiful is ok, but then it must work for years. I do not see it as a “showcase” object, but as an object that you have to be able to wear for years and indicate the hours and days with certainty.
Among other things, I have not understood how the day is set!
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
P.s.: Little help from DeepL free translator.
Hello,
The movement on the Day41 is STP i believe since ETA is stopping their sales of movements to brands. STP movements works for years but should be services every 5 years, just like any ETA movement.
Code41 do not use Chinese movements, and some models even have manufacture movements.
As far as I could read, it appears that obviously this brand is spending a lot of money on aggressive marketing in order to hide the poor quality of their products and the inoperativeness of their after-sales service. Frederik, no one can believe that you are not getting any compensation whatsoever from the brand.
I respectfully disagree, i have handled many watches and the case and dial finishing is great ! And that’s also what you pay for with many brand like rolex and omega.
Bonjour Frederik
I enjoyed reading you review of the code 41Anomoly and I like your enthusiasm in general. I love watches.
The only thing that really surprises me is that Code 41 prices seem really expensive. âŹ3000 is the least expensive watch they have offered me and some are over âŹ10,000. These watches seem very expensive. I’m also worried about their FOMO marketing strategy which is just, these are only available in limited numbers so buy now whilst you have the chance. My favourite watches are Breitling’s and I have purchased a few. The only rushed purchase I made was during a Christmas sale at Selfridges in London. That was rushed because at the price it truly was the last one available and I mean that in a global sense. All the others were bought in a leisurely fashion, never hurried and no one meme feel like I was going to miss out.I was initially attracted to Code 41 but after receiving a few emails with some ridiculous prices and the same “there’s only a few left so grab it now” messagesI think I’m going to give Code 41 a side step. Shame the do look nice but they seem dishonest, certainly about their pricing.
Keep well, looking forward to reading more.
Hi Johnny,
Thanks for sharing your opinion. They do sell more affordable models here : https://shop.code41.com/en/explorer/anomaly-02
I do agree with some of your points related to the marketing, but i also have to say that their anomaly models are really well made and worht the money.
Btw, i have 3 Breitlings, i am a huge fan!
” affordable option ” lol , obviously depends if watches are your thing.
ÂŁ1200 and upwards while not being super luxury IS
High end, when you consider most people spend ÂŁ80-ÂŁ300 for a watch.
All these people asking ” is it expensive,is it a rip off ?.
I’m no watch expert but they seem to be well made and they have done the ” limited numbers selling cliche ” which some people like.
I’ve noticed generally with less and less people wearing watches, the only sector doing well is the high end, as it’s not just a watch , it’s also exclusive jewelry.
If your happy spending a couple weeks salary ( on average on a watch ) then fine.
Even if I found ten million tomorrow I wouldn’t spend more than ÂŁ 300 on a watch, But I would on
Home cinema or money on a Car.
All depends,if it’s important for you and maybe you collect watches then fine ” it’s the individuals money.
The general consensus seems to be that they are quality items, although I don’t trust most reviews simply because they are given to the reviewer for free.
This happens with TV reviews, quality Audiophile equipment right down to physical media.
It’s an individual investment so up to the individual.
Some of the marketing is overstated, in this day and age , although I could afford one I would not call it an affordable option.
Many companies do the same quality for ÂŁ800 plus.
I have a couple of ” dress watches ” but generally with work etc I don’t ever wear a watch ,I just use a phone for the time.
It’s that each to their own mantra ?.
I see they give you 30 day return so if watches are your thing , get one and see for yourself.
These reviews are very one sided.
It’s like being given a one off several thousand pound dress for London Fashion week and then complaining about.
If your a watch snob and it’s your interest more power to you.
Frankly I never notice if some has a Timex or Rolex,Gucci or Breitling….