Hands-On: The Soner Nostalgia Paris

Today on the WRB we have a special hands-on review for you, this one is a little out in left field for us as lately we’ve been covering large established brands in the industry. Today we’re taking a step back into time and investigating a new startup watch brand, and one of its new watch releases that will pique the interest of those who have an affection for the shape of a Cartier, or a JLC Reverso. This specific model sent to us from Soner Watches in Sweden is called the Nostalgia, it’s from their City Collection and the reference we have on hand today is the Paris version with white dial.

Square watches are a very picky subject for me, and the rest of the watch enthusiasts community usually agrees on this point. A square watch needs to be designed to perfection for it to emit the vibe intended, and Soner is specializing in this domaine. Their founder Freddie Palmgreen also noticed this phenomenon, but he also noticed a general lack of selection of square or rectangle shaped watches in the market – this is the point at which he decided to fill the gap and create a very high quality rectangle watch that collectors will appreciate.

Case Shape

The first thing that will strike you about this watch is the case, this is of course a dress watch so it’s more inline with a Cartier Tank than it is a Tag Heuer Monaco Chronograph for example. The case is very slender and smooth in appearance, for such a small watch it exudes a nice high-quality vibe. A watch of this size can sometimes feel underwhelming, but there’s enough details here to keep you entertained – such as the beautifully framed dial within the layered rectangular bezel.

The 316L stainless steel is also polished immaculately, and again for such a small watch with a quartz movement it has a surprising heft to it. You’ll also notice when viewing the watch from the side or while on wrist, the case has a substantial curve to it that flows into the lugs, it’s rather elegant looking.

Dial & Hands

Dress watches serve a functional purpose, and that is to look professional and classy to match certain outfits, not as a tool – but as an object of sophistication and grace that also happens to display the time. Or, depending on the dress watch, the time, date, and maybe even a tourbillon. The Nostalgia is a simple watch with its only actual function being your one single, current time zone. It has a very simple dial layout, but it’s not mundane. I get a very 1930s art deco vibe from the watch that emits a nostalgia from a time I’ve never known, the applied markers that vary in size and style add to this feeling, and the ultra-sharp minute and hour hands really compliment the entire watch and era that it’s going for.

I’ve visited Stockholm before but I can’t recall the exact design their street clocks imbued, but I feel that this watch is taking strong influence from old clocks in Europe not only from within Sweden but perhaps other European countries. Certainly not from Switzerland as those are mainly all round with the sweeping red seconds hand. While the dial on the Nostalgia is basic, it’s exceptionally executed.

Technical Specifications:

• Movement Type: Quartz Premium Swiss ETA 901.001
• Battery Life: 11 years
• Case Material: Extra-hardened 316L stainless steel (800 HV)
• Crystal: Domed sapphire with five layers of anti-reflective (AR) coating
• Dial Colors Available: White, black, sunburst red and green
• Case Design: Arched case for comfortable fit on wrists of all sizes, suitable for both men and women
• Warranty: 10-year warranty
• Design Influence: Inspired by the 1930s Art Deco movement, embodying modernity, sophistication, and simple elegance
• Pre-order Availability: Until February 29th, coinciding with the Kickstarter campaign launch

Final Thoughts

Admittedly, I’m not a big dress watch wearer, the occasions to wear such watches are not frequent enough in my life to dedicate much attention to collecting such pieces. Although I really enjoy a dressy watch that walks a fine line between smart casual and dressy like the Nomos Metro Date Power Reserve I keep in my personal collection.

The Nostalgia is a die hard dress watch, to be reserved for very dressy occasions especially with the black leather strap it comes on, and most rectangle shaped watches in this genre are the same. You could potentially pull this off as a daily depending on your personal style which is going to vary between individuals depending on your line of work and daily habits. If that’s the case then I’d say this watch is worth a strong consideration as an addition to your collection. If you so happen to have an affection for dressy watches or rectangular ones for that matter, then by all means take a closer look at the Nostalgia.

The Nostalgia isn’t actually launched yet but they’re available for pre-order signup at a 50% discount rate on the official Kickstarter campaign page here, and for more information you can visit the official Soner Watches website here.