The first thing that struck me about the Kronhauser Automatic Sunburst Watch was how clean and tidy the dial is. I’m used to mid-range watches being loaded up with extra features, with two, three, or more complications on the dial, oftentimes a stopwatch or timer, and any number of potential bells and whistles.
As you can imagine, it was a relief to look at a watch this simple. In our age of flashy smartphone apps, 24/7 advertising, and frequent distractions, it’s all too common to see manufacturers make a complicated watch just for the sake of bragging rights. And it’s nice to see Kronhauser bringing us back to a simpler age.
Maybe it’s the German efficiency that’s affecting the look of some of these recent watch releases, whatever it is, we really like it! For another example of this take a look at our recent review of the Vintro Le Mans 1952 here.
The Kronhauser Movement
To operate this watch, Kronhauser chose the Miyota 821A. This is a venerable movement that’s reliably accurate, with 21,600 beats per minute. While this isn’t exactly enough to knock your socks off, it’s a reasonable degree of accuracy, as good as any you’ll see on a watch in this price range.
What the 821A is known for, though, is its robustness. This action was designed to take a lickin and keep on tickin, and it actually has a significant advantage over some high-end actions; the second hand won’t stop of the crown is accidentally pulled out, so you won’t lose accuracy just because you snagged your watch on a belt loop.
On the other hand, the second hand tends to stutter if the watch is tilted on its side. This won’t affect your watch’s accuracy, but many people find it irritating regardless.
It’s also very thick, at 5.67mm in height. Needless to say, this makes the Kronhauser watch very chunky, although I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s a good thing if you appreciate a fat stainless steel case and a correspondingly wide dial.
Another neat feature of the 821A is that you can wind it up if it’s completely dead. This is a good feature if you’re wearing it only occasionally, since you can take it out of a drawer, wind it up, and set it, without having to wait for the automatic winder to work its magic. When it’s fully powered, it has a 38-hour power reserve, better than most actions on the market.
The Dial
The dial on this watch is the definition of elegance. The hour, minute, and second hands are all very slim, without any kind of embellishment or spear tips.
They’re gold plated, as are the numerals and hash marks on the scala. And the only markings on the dial are the manufacturer’s name and trademark six-point logo near 12 o’clock, with the word “automatic” written in a smaller font near 6 o’clock.
At 3 o’clock, you’ll find the watch’s only complication, a simple date display. This display features a small magnifying lens, which makes the number appear on the crystal as larger than it actually is. Even if you’re nearsighted, you should still have no trouble reading it.
The Crystal
The crystal on this watch is clear and pristine, and provides a beautiful view of the dial from any angle. You’ll experience some glare in bright light due to the fact that the lower surface of the crystal is not multi-coated.
That said, this allows the gold on the dial to shine through more brightly, so it’s a matter of exchanging one benefit for another.
The water-resistant seal is about average for a watch of this type, rated for 5 bars of overpressure, or 50 meters of depth.
The Features
With so few functions, there’s no need for a lot of fancy control settings on this watch. There are no pushers, just a simple crown. Turn it while it’s all the way in to wind the movement, although that’s only necessary the first time you use the watch.
Pull the crown out halfway, and you can set the date. Pull it out all the way, and it will control the hour and minute. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
The Extras
In addition to the watch itself, which measures 40mm in diameter and 11mm in height, you’ll also get a beautiful leather watchband.
This band is a brown top-grain leather, with reinforced stitches near the lugs to keep it from coming undone. You’ll also get a two-year manufacturer’s warranty, which is a nice touch.
The Inspiration
Kronhauser doesn’t talk about the inspiration for this watch, and you know what? I’m honestly okay with that. With the exception of historical replicas and commemorative watches, “inspiration” is just a way for marketing writers to fill the second page of a glossy brochure with a bunch of fluff.
I’m much more interested in a watch’s performance, and in that regard the Kronhauser Automatic Sunburst does not disappoint. It’s rugged, it’s reasonably accurate, and it’s easy to read, without a lot of clutter obscuring the dial.
To have a look at all of Kronhauser’s models visit their official website here.
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