Do you like American muscle cars, cheesy movie trailers, and retro chronographs? Then do yourself a favor. Go to the Stuckx Kickstarter campaign and watch the video. I’ll wait.
Welcome back. Now, wasn’t that cool? You should know that I hate Kickstarter videos. Hate them. It’s great that startups have the option to add a video pitch, but precious few can do it right so they are usually among the lamest things on earth, but not this one. Stephan Trimbos teamed up with some friends at Viewgate Digital and cooked up an ad that perfectly captures the essence of “The Bull,” a bold new watch infused with a healthy dose of 1970’s swagger. As of today, it is fully funded and selling like crazy.
As its name implies, The Bull is a bullhead chronograph, i.e., the crown and pushers are at the top of the case. Bullheads are race timers and Stuckx took that idea to its logical conclusion, creating a watch that radiates high octane and testosterone. Typical of this style, it has a 42mm asymmetrical case that is thick and lugless at the top, tapering to conventional, curved lugs at the bottom. All models have a 120-click, unidirectional bezel with a stylized ceramic insert. The dials are neatly balanced and uncluttered but unapologetically bold. Any watch as macho as The Bull should be ready for anything. To this end, they gave it 200 meters water resistance, a sapphire crystal, and Swiss Luminova.
Stuckx offers a choice of Seiko chronograph movements. The first are two- or three-register VK series MechaQuartz. I’ve covered the MechaQuartz many times in these electronic pages, but in short, it’s a quartz movement with a mechanical module that decouples and activates when the chrono buttons are pressed. You might say it is the best of both worlds; 1/5th-second analog goodness at a quartz price. Of course purists who cannot accept an electronic pulse can opt for the Seiko NE88 automatic, a true mechanical chronograph with 34 jewels, a 28.8k bph vibration rate, and a 45-hour power reserve. It features a column wheel for smooth engagement and greater durability.
The Bull has already sold out of early bird rewards, but the MechaQuartz can still be had for $308, and the automatic for $824. It won’t be for everyone, but it is a solid design and an excellent value. It also looks totally badass behind the wheel of a ’67 Cougar. For more info see the Stuckx web page and The Bull Kickstarter campaign.
