Vandaag Primus Automatik Review and Giveaway

There is no shortage of simple, elegant watches available for under $500. The Bauhaus movement hasn’t yet faded, and that’s not a bad thing. But a lot of those cheaper watches will leave you wanting more, or flat out disappointed. Most are simply using off-the-shelf parts to grab a quick buck, failing to put any design into the timepiece, and leaving you with an uninspired heap of metal on your wrist.

Vandaag is a German brand that offers only three models, which could have you covered for all your watch needs. With a diver and a chronograph, the company rounds out its shop with the Primus dress watch. Available in quartz or automatic, the watch offers a familiar look with a couple of inspired design choices that show some actual thought went into the watch.

Simplicity. That’s the name of the game with the Vandaag Primus. And they’ve won the game. The Primus comes in a blue, black or silver dial, and you can get the black in a gold case. Each one maintains the clean look, but the gold is obviously for a certain taste.

The watch sits well on the wrist, and the extremely comfortable quick-release strap makes that even truer. As you can tell here, you don’t always get the full effect of the deep blue. Part of the enjoyment of this (and many) dials is that its appearance changes depending on the light you’re in.

10.8mm may seem thin, and it is compared to tool watches . But on a dress watch it’s on the thicker side. You won’t feel the thickness too much on the wrist, as there’s a cutaway on the caseback and sharply downturned lugs. So you know, the quartz model is only 8.1mm.

The dial has a light shine to it, as you can see as the date window catches the light in the photo above. It’s a rich, deep blue, and the simplicity of the dial text and markers let’s it do its thing. Perhaps my favorite part of the dial are the polished pips at each hour. And if you’re groaning about a lack of lume, you shouldn’t be. This is a dress watch; if you’re active in the dark with such a piece on your wrist, your watch is not where your eyes should be.

Perhaps my only real gripe with the Primus is the black date wheel. Obviously not an issue on the black dial version (nor the white, which has a matching wheel), the black clashes against the dark blue. The window itself is well-positioned without cluttering the rest of the dial or being left at sea. (Imagine what it would look like at 4:30…disgusting).

Above and below, take a close look at the lugs. Instead of flat sides, the Vandaag Primus features a concave bevel on the side of the lug that transitions to the rounded caseback. The transition is exceptionally soft, I think for the better: a hard, crisp edge on the lug would ruin the elegance of the case. You don’t usually see this level of design on sub-$400 watches, especially on ultraclean dress watches.

Due to push-pull crown’s size and shape, you’ll likely be resorting to your fingernails to pull it out, though that gave me no trouble. (That little bump underneath is from the watch holder, not some odd protuberance in the case.)

I happen to like the whirlybird effect you get when putting a Miyota-equipped watch down (or moving it at all), but I’ve heard it bothers some. But I also think those some are wrong.

I got the Vandaag Primus two or so months ago, At first, I felt it was another run-of-the-mill Bauhaus-inspired, midcentury modern watch from a similarly inclined brand. Wearing it, though, I’ve come to enjoy the blue dial, the light catching on the hour pips, and the contouring of the case. At about $305, it’s a good value and an easy-to-wear timepiece. If you’re interested in checking out the Primus or any of Vandaag’s other offerings, head over to their site.

Of course, if you want to try getting a Vandaag for the even better price of “free” then enter to win the review watch through The Time Bum x Vandaag Primus Giveaway. [4/2/21 – This giveaway has ended and a winner has been drawn.]

Good luck!⬩