Three things are sure to attract The Time Bum’s interest: innovative microbrand watches, budget-friendly watches, and locally made watches. I hit that trifecta when I connected with Osmaan Minhas, who was designing Castle & Gazelle watches right in my Northern Virginian backyard.
Osmaan has deftly combined his passions for watches with his love of Islamic art. His products are stunning, unique, and an amazing bargain, with prices starting at just $95 for a Miyota 2035 quartz and $249 for a Seiko NH35 automatic movement. I met up with him at a recent NoVa Watches & Coffee event and borrowed one of each for this review: the Alhambra Red quartz and the Zellij Sitara automatic.
I’ll tackle the quartz first, but it’ll be a mere appetizer for my fellow watch nerds. The automatic is the real meal. Read on.
I must confess, when I saw the brand name “Castle & Gazelle,” I thought it was something cooked up by A.I. because, really, how do those two things make any sense together, and what could they possibly have to do with watches? As it turns out, quite a bit. The problem wasn’t with the name; it was simply my lack of knowledge. You see, the Castle and Gazelle was an 11th-century water clock featuring movable decorative animals designed by the Andalusian engineer Ibn Khalaf al-Murad, thus making it the ideal name for a watch brand that is rooted in Islamic art and culture.
Castle and Gazelle’s intricate dials are 3D printed and brimming with vibrant detail. There are currently eight designs in the catalog, and only one, the Azure Green pictured above, is available in both quartz and automatic versions. Each dial has its own story as Ossman’s inspiration reaches broadly through time and geography.
Both models are offered with either leather or wool herringbone, quick-release 20mm straps, both with signed buckles. The price difference is just $5 more for the wool, which is very nice, but I’d caution that its dense weave can fight some of these detailed dials, so you will want to choose carefully.
The quartz is Castle & Gazelle’s value leader. I selected the Alhambra for its subtle color variation and rich texture. The peach, pale gray, and soft orange are woven through a geometric pattern inspired by the stonework of that famed Spanish palace. The Arabic embossing in the center reads, “There is no victor but Allah.”
While the dial is gorgeous, the rest of the watch is content to stay out of its way. A needle-thin handset and markers allow a clear view of the artwork. Its brushed stainless steel case is wafer thin at just 7mm, and the quartz movement keeps this 40mm unit lightweight. The Alhambra is the last of the brand’s 40mm watches, by the way. All others are 39mm wide and 9mm thick. It has a mineral crystal and a 50m water resistance rating.
Osmaan has wisely chosen to keep all branding and text off of his dials, so he put all of that effort into the case back, where an etched gazelle meets his intricate geometric logo.
I found the quartz to be a perfectly fine watch and lovely statement piece, but the Zellij Sitara Automatic absolutely knocked me out.
Zellij is a method of North African tilework. The pattern here is that of a Sitara (“star” or “veil of stars”), in particular, those found on the stone fountains of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. The pattern is fabulous in and of itself, and you can purchase it as a full dial in either blue-on-white or white-on-black variants; however, the Zellij Sitara takes it a step further. Between the blue explosion at its center and the sober gray ring with its simple white hour markers is a fully exposed date wheel.
I’m a sucker for open date wheels of the Seiko Sonar variety and the fact that this one is printed in Eastern Arabic makes it all the more appealing. Can I read it? No. Do I care? Also, no. It’s a beautiful element. Now, if you can read it, the date offers an alternative way of perceiving time: a single framed day and a view of your place in the month, which I understand takes on heightened importance during Ramadan, thus injecting yet another cultural element into the overall design.
Is there a way to make this dial even better? What if I told you that the whole thing was lumed, including the date and the starburst? It’s magnificent.
In contrast to the rather plain case framing the quartz, the automatic is more substantial and characterful. It measures just under 39mm wide, about 11.7mm thick, and __mm long with a signed 6.5mm crown. Like the quartz, it is good for 50m water resistance, but upgrades the crystal from mineral to sapphire. The fixed bezel and curved sides are polished, while the vertically brushed lugs add a touch of contrast.
To my eye, the case’s shape, finish, and broader crown elevate the auto’s presence. It looks and feels more substantial than quartz, but not so much that it slips into tool-watch bulkiness. In fact, my wife declared it to be a perfect unisex size. I found it was a good fit on my 6.75″ wrist, an easy fit under a buttoned shirt cuff, and on the leather strap, entirely appropriate to wear with a suit.
Flipping it over, you will find an exhibition window that shows off the custom-engraved rotor. An engraved ring carries all the usual text.
Osmaan is doing remarkable work here. These watches are beautiful and incredibly affordable. I can understand $99 for the quartz, but the $249 for the Zellij Sitara Automatic — with its tidy proportions, exposed Eastern Arabic wheel, and stunning Moroccan starburst — is almost impossible to resist. For that price, why fight it?
Judging from the pictures he showed me of the watches he has in development, there are even better things on the horizon. Check out castleandgazelle.com and snag one now before he comes to his senses and raises the price.
