I’ve always been a car guy, so it’s no surprise that I love motorsport-themed watches. If your watch emulates vintage race-timers, dashboard gauges, or team liveries, I’m interested. Still, the watch has to get the details right. There is a huge gap between merely adding racing stripes to a standard design and creating a watch that thoughtfully evokes the essence of the sport. The Sunrex 611 ($600) falls into the latter category, with a fun, capable chronograph that honors a legendary driver.
Sunrex is a Hong Kong brand with watch-manufacturing roots dating back to 1975. In 2018, its principals launched a range of solar watches of their own design. The 611 is part of the brand’s Racer’s Collection. It maintains classic proportions, measuring 37mm wide, 44mm long, and 14mm thick from its decorated case back to the dome of the AR-coated sapphire crystal. The stainless steel case is brushed on its top surface and bezel edge; the rest of the watch is polished, including the case back, crown, and pushers. While 14mm may sound thick, reflective surfaces, arched lugs, and a modest undercut beneath the bezel prevent it from looking too heavy.
It felt just right on my 6.75″ wrist; sporty yet compact. Although you can wear it under a buttoned shirt cuff, you will likely pair it with something more casual. I’d suggest the kind of clothing you might wear at the track, like your team’s t-shirt or, if you are in the car itself, a Nomex firesuit. The watch itself is not SFI-rated for fire, but its lovely fluted screw-down crown does seal for 100m water resistance.
The 611’s heart is the Viluminus movement, an Epson VS76A solar quartz chronograph with a 1/20th second and 60-minute subdials at 12 and 6. The plungers have a soft feel that is typical of quartz chronos, and the sweep hand rolls smoothly back to 12 on reset. It will run for 5 months on a full charge. I have steered away from many quartz watches lately, as I have the terrible habit of seeking them out to wear only after their batteries are dead. Solar watches, on the other hand, are truly grab-it-and-go. So long as you store them in a relatively sunny spot to rest, they will be ready to leap into action.
Sunrex does not mention a particular driver or car in the 611’s description, but it does mention “drivers who pushed for safer, smarter racing.” F1 aficionados will immediately recognize that as a nod to the great Jackie Stewart. The Flying Scott was a three-time world champion who campaigned tirelessly for driver safety, including protective gear, fire crews, and proper medical facilities. Flip the watch over, and you will find a Royal Stewart Tartan plaid of the kind that decorated Stewart’s helmet. I love the way it is deliberately weathered and flaked, though I must confess I only realized it after trying to wipe away the specks for the photo.
The 611’s dial is as motorsport as it gets, with bold, white-on-black instrument-style subdials, orange needles, and best of all, a racecar small seconds indicator disk.
Its blue tachymetre bezel and matching seconds track recall the colors of the Elf-sponsored Tyrell Racing Team for which Stewart drove from 1968-73. If you have any doubt, then I invite you to grab your magnifier and take a closer look at that car.
That looks like the same #7 Tyrell Matra MS80 Stewart drove in 1969. Of all the clever elements on this watch, this one is the best. The car is doing donuts and billowing a plume of smoke that drifts between the two major subdials and over the sparsely lettered brand and model names. Its path is clearly shown by the skid marks its laying down. Jackie might be trying to regain his direction because the front wheels are in full opposite lock. Of course, it’s more of a run indicator than a way to track the seconds, but who cares? It’s awesome.
Polished, diamond-cut hands and applied markers complete the face. The framed black date disk complements the aggressive black subdials. Blue/white lume offers a healthy glow.
Sunrex supplies the 611 with two excellent 20mm straps. The white FKM is the most striking, with its rally holes, pebbled-grain texture, and red and blue racing stripes. This feels like a substantial strap even though it’s remarkably soft. With 11 adjustment holes and two floating keepers, I suspect it will fit just about anyone. It tapers to an 18mm buckle.
If you want to switch things up, pop off the quick-release spring bars and try the 20/18mm blue ombré leather with white stitching and three canted metal keepers. It’s an attractive and aggressive look that fits the watch’s character.
Sunrex ships the 611 in a simple, yet attractive, cardboard box. The watch head is safely ensconced in a small cloth bag and recessed insert, while the info cards and straps reside beneath. It is light, clever, and refreshingly unpretentious. I highly approve.
I enjoyed the 611, and I give the Sunrex team tremendous credit for its execution. In fact, I’d say they took the ideal car guy’s approach by putting a modern motor in a compact platform and dressing up its classic lines with some bold design elements. The result is a fun, practical watch steeped in racing history.
If the 611 catches your interest, you might also enjoy the Targa Classica variant or the 321 tonneau case chronograph for a JPS Lotus vibe. Head over to sunrexwatches.com for more.
