Undone sent NWC mag this Kevin Lyons chronograph to review and it has a real quality feel to it.
Often with quartz watches, the devil is in the detail and sometimes you feel a bit let down, like you bought a £150 Daniel Wellington and discovered it feels exactly like a £50 Sekonda.
But this watch comes in a rather natty pencil case style tin, which fits in with the artist theme nicely, plus a dated gurantee card and protective padding inside.
Once you have unboxed, the first impression you get from the Undone chronograph is one of weight. This is a chunky watch and it feels solid and well made, beuatifully finished in black. Although at just 46g, it’s actually about half the weight of many other chronograph watches, it feels substantial, with a very nice positive action to the chrono pushers too.
The crystal is slightly domed and hardened K1 glass, which is heat-treated for a bit more resistance to knocks and scratches. The 316 grade steel case has a black PVD coating and an eye-catching Undone logo graphic on the back.
Inside you find the trusty Seiko VK64 meca-quartz engine, so you have no doubt about reliable time-keeping on this baby. It was set a few days ago and naturally, it’s still spot on today. This is your ideal everyday watch, unless you want to collect the set of Kev Lyons Monsters of course and tuck them away in a drawer.
But we say watches are for wearing here at NWC mag and this is a practical, durable number, with that dependable Seiko power unit.
The VK64 can be found inside all kinds of chronographs, from Vostok, Christopher Ward, Yema and many more. There is a good reason for that popularity and it’s this simple; the mechanical chrono functions just keep on working – for years. No expensive servicing, no sweat. That uber-reliability is appealing for lots of watch fans.
You can choose between six different slogans and Monsters on the dial, so we went for Always on Time because yeah, it’s an aspiration…if not always a reality.
Kevin has a distinctive style, which reminds us of the late Bob Godfrey, who created Roobarb & Custard cartoons for the BBC back in the 70s, plus Henry’s Cat. It’s visually friendly, light-hearted and ultimately captures the joy of life.
So this watch makes you feel good when you glance down and check the time. It also feels built to last like a VW Arteon or Bergeon watch tool. There’s a tachymetre scale on the bezel, so if you need to calculate that time/speed/distance thing on your next transatlantic flight, or watching British Superbikes next season, then this timepiece has it covered.
The strap is Cordura by the way, with an Undone embossed buckle.
The Undone Kevin Lyons Monsters edition costs £297 and offers something that’s striking, collectable and also makes a great tool watch for everyday use.
More at the Undone site.