[F]Celica 1174 Parade vs. Echo/Nutra Ribanera

You’re probably reading this in your pajamas, like it’s Sunday morning. However, imagine that you have an invitation to a more formal party during the upcoming Christmas holidays. Of course, you need to decide which watch to wear. So what would you do if you had to choose between the Echo/Neutra Rivanera and the Celica 1174 Parade? Each of these recent releases offers a different take on where modern dress watch design is heading. We provide. But which one would you vote for?

In fact, these two watches are completely different from each other. The Parade case is made of stainless steel, while the Ribanera case is made of bead-blasted titanium. The Parade also has an automatic movement, but the Ribanera must be wound by hand. Also, the shape is completely different. At the same time, they are a modern and creative interpretation of dress watches, and they cost the same: 1,490 euros. But before Dern and Thomas face off to convince each other, let’s take a look at what happened in last week’s showdown.

Last week on Sunday Morning Showdown…

A week ago, Jorg and Mike had an unprecedented battle with two affordable divers. In the left corner was Jorg wearing a Seiko Prospex SPB483, and in the opposite corner was Mike defending his honor in a Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80. Both watches have some unique features. For example, the SPB483 has a controversial octagonal bezel, and the Seastar has a vertically brushed gradient dial. In the comments, there were opinions supporting both sides. However, while the Tissot Seastar offers great value for money, the Seiko SPB483 still wins. It was a more original design and managed to garner 60% of the votes, so it certainly wasn’t a landslide, but it was still a landslide win. Let’s see what happens in this week’s episode.

Daian: Celica 1174 Parade

Honestly, when Nacho sent me the first photos of his latest Celica design while he was in Paris recently, I had no idea how to react. And I still don’t know exactly what to make of the combination of its strong case and decorated dial. But what I do know is that this watch fit perfectly on my wrist, and I fully appreciate Celica’s unique approach to designing modern dress watches.

Yes, of course, its stadium-like shape reminds many of the Patek Philippe Ellipse. By the way, the same goes for Echo/Nutra Rivanera. It’s like a Cartier Tank on steroids. But in my eyes, both of these watches have plenty of originality. I’ll let Thomas explain how great the Echo/Neutra design is, and I’ll focus on the Serica design.

familiar stadium

Let’s start with Parade’s stadium-shaped case. Because this is my favorite feature. As I wrote in the introductory article, it was 41mm long x 35mm wide, so it felt a little big when I held it in my hand for the first time. Also, the stepped case and wide bezel design made it look much more muscular than most dress watches out there. However, since there are no lugs and the dial is not as large as the case, the watch feels smaller on your wrist than it looks. It’s also quite slim at 8.6mm thick, so it’s very comfortable.

But what I also find fascinating is that the Parade looks both quite different and similar to previous Celica models. Of course, the shape and concept are quite novel for the brand, but with its vertically brushed bezel and polished bevels around it, the 1174 Parade still looks very familiar and reminds us of the brand’s 6190 Field Watch . I appreciate that Parade fits well with Celica’s design language. It’s certainly not a traditional sports watch, but it’s still fully recognizable as a Celica.

I think it’s hard to say the same about Echo/Neutra’s Rivanera. This is also a brand that focuses on sports watches. But if you had told me that Rivanera was made by another brand, I would have believed you. It’s very different from the company’s other designs. Look at the Rivanera side-by-side with other Echo/Neutra watches and you’ll see what I mean.

A very functional and practical dress watch

What I also appreciate about the Celica 1174 Parade is that it has features and practicality that are almost on par with other watches in the brand’s portfolio. Most dress watches are small, fragile pieces that you have to take off when washing dishes. Also, like Echo/Nutra Rivanera, you have to wrap it by hand almost every day. Well, that’s not the case with parades. I can’t swim with the supple black calfskin strap, but I can with the textile strap or steel mesh bracelet, thanks to the case’s 100 meter water resistance.

But perhaps the best part is the Soprod M100 automatic movement. No, the 42-hour power reserve isn’t all that impressive, but who cares when the rotor winds up? At 5.9mm thinner, the Ribanera is thinner, but the Parade’s caseback sinks a bit into your wrist, making it feel just as thin. Plus, at 8.6mm thick, it’s not chunky by any means, especially when it’s equipped with a handy automatic movement.

Impressive first iteration

Admittedly, I don’t think the Celica 1174 is perfect yet. I’m not satisfied with the design of the dial. I think the waves on the dial look a bit far-fetched, and the polished domed hands lack character. But this is just the first iteration of the parade. Celica is known for optimizing its products, for example by improving the reliability and precision of its movements, or by making slight adjustments to the design of its watches. I hope the same thing happens at the parade.

For me, the brass dial color and small hour markers are fine as is. I like them. But instead of waves, choose lines in the shape of a case, like a stadium track. I also think a sharp dauphin hand looks better. Additionally, it matches the style of the broad arrow hands on other Celica watches. But even without those changes, I would choose Parade over Echo/Neutra’s Rivanera. But Thomas, I know you won’t. Let’s hear why.

Thomas: Echo/Neutra Ribanera

Thank you, Daan! This is probably the first time anyone has said that the best thing about a watch is the Soprod caliber. I wholeheartedly disagree. In fact, for me, that’s the worst part of Celica Parade. Count on hand-rolling at camp! And count me in camp ETA.

In fact, the old ETA 7001 caliber found in the Echo/Neutra is not only a proven workhorse, it’s also a very beautiful workhorse. The finely finished movement is housed under a thin layer of sapphire, resembling a photograph on the back of a Ribanera. It certainly looks very cool. It is also possible to reduce the overall thickness to 5.9mm. Now, the Parade isn’t exactly obese, but its shape makes it feel quite bulky on the wrist.

However, the beautiful case back is just the decoration of the Ribanera. When you flip it over, you’re holding a 1930s Patek-like watch that died in an accident and came back to life in half-robot form. Terminator dress watch. Its beauty is truly unique and the entire Fratello team was amazed when we held it in our hands.

Ribanera and Parade from a brand perspective

I have to agree with you about branding, Daan. Serica is very good at building an image and a very specific atmosphere around their watches. This style speaks to me as much as it does you. Hate it or love it, at least it’s clear and recognizable. In fact, Parade fits perfectly within that brand as a logical new extension of that brand.

Echo/Neutra Rivanera not so much. I feel like the brand started with a distinct style that I would describe as tactical and decorative Bauhaus. By definition, Bauhaus is unadorned, which is why this brand didn’t really appeal to me. This mixture had no effect on my eyes at all. The company has since branched out into a variety of styles and now has Ribanera. I share your feelings about not being able to get used to this brand. As you scroll down the homepage, you’ll see Rivanera, then Cristallo. I don’t see any shared DNA there. I share your sentiments about Celica making their watches a little more appealing.

But I hope this is a new direction for Echo/Neutra. It can take a while for a brand to find its true north. I hope this is it and we’ll see more soon. I think this design language has a much more unique power than the brand’s other lines.

Rivera Over Parade

I love parades, Daan. I really think so. However, the design doesn’t really appeal to me. I completely agree with you that a different handset and a different dial stripe would be a huge improvement. So why would you want to like something if you don’t like it? I think it’s because it’s such a brave new direction and bold design. Maybe it’s because it’s so close to my tastes, but for me it’s beside the point. It may be because I sympathize with the Celica brand.

True, Ribanera is not so bold. The more traditional basic shape makes it easier on the eyes. A sterling silver case and eggshell white dial could simply make it a 1930s watch. Stands out due to stealth processing. The bead-blasted titanium and eerie dark dial look very out of place in this style, but it works like a charm.

This also makes Ravanera stylistically flexible. Not only is it a dress watch, but it is also perfect for casual coordination such as denim. It’s no exaggeration to say that this watch is perfect for me. I wouldn’t change anything about that. This is a cool looking watch and very well made.

Please vote!

Look, there it is! For the same price, there are two highly functional non-circular dress watches. Which one would you choose? Vote and share your motivation in the comments section below!