Time + Tide
No matter what industry we look at, we end up following certain trends. Whether it’s fashion, cars, music, or what we care about most: watches. Over the past decade, we’ve seen an intense period of small and independent brands releasing vintage-inspired dive watches, followed more recently by GMT and time-only exploration/everyday watches. 2021-2023 will see the rise of sports watches with integrated bracelets, with small and independent brands helping to popularize this genre of watch for budget-conscious collectors. That’s where Rosenbusch and Quest come in. Rosenbusch is a new brand, and the Quest is their first model. Spoiler alert: the Quest looks similar to other popular models, but has its own identity. What Rosenbusch has done is reimagine a popular watch style and inscribe it with their own philosophy, while making it accessible to a wider range of watch enthusiasts by offering two different movements (two levels of refinement, you could say), making the integrated bracelet everyday sports watch experience accessible to virtually anyone.
Incident
The Quest, like any other watch, has a certain visual and wrist presence. This is due to the inherent shape and dimensions of the case, but I found it comfortable to wear on my 6.25 inch (16 cm) wrist. In fact, the brand told me that they aimed to create a statement piece that you could buy without having to mortgage your house (I honestly can’t imagine anyone buying a Royal Oak or Nautilus would want to hide it under their cuff). The full stainless steel case is 42mm in diameter, 49mm lug-to-lug, 11.7mm thick, 25mm lug width, tapering to 18mm at the clasp. These dimensions are great overall and make sense for an everyday sports watch with an integrated bracelet. The case/bracelet construction would make it impossible to reduce the lug-to-lug length, but in a way, that’s the beauty of the design. One of the things that makes this case really sporty is its overall shape.
The key word here today is “asymmetrical hexagon.” Indeed, the bezel, dial, chapter ring, and crystal have six sides, and one of the distinctive elements of the Quest is that the sides are not symmetrical. In other words, some sides are longer than others, and the top (12 o’clock) and bottom (6 o’clock) sides in particular are shorter than others. This is clever, as the fixed bezel tapers towards the integrated lugs. From the side, the case looks good due to the two large chamfers that make up the sides of the case. The top is brushed and the bottom is polished, matching the brushed finish at the top and polished finish at the bottom of the bezel. This alternation of finishes is playful and helps the case look good on the wrist. As is customary for this type of watch, the fixed bezel has six screws that match the hexagonal shape of the case, as does the caseback in both the see-through and full versions (more on that later). It’s also worth noting that the caseback and crown are screw-down, giving the Quest the requisite 100-metre water resistance.
Dial
The Quest’s dial offers a different experience than what we are used to seeing on this type of watch. Before we forget, the Quest dial is available in four colors: Sterling Silver, Deep Black, Midnight Blue, and Emerald Green. No matter which color you choose, you get the same elegant and tastefully laid out dial. The dial is divided into three sections that work harmoniously together. The middle section displays the seconds hand, the main section displays the time, and the third section houses the date window and the minute track. The main feature of the Quest, as you may have already guessed, is the central seconds register with applied markers and a unique texture. It’s an unusual way to display the seconds hand, but it works well here.
The hour and minute hands are long with rounded tips that match the shape of the applied hour markers. The hands and markers are highly polished, adding a touch of elegance to the dial, as is the small marker on the seconds track. The date window is framed and polished, and positioned so that Rosenbusch could add a truncated marker to its east, perfectly aligned with the other markers. The sloping rehaut features a simplified minute scale printed on it, and all of this is clearly visible thanks to the hexagonal sapphire crystal, which we should add. The hour and minute hands, as well as the hour markers, are generously coated with BGW9 lume.
strap
The Rosenbusch Quest comes with both a three-link stainless steel bracelet and a rubber strap. The bracelet is carefully crafted with a polished finish on the middle links and a satin finish on the rest of the watch. The clasp is a double-pusher butterfly type, the links are screwed in place, and Rosenbusch has added half links to ensure a perfect fit. The rubber strap is seamlessly integrated into the case and has a double-pusher deployment mechanism. Both the bracelet and rubber strap have quick-release spring bars for easy replacement.
motion
As mentioned before, the Quest comes in two versions. The budget version is powered by the Seiko NH35 caliber, which beats at 21,600 PBH (3Hz) and has a power reserve of 41 hours. The premium version is powered by the Élaboré Sellita SW200-1 caliber, which beats at 28,800 BPH (4Hz) and has a power reserve of 38 hours. In the photos, you can distinguish between the two versions by looking at the casebacks. The NH35 has a solid engraved caseback, while the SW200-1 has a see-through caseback.
Rosenbusch Quest Prices and Availability
The Rosenbusch Quest is available for pre-order through an Indiegogo campaign. Website ) The Seiko NH35 version will have a launch price of US$500 (AU$736) and will retail for US$717 (AU$1,055). The Sellita SW200-1 version will have a launch price of US$716 (AU$1,054) and will retail for US$1,022 (AU$1,504). In addition, Rosenbusch will offer a limited edition RBX Quest with a skeleton dial for US$1,067 (AU$1,570). The estimated delivery date for the Seiko NH35 version is November 2023, and for the Sellita and RBX versions is January 2024.
Brand Rosenbusch Model Quest Case Size 42mm x 49mm x 11.7mm Case Material Stainless steel Water Resistance 100m Crystal Sapphire Dial Black, blue, green, white, skeleton Lug Width 18mm – 25mm Strap Stainless steel bracelet and black rubber strap Movement Seiko NH35 or Sellita SW200-1 Élaboré Power Reserve 38-41 hours Availability Available for pre-order on Indiegogo Price US$500 (AU$736) – US$1,067 (AU$1,570)
