Finnish watch manufacturer Jurmo has introduced a new Stark watch model that combines the best features of pilot and field watches.
The name of the watch model, Stark, is a play on the Finnish language, because Jurmo’s previously presented Karu watch model means stark in English.
Jurmo Stark combines craftsmanship and industrial production
Stark is Jurmo’s first novelty in two years, so high expectations have also been set for it. That’s why it’s great to notice that the new collection is also the most commercial of all in my own eyes. Stark, who has been on the drawing board for about four years, is even a bit conservative in “Jurmo-style” terms, but in the same way well-produced.
While many micro watch brands assemble their watches largely from subcontractors’ catalogs, bringing in their own design only sparingly, Jurmo represents a more ambitious philosophy of independent watchmaking with its own design, part manufacturing and finishing, as well as assembly and testing. Swiss movements are used in the watches, which are also tuned and finished a lot depending on the case – a good example is the skeletonized Jurmo Sisu.
Suosittelemme
Stark is a wristwatch suitable for many hands, as the size of the stainless steel case is 39 millimeters. The moderate thickness of 10 millimeters and the restrained length of the lugs affect the fit and versatility. The movement is the Swiss work-horse ETA 2892 finished by Jurmo, which offers the watch a power reserve of 42 hours. According to Jurmo, the mechanism of the Elabore class is adjusted according to chronometer standards.
Even though there is no screw lock in the crown, the watch is promised to be 100 meters waterproof. The operation of the movement can be observed through the sapphire back cover, which, depending on the model, is colored in the same color of the dial.
This is how I get to Jurmo’s own area, i.e. the good aspects of own production. Jurmo has found a niche for itself in that it successfully combines hand-based small-scale production with a production process that enables watchmaking on a larger scale. We are talking about self-sufficiency, which includes cases, dials, hands, and individual (or quite a few) watch parts. This has enabled e.g. skeletonization and finishing of the Sisu watch model with a fairly free hand.
With industrial scale thinking, Jurmo’s strength is in addition to reasonably priced small series production, customizing individual watches to meet customer requirements. The Stark watch model is available in the so-called off the shelf with two dial colors, black and blue. If the customer wants a watch with a green dial, Jurmo can do it for a moderate additional fee (in this case we are talking about 600 euros, if the finish is the same kind of sunray polishing). The same customization of details is possible, for example, with hands and hour indices.
Clear design with a little twist
As a watch, the Jurmo Stark is unadorned and its appearance has something in common with, say, the IWC Pilot XX. On closer inspection, the watch also has its own distinctive features, the most significant and at the same time subtle is the 14-sided (or angular) fixed bezel, the bevels of which are matte-polished and the edges mirror-polished. The patterning is quite inconspicuous, especially when looking at the watch directly from the front.
Another striking detail is the finely executed and sun-polished dial, which is actually two parts. The outer rim containing the hour markings and indices of the dial is about a millimeter higher, the edges of which are finished in an elliptical beauty. The readability of the dial is also on point, which is taken care of by the generous SuperLuminova massing and the large hour indexes. The steel hour and minute hands are semi-skeletonized, true to Jurmo’s style.
The watch can be purchased with several different bracelets, of which the steel bracelet in our test piece is sturdy. However, the wristband lock is something that will require further attention from Jurmo in order to make it work as smoothly as possible. By correcting this detail, a good execution would become a lot better.
You can avoid this by buying a watch with three nato straps instead of a steel strap. The price is exactly the same 2390 euros and for example the green strap in the black model is a very tasty equation. Several different leather, fabric and elastic straps are available, and if you can’t find a suitable one in the selection, Jurmo can customize the watch with exactly the strap the customer wants. In addition to this, the standard lug spacing of 20 millimeters offers a wide range of accessory bracelets.
Summary
Stark is Jurmo’s most commercial model so far, with all the right pieces. The seemingly simple watch has details that subtly tell about one’s own know-how when it comes to watchmaking. In terms of its style, Stark is great for watch owners who want one watch for everyday life. Jurmo Stark adapts nicely to this need by changing the bracelet.
Jurmo Stark wristwatches are produced in a limited batch of 25 per color, i.e. 50 in total. The price of the watch is 2390 euros with a steel bracelet or three nato straps. The watches are available in Jurmo’s online store.
In a nutshell
- Manufacturer: Jurmo Watches
- Model: Stark
- Movement: ETA 2892 automatic
- Operating frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 A/h)
- Power reserve: 42 hours
- Case material: stainless steel
- Case diameter: 39 mm
- Glass: sapphire
- Water resistance: 100 m
- Bracelet: stainless steel bracelet, or three nato bracelets
- Price: 2390 € (incl. VAT 24%)
