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The Stella Watch Company is a young, upcoming watch brand that made its debut in spring 2020. Characteristic of the American microbrand with the five-pointed star as its logo is its close association with New York City. Stella Felix Dress Blues.
For the brand’s launch, Stella declared its love for the city that never sleeps, launching a total of six different models from the so-called Stella Felix collection. Today we will take a closer look at one of them, the Dress Blues. It is perhaps the most classic representative of the Felix collection.
From the idea to the collection – The Stella Watch Company
Nowadays anyone can start a successful watch manufactory. Whereas in the past, the industry was mostly tied to the transfer of know-how and to specific locations, today passion, perseverance and originality are important. Good ideas are rewarded – for example with success on Kickstarter. This is also where Stella has raised enough start-up capital to launch the Felix collection in 2020. In contrast to many other microbrands, which spring up like mushrooms almost every day (and usually disappear just as quickly), Stella focuses on high-quality timepieces instead of cheap fashion watches off the peg. These are manufactured in the cradle of the watch industry, Switzerland.
What makes the watch brand so interesting and makes it stand out from the crowd? Surely this has something to do with the New York theme. Anyone who thinks for a moment about watches inspired by the Big Apple will quickly realize, as I do, that there have been very few watches in the “New York design” up to now. But the city offers inspiration in abundance. Stella, on the other hand, has dedicated itself to the cosmopolitan city. The six watches in the Felix collection each embody a different facet of the city. So anyone who loves the city as much as I do should find something suitable, alright? Stella Felix Dress Blues.
The Dress Blues – the unboxing
First impressions count. And Stella has more than succeeded in doing so with the Dress Blues. On my wooden table there is a dark brown, square leather case. The great feel, the characteristic leather smell. All this raises my expectations. Next to the object of desire there is a brown leather case as well as a stainless steel cylinder with a red Stella star, which seems strange at first sight.
The leather folder contains a booklet with specifications, design, quotes from famous people, old photos of New York and a personal postcard. If you look at the booklet, marvel at the graphic design and touch the high-quality paper, you immediately feel one thing. The Manufacture has worked with great attention to detail and effort to perfect the unboxing experience. In any case, I can’t remember when I have ever experienced such a great unboxing experience.
The stainless steel cylinder with the red star quickly turns out to be a tool. There are five cut-outs on the back. They fit exactly into the notches of the case of the Dress Blues. So this is how the case is opened! The ingenuity with which the designers of Stella have worked is definitely a unique selling point. The idea of opening the case through the stainless steel cylinder with a single movement deserves special praise.
The Dress Blues itself is the daily rocker in the model range of the New Yorker Company. The classic, dark blue dial surface in linen texture design impresses with its restraint and elegance in everyday life, whether in the office or in one of the coffee stores in Brooklyn. The discreet color selection is combined with shiny stainless steel and white accents. Of course, the Dress Blues does not deny its American origin. To make the color palette perfect, there is not only plenty of white and blue, but also a red accent at the triangular tip of the second hand. Stella Felix Dress Blues.
The Dress Blues also relies on discreet restraint in terms of size. Anyone who expected a bulky timepiece here is wrong. Stella’s watch measures 40 millimeters in diameter. At first glance, that seems to be very little. But on my wrist the Dress Blues cuts a very good figure. It is never obtrusive and seems to fit every outfit I try on perfectly. It doesn’t matter if I combine it with casual sporty clothes or with a suit. A classic brown leather strap successfully rounds off the first impression. The quality also seems to be on a very high level – at least at first glance. Whether the Dress Blues can confirm this, we will find out in detail.
The case – Stella Felix Dress Blues
Minimalism is the keyword for the case. Made of 316L stainless steel, the dress blues’ case captivates with its milled and shimmering surfaces. Clear forms determine the picture. On closer inspection, however, one can see that the watch is peppered with many small details.
For example, look at the screw connections in the star-shaped design, the star-shaped pattern with red accents on the rotor and the star logo on the crown. Stella sticks very closely to creating a recognizable brand identity. The case construction consists of four components in total. Only the body of the case has a black PDV coating, which creates a successful contrast to the shiny silver stainless steel.
With a case diameter of 40 millimeters, the Dress Blues has a height of 13.6 millimeters. The crown is also made of stainless steel and is screwed down. The operation for setting the time is very good. To protect the linen-design dial, Stella uses sapphire crystal.
This looks very noble and classic, especially because of the slight curvature. The case back shows that the young brand attaches great importance to quality and does not spare expensive materials in less present places. Here the Dress Blues has a viewing window through which the Swiss automatic movement can be admired. The viewing window is also made of sapphire crystal.
All specifications are engraved on the case back around the viewing window. I was surprised by the water resistance specification. This Dress Watch is actually supposed to be water resistant to a pressure of 10 bar! This is remarkable considering that we are dealing with a start-up and the Dress Blues is certainly not a diver’s watch. Stella Felix Dress Blues.
The movement
Inside the Dress Blues beats a Swiss automatic movement. More precisely, it is an STP 1-11 automatic movement, which is especially known for its reliability. The power reserve is a respectable 44 hours with 26 jewels.
What I especially like is the way Stella presents the automatic movement in its Dress Blues. Through the window you can see the dark blue rotor with the red star, the gold-colored prints and the blued screws.
The dial – Stella Felix Dress Blues
The dial is classic and discreet, but never boring. I like the linen design very much. The indices shine and match the stainless steel design of the case. Stella has chosen a mixture of Arabic numerals and skeletonized hour markers. The workmanship of the applied indices and the printing is on a very high level. Both the hour markers and the hands are coated with Super-LumiNova luminous material, which ensures even and strong illumination in the dark. A round date window also exists.
To lighten up the dial a little and give the Dress Blue even more personality, Stella has chosen to add a few playful accents. These include the Stella lettering under 12 o’clock and the second hand with its stocky red arrow.
The bracelet – Stella Felix Dress Blues
The counterpart to the clear blue of the dial is a dark brown leather strap with light brown stitching. I especially like the retro design. Inside, there is the Stella lettering as a brand mark. The stainless steel buckle perfectly matches the case design.
The wearing comfort of the bracelet was very good during the time I tested the watch. Practical: The spring bars are very easy to release. This makes changing the bracelet quick and easy. Stella Felix Dress Blues.
My conclusion about the Dress Blues
The launch of the new Stella Watch Company has been successful. With the Felix collection, the New York City-based manufacturer has launched an exceptionally successful debut movement – and set the bar very high for itself. No wonder when you consider the Dress Blue. The watch is so sophisticated that one would not think that this was actually a start-up that raised its starting capital through Kickstarter.
In summary, there are two reasons for this. First, there is the unbeatable quality. You can see from all sides that the Dress Blue is a Swiss make. Secondly, there is the design that makes the Dress Blue so extraordinary to me. The New York theme runs like a red thread through the design of the watch. As I said at the beginning, the Dress Blue is a daily rocker. A watch that you can wear on your wrist for any occasion. It adapts to every situation and is pleasantly restrained – a classic watch!
This is how the price of 1185 US dollars, which applies to all six models in the Felix collection, is justified. I am looking forward to the other models that the Stella Watch Company will present in the coming years. If they can maintain the level of the Felix collection, I am very impressed. Stella Felix Dress Blues.
Gallery Stella Felix Dress Blues:
Stella Felix Dress Blues here:
https://www.stellawatchcompany.com/
Dear WATCHDAVID reader! You have just read a sponsored article. This kind of advertising gives sponsors the opportunity to present you news or offers that are less suitable for conventional advertising. Sponsored contributions are always subject to the editorial guidelines of WATCHDAVID. My actual opinion about this watch can be read in this review.
