First Look at the Collins Hyperion

On the back of the success of the two-year-old Bronson, L.A. based Collins Watch Company is back with the Hyperion, a logical continuation of the aesthetic that brand founder Jimmy Collins has been cultivating from the beginning. Collins designs are simple, functional, and, according to the founder, rooted in a love of vintage audio equipment. Like previous Collins projects, the Hyperion is getting its start on Kickstarter, and appears to represent a solid value for micro-brand fans looking for a well-made, vintage-inspired everyday piece with a workhorse Swiss movement.

The Hyperion, to my eyes, has elements of classic aviation watches and field watches folded into a case design using high quality materials. It’s extremely legible, with Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9, and large stick indices everywhere else. The hour and minute hands are in a broad, sword style, and painted with a soft faux vintage lume.

Huge props to Collins for the subtle execution of the date window at 4:30 with the highly sought after but all too infrequently used matching of dial color to date wheel. The asymmetry inherent in most date windows never bothers me as much as the color clashing, but of course this is highly personal and your mileage may vary. For those who will absolutely under no circumstances ever need to check the date, Collins is offering a gun-metal PVD coated variant with a date-less carbon fiber dial. It’s sleek.

In addition to the gun-metal finished version, Collins will produce the Hyperion in two additional finishing options: a traditional brushed stainless steel, and a black PVD coated edition. The diameter is a very wearable 40mm with a modest lug to lug length of 48mm. This watch wears true to size — on the large side, but comfortable. Again, the watch seems to have been designed with everyday use clearly in mind.

Prior Collins watches have used Seiko movements, but the Hyperion is powered by the Swiss made Sellita SW200, a reliable engine with a 38-hour power reserve. The watches are fashioned as Swiss made and “assembled, tested, and tuned” in the USA.

This is a solid step forward for Collins, and it feels like just enough has been tweaked from the Bronson to offer a bit more refinement and clarity in design. The dial is cleaner, losing the printed box around the date window, and text on the dial is more carefully chosen; the Bronson had an awkward “The Bronson” signature at 6:00, while this new model is signed simply “Hyperion.” It’s a small change, but it makes a real difference. This is a utilitarian but attractive watch, and those with a connection to audio recording will perhaps be more likely to connect with some of the specific design cues.

Early bird Kickstarter pricing for the Hyperion starts at $495. The final retail price will be $750. Collins via Kickstarter

What are your thoughts on the new Collins Hyperion? Let us know by leaving a comment below.