Latest Review
There are many articles on w&w about cool looking, well priced quartz watches that end with the same, perhaps repetitious sentiment: “I love it, but I would love it more if it were an automatic.” Often the comments on these posts support that sentiment too. One such watch was the blissfully simple and stylish Miró. It was a pleasure to wear, a pleasure to look at, and if it had just had a beating heart, which frankly doesn’t matter to a lot of consumers, it would have been hard to take off. Well, until now, there has not been a brand that has taken this call to heart. Not until the Miró Automatic.
Staying nearly 100% true to the original design (it’s a drop thicker at 11mm), the Miró Auto adds a Miyota 9015 and a domed Sapphire crystal into the mix, adding a lot more watch cred, without adding a lot more to the price. In fact, it comes out to a very affordable $259 (price without VAT), making it one of the best values out there for 9015, let alone one with a sapphire crystal. This was a great move on their part, as the subtle price increase will likely convince buyers who came for the quartz to up the ante a bit.
I’ve had the pleasure of spending some time with the new Auto, and it’s basically exactly what I hoped it would be. The same effortlessly cool watch, with a bit more mass to it and a smooth sweeping seconds hand. The tick of a quartz hand felt a bit to jarring for such a serene, open design, so the sweep works perfectly. Flipping the watch over reveals the 9015, which in contrast to the spartan aesthetic, has a mechanical complexity. Part of the hard to describe characteristics that makes a mechanical watch more desirable than a quartz is that the relatively simple action taking place on the surface is created by something far more intricate. This is well illuminated with the Miró.
When I tried out the quartz model, I went for the grey dial with honey strap, a combo that just worked perfectly right out of the box. This time, for the sake of trying something different, I went with the black dial, brown strap combo. Also quite handsome, the black dial is more contrasty, with a bolder presence. Paired with the new brushed case (the first one was polished) it added a bit more of a casual, almost sporty air to the design. I threw it on some striped NATOs and it felt right at home. Definitely a very versatile design that can be dressed up or down. That said, I think the grey dial is a bit more unique.
I liked how the vintage styled brown strap looked with the watch, though it wasn’t my favorite leather. It had a glossy sheen to it that made it look faux-shined and a bit plastic, like it was varnished. For a few extra bucks, you can get the watch on a Milanese mesh bracelet, which might be the best starting option, as it’s easy to find leather or material straps that will suit this design.
All in all, this is a very exciting development for the brand, and the version of the watch I would certainly recommend. For the extremely reasonable price of $259, you are getting a legit auto with unique, versatile looks that can be styled to suit the occasion. On a NATO it’s cool and casual, great for the summer, on leather a bit more rugged and handsome, and on mesh ready for a suit and tie. Lastly, it’s a very uni-sex design, so if you want to upgrade your SO’s wrist-wear, this is a good gift option. Hopefully they will bring out some of their blue dial, brushed gold models with this movement as well.
