echo/neutra Has a Lock on Dolomite Inspired Watches with the Averau

If you’re a watch lover and have been thinking to yourself, “I wish there were more watches inspired by the Italian Dolomites,” well, salute, because today is the day you’ve been waiting for. echo/neutra is an Italy based brand that uses the mountain range as inspiration for the aesthetic sensibility of their timepieces, and, at a high level, the ethos of the brand itself. What this translates to in real world terms is a watch with a clean design and a workhorse movement, designed with the idea that it should be a lifelong companion. Let’s take a closer look at the echo/neutra’s latest, the Averau.

echo/neutra Averau

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Black, white, blue, sand
• Dimensions: 42 x 10.9 x 49mm
• Crystal: Sapphire     
• Water Resistance: 10 bar
• Crown: Screw down             
• Movement: STP1-11, STP3-13
• Strap/bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet, leather strap
• Price: $570 – $605
• Reference Number: n/a
• Expected Release: Available now  

The Averau collection consists of seven watches that feature a mix of dial colors (black, white, blue, and sand) on leather straps or an Oyster style bracelet. The collection includes a totally blacked out variant (the “Versante Sud”) and another with a PVD coated case and sunray blue dial. With such a variety in dial options and case finishing, watches in the Averau collection can present as both a classic, everyday sports watch, or something altogether more modern. 

They’re tied together through dial layout and design, which has a contemporary (but not minimal) feel. Thick hour markers at the cardinal positions are complemented by thinner, smaller hour indicators elsewhere, along with two sets of Arabic numerals on either side of the minutes track, counting the hours on the interior and the minutes on the exterior. Overall, it’s a clean, legible design with a hint of modernism, contrasting in an interesting way with the classic shape of the case. 

So, how, again, is this watch connected to the Dolomites? There’s something undeniably whimsical about tying your watch collection to a mountain range, and we’ve certainly seen more arbitrary and tenuous tie-ins from watch brands in the past. That said, echo/neutra’s own explanation is that the watches and mountains share a certain tough rigidity and “raw beauty” (as inscribed on the case back), and that each is approached with a sense of adventure. Fair enough. The brand’s images of the case finishing details look like everything has been machined to fairly high quality, and the watch’s proportions (it’s only about 11mm thick) should make it a convenient companion for all kinds of outdoor activities. I’ve never been to the Dolomites, but if the connection rings true to even a single customer, I think echo/neutra has done their job. Besides, at a base level, you’re either going to dig the way a watch looks or you’re not, and this might not have even a little bit to do with being a Dolemite fanatic, or maintaining total indifference.

Perhaps more interesting than the Averau’s connection to the mountains is echo/neutra’s decision to sell these watches with a choice of mechanical movements. The base configuration features the STP1-11 movement, but watches can be upgraded for around $100 to the STP3-13. STP, of course, is Fossil’s wholly owned movement manufacture, and competes with ETA and Selltta in the mass produced movement game, providing movements to watch brands both under the Fossil umbrella and outside of it. Both movements are automatic with 44 hours of power reserve on a full wind, beating at 28,8000 vph. The STP3-13 is rated for slightly better accuracy, and has an upgraded swan neck regulator and hardened blue screws that are lacking in the STP1-11. 

Watches in the Averau collection are shipping now, and range in price between $570 and $605 depending on your case and strap preferences. echo/neutra