Latest Review
The eagle-eyed watch enthusiast may have noticed a theme shift on the Circula website very recently. A new layout, new graphics, even a new logo. No, this is not some quarterly refresh, but rather a sign of things to come. Enter the Facet. A new flagship model from the brand positioned as an elevated everyday or dress watch following in the integrated bracelet sport watch wave that has swept throughout the industry. Now, the Facet may not technically have an integrated bracelet (it’s available on a strap as well), though it certainly leans into a similar look and feel. While this might be an introductory piece for a portion of this audience, Circula is a brand that has been on my radar for a while now with the Protrail Field watch making its way into my collection. I can honestly say too that I was a fan of the former direction of the brand, aiming to provide good value in the roughly $1,000 sports watch segment of the market. So, does this departure from the previous trend towards another signal my exit from the bandwagon or blow a signal for full steam ahead?
Let’s face it, the landscape of the watch industry has changed creating a more crowded and competitive market than we have ever seen before. In an effort to stand out, Cornelius Huber, the current caretaker of Circula and 3rd generation at the helm, has partnered with designer Guy Bove, previously of TAG Heuer amongst others, in designing the Facet to stand out in the pack. Utilizing new finishing techniques, a bold design language, and a movement that’s new to the brand, the Facet is a stark departure from the more rugged designs of old. True to its name, nearly every surface sports a facet designed to play in the light at almost any angle.
Measuring on my calipers at just over 38mm in diameter, the Facet is positioned to fit a wide variety of wrists with a thin profile and relatively compact lug-to-lug. Being on the smaller end of my typical spectrum, I found that the Facet fit my large-sized wrist well, aided by its integrated visuals. Its relatively thin case profile easily slides under the cuff and reduces its overall weight. The bracelet tapers down nicely to aid in comfort though has a visual presence that makes it feel substantial glinting in the sun with its mix of finishing and faceted angles. The clasp does feature a fit on the fly adjustment system meaning that finding the right fit was simple, and as my wrist swelled throughout the day was able to be adjusted. In complete transparency, I was originally worried that the angular case sides might dig in or that the broad-faceted bracelet links would pinch, but I was pleasantly surprised at the level of finishing achieved by Circula despite its complicated shape.
At first glance, you may see some influence from high horology in its case design, though a closer look will reveal its unique nature. Every typically hard edge has been faceted with roughly every other surface switching between brushing and polishing. This elevated look is especially apparent when you look at it side-by-side compared to the ProTrail model from Circula. You will notice similar design cues, but there has been a new level of attention to detail applied to this tentpole piece highlighting the fact that the Facet is not only filling a gap in the collection but driving the brand forward.
Beneath the surface of the flat sapphire crystal lies the deeply hued petrol dial featuring a variety of cuts and angles. At its perimeter, a sloping rehaut holds a white printed minute mark with Arabic numerals marking every five minutes, accompanied by applied hour indices. Like the case, the polished indices feature a central facet with a skeletonized interior holding a large application of luminous material. The main dial surface is stamped into a pattern of small concentric rectangles with a fine thumbprint-like pattern on their tops arranged in a pattern reminiscent of a solar field. At 6, a faceted date window holds a view of the color-matched date disk beneath. At the center of the dial, polished sword hands hold their own generous application of lume while the needle seconds hand sweeps across. This dial configuration toes the line well between everyday and dress while offering improved legibility and lume similar to Circula’s field watch offerings.
Flipping the watch over reveals the see-through case back fixed with four flat head screws aiding in achieving this piece’s 100 meters of water resistance. Beneath beats the La Joux-Perret G100, a movement that has been growing in popularity, offering an impressive 68 hours of power reserve. A first for Circula, the LJP G100 operates at 4hz while achieving a stated accuracy of +/-12 seconds, though often outperforms that stat. It is important to note that in our photos the rotor is plainly finished though will be decorated for the actual production run of the Facet collection. It is great to see Circula turn to LJP for the first time shifting away from the Sellita movements that power the rest of the lineup. No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the reliable and robust SW200-1, but the improved power reserve and KIF shock absorber make La Joux-Perret an attractive point of value.
So what is this watch? Does it fill the void? Does it stand out in a crowded market? For me, the Facet sits in the everyday watch category thanks to its capable specifications with the ability to be dressed up for the given occasion. I am not quite sure that looking at the offered collection from Circula I would have pegged this as the missing piece, though it does offer something wholly new and will hopefully capture a new audience. The recent onslaught of integrated-type watches has led to some shying away from the design, though I do believe that the Facet offers something different than the crowded pack with a unique design that does not feel phoned in like so many others. You can tell that a lot of careful thought went into the Facet, and that it’s meant to signal something new rather than trying to follow the trends.
The Circula Facet will be available for pre-order until December 7th for the price of $1,590 on strap or $1,890 on bracelet. Orders will begin shipping December 12th. After the Initial pre-order timeframe, the price of each option will increase by $100. Circula
