Cheap Bastard: The Stauer 1930 Dashtronic is a digital automatic watch you can have for just US$179
David SmiedtEditor’s note: Whether David is a bastard is still up for debate, but the fact he is cheap is irrefutable. Kidding aside, David loves solid watches at lower price points and therefore is always on the hunt for lesser discussed hidden gems in the under A$500 category. His latest pick: The Stauer 1930 Dashtronic.
Here at CB, nothing gets us hotter than a discount code. In this case, the magical combination of letters and numbers is ‘web2479’. This will slash almost $300 off the asking price of the watch in question – knocking it down from US$399 to US$179 (approximately A$260).
This horological dalliance can be traced back to the Gucci Grip, a timepiece we’ve long coveted thanks to its combination of curved peekaboo quarter circle dials and steampunk aesthetic that calls to mind the 1930s industrial instruments. But starting at $2500 with the most delectable version asking upwards of $3k, it was always beyond the budget. What a joy then when the algorithm gods somehow sensed my pulsing (quartz) desires and suggested this Stauer alternative.
According to Stauer: “The 1930s brought unprecedented innovation in machine-age technology and materials. Industrial designers from the auto industry translated the principles of aerodynamics and streamlining into everyday objects like radios and toasters.”
The watch has also got the auto-esque treatment and the dial here brings big speedometer/rev counter vibes right down red counters for minutes and black ones for hours. It wasn’t just an aesthetic fascination with all things mechanical. A beguiling variety of watch cases and mechanisms came into being in this period – it’s amazing what you can accomplish when one half of Europe isn’t punching on with the other. One of these is the jumping mechanism where the traditional watch hands are replaced by numerals on a pair of rotating discs (one for hours, one for minutes) viewed through a semicircular window.
Stauer is at pains to point out that what you get here is the ‘retro look of a jumping display (not an actual jumping complication)’. Either way, it’s a looker and a half – complete with fluted crown. The case is made of brushed stainless steel, is 12mm thick and 39mm in diameter. In other words big enough to be noticed by those with a keen eye but not so big that it feels unwieldy.
There is also a transparent caseback on the flipside so you can check out the guts at work. Speaking of which, the automatic Swiss movement taps 21 jewels and is water resistant to 30 metres. All in all, one of my favourite wrist buys of the year and a bargain to boot. Perfect for anyone who likes drawing looks from the curious.
Price: US$179, approx A$260 (with discount code ‘web2479’)