HANDS-ON: The Meistersinger Primatic is a single-handed shake-up for your collection
Fergus NashMeistersinger may be renowned for their single-handed watches, but there is the extremely rare occasion they release a watch that has two. Of course, it would be silly to assume that means you get a traditional hour and minute hand, as the Meistersinger Primatic instead gives you their emblematic mono-hand as well as a power reserve indicator.
Aside from that, it’s a charming watch with a rather pragmatic approach to the Meistersinger quirk that’s so intriguing.
The case
Another Meistersinger’s trend the Primatic breaks is the tendency towards largeness, combining both wide diameters and thin bezels to maximise the amount of dial that shows on your wrist. The Primatic, however, is relatively modest with a 41.5mm diameter, taming the dimensions for those who may want their watches to be just a tad more subtle. For the small-wristed, the Meistersinger Primatic still wears quite large thanks to the 49.5mm lug-to-lug length, although the curvature does lend itself to comfort.
In terms of design, the Primatic sticks by Meistersinger’s usual minimalist style. The polished bezel is slender, makes way for the dial, and generally adds to the air of luxury. The lugs have angular, clipped ends that then flow into the case that aids the overall sophistication. The caseback is screwed on with six visible screws, with the model name and specifications listed around a sapphire display window for the movement. If you’re a fan of changing straps around, then the 20mm lug width will be welcome news to you too.
The dial
Meistersinger describe owning this watch as “letting go and trusting time”, which is a fairly accurate statement on how you learn to read a single-handed watch. The first step is breaking our built-in habit of assuming that the longest hand is for the minutes, as the Meistersinger’s takes on the role of both. You can imagine it firstly as an elongated hour hand, with each printed marker between the Arabic numerals representing a five-minute interval. This way, you can round the time up or down, which is usually what our brains do with a traditional watch anyway. The power reserve ranges from empty on the left to full on the right, as represented by a gradually thickening gauge.
The Meistersinger Primatic is available in four colours, although we got our hands on the two which will certainly be the standout examples. First is the Medium Blue, whose name doesn’t do its vibrancy any justice, especially with the sunburst finish sending segments into dazzling highlights or moody shadow. Second is the Petrol Green, which definitely finds itself on the green side of teal while retaining that murky and mystical quality. The other two colours are Ivory and Black, which offer a matte finish for more versatile and less ostentatious tastes.
The movement
Visible from the display caseback is the Sellita SW270 which has been modified by Meistersinger for it’s single-hand operation as well as the automatic winding rotor with gold embellishments. It’s quite a nice movement to stare at with its tasteful decoration, and the specifications also hold up to scrutiny. Although you won’t be able to see it on the dial, the movement beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. What you can see on the dial however, is the 38-hour power reserve. You may notice that you get to see a lot of the movement despite a large bezel on the casback, and that’s because the SW270 is only 25.6mm across. That’s also the reason why the date window is placed next to the 3 o’clock marker, with a black background so as to not stand out too much.
The Meistersinger Primatic pricing and availability:
The Meistersinger Primatic will be available from retailers and online from March 2023, although you can configure your model at their website here. Price: €2,190
| Brand | Meistersinger |
| Model | Primatic |
| Case Dimensions | 41.5mm x 49.5mm x 10.5mm |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Green, blue, ivory, black |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Leather |
| Movement | Sellita SW270 |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Availability | Avaialble from March 2023 |
| Price | €2,190 |