INTRODUCING: The Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD Chronometer
Fergus NashCalling Brellum a “microbrand” seems less fitting than ever given how successful their past few years have been. Instead of focusing on some kind of wild niche, fake backstories or crazy cases, Brellum are simply dedicated to delivering the highest quality possible for the best value price point. These are thoroughly luxury watches in execution and every other sense, but you’re still going to find real value, too. The Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD continues the brand’s evolution, adapting the looks from the 2017 Duobox Pandial into something even more refined and classy.
A quick look at the Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD would certainly catch the wandering eye of any watch enthusiast, but it takes a much deeper investigation to see how much detail has been poured into this dial. The applied hour markers offer streaks of black within reflective, brushed metal, and their tips are filled with perfect squares of lume, each with their own black borders for contrast. The two subdials at 12 and 6 are both quite traditional with circular guilloché, but the running seconds at 6 has just the outer ring and a printed crosshair, helping to balance the dial symmetrically. A black chapter ring holds the printed minute markers as well as the “Swiss made” certification, and leads up into the rehaut, which displays five-minute intervals with Arabic numerals. The name Pandial clearly references the Panda colour scheme, which is much more faithful in this reference than the previous blue version. The black and white contrasts crisply and conveys a super-sporty and honed look.
The case of the Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD definitely doesn’t follow the latest trend of diminutive sizing, electing instead to have a larger personality better for legibility and wrist presence. The diameter is 43mm, with a 15.9mm thickness thanks to domed sapphire crystal on both sides of the 11.7mm case, but the 52mm lug-to-lug length is where the Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD stretches its legs. A watch this big may be a deal breaker for some people or be the icing on the cake for others, but considering that it’s a limited edition of only 33 pieces, the size isn’t likely to limit the target audience too much.
Ticking the boxes for everything you’d want out of a high-end chronograph is the Brellum BR-750-2, an automatic chronograph calibre based on the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750. This calibre features 46 hours of power reserve, a 4Hz beat rate, plus a Nivarox hairspring. As with all of Brellum’s watches, they go through the process of chronometer certification by COSC, achieving an accuracy of within +6/-4 seconds per day. The display caseback is formidable at this price point with the movement nicely filling out the width of the watch and the thin caseback bezel displaying specifications. The golden skeletonised rotor doesn’t just show off the movement’s impressive finishing, but also bears an enamel-filled dragon that’s oddly hypnotic.
The Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD Chronometer pricing and availability:
The Brellum Pandial LE.2 DD is available from October 21st on Brellum’s website, and will be limited to only 33 pieces. Price: $2,950 USD / £3,080 / €3,420 / CHF 2,890
| Brand | Brellum |
| Model | Pandial LE.2 DD |
| Case Dimensions | 43mm x 52mm x 15.9mm |
| Case Material | Stainless Steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 Metres |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire front and back |
| Dial | White and black |
| Lug Width | 22mm |
| Strap | Steel bracelet |
| Movement | BRELLUM BR-750-2 Automatic Chronometer (Valjoux 7750 base) |
| Power Reserve | 46 hours |
| Availability | Available from October 21th, 2022. |
| Price | USD$2950 / £3080 / €3420 / CHF 2890 |