The Palmos One is an ultra-minimal take on a daily wearer

Time+Tide

What draws many of us into horology is the duality of watches, as they are both instruments to measure time and means of expression. You can tell a lot about someone based on the watch they’re wearing, and equally you can tell a lot about a watch based on the person that’s wearing it. Some watches can be equally relevant for their singular aesthetic and value proposition, and this has long been the domain of the microbrand, which is where Palmos is playing. The Palmos One, with its ultra-minimal aesthetic, is yet another in the line of pared-back watches with daily wear intentions – but what does it do differently? Let’s take a look.

The case

The Palmos One is an attainable conversation piece, and achieves this mainly thanks to its case. It commands a lofty wrist presence and draws your attention to its profile, although its dimensions are not the reason why. With a diameter of 40mm, a lug-to-lug of 45.8mm, a thickness of 9.2mm, the One comes with average dimensions for the contemporary enthusiast. Pictured here on a 6.50in/16.5cm wrist, it does appear larger than it actually is due to its featureless, fixed bezel. The upper portion is wide and flat, and showcases an intense radial brushing whilst its sides are polished, occupying a large part of the watch’s overall visual real estate.

Conversely, the lugs are narrow and short, and appear more so on account of their noticeable angled edges. But the other explanation for the Palmos One’s great wrist presence comes from looking at the case from a side profile. The midsection is long and narrow, a visual effect reinforced by the once again intense brushing (horizontal this time), which appears to be slightly rising upward towards the lugs. This is due to thin polished chamfers being located on the underside of the mid-case, which then widen towards the lugs. Moreover, the large and polished crown is hard to miss and complements the boldness of the design. But beyond its design, the Palmos One is also a well-machined and engineered watch: 50 metres of water resistance, sapphire sandwich construction, and hardness coating on the case of 1,200 Hv.

The dial

Nestled within the wide and flat bezel, we find a galvanised piece of steel adorned with a fine sunburst effect, which goes from light olive green to dark. But this is really where the flashiness ends – the skeletonised handset is fully polished, matching the outer perimeters of the hour markers, which get a nice bit of contrast from the brushed top. These steel elements appear like a continuity of the bezel and case into the dial, matching well design-wise. While it’s the olive green we got our hands on, the same is true for the other three Palmos One colourways – jet black, steel grey, or classic blue.

There are no minute markings, so if it’s ultra-accurate time-reading you’re after, you might struggle a tad, and dial text is limited to just the brand name and “Swiss Made” on either side of the 6 o’clock marker. Admittedly, the choice of typeface and printing execution of the branding at 12 isn’t the most inspired, so perhaps something to have a look at for the next revision.

The bracelet

Palmos completes the One package with a single-link stainless steel bracelet, which tapers dramatically from 24.5mm outside the lugs (the lug width is 20mm) to 17.8mm at the butterfly clasp. The links are mostly brushed, except for thin polished chamfers on the outside. Bonus point: the bracelet is also coated with a hardening compound for a scratch-resistance of 1,200 Hv.

The movement

For the calibre ticking inside the One, Palmos opted for a Swiss-made Soprod M100 that beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) and comes with 42 hours of power reserve, though their website confusingly also lists the Sellita SW300 as an option. In essence, the M100 is an alternative to the ETA 2892/SW300 as it matches them in dimensions, though is not a direct clone of either. In the Palmos One, the movement is regulated to run at +/- 7 seconds per day, and should make for a reliable performer.

Palmos One pricing and availability

The Palmos One launches in June 2025. Price: US$1,010

Brand	Palmos
Model	One
Case Dimensions	40mm (D) x 9.2mm (T) x 45.8mm (LTL)
Case material	Stainless steel
Water Resistance	50 metres
Crystal(s)	Sapphire front and back
Dial	Green, black, grey, blue
Bracelet and strap	Single-link steel bracelet, folding clasp
Movement	Soprod M100, automatic
Power Reserve	42 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds
Availability	June 2025 release
Price	US$1,010

Made in partnership with Palmos. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.