The fanciful, flippable Vario Versa gets a pair of mother-of-pearl makeovers

Jamie Weiss

There’s just something undeniably charming about watches with flippable or convertible cases like the Cartier Tank Basculante, Hamilton Jazzmaster Face-2-Face or Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso: maybe it’s the tactility or kineticism of the complication, or how pleasingly old-fashioned it is… But most watches with this sort of complication tend not to be particularly affordable. Enter the Vario Versa, which offers retro looks and a flippable dual time-telling case for less than US$500. Vario has rounded off 2024 by adding new mother-of-pearl dial models to the Versa range, doubling down on the watch’s old-school vibes.

The case

Many watches with flippable cases/dials err on the complicated side, but the Vario Versa keeps things simple. Rather than cabriolet arms or sliding mechanisms, the watch head of the Versa rotates vertically on a central axle around a frame. This does mean you have to take it off to swap faces, but that’s a compromise I think most customers won’t be too bothered by.

The design of the case itself is pure Art Deco (or more accurately, Streamline Moderne), with soft bullion-like curves that are nicely bevelled and polished, with the inner rotating case acting like a stepped bezel. At 39mm long, 26mm wide and 12mm thick, its proportions are certainly vintage but also eminently wearable.

The dials

There are two mother-of-pearl variants of the Vario Versa: one model with a traditional off-white, and one with a tinted black mother-of-pearl, both of which feature silver secondary dials. Both mother-of-pearl dials feature no numerals and an outer chemin de fer minute track, while the silver dial on both models has a smaller central minute track with printed cardinal Arabic numerals. These subtle differences in printing help further differentiate the two sides.

While the off-white mother-of-pearl is very elegant, I’m personally a bigger fan of the black, which has a more eerie, ethereal look – and the contrast between the dark nacre and lighter silver on that model heightens its sartorial versatility. But both mother-of-pearl variants look very premium, much more premium than the Versa’s price tag suggests.

The strap

Both Vario Versa Mother of Pearl models come mounted on a black vegetable-tanned Italian leather strap with pin buckles, which are perfectly serviceable and match the monochromatic colour schemes of the pair. The Versa’s 20mm lug width also makes it an unconventional strap monster. Vario does sell a range of different-coloured leather straps as well as deployant clasps, so you could definitely play around within the range – or find another strap elsewhere. I reckon they’d look great on a light beige suede.

The movement

Really, we should be talking about movements plural here: where watches like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duoface use a single mechanical watch movement to tell time on both sides of the watch head, Vario has again opted for a novel but straightforward solution: using two ultra-thin Ronda quartz movements back-to-back to power each dial.

It’s a subtly genius solution. Obviously, it helps keep costs down, but for a two-hander watch like the Versa, quartz is totally acceptable as there’s no seconds hand to give away a quartz tick. It’s also a very cost-effective way of making a dual time watch. As Vario themselves put it, “Unlike most GMT watches, which can’t cope with half-hour time zones, our [Versa] will effortlessly track time from New York to Delhi and provide two simultaneous styles suited for sports or cocktail hour.”

While sandwiching two movements together like this in such a small watch case makes it slightly harder to change the battery (or rather batteries), the Ronda Slimtech 1062 movements in these Versas have a more-than-adequate battery life of six years. Naturally, it also means that each watch has two crowns, which are set into recesses at the 12 o’clock position for each dial.

All in all, I have to say I’m quite fascinated by the Vario Versa. It democratises a coveted watch format in an uncomplicated but clever way while ticking many boxes when it comes to aesthetics and useability. These two new mother-of-pearl models only expand its appeal. They’re the ones to get as far as I’m considered: they add a premium, quirky edge to a timepiece that already looks far more expensive than it is.

Vario Versa Mother of Pearl pricing and availability

The Vario Versa in mother-of-pearl is available now from Vario’s online store, albeit restricted to “limited production”. Vario advises that delivery for these models will commence from 6th Jan 2025. Price: US$428, A$700

Brand	Vario
Model	Versa
Case Dimensions	39mm (L) x 26mm (W) x 12mm (T)
Case Material	316L stainless steel
Water Resistance	50 metres
Crystal(s)	Sapphire front and back
Dial	Mother-of-pearl / silver Black-tinted mother-of-pearl / silver
Lug Width	20mm
Strap	Vegetable-tanned Italian leather
Movement	2 x Ronda Slimtech 1062, quartz
Battery Life	6 years
Functions	Hours, minutes, dual time
Availability	Limited production, deliveries to commence from 6th Jan 2025
Price	US$428 A$700

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