Selhor chronogrpah rallye - meca-quartz
For today's review we are taking a look at another Selhor watch model in the form of the Chronograph Rallye, cut from a very similar cloth as the Diver 05 model we shall take a look at what separates this chronograph from its slightly smaller sibling the Diver 05.
Chronographs are often the watch of choice for drivers and race car enthusiasts and this watch is pitched by Selhor for exactly this purpose, though not directly advertised for specific racing but more the nostalgic feel that such race orientated watches of the past used to provide.
The patina lume matched with the finely printed tachymeter certainly give the watch that vintage vibe, the slender low profile bezel with thin insert and coin edge are very consistent with similar watches of the past. The best part i find about this vintage look is the attention to detail with the sub hands, Selhor could have gone with any number of sub hands but they choose this particular style which is very very close to those used in the past.
The Rallye features the same solid five link bracelet as found on the Diver 05 but with ever so slightly different end links, I found no issues at all with this strap during the review period, very comfortable with a solid performance. The crown is again similar to the Diver 05 in that it is a screw down type which is nice to see and adds that little extra reassurance when swimming etc. The pushers for the chronograph were as expected, a nice crisp click when activated with a solid feel throughout use, the meca-quartz return action feels very good.
The bezel has a nice smooth action but i did notice the alignment of the 12 O'Clock pip is not exactly lined up to the print on the dial, this is usually a huge bug for me but since wearing the watch for several weeks i barely even noticed it. The fine print on the dial matched up with the slender bezel insert are bound to create alignment issues, Selhor would not be the first brand to suffer from such problems ( Seiko chapter rings anyone ?? ).
Much like the Diver 05 the Rallye model also features a sandblasted case back but with a sports car etched into the metal, again this is an additional process and one more often found on more expensive watches so its nice to see a quality case back on something lower end. The case back finish is well produced and is very comfortable to wear for extended periods without fatigue. A screw back case is always a better option and id happily take a screw back over a snap on back any day, better water resistance and easier to maintain without damage.
Not much else to mention here about the included 5 link bracelet, it is the same design used on the Diver 05 albeit with slightly different end links.
Selhor could have taken the cheaper option and given the watch a far more lower quality bracelet but im glad they didn't, it's not the most fancy of bracelets by any means but it is of good quality and very comfortable.
At the heart of this chronograph Selhor have chosen the very popular Seiko VK63 Meca-Quartz movement, after several weeks use i can see why this little gem from the land of the rising sun has become so popular. Timekeeping is faultless and the chronograph behaves almost exactly as you would expect to find on a fully mechanical watch, the ticking seconds at six being the only clue that this is indeed a quartz watch. The snapping back of the chronograph hand always feel good and somewhat reassuring, not that traditional quartz chronographs are bad but once you try meca-quartz you probably won't want to go back !
Conclusion
The " Chronograph Rallye " is a very classical watch design with some great choices that add to the retro racing driver feel, the retro sub hands, the patina lume, and the coin edge bezel all add to the feeling your wearing a watch from the past. Every aspect of this watch leads you to feel your wearing a much older watch, there is something so comfortable about it that i can not quite place, new watches often " feel " new but this sits just right, like its always been there. Despite the lightness of a quartz movement there is still a good weight to the watch, a solid quality, a reassuring quality, quartz watches can often "feel " cheap, but not this watch. The dial & hands have been well thought out and implemented even better, the hands all align correctly even if the bezel is slightly out of position at times.
The Rallye does have some flaws for sure but its character is solid, the watch feels like it has been in my collection for years, its right at home and its not often a watch can bring that feeling to me. If your in the market for a vintage inspired watch then this model is certainly one to consider, it won't break your bank but it might break your heart :)
Specifications & Info
For more information please visit the Selhor website here > https://selhorwatches.com/
- Case: Shiny stainless steel case
- Bezel: Black aluminum & unidirectional
- Glass: Flat mineral glass with sapphire coating
- Case back: Screwed case back with embossed pattern and sandblast finish
- Crown: Screw down crown with case
- Dial: Matte black dial with a printed logo and thickly printed indexes with cream lume, with 3/6/9H subdials
- Hands: Shiny silver second hand and shiny silver arrow minute and hour hands with cream lume, shiny silver subdial hands with cream lume
- Band: 5 links stainless bracelet
- Case Size (with bezel): 42 mm
- Case Thickness: 13.50 mm
- Case Lug Width: 20 mm
- Lug to lug Length: 50 mm
- Band Length: 185 mm
- Band Width: 20 mm to 18 mm
- Movement Type: Quartz
- Movement: Japan Movement Time Module VK63
- Water Resistance: 20ATM (200M)
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