The Value Proposition: The Pinion Atom

February 08, 2018

When is a watch just a watch? Not a pilots watch, a dive watch, a field watch, or any other sort of Walter Mitty make-believe accessory, but just a handsome timekeeper you strap on every day. Ill admit to being as much of a sucker for a great marketing tale as anyone, taken in by the romance of a watch inspired by the one worn to defend Western Europe or re-plant the Great Barrier Reef. As watch enthusiasts, we must have some need for evocative storytelling to accompany our timepieces. Is this because, if devoid of these back stories, our watches are more plainly exposed as the obsolete expensive baubles they are? Maybe thats the subject of another article, but for now, this philosophical preamble leads me to the Pinion Atom, which Ive been wearing now for some time. Its a good watch, but just a watch. The Axis was Pinion's first watch, released in 2013. Pinion was founded in 2013 by Piers Berry, a former digital designer and watch collector based in Henley-on-Thames, England (yes, where Bremont is also headquartered). Since its inception, Pinion has focused on minimalist three-hand automatic and hand-cranked mechanical watches and one interesting chronograph driven by a new old stock Valjoux caliber. These watches have all been designed and assembled in England, and feature traditional sports watch aesthetics in burly rounded cases, with bold Explorer style dials. Though Id not handled a Pinion before Berry sent me the Atom (and an Axis II for comparison), I knew the brand by reputation, with reports of excellent fit and finish, high quality straps and packaging, and good customer service. The designs are original as well, which is tough to do these days, especially in the time only watch arena, where the palette is more limited than with dive or complication watches. But with prices hovering above the $2,000 mark, Pinion has remained a bit of a niche company for those willing to spend that not insignificant amount for a micro-brand. With the Atom, the company now has an entry level watch with an altogether more affordable price tag. The Atom is Pinion's first "entry-level" watch, coming it at less than $1,000. At first glance, the Atom doesnt appear that different from the Axis, Pinions most recognizable watch, or even the Pure, its hand-wound version. There are the stylized Arabic numerals at the four cardinal points, the stepped bezel and oversized crown that have become hallmarks of Pinion, if that word can be used for a five-year old company. But then you notice that the case profile is not as burly, the lugs a bit more slender and the finish is a more no-nonsense bead-blasted matte. Overall, its dimensions are indeed tidier C 41 millimeters across and 11 millimeters tall C making it a wearable watch on most wrists while still maintaining a 100-meter water resistance. The overall impression is one of earnest ambition. The Atom is a watch that swings above its weight, with a finely engraved signed crown, domed sapphire crystal, clever caseback design, a lovely handmade leather strap, and of course, that dial. The raised hobnail pattern adds visual interest to the otherwise minimalist dial. Without a doubt, the most compelling feature of the Pinion Atom is the dial. Matte around the outer numeral ring with a wide beveled rehaut, the center is slightly raised and decorated in what the Swiss would call clous de Paris, but what, on an English watch, is perhaps more aptly called a hobnail pattern. Arabic Explorer dials can often seem a little stark and, dare I say, empty? The textured pattern on the Atom adds some visual interest to this watch without clutter and hobnail is not a decoration often seen, especially on sports watches.? So, back to the price. I mentioned that this is Pinions entry level watch and by entry level, I mean entry to Pinions lineup, not for the novice watch buyer. We tend to get jaded, after seeing a lot of watches, into thinking that $1,000 is affordable but I remember not so long ago when I was getting into watches, that $500 seemed like a lot of money. So I tend to reserve the true entry level label for watches like a $400 Seiko diver. But for Pinion, whose other pieces are north of $2,000, the $900 (658 in old money) Atom feels entirely more attainable. So how does this watch come in at less than half the price of its brethren? Besides economies of scale and margin, upon which we wont speculate, there is the dial which, despite the hobnail machine-finishing, lacks the applied markers of the Axis II, so likely cheaper to make. But the biggest difference is in the movement. Behind the screwed-on steel caseback ticks a Miyota 9015 automatic movement. The Axis II uses an automatic Swiss ETA 2824-2 with a custom decorated hunter green winding rotor. The Atom, on the other hand, is powered by the Japanese Miyota 9015, a movement that is increasingly being found in a lot of sub-$1,000 micro-brand watches these days, for its availability and its low cost, reputed by some estimates to be three to four times less expensive than its Swiss counterpart. Theres certainly nothing wrong with the Miyota. With a 42-hour power reserve and decent timekeeping (mine saw +8 seconds a day), undecorated and hidden behind a caseback, theres no reason to pine for a Swiss motor. Pinion even takes the extra step of moving the date window to 6:00 for a more unusual and appealing placement. In the last half decade, Id venture to say that the most interesting watch category is that below $1,000. Lets face it, above that price level on up to the true luxury brands, quality tends to be consistently high and the value and worth of a watch becomes a little more abstract, often getting defined by murkier criteria like brand reputation, resale value and prestige. But those watches competing below a grand have to work a little harder to set themselves apart. It wasnt so long ago that, besides a few Swiss Army watches and a lot of Seikos, this price range usually meant cookie-cutter designs, poor timekeeping and scratchy crowns. Now Pinion is competing with Halios, Unimatic, Baltic and Autodromo, all compelling options.? A watch for most occasions. I hesitate to answer when people ask if a watch is worth its price. But as that price gets lower, the question gets a little easier, I think. And the Pinion Atom feels just about right for a $900 watch. The aesthetics are original and appealing, the fit and finish dont make you wince at certain angles, the performance is on par with most non-chronometer sports watches, and the strap choices and packaging dont feel like afterthoughts. And Pinion as a brand, though small, feels cohesive and legitimate. Its owner is upfront in his philosophy and goals, and theres a sense of vision that often lacks with many Kickstarter catalog-case watches. In other words, if your budget is around $1,000 and youre in the market for a handsome three-handed sports watch, youd do well to consider the Pinion Atom. But this brings me back to my original conundrum. Im a hopeless romantic, drawn in by images, stories, even logos or names. Super Sea Wolf? Sign me up. Is that polar explorer wearing a Speedmaster? Rabbit-hole descended.That bezel tracks my no-decompression time? Paypal sent! I know were not all like this (thank God!) but I suspect its why the big companies pay so much attention to marketing and branding. I crave some intended purpose for my watches C one I wear on dive trips, a skiing watch, my RAF chrono times my pasta. This is probably why I dont really own a dress watch. So the Pinion Atom, which doesnt really claim to be anything in particular aside from a sturdy three-hand sports watch leaves me craving something more. Even the name strikes me as slightly anonymous. Pinion is one of the simplest components of a watch movement, an atom even more basic. Call me shallow, and if you dont share these hangups, all the better. Because the Pinion is a very very good watch. For more, visit Pinion online.Photos: Gishani Ratnayake