Once a month, I host a watch meetup for Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s a casual gathering, where watch nerds come to enjoy food and drink, and to talk our hobby. It doesn’t matter if you love budget Casios or collect Rolexes, all are welcomed.
Well, at our November meetup, the two owners of Markwell Watches were in attendance. John and Allen are big time watch nerds, and came to share their timekeeping interests with friends. They also brought along some prototype watches. The crowd thought that the prototypes were pretty nifty, and they offered me a production model to review, once they were received. That leads us to this review, of the Markwell “datematic”. What is the datematic, and what makes it unique?
Who is Markwell, and What is the datematic?
Markwell is a microbrand based here in SLC. It was formed in 2023, and is helmed by the two owners, John and Allen. The goal of Markwell is to make tool watches with a degree of flair.
The datematic is actually the second watch by Markwell. The first watch, the “Memento Mori” lends a lot of it’s design to the datematic. Both owners of Markwell are Freemasons, and the Memento Mori has a Masonic dial, laden with Masonic imagery. It’s a pretty slick looking watch, but it’s not the topic of this review.
The datematic is quite new, and a little more my speed. It’s a small, dressy watch, but it still has sporty elements, like 100 meters of water resistance. While the brand is US based, the datematic is Swiss Made, and is powered by a Selita SW200-1 movement. Retail price runs $729.99, and the watches can be bought via Markwell’s website.
It shares the case, and crystal of the Memento Mori, which lend to the excellent size. Just how big is the watch anyway?
Note: I’ve compressed a lot of the photos here to allow for fasting webpage loading. If you’d like to see the photos in their full-form, check out the Imgur link here.
Size & Colorway
Based on my own measurements via calipers, here’s the size of the datematic:
- Case size: 37.26mm
- Case size including the crown: 39.9mm
- Lug width: 20mm
- Lug to lug: 43.98mm
- Thickness (including crystal): 10.5mm
- Weight on included leather strap: 58g
This is a small watch, but that fits the goal of the watch. It’s got the right dimensions to slip under a cuff, and won’t look massive or showy. The datematic is quite comfortable on the wrist, but I’ll go into more detail later on.
Markwell offers the datematic in 3 colorways, and two materials. There’s a choice of either stainless or gold PVD coating for the finish, and then green, blue, and black for the colorway. John loaned me a stainless datematic, in the “Kelli Green” colorway, which was named after his wife.
The one that I tested was an extremely early production model, but aside from one minor element, is identical to the current production datematics. What’s the minor element? Well, it has to do with the movement.
Movement
The datematic is powered by the Swiss made Sellita automatic SW200-1 movement. It’s a movement that appears in a lot of watches, and was in the Glycine Combat Sub that I reviewed in 2024. It’s 26 jewels, has a smooth second hand sweep due to the higher beat rate, and is fairly thin. It hacks (second hand stops when you pull the crown out), and can be manually wound. The complication (features of the movement) are simple, with hours, minutes, seconds, and the date.
Markwell regulates the movements here in SLC. If you buy a datematic, it should be running between 4 seconds slow to 6 seconds fast per day. This is pretty accurate, especially when compared to a lot of big brands in the same price bracket.
Now, the little “early production quirk” that my tester watch had was pretty simple. I got my sample early enough on that the watch actually hadn’t been regulated by Markwell yet. As such, my example was running a consistent +8 seconds a day. While still pretty accurate, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the accuracy during my testing.
Setting the date and time is easy on the datematic, especially with the push-pull crown. I made a video showing how to do so.
Overall, the SW200 movement is pretty solid. When it comes to Swiss movements in this price range, I really can’t think of a better one to use. An upside to the SW200 is that it’s common, which means it’s relatively easy to get serviced.
Now, I think that the dial on the datematic is really a big draw for the watch.
Dial
When I first saw the datematic, it was the dial and indices that really caught my eye.
The dial has a brushed stainless outer wheel, with a color-matched inner circle. It really reminds me of a vinyl record, especially with being able to see the brush lines. The cruciform sector markings in the center of the watch really build onto the look too. Heck, even the font of the text, and the Markwell logo look great on this watch.
Adding to that, we’ve got cool looking hands, with spear shapes for the hour and minute hands, and an arrow with a pip of green for the second hand. When it comes to the colors, and making work together, I think that Markwell knocked it out of the park.
The indices are really quite stunning too. Made from a slightly different color of brushed steel, they give off a 1950s/60s “future” look. They’re applied too, so they give some great depth to the look of the dial. The two part design for the 6/9/12 is really a great look too, and aids in quick legibility. Oh, and they match the shape of the lugs, which is really interesting too.
Now, the datewheel even fits the theme of the watch. It’s got a unique trapezoidal border around it, but has a trick up the sleeve too.
The datewheel is a “roulette” datewheel, so it alternates color between days. On the 13th, there’s an Easter Egg too.
While I’m a (generally) practical guy, I know that looks sell things. Oh boy, the look of the dial on the datematic certainly sold it for me.
When we’re looking at the dial, we’re doing it through the crystal. What’s the crystal like on the datematic?
Crystal
The datematic is capped by a boxed sapphire crystal. “Boxed” means that the crystal comes up and sits proud past the case, and gives a very distinct look. It also magnifies the dial a little, which aids in legibility.
Sapphire material is the industry standard for premium watches, and this one has been executed quite well. It’s clean and clear to see through, and has no manufacturer imperfections on it.
How reflective is the crystal? Well, it’s got an anti-reflective coating on the underside of the crystal, which helps to keep glare down. Since it’s on the inside of the watch, it won’t scratch off either.
I really dig the look, and it doesn’t add a ton of height to the watch. Boxed crystals are very retro, and I think it fits the theme of the watch to the “T”. The case also plays with the retro vibes, but updates it too.
Case & Lugs
John designed the case for the datematic, and it’s a cool blend of old and new. The “Telford” case uses a classic circular case, but then has very modern lugs.
The “head” part of the case follows the 1950s/60s cues like other design elements of the datematic. It’s a simple, circular design, but has a combination of high-polish, and brushed finish. The bezel is high-polished, and gives a subtle “blingy” feel. The sides of the case are brushed, keeping in line with the tool-y element of the datematic.
The angular lugs are part brushed steel, part polished, and have a few different angles on them. It kind of reminds me of something from Omega, as it has a sort of curvature to them. I really like how they look, and how they interface with the case itself.
The datematic uses a screw-in caseback, which will greatly assist with water resistance. We’ve got pertinent information on the outer brushed section of the caseback, and the Markwell logo dead center. Leading back into the early sample that I got, I tested serial #00000 for the review.
We’ve got an onion shaped crown on the datematic. This style is very classic, and goes back to pilot’s watches of the 1930s and 40s. It’s a push-pull crown, so no screwing it in to get to that 100m water resistance. It’s adorned with the Markewll logo, and has a neat trick that I’ll mention soon.
All in all, I think that the case pairs really well with the rest of the look of the watch. How’s the lume?
Lume
Lume is something that I really love. However, I understand where it has a place for watches. On a dive watch, I want a ton of lume. On a sporty dress watch, it’s nice to have it, but not a requirement. Well, the datematic has lume, but not a ton.
On the datematic, there is only lume on the hour and minute hands. None on the second hand, none on the dial, and none on the indices. There is lume somewhere else though…
The Markwell logo on the crown lights up the same hue of blue-ish green as the hands. It’s a neat little touch, but it’s not gonna help you to tell the time.
Now, the lume looks good, but how long does it last? Well, not super long. In my experience, it’s good for about 30-40 minutes of legibility, and then the lume fades.
The camera doesn’t capture light in the same way that your eyes do, but it can be used to show a bit of a comparison. The datematic is not much of a lume monster, but that’s not something that was a goal in its design.
So the lume is not great. With 20mm lug width, the datematic can certainly be outfitted with a range of straps. How’s the included leather strap, and how well does the datematic take to other options?
Straps
The color-matched leather strap that comes on the datematic is quite nice. I’m not a big leather fan, but this one impressed me. It’s got an aged look, and is very soft and supple.
The strap has a standard pin & buckle system for sizing, and the buckle is engraved with the Markwell name. Overall, this is a strap that I’d keep on the watch, and not replace in the future. It’s comfortable and soft, and seems to be pretty well made. However, I like to try things out.
John supplied the watch with a Speidel “Twist-O-Flex” stretchy bracelet. These don’t ship with the datematic, but he found that they fit the watch really well, and wanted me to give one a try. I’ve used them before, and found them to be surprisingly comfortable.
Now, I prefer the leather strap to the Speidel bracelet, but I think this bracelet really does fit the “vibe” of the datematic. It makes you feel like a 1970s car salesman, but a nice one, not a “Danny DeVito in Mathilda” one.
With me knowing my own tastes, I wanted to try the datematic on an FKM Tropic strap. It was a tight squeeze (hole locations in the lugs are a little close to the case itself), but I got one on. It’s a comfy fit, but I don’t think the look suits the watch. Maybe a shorter strap would work better, but I’m happy to keep the leather on the datematic.
I wouldn’t call the datematic a “strap monster”, but with 20mm lugs, you’ve got a lot of options for ways to wear the datematic. I’ve seen John rocking one on a NATO strap, which is a pretty good look too.
How has the wearing experience been so far?
On The Wrist
I’ve got big arms and wrists, so small watches can be a strange experience. Sometimes they feel awkward, sometimes they feel like a dream.
The datematic wears great. It’s small and thin enough that I often forgot that I had it on throughout the day, until I needed to check the time. There are no sharp edges, and the lug contour fits my 7.5″ wrist rather well.
I had no irritation from either the case or the strap, and the crown never dug into the back of my hand. That 36-40mm case size really is a sweet-spot for watches.
Did I encounter any durability issues during that time?
EDC
I’ve got a watch on all day and night. Aside from pulling a watch off in the shower, there’s one strapped to my wrist. Well, I wore the datematic quite a bit during my time with it.
I treated the datematic like a sporty-dress watch, as that’s what it is. As such, it didn’t come to the gym with me, or join me on any shooting trips. It did live on my arm when I wasn’t doing either of those activities though.
As an everyday wear item, it was quite great. Comfy and slim meant that it never got in the way of of tossing on a coat, and was not so cumbersome that I was smashing it into walls. Daytime legibility was great, albeit that at night, the poor lume didn’t lend much help.
A design goal for Markwell was to make a watch that could handle lots of daily chores. They use the example of grandad cutting the grass, washing the car, and stoking the boiler. As such, I wore the datematic as I was working on a lot of my firearm projects in my little home workshop. I didn’t go out of my way to bash it up, but it still survived all the same. During my testing, I had no issues with the watch, failures of the movement, or had anything break.
As someone who spends a lot of time in casual clothes, the datematic really fit the look. I think it can look great while you’re in a suit, or while you’re in sweatpants. It’s got that Omega Constellation and Rolex Datejust vibe, where it really just fits in whatever attire that you’re wearing.
Overall, I really dig the datematic. However, I do have some small complaints.
Complaints
There are two gripes that I have with the datematic. Both are fairly small, but they’re still ones that I want to bring up.
The lume is not great. John’s talked about how lume was not a primary focus on the datematic, but that he felt like the watch still needed a little on it. With how short it lasts, I’d just say to nix it as a whole, or apply a lot more layers of it to the hands.
The second gripe has to do with an element of the lugs. While they look great, I would like to see them drilled through, to make strap changes easier. With “drilled lugs”, you can use a thin jeweler’s punch to push on the springbar from the outside of the lug, to make it easier to take it out of the watch. With how the lugs currently are, they’re a bit harder to get a springbar tool into than a lot of other watches that I’ve tested.
Neither of my gripes are deal breakers, but they’re things that I would like to see changed in the future.
Pros
I really like the datematic. It’s a really superb looking watch, with great specs.
- The datematic has a stunning dial, with unique hands, indices, and datewheel.
- Specs are great, with a thin, high quality Swiss movement, and 100m of water resistance.
- The Telford case is a neat blend of vintage and modern styling, and wears well due to the small size and thin case height.
- The included leather strap is extremely comfortable, and feels high quality.
- While I didn’t abuse the watch, it held up to the rigors of (relatively) normal life.
I think that the datematic offers a lot of bang for the buck. The watch looks stunning, has great specs, and is made by a company that really cares about the products that they sell. I can’t think of many other similar watches that look quite like the datematic for under a grand.
Cons
It can’t be all sunshine and rainbows.
- The lume is fairly poor, making the datematic a watch that I’m not wearing in the dark.
- The lugs (while stunning) aren’t the easiest to get a springbar tool into, and as such, drilled lugs would be preferable.
I’ve got a short list of cons here, as I generally really liked the datematic. The lume and drilled lugs could certainly be worked on in future iterations, but they certainly aren’t dealbreakers for me now.
The Verdict
I think that Markwell knocked one out of the park with the Datematic. It’s a really unique, quite stunning watch. The build quality is great, as is the quality of movement inside of the watch. It wears wonderfully, and can be suited to work with a lot of different clothing choices. The lume could use some work (or some removal), and I’d like to see drilled lugs down the line, but I think that the watch prevails in spite of the slight gripes I have with it.
I’m not generally a dress watch guy. I like divers, and big Casios. Well, I was won over by the datematic. It’s just such a charming watch, and was a joy to wear. Should you buy one? Well, $729.99 is not a steep asking price for what is being offered, but $729.99 is a good chunk of money in the grand scheme of things. I can’t think of a dressy watch for less than the datematic that I like as much as the datematic. The unique design earns a ton of points for me. If you’re in the market for a somewhat sporty dress watch, I’d give the Markwell datematic a solid recommendation.
A link to my video review is down below.
Additional Reading, Thanks & Patreon Link
If you liked this review, check out some more of my watch articles:
- Timex Expedition Scout 40 Review – In The Field [2023]
- Casio AE-1200 Review – The Casio Royale [2023]
- Invicta Pro Diver Quartz Review – Rolex-ish [2023]
- Islander Watch Port Jefferson Review [2023]
- My Top 5 Budget Casio Watches [2024]
- Casio DW5600E-1V – A Classic G-Shock [2024]
- Glycine Combat Sub 42 Review – A Field Diver [2024]
- How To Buy Vintage Watches Online [2024]
- Islander Port Jefferson GMT Review [2024]
Big thanks to John and Allen over at Markwell Watches for loaning me a datematic to do an unbiased and honest review. They’re both standup guys, and are massive watch nerds. Their passion for watches really shows in the two designs that Markwell has put to market so far.
If you’d like to support me on Patreon, I’ve got the link for that here. Nearly everything that I do on Primer Peak is paid for out of my own pocket, and my content is not shilled or driven by manufacturers or companies. If you decide to donate, I’d really appreciate it, as it would allow for me to continue to bring you quality work.
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