It’s rare to find microbrands that create distinctive, unique, yet simple designs. While I enjoy brands that revisit classic styles or tweak dive watch designs, I also appreciate those that push boundaries and offer something different.
VPC (Venustas Per Constantiam) Watches is one such brand, delivering a truly original design with their first model. Their transparency in the design and production process reflects the care and effort they’ve put into this timepiece.
Let’s dive into the design, quality, and wearability of VPC Watche’s latest release, the Type 37HW, to see if it’s worth the investment.
Pros and cons
table>The Brand
“Venustas Per Constantiam” is Latin and translates to “Beauty Through Perseverance” or “Charm Through Consistency,” depending on the interpretation.
The phrase likely conveys the idea that enduring effort or dedication leads to something beautiful or elegant, often used to symbolize resilience or the pursuit of excellence.
For any watch, that statement rings true. The brand is positioning itself as an entry-level “luxury” quality tool watch.
I love the design notes section on their website—it’s incredibly insightful. They detail the reasons behind each design element, the challenges they faced, and include close-up images, which is invaluable when buying a watch you can’t physically examine. It’s also fascinating to understand the thought process behind the design, especially for someone who appreciates functional aesthetics like I do.
Design
The VPC Type 37HW is deceptively simple at first glance, but the more you examine it, the more its thoughtful and unique design reveals itself. It’s clear that VPC has put tremendous effort into perfecting the details, resulting in a beautifully crafted timepiece.
Dimensions and Fit
VPC nailed the dimensions with a 37mm case that suits most wrists, though it may feel small for those with larger wrists—unless you’re comfortable with a more understated size. A 40mm version could appeal to a wider audience, but personally, I love this size. As someone standing at 193 cm and 105 kg, it works surprisingly well for me.
Design Highlights
Here are the design details that truly stand out:
- Dial Simplicity and Branding: I’m glad they kept the logo off the dial, opting instead for the brand name in an elegant font. It’s understated and refined, reminiscent of luxury brands that take a similar approach.
- Hands: The thick, angular Luzon hands are perfect for a minimalist dial, adding both depth and functionality to the time-telling experience.
- Crystal: The sapphire crystal mimics the vintage look of plastic windows found on older watches—a subtle but expensive touch that adds character.
- Bracelet Design: The bracelet integrates seamlessly into the case, almost appearing to slip underneath like a NATO strap. This clever design creates a cohesive look and avoids gaps between the strap and case, similar to what I loved in my Elka Watches review.
- Lug Details: The sloped, polished facets on the interior of the lugs are a rare and striking feature. Combined with the bracelet’s polished beveled edges, these details elevate the watch’s overall aesthetic.
- Crown and Clasp: The logo placement on the crown and clasp feels perfectly balanced, adding a touch of refinement without overdoing it.
Luxury Meets Utility
While the Type 37HW has the bones of a tool watch, its refined design feels too luxurious for rugged outdoor use like camping or forest trips. Instead, it excels as an everyday watch, offering versatility and sophistication.
Final Thoughts
VPC’s dedication to detail and iteration is evident in every aspect of the Type 37HW. It’s a simple yet meticulously crafted timepiece, proving that there’s true luxury in the small things. For everyday wear, this watch is an absolute winner.
Packaging
The packaging for the watch is solid and aligns well with the brand’s aesthetic. It comes in a sturdy cardboard box with a textile lining inside and out. While it’s not overly extravagant, it complements the minimalist and refined branding of the watch perfectly.
What really impressed me, though, was the leather pouch included with the watch. These are often made from lower-quality leather, but this one feels genuinely high-end and well-crafted. The only downside? It only has room for one watch, which is a bit limiting for someone like me who usually travels with three.
Quality
Case & Crown
The case and crown are exceptionally well-finished. The brushed surface is smooth and linear, and the transition between brushed and polished areas is sharp and precise.
Small details, like the polished beveled edge underneath the case, truly elevate the design—something many watches, even higher-end ones, overlook. For instance, my Omega Seamaster lacks this subtle but charming feature, which I’ve come to appreciate.
Unscrewing the crown is a pleasure, which is important for a manual watch with a screw-down crown since you’ll be using it often. It takes about two to three full turns to unscrew, and the threading is impeccably smooth. There’s no unevenness or resistance, making the entire process seamless and satisfying.
IMPORTANT! The pictures you’ll see of this watch are of a prototype, and the final version will feature the crown sitting closer to the case with improved threading to reduce wobble. This is a welcome update, as the prototype’s crown did have noticeable wobble. While it might not typically cause functional issues, it’s not something you’d expect at this price point, as it doesn’t convey a sense of durability or precision.
Dial, Sapphire & Hands
The base dial is well-executed, featuring a subtle grainy texture. While not particularly impressive, it meets expectations for this price range. The printing is decent and in line with what you’d anticipate. What stands out, however, are the blocks of lume. This design choice has been gaining popularity recently, with several brands adopting it, and I really appreciate its bold and modern appeal.
What truly stands out on this dial, in my opinion, are the hands. They are thick, substantial, and feel robust, with excellent polishing and sharp, clean edges. The attention to detail is remarkable, even at the center where the hands meet—a polished, rounded button adds a refined touch that elevates the overall design.
Thanks to the sapphire’s shape, there’s minimal need for heavy anti-reflective coating to ensure a clear viewing experience. That said, the watch still features AR coating, which performs even better with this type of design, enhancing legibility without overdoing it.
Bracelet & Clasp
VPC Watches spared no expense when it comes to the bracelet, its finish, and the clasp.
The bracelet tapers beautifully, seamlessly blending into the clasp with an uninterrupted visual flow. It offers a bit of lateral play, which makes it incredibly comfortable to wear. The bracelet features No Tool strap removal system, which should be standard in this price range for all brands.
The finishing is superb, with polished bevel edges on the center and side links that add a touch of elegance. Using screws for the links is a must at this price point and a thoughtful, modern choice.
The clasp matches the high standard of the bracelet, featuring polished beveled edges and a locking mechanism that feels solid and secure. The loud, satisfying click when it locks conveys a sense of sturdiness and reliability. The micro-adjustment system is intuitive and doesn’t add unnecessary bulk, making it a fantastic addition that all watches at this price range should include.
My only critique of the clasp is its size. From a design perspective, it’s slightly too small. I prefer a longer clasp for better counterweight and visual balance, but this is a minor issue in an otherwise excellent design.
Lume
As always in my reviews, I dedicate a section to lume—and in this case, it’s superb.
The lume blocks on the dial perform exactly as intended, likely using BGW9 lume, which offers long-lasting brightness with a beautiful blue hue. The hands are equally impressive, with their thick design providing ample space for lume application, matching the quality of the dial blocks.
A key distinction worth noting is that the green model features green lume instead of the blue hue—a very cool touch that subtly differentiates the models in a thoughtful way.
Movement
The movement is a top-grade Sellita SW216-1, Chronometer-certified (COSC), hand-wound, with a small seconds complication. This is one of the best options available in mass-produced movements, with Sellita widely regarded as a strong alternative to ETA in this space.
Performance is excellent, with the watch maintaining a precision of ±7 seconds per day, well within expectations for a COSC-certified movement.
The only downside is the lack of a display case back, which means you miss out on viewing the beautifully finished movement—a hallmark of top-grade versions like this one. It’s a shame, as the craftsmanship and detailing would have added even more appeal to this impressive watch.
Quality Conclusion
The overall quality of the watch is excellent and aligns well with expectations for its price range. However, a few elements stand out as exceeding typical standards, such as the clasp with its micro-adjustments and the top-grade, COSC-certified movement, which add a touch of luxury.
In terms of craftsmanship, the watch holds its own against entry-level models from Longines and Oris, as well as other brands in the same category. That said, it competes in a very crowded space where the specification-to-price ratio is critical. Brands like Horace and Christopher Ward offer impressive value with strong specifications at competitive prices. However, they don’t design watches quite like this, and VPC is not far behind in overall appeal.
For comparison, Elka Watches offers a slightly taller automatic model (1 mm thicker) priced at €1,600. The higher price of VPC’s watch can be attributed to its exceptional bracelet and clasp design, as well as the top-grade movement and COSC certification, which add both value and refinement.
On the wrists
As highlighted earlier in the design section, VPC has truly perfected the sizing of this watch. On my 17 cm circumference wrist, it wears incredibly comfortably. With a slim height of just 9.8 mm (7.8 mm without the crystal), it fits snugly and effortlessly hugs the wrist.
That said, I wouldn’t recommend this watch for those with very large wrists or hands unless you’re comfortable wearing a smaller watch. In my view, the ideal wrist size for this piece is up to 18.5 cm in circumference.
IMPORTANT: The production model will be able to fit up to 22cm wrist!
Price
The price of the watch is €2,479 / $2,603—an oddly specific figure.
In my opinion, the pricing is fair, even in a highly competitive market where specification-to-price ratios are critical. The exceptional finishing, meticulous attention to detail, and evident effort put into the design, along with the top-grade movement and thoughtful features like the clasp, make this a strong contender in the €2,500 range. It offers solid value for what it delivers.
Modification to final production model
• The case flank will echo the shape of the crown more closely.
• For the green dial: the C3 lumeblock hour markers are currently slightly translucent, making them appear a bit spotty. The final compound will be opaque for a clean look as on the blue and silver dial. This will still be slightly greenish in hue for the green dial variant.
Conclusion
When I heard that one of the writers for Fratello Watches was starting his own watch brand, my expectations were high—and VPC Watches has truly delivered.
They’ve created an impressive timepiece that manages to be both minimalist and simple, yet refined and full of thoughtful details. What’s more, it stands out on its own without relying on inspiration from iconic watch designs.
If the design speaks to you, I can confidently say you won’t be disappointed by the quality or the overall experience of wearing it. It’s a fantastic watch, through and through.
Specifications
Specifications
General
- Swiss-made GADA-style watch
- Designed by Max Resnick
- Custom typography by Samuel Baker on dial and caseback
- Diameter: 37.5mm
- Thickness: 9.8mm (7.8mm excluding crystal)
- Material: 316L Stainless Steel
- Hard-coated case and bracelet to resist light scratches
- Domed sapphire crystal with underside AR coating
- Screw-down crown with uncoupling for hand-winding
- Water resistance: 120 meters
- Top-grade Sellita SW216-1
- Chronometer-certified (COSC certificate included)
- Hand-wound with small seconds
- Two-layer one-eyed panda dial
- Frosted texture with two resolutions
- Solid lume block indices
- BGW9 Super-LumiNova
- Custom-designed, fully tailor-made bracelet
- 20mm lug spacing, tapering to 16mm
- Quick-release mechanism
- Tool-free micro-adjustment in a compact 31mm push-button deployant clasp
Wrist Size Options
- Suitable for wrist sizes: 16.5cm (6.5″) or less, and larger than 16.5cm (6.5″)
