Farer is no stranger to quirky designs, especially regarding the colors of their dials. If you ask any watch enthusiast what Farer is known for, they will unequivocally say, “Their use of color.” They have found ways to make even the most loud color combinations work exceptionally well on their watches. What they haven’t experimented with as much has been quirky case designs. That isn’t to say their case designs are boring. Many of their watches feature striking cases and excellent proportions.
What we’re looking at today, the Milan is from their new Tonneau collection. Farer is letting the case design speak for itself with this collection, as it has some of the most toned-down color options I’ve seen from the brand in recent years. Let’s jump in and see how Farer is using this unique case shape to bring us something fun in a new way.
I’ve run across many watches that have deceiving dimensions on paper. Some watches wear smaller despite large on-paper dimensions, and some wear larger even though it would seem it is a small watch. The Milan fits somewhere in the middle. It comes in at 35mm wide, 45mm lug-to-lug, and 10.6mm thick. However, the case shape makes me want to disregard the stated dimensions entirely.
If I went into this watch blind, I would assume it is at least 38mm wide and 47mm lug-to-lug. The thickness dimension is nearly useless because of the curved case and crystal. The bottom line is that this is a 35mm watch that will wear beautifully on any size wrist and is a watch that feels more like an extension of your wrist than many other watches because of the curved design elements.
The Milan gracefully treads the delicate balance between understated elegance and captivating design. The Tonneau case shape hints at its placement in the realm of dress watches, yet the striking dial design demands immediate attention. Few watches possess the charisma to achieve this duality effortlessly, and if I were to wager on a brand capable of such a feat, Farer would undoubtedly be my choice.
Not only does the dial radiate beauty, but it also radiates color. The dial comprises concentric ridges that start bright green in the center and darken as they stretch out toward the edges of the dial. There is a surprising amount of texture in the ridges that give the Milan a ton of character. If these ridges were not present and it was a dégradé or sunburst, the Milan would not be nearly as exciting as it is.
The applied markers sit between large polished numerals and keep the Milan from feeling austere. There is no lume present on the hands or markers, so the polishing has all the room it needs to literally shine. The hands did throw me for a loop at first, as I thought they were lume-filled. However, they are filled with coordinating green paint.
The Milan lacks a seconds hand, which helps it trend dressy. It gives the watch a more static feeling. You glance down, check the time, and move on. Granted, you can do this with any watch, but there is something to be said about the intentional exclusion of something that helps it become more simple. It should also be noted that Farer did cap off the hand stack.
Given that the Milan is part of the Tonneau collection, you would be correct in assuming the shape of the case is Tonneau-inspired. The Milan’s case is well executed and doesn’t feel derivitive of some of the more well-known Tonneau-cased watches.
A small polished chamfer runs the length of the case, which complements the detail on the sides of the case well. The sides feature a thin cut-out that runs parallel to the shape of the case. This isn’t a thick watch, but because of the nature of Tonneau cases, it avoids the slab-sided look.
The sapphire crystal has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that I feel are worth mentioning. The first is that it is curved to match the shape of the case. This curve creates a seamless look, and I can only imagine it was rather challenging to execute properly. The second trick is the slight chamfer around the perimeter of the crystal. This isn’t novel by any means, but it does add an important design element to the Milan. It brings an additional layer of depth to the face of the watch. If this chamfer were not present, the crystal would integrate with the case almost a little too well and might look dull.
Farer lets you choose your strap when purchasing the watch. The review sample I had came on the Lion Tan Granolo leather strap, which suited the green dial very well. Farer’s leather straps have always been well made, and I have nothing negative to say about them except that they take a little while to break in. However, that resolves itself with just a few days of wear. Leather straps of many earthy colors will work well on this watch, and I’m sure you already have a few that would work, so I suggest picking up one of their rubber straps on the Milan. It would give the watch a sportier feel.
Farer makes fun watches, and the Milan is a fun watch. It breaks away from the traditional circular watches many of us are used to. Adding on to that, it gives Farer a new case to play with. They are no stranger to releasing limited editions and new colorways as their collections mature. The Tonneau collection will undeniably be a hit with their fans as it showcases everything Farer excels at.
If you’re considering this watch, you’ve already decided a Tonneau case is for you, and that is likely the biggest hurdle to get over with this watch. Breaking away from the norms we’re used to with watches is often difficult, but watches like the Milan make those decisions easier.
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Bringing light to an aspect of horology that is often overlooked
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