It’s been a while since we’ve had Haim come across the desk for review. For that matter, it’s been a while since we’ve reviewed a quartz chronograph. Thankfully we’ve got both back today with the newest release from Haim and their exceptionally smart-looking L2 Chronograph. I had the luxury of seeing the entire collection, comprised of 4 dial colors between 2 dial variations. The Descent, the last watch I reviewed of theirs, was an attractive dive watch that didn’t get the attention it deserved. Let’s see if the L2 can surpass the awareness and attractiveness of the Descent.
On the Wrist
I’ve always been a sucker for a well-fitting chronograph. Most chronographs, especially automatics, can be cumbersome on the wrist, and quartz chronographs take a lot of the chunk out of the equation and leave you with a watch that feels closer to a modest dive or sports watch. The L2 accomplishes this and keeps the proportions comfortable for daily use.
The L2 comes in at 38mm wide, 45mm lug-to-lug, and with a wrist-to-crystal of 9.5mm, it’s hard to deny that we have Goldilocks dimensions. That said, I did have to measure the lug-to-lug for myself because it does look longer on the wrist. I thought it was closer to 47mm, but its stated measurement of 45mm was spot on. Perhaps the stylized shape of the lugs gives the impression of being longer.
Another element that quartz chronographs bring that can’t be had with mechanical chronographs is weight or lack thereof. This is a light watch, and it feels airy on the wrist without feeling unsubstantial. When you pick it up to strap it on, it feels satisfying in your hand. But when you put it on your wrist, it fades away to only be there when you need it.
Haim L2 Specs | |
Case Width 38mm | Lug-to-Lug 45mm |
Case Thickness 10.8mm | Lug Width 20mm |
Wrist-to-Crystal 9.5mm | Weight 55g |
Water Resistance 50m | Strap Leather Strap |
Crystal Sapphire | Lume None |
Movement Seiko VK64 | Price $450 |
Dial Details
Haim toes a fine line between sport and dress with their watches. They certainly have dressy elements like Breguet-style numerals on one of the dial variants, but these watches still feel sporty. They remind me of Lorier; you look at them and would feel comfortable throwing them on with a suit or chasing the kids around the house. It’s an approachable design choice that fits with my lifestyle, as I’m sure it does with plenty of other people’s.
The dials of the L2 come in two flavors. Baton markers or numerals. The Breguet-style numerals quickly grew on me. The applied numerals pop off the dial in all the right ways and give the blue dial a ton of depth. Salmon dials are all the rage these days, and while it objectively looks fantastic with the blue numerals and hands, the blue dial steals the show.
The baton marker dials come in teal and silverish white. There is a Roman numeral 12 at the 12 o’clock position. It doesn’t offend me in any way, but the style of marker Haim used on the Descent would have looked better on this dial variant.
I don’t know what it is about chronographs that lean into the dressy category, but I love all the polish and flash watches like this have. The numerals and hands shine brightly when the light hits them, but wait! There’s more. The subdial surrounds are also polished, and a polished ring separates the inner dial from the numerals and tachymeter.
Case & Strap
The casework on the L2 is downright fantastic. There is lots of polish, but it is complemented with lots of brushing. The two work hand-in-hand to present a case that gives those who want some bling to look at, but it has enough brushing to not stand out in a crowd.
The polished bezel is thin and juts out slightly from the mid-case. The sides of the case are brushed and have a subtle convex curve. The polished sides of the caseback are visible from the side of the watch and provide another element of case design that makes it feel more complex than it is.
The lugs are brushed on the sides with a polished chamfer that leads toward the case. There is a cut-in right before they meet the case that gives the L2 an art deco vibe without going over the top. This design element complements the numeral dialed watches perfectly and creates a cohesive design that I don’t quite get from the baton marker dials.
The pushers are set into blocks that connect to the case and add yet another design element where multiple facets are used. I found the pushers slightly hard to engage, but this could be because I had pre-production models for review. Every other Seiko meca-quartz watch I’ve reviewed has had no pusher problems.
While I was writing the review for this watch, Haim let me know that Delugs would be providing the straps for the production models. I did not have these straps on the samples I had, but I own many Delugs straps and am always impressed with their quality. If you like leather straps, you will love the straps that come with the L2.
Final Thoughts
I love a good meca-quartz chronograph. The bridge they provide between standard quartz and mechanical chronographs is outstanding, and their value is hard to beat. My only wish for meca-quartz chronographs is that Seiko will start making movements without the useless 24-hour subdial.
The L2 is bringing some much-needed style to the meca-quartz chrono. Haim’s dial and case design is outstanding and, honestly, something I didn’t see coming from them. Yes, they started with chronographs, but nothing looked this good. They took a lot of what made the Legacy SE a beautiful watch, chucked out all the things that didn’t, and replaced those elements with beautifully designed elements. If you’re looking for a slightly sporty, slightly dressy chronograph that isn’t going to slightly destroy your wallet, the L2 is a solid bet.
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