The Brew Metric embodies the very best of the modern small independent brand space. It’s also a watch that seems to be endlessly versatile, as each iteration and colorway that’s released works better than the last. This week, the Metric collection is welcoming a hand wound movement for the first time with a pair of limited production references which bring a fresh perspective on the well established formula. It should come as no surprise that they work rather well. These special watches are a celebration of Brew’s 10th anniversary, and if this watch is any indication, it feels like the brand is just getting started.
The Metric was first released in 2021 to huge fan fare for its funky, original design and great value thanks to its mechaquartz chronograph movement. In 2023, Brew introduced an automatic version of the Metric with a slightly more sober design but remained just as strong a value proposition with a sub $600 price tag at launch. Each of these formats has welcomed a variety of iterations and special editions showing the breadth of the base design. It helps that the brand’s founder, Jonathan Ferrer, also happens to be an industrial designer.
This year, we’re getting a third type of Metric with the reveal of a pair of hand wound references that use a Sellita SW210-1 b. The movement is visible through an exhibition back, and its use allows for a total watch thickness of just 8.5mm. The steel case remains 36mm across by 41.5mm tall, so this may just be the best Metric on the wrist out of them all. The movement gets a specially finished bridge displaying the Brew logo while leaving parts of the gear train and balance visible.
The dial design of these references sticks close to the original time-only formula first seen in the automatic Metric, with a few notable changes. The applied hour markers get a wave-like texture to catch more light, and the elevated rehaut framing the dial has been flattened to include portions of the index ring. There are two dial options, one of which is monotone in nature with a black dial and light grey rehaut, while the other gets an injection of color with blue applied to the hour and minute hands, and red running seconds hand. That second version also gets some yellow between the 25 and 35 second indexes, marking the time for a perfect espresso shot.
Both options are quite handsome and hold on to the important personality elements that we know and love in the Metric. The value is still there, as well, as these watches will be priced at $875. Each model will get just 125 examples produced, but my hope is that we see additional variations of the hand wound Metric in time. Brew
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