The micro-brand space was very different in 2013. Far fewer brands were working to define the landscape that’s fully blossomed into its own segment today. One of these brands was MKII, known for their careful, methodical approach to capturing vintage military watches in modern guise with top notch build quality. While some would scoff at their dedication to creating homage designs, there was no denying the care that went into bringing them to life. When this attention to detail was applied to more original concepts, such as the Fulcrum released in 2013, the brand gained a new complexion, and it’s a balance they’ve worked to master in the years since. This week, we’re getting a new Fulcrum in a more palatable size, and it signals a return to the basics for MKII, showcasing their core strength of creating no-nonsense military style tool watches.
The idea of the Fulcrum is quite simple: “MkII’s vision of the perfect tool watch from a 1970s vantage point and beyond”. This involves a minimal approach to create a versatile approach by giving the wearer spec options for a build that suits their needs. To that end, the new Fulcrum can be had with your choice of a 12 hour or a fully indexed 60 minute elapsed time bezel, as well as with or without a date complication. This is a welcome approach that I’d like to see more brands embrace, allowing the user the most flexibility in the process.
The biggest change with the new Fulcrum is the move to a 39.5mm case for factor, allowing the watch to be a bit more approachable to a broader range of wrist sizes, and making it slide under the radar that much easier. This isn’t a watch that should be calling attention to itself, and at a hair over 42mm in its original form, that was a trickier prospect. The new case measures 47mm from lug to lug, and a somewhat unexpected 14.1mm in total thickness. Both the date and non-date variations use Miyota based 90XX movements, which should theoretically allow for a much thinner case, but that’s not what we find here. And with a 200M depth rating, it feels unnecessarily thick. Perhaps it’s a design decision that brings a great heft to the wearing experience, and at 161.5 grams on the bracelet, this watch most certainly has some heft to it.
Aesthetically, the new Fulcrum retains a familiar design language. Yes, it’s a clear nod to the Mil-Sub, but it stops short of feeling like a direct homage. The broadsword hands track time against rectangular hour markers while the seconds hand enjoys a stylized tip that feels unique. This design, like many in the genre, feels decidedly straightforward in a way that places all emphasis on legibility. In that regard, many end up looking somewhat similar, but that is by design.
Overall this is a handsome, somewhat original design from MKII that sticks to the formula first put forth in 2013. The form factor is a welcome change, even with the thickness, and it scratches an itch for that old-school spec built tool watch. The Fulcrum 39 will be priced from $995, and it will be available for purchase beginning on January 31, 2025 at 11 AM EST. MKII
Leave a Reply