Salmon dials are IN – The Pierre Paulin 38
Salmon dials have an interesting background story. Big names like Vacheron Constantin and Patek Phillipe used to reserve this dial color for special editions. In the case of Vacheron, they mixed the beautiful rose hue with platinum cases. With the explosion of microbrands and consequently the grown on the supply side, it seems that many companies are opting to have at least one model adorned with a salmon dial. All of this means that the trend is coming high, and we have a good example to review. The Pierre Paulin is at the other side of the price spectrum. I still do not know how they manage to make it under 100 USD. The finishing is simple but well done, the size is perfect and the dial, the dial (the reason why we are here) is stunning. Pierre Paulin is the dressy line for Merkur watches. They really have some good-looking pieces. Many of them are homages watches but you can find some good gems in there. The Pierre Paulin Salmon dial is kind of a ‘recreation’ if the JLC sector dial. It is very good looking, and I believe is punches way above its weight. Join me to find out more on this affordable dressy piece.
Specification
Right from the beginning, the Pierre Paulin has the perfect dimension. 38mm in diameter with a lug to lug of 45mm. It works perfectly on my 6.25-inch wrist. Also, a good point to highlight, is that the watch disappears under its 10mm thickness. Powering the watch, we can find the Merkur self-developed manual hand movement. There isn’t much information about this engine, but it is keeping very good time at around 15+ seconds a day. Now on to dial. With a sunburst center and then a brushed sector dial, the Pierre Paulin looks very sophisticated. You can see in the macros that the level of finishing is spotless. The blued syringe hands complete the look, they look black but when the lights hits them, that cobalt blue contrast nicely against the salmon color. The circular pattern of the subseconds dial also makes an appearance, it looks good and giving visual harmony to the watch. There are only 4 numerals across the dial with minimal texting, everything is where it should be.
On the wrist
With this kind of dimensions, the Pierre Paulin is a very easy watch to wear. The drilled lugs make strap changing quite easy. At 20mm there are plenty of option we can use. Grey is the first choice I went for, and it does not disappoint. The quality of the Vario strap really elevates the watch to a new level. Then I paired it with a vintage brown leather strap, I think this is the best look for the watch. It feels casual but also elegant. Then we tried a beige leather strap, it works very nice. It is a more delicate look, but gives this old era style to the Pierre Paulin.
I wore the watch for more than a week and despite of being loud, it is quite refined. The shine and distortion from the glass is something that was hard to capture on the pictures but is charming in person. This is a perfect office watch; it is hard to argue that you need anything else. It gets the job done and looking good at doing it.
Conclusion
The Pierre Paulin is a watch that really caught me by surprise. The finishing and the looks are something that I wasn’t expecting to like as much. Then you add that perfect sizing ratio with a very thin case and you really have a winner. You could argue that if this watch was made by someone more established like Seiko or Hamilton, it would be much more expensive. There are many ticks that the Pierre Paulin hits, from the manual wind to the dial color, it is one charming piece. Coming back to the price. It is listed at 103 USD but with a discount code you could have it even for less. After having a debate with myself, this is now part of my collection and I have enjoyed ever since.
More information at www.watchmerkur.com
Technical specification
Movement: Merkur self-developed manual hand movement
Case material: 316L stainless steel
Case Diameter: 38mm
Lug to Lug: 45mm
Strap width: 20mm
Strap material: genuine leather strap
Waterproof: 50m/5atm
Mirror: Arched glass
Written by Robbie from Robbie & Watches
Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the owner may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated.
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1 comment
Thanks for highlighting this brand. That is a great looking watch and you can’t beat the price. Maybe I’ll add it to my collection too…
I spent some time on their website. Some interesting products. A tourbillon for less than $300? But there is hardly any real info about the mechanics.
Seth
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