Sidereus Newgrange

When the Sidereus Newgrange landed on my doorstep for a review, I was trying to work out where I had seen it before. It was at the British Watchmakers Day back in March that I had the pleasure of seeing this for the first time. As well as meeting the guys running the brand. Sidereus is based in Ireland, Co.Carlow.
w

A New Age Interpretation

Sidereus, Latin for “star,” is the brainchild of Bryan Leech and Martin Marley, two product designers from Ireland. With over 35 years of combined experience in design, they’ve lent their expertise to a diverse array of industries, including tech, interiors, financial services, and overseas development programs.

In 2015, Leech completed his design and Giles Ellis of Schofield encouraged him to put it into production after seeing it at an exhibition curated by Leech and Marley.

Examining the Sidereus Newgrange reveals a polished stainless steel case, with a diameter of 44mm. Its prominent bezel encircles a dark, blue-grey dial. It features twelve luminous dot hour markers. With semi-stenciled hour and minute hands, and a moon phase indicator positioned at six o’clock. One highlight is undoubtedly the bright orange second-hand, mirroring the brand’s distinctive five-armed star logo.

You also notice the scalloped, sharply curved lugs integrated into a monobloc case back.  A screw-down crown and a sapphire case back offer a glimpse of the Sellita SW-280 calibre movement within.

The 3 section dial is huge, even with the Moon phase complication below the hands at 6 o’clock. The dial has a radial pattern around it and has a date window at 3 o’clock. The bright orange logo colour, is mirrored on the seconds hand, nicely contrasting against the grey dial.
The minute track surrounds the dial’s edge and features lumed hour dots spaced around it. The vastness of the dial is evident, and it feels a little too big.

The Sidereus Newgrange isn’t a small watch, far from it. With its 44mm size, it caters to those with larger wrists, occupying a significant amount of space. Understanding this case design is key to getting an insight into the brand.
w

Understanding The Brand

During a 2014 talk at SalonQP; “Horology: A Child of Astronomy,” Gregory Gardinetti, the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie’s in-house historian, delivered a compelling presentation. It was this that ignited Bryan Leech’s passion for watches, transforming it from a personal interest into a professional pursuit.

Leech vividly recalls how one of the initial images displayed during Gardinetti’s talk depicted Newgrange. The Neolithic monument symbolises the sidereal year—the duration it takes for the sun to return to the same position in the sky as observed from Earth. Gardinetti suggested that Newgrange should be regarded as one of the oldest “timepieces” in the world.

We get sent in a fair amount of watches to review and we’re honoured by the opportunity to give our opinions. We aim to be open and honest with what we’re sent in by the brands and offer a balanced opinion. We’re not paid for our content, as we do it for the love of the wider community and what we are doing.

Taking inspiration from something built over 5000 years ago is commendable and I like the case design. It’s too big for me at 44mm; a smaller 40mm case would be a more popular size. Filling a huge dial is difficult and I’m not sure they have got it right here or who their audience is. I’m not a huge fan of Moonphase watches, however, there will be many who will love it. The highly polished case finish seems a little outdated; if they had used a mix of finishes it would look a little more compelling. Possibly, a brushed case with polished edges or a bead-blasted case with a polished bezel would give it a more contemporary look. The display case back is a nice touch, as it’s always nice to appreciate what’s driving these watches.
w

Not Quite For Me

I’m not negative, as I like the overall design, however, it’s not my bag, maybe it’s the overall size. There will be many who have a polar opposite opinion and love it. It’s great to see new brands running with ideas, and manufacturing distinctive watches. It’s better to stand out from the crowd than to blend in, and I can’t see Sidereus wanting to do that. I do wish Sidereus all the luck of the Irish. I have no doubt further down the line, something may connect, it’s just not the Sidereus Newgrange this time.

Click HERE For More Watch Brother Articles