When my eyes first caught a glimpse of the Beda’a Angles in the late summer of last year, I was immediately intrigued. The watch features a classic case shape but doesn’t feel retro. Instead, it feels like a next step in the development of modern dress watches. Notably, though, the inaugural Angles collection was a series of quartz-powered watches. Now, 12 months on, we get mechanical versions of the Angles, which are called the Angles Mecaline. The two new models were among the big hits of Geneva Watch Days, so it’s time to find out more.
The past two to three years have been particularly interesting for fans of dress watches. We have seen a resurgence of dress watches inspired by vintage timepieces from the 1970s. This trend has spurred new efforts from traditional brands, often by revisiting the fabulous watches in their archives. However, we have also seen many young and new brands plunge elegantly into the world of dress watches. Efforts from the likes of Echo/Neutra, Toledano & Chan, Anoma, Berneron, and Serica show plenty to get excited about.
The story of the Beda’a Angles Mecaline
Echo/Neutra and Toledano & Chan showed a refreshing, architecturally inspired design. This style also characterizes the Beda’a Angles. However, while several of the mentioned brands use asymmetrical designs, Beda’a CEO and chief designer Sohaib Maghnam found his solution in absolute symmetry. This focus on rudimentary shapes also characterized Gérald Genta’s design exploration for his famous Royal Oak, Nautilus, Ingenieur, and Locomotive quartet. However, the result was not a sports watch but a dress watch with a symmetrical, octagonal case that looked decidedly classic yet not retro.
After the inaugural series, Maghnam took on the task of creating a mechanical version of the Angles. The biggest challenge was keeping its design and proportions similar to the first quartz series without making it significantly thicker. In a 15-month design exploration, he found the solution — slimming down the bezel, dial, and crystal, and forgoing a display case with an all-steel one. As a result, the Beda’a Angles Mecaline is only 0.7mm thicker than the quartz models.
The details of the new Beda’a Angles Mecaline
Let’s take a closer look at the new models. Both watches have a 37mm × 34mm stainless steel case with a 6mm thickness, 19mm lug spacing, and 30m water resistance. The case features a newly designed crown that operates at a manual-winding caliber. For dials, Beda’a offers a glossy black one with a circular-finished sub-seconds register and a glossy warm gray one with a semi-matte sunray sub-dial. These dials lose the Roman-numeral hour markers and 60-minute track found on the quartz versions. Hovering over the dials are the sharp dauphine hour and minute hands that fit the style nicely.
For the black-dial model, a black leather strap with gray stitching finishes the look. This strap gives the watch a strong Cartier Tank-like presence that I adore, despite the case not being rectangular. The warm gray dial is matched with a burgundy leather strap with contrasting white stitching, giving it a much different aesthetic. Both watches would look great with a variety of leather straps, though.
The ETA 7001 caliber
Inside the case, Beda’a chose the ETA (Peseux) 7001 caliber. This manual-winding movement is popular among small brands that create slim dress watches. For example, we’ve recently seen it in the Echo/Neutra Rivanera and the Furlan Marri Disco Volante.
The caliber operates at 21,600vph, has 17 jewels, and offers 42 hours of power reserve. Thanks to its ultra-slim profile and affordability, it is the perfect choice for brands looking for a caliber to power their dress watches without breaking the bank.
Final thoughts on the Beda’a Angles Mecaline
All in all, I love these two new Beda’a Angles Mecaline models. They show the great design that Sohaib Maghnam created for the Angles. What’s even better is that he managed to update the design of the watch with fantastic results. Not only will the new mechanical versions appeal to a wider audience of watch fans, but the updated design also tops that of the inaugural models. Removing the Roman numerals creates a wonderful minimalist dial, and adding the small seconds register ensures that it doesn’t become too empty and soulless.
As a result, the new Beda’a Angles Mecaline models (US$1,456) hit exactly the right note. These watches didn’t go unnoticed last week during Geneva Watch Days, and, according to those who were there, they were among the most popular watches on display during the event. I completely understand why. My Fratello teammate Lex had a chance to try them out, and he was seriously impressed. You can expect a hands-on review soon, explaining in more detail why it was hard for Lex to take them off his wrist.