Corgeut 2002 – 44mm Hand-Wound Watch | ST3600 | Mineral Crystal
There is something classically appealing about a hand-wound mechanical watch; there is no automatic rotor quietly doing the work for you and no battery keeping everything running in the background. Instead, the Corgeut 2002 asks you to wind it yourself, turning what would otherwise be a simple everyday watch into something you actually interact with.
The case measures 44mm across and approximately 52mm from lug to lug, so this is certainly not a small watch. These dimensions give the dial a considerable amount of space and make the design particularly well suited to medium and larger wrists, or buyers who prefer a watch with noticeable presence. Despite its size, the weight of approximately 80g including the leather strap makes it considerably lighter than a similarly sized watch on a full stainless-steel bracelet and should prevent the 44mm case from feeling unnecessarily cumbersome during everyday wear.
Inside is the Sea-Gull ST3600 hand-wound mechanical movement. Unlike an automatic watch, there is no rotor winding the movement as you move your wrist. Instead, the mainspring is wound manually by turning the crown, storing the energy required to keep the watch running. Sea-Gull lists the ST3600 with 17 jewels, a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and approximately 46 hours of power reserve, which means a full wind should comfortably take the watch through a day and night before it needs attention again. For some people, having to wind a watch will immediately sound less convenient than owning an automatic or quartz mode, but that is also part of the charm and appeal. Winding the watch becomes a regular routine, and provides a more direct connection between turning the crown and seeing the mechanism continue to run. The seconds are displayed within a separate subdial at nine o'clock rather than from the centre of the dial. This is known as small seconds and is built into the architecture of the ST3600 movement itself, which gives the watch a more traditional mechanical appearance and immediately distinguishes it from a conventional central three-hand design. The ST3600 is a relatively large movement, which helps explain why it works so naturally inside a 44mm case. Turn the watch over and the screw-in exhibition case back leaves the mechanism visible, allowing you to see considerably more of the movement than you would through the small opening of an open-heart dial. That is particularly worthwhile here because there is no automatic rotor covering much of the view. A hand-wound movement leaves the bridges, gears and balance far more exposed, making the case back one of the more interesting parts of the watch for someone beginning to explore mechanical watchmaking.
The case and case back are made from 316L stainless steel, while the supplied strap is cowhide leather. This combination gives the watch a more traditional appearance than a steel bracelet would and also helps offset some of the visual bulk of the large case. Above the dial is mineral crystal glass, which offers better resistance to everyday knocks than basic acrylic or resin glass, but it is more susceptible to surface scratches than sapphire. Given the large crystal area on a 44mm watch, this is worth keeping in mind if it is likely to be worn around harder surfaces regularly. The dial is available in several colours, including black, white, blue and brown, with luminous hands and markings using a green glow in darkness. The large dial and straightforward layout make it easy to read, while the small seconds display provides enough visual interest to stop the design feeling overly plain.
Water resistance is rated to 30m, which is sufficient for rain, hand washing and ordinary accidental splashes, however, I would not recommend a 30m-rated watch specifically for swimming. The push-pull crown and leather strap reinforce that this is fundamentally an everyday mechanical watch rather than something designed for regular use in water.
The Corgeut 2002 is an interesting option; there are more convenient watches available. Quartz will be more accurate, while an automatic does not require you to remember to wind it manually. The reason to choose this watch is because you actually want that interaction with the movement. The ST3600 also gives you a different mechanical experience from the NH35s and Miyota automatics found in so many affordable watches. The separate seconds display, manual winding and unobstructed view through the case back make the mechanism itself a much larger part of the watch's personality. The obvious trade-off is size. At 44mm across and 52mm lug to lug, this will have substantial wrist presence and is unlikely to suit someone specifically looking for traditional compact dress-watch proportions. A smaller wrist may also find those long dimensions extend further than expected.
For someone who wants their first mechanical watch to involve a little more interaction, the traditional characteristics of this watch become strengths. Winding it, watching the small seconds move and turning it over to see the movement working provide a very direct introduction to what makes a mechanical watch different in the first place.
Included in the box:
Corgeut 2002 hand-wound watch and accompanying packaging and documentation as supplied.
Warranty:
The watch is covered by a three-year supplier warranty.
Worth knowing:
The ST3600 is hand-wound rather than automatic. It needs to be wound manually through the crown and does not contain an automatic winding rotor.
