West End ~ Impermeable

[AzPaul]

The Impermeable, from the West End Watch Co.

For those not familiar with West End, it’s a Swiss Company claiming a lineage back to the 1880’s. They’re best known for their ‘Sowar’ watches, produced for the British military in the first half of the 20th century. The company currently distributes in England and Switzerland, along with 18 other countries across the Middle East and southern Asia.

I’ve been thinking about adding another black-dialed diver for some time, and when an opportunity to acquire the Impermeable at what I thought was a very good price, presented itself, I couldn’t resist. The diver I already had, the Orient ‘Ray’ is one I’ve been wearing and enjoying for years, but it is on the heavy side, with an equally stout bracelet. So the plan was to find a sleeker model I could put on a leather strap, for when something lighter better fit the bill. Thus the Impermeable.

On to the watch. The case measures 42 mm so it makes a good presentation on my not so small wrist. I find the finishing to be quite nice, and I’m impressed by the watch’s overall elegant lines. The look and feel are of quality, both well imagined and well executed. The crystal is sapphire, with a flat surface, while the bezel is soundly fitted. It lines up as it should, and has a feel of snug, sturdiness when rotated. Rather than the ‘toothy’ bezel edge you see with so many divers, this watch offers a grip with twelve subtle notches along the outer edge. It adds to the watch’s lithe profile. By contrast, profile-wise, the height of the Impermeable is significantly less than the Orient.

The heart of the piece is an ETA 2836-2, providing a seamless second sweep, and bringing with it ETA’s solid reputation. It boasts of a 200 meter underwater range, but the lume is nothing to brag about. Not a strength here. The hour markers are done in a bright white, with a triangle pointing down at 12, slender rectangles sitting at 3, 6, and 9, and circles marking the rest. The minute and hour hands are white as well, as is the background for the date roll, which is discretely tucked away between 4 and 5. The second hand is highlighted in a burnt orange. In large part, leading to my choice of strap.

Overall, I give the Impermeable good marks. Not head of the class, but better than passing.
I wanted lighter, and it’s lighter.
I wanted good quality, and it checks those boxes too.
I also wanted something a little unusual, and with West End, feel I’ve found that.

The Impermeable isn’t found regularly here in the U.S., but from looking at prices from websites around the globe, 700 Euro, 900 Dollars, seems to be about par for the course.