watchdig : Fine Watches Berlin Teufelsberg Black Review
Fine Watches Berlin was the brainchild of the father-daughter tandem of Wilfried Liefer and Mia Phyllis Liefer. The company is fairly young as it was established only last 2017. Their watch designs reflect the places, events, and personalities that represent the city of Berlin. They specialize in developing Bauhaus-style watches which emphasizes simplicity and functionality. Their Teufelsberg collection is the first in line and definitely not the last they’ll be producing.
Check out the exclusive interview with Wilfred & Mia Liefer at the end of the review to get an insight of the father and daughter masterminds behind Fine Watches Berlin.
The Teufelsberg Black
The Teufelsberg Black is made of 316L stainless steel and measures 40.5mm wide and 11.4mm thick. It weighs only 75 grams, so you can wear it comfortably at all times.
The plain-colored dial is protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. A sapphire crystal is also installed on the caseback so you can clearly see the engraved rotor and the blue movement screws inside the watch.
The Teufelsberg Black comes with a handcrafted leather strap measuring 20mm wide. The strap has blue stitches on the edges for improved durability. An extra, brown leather strap is also included in the package upon purchase. You can easily switch the straps, thanks to the quick-release spring bars on the lugs.
You don’t have to worry about the watch getting wet accidentally because it’s water-resistant up to a depth of 50 meters. You can’t swim with it for prolonged periods, but it can handle water splashes and quick submersions. The Teufelsberg Black comes encased in a classic bamboo box that’s secured with a magnet closure.
Design and Movement
The word Teufelsberg translates to “devil’s mountain” which explains why the watch dial has a deep black color. It also presents a minimalist design similar to the Bauhaus style seen on brands like Nomos and Junghans. It has large Arabic numeral hour markers on the 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock positions but aside from these, all the other markers are represented by thin lines.
Between the 4 and 5 o’clock position, you can see the small seconds subdial with a running red hand. This enables you to clearly see that your watch is still working and you don’t have to wind it yet.
The Teufelsberg Black has luminescent hands and markers which you can clearly see in low-light conditions. The Teufelsberg Black runs on a 21-jewel, Miyota calibre 8218 automatic movement which makes 21,600 vibrations per hour.
If you like Dufa, Nomos, Junghans then the Fine Watches Berlin Teufelsberg is minimalist watch enthusiasts.
Its elegance and sophistication without punching a hold in your pocket. Those who are looking for a Bauhaus style watch from a German microbrand that not many know of should definitely add this to their collection.
Wearing Experience:
Fine Watches Berlin is the pearl in the rough of the bauhaus watch industry. They are little known to many, yet they illustrate the raw fundamental love of watches and the attention to detail that seems to be disappearing in this industry no thanks to Kickstarter and large corporations.
Fine Watches Berlin offers is a classy and sophisticated designed watch, offering a new flavor to the Bauhaus moniker with the Teufelsberg Black, pushing the boundaries of your traditional Bauhaus watches that offer eye candy details for the wearer to be content.
I absolutely adore the design and the small details on the dial and case back with extra points given for the packaging and extra leather straps. It makes a perfect everyday and casual formal wearer that is sure to draw the right attention.
Pros and Cons
Here are the advantages and disadvantages you can expect from the Teufelsberg model:
Pros
Quality leather straps
Attention to detail
It has luminescent hands and markers
Power reserve of up to 42 hours
Water resistant up to 50m
Cons
I think the branding like on the side of the case is not needed
Conclusion
The Teufelsberg Black is priced at $770 and for its quality, design, and durability, you can consider this German-made timepiece a good deal. You can wear it in business meetings and even on formal occasions and people will think you’re sporting a hard-to-find luxury watch. The fine finish and excellent craftsmanship displayed by the Teufelsberg will make anyone think that it’s way more expensive than it actually is.
Also see the Interview with FineWatchesBerlin.
https://watchdig.org/reviews/fine-watches-berlin-teufelsberg-black-review/