Time to take around trip around the world and this time we are going to Mexico. We’ve never had anything brands featured from South America and we could not find a better brand to do the honour. The brand we have today is BOCA MMXII. They are watch brand, where Italian design meets Mexican craft.

Who are BOCA MMXII?

Boca MMXII was founded back in 2012 by an Italian watch enthusiast, Alessandro Cerutti. The beginning of the BOCA MMXII was actually started by a broken watch. Alessandro bought a broken but beautiful 60s watch in a vintage market in Rome. However he did not have a strap for the watch. So Alessandro put on a braided leather bracelet with a knot closure that he found in the house.

To his amazement his friends loved the strap and he thought he could developed the strap and the concept. He started BOCA MMXII journey in Italy and looked for people who could produce the watches. He then started looking for artisans in Mexico who could create the watch straps and they started to work on the classic design of the braided bracelet with a knot closure to arrive at an adjustable watch strap with a buckle closure. Each strap braid has 16 strips in goatskin or calf leather.

Currently BOCA MMXII has more than five different models of watches and the leather strap is available in coffee, blue, green, red, yellow, black, chocolate, turquoise gold and silver tones. They also have expanded their range of products to sunglasses, wallets, bracelets and backpacks.

How BOCA MMXII Straps are made?

Unboxing of BOCA MMXII Country Club Blue

https://youtu.be/yKssgzgqxrs

The Country Club Blue Review

We won’t delve too much into the packing of the watch as you the unboxing video will give you a better view. To give you a quick glimpse, the rectangular box it arrived in, is very simple with BOCA MMXII logo printed in quite big front on the top.

When we opened the box, our first reaction was “wow!”. The blue dial really stood out and caught our eyes straight away. Along with the silver polished casing and the white hands, you will definitely not miss this watch. It definitely left a great first impression on us.

Dial

Let’s talk about this truly stunning dial. We have to say that the dial along with the design of the casing give off a Rolex looking vibe.

The dial is very minimalistic with hour markers. If you look closer you will also see a little green dot on top of the hour markers. These close attention to detail just adds more to the beauty of the watch and makes the dial very desirable to look at. The dial is also a bit reflective. When looked at the dial in different angle, a blue reflective ring follow your eyesight.

In terms of the hand, they are silver with a white end which matches the hour markers. The hands are not too big that it overpowers the dial.

One other feature on the face of the watch is the domed glass for the date window. It is a great touch as it makes looking at the date window easier and also gives BOCA MMXII the opportunity to use a smaller date window to match the 36mm dial.

Movement

Inside you have a Japanese Miyota 2115 movement and it is very reliable. We wore the watch for a week and the watch did not lag as you would expect from a Miyota movement. You can expect a battery life of 3 years and that it more than plenty for this movement.

However, this is also a disappointment for the BOCA MMXII Country Club Blue. We believe that an automatic movement would suit this watch. It would make the width of the watch a bit bigger and the watch a big heavier but it would have been worth it.

The Strap

This is the main talking point and also the piece de resistance of the watch. This is the first watch we’ve reviewed where there are no holes in the straps. So was this a mistake? Actually no. The strap is made from 16 strands of sheepskin and calfskin by professional Mexican artisans. To fit the watch around your wrist, you just use the hand of the buckle and pierce it through the strap and that is it. The best part is, when you remove the buckle hand, you just rub the strap and the hole you pierced, disappears.

In terms of the colour, the bright Tobacco is very compatible with the blue dial and 316L stainless steel casing.

How does it feel on the wrist?

The watch sit very well on the wrist. The 36mm dial does not take over the wrist and the 10mm does not make the watch sticks out. In terms of the strap, it is very comfortable and molds on your wrist. You do not have to break into the strap, which is an added bonus, and the braided strap allows your wrist to breath and prevents it from getting sweaty.

Pricing

The RRP of the watch is $325/ £228/ €263. It is a fantastic watch and a great looking watch but we do think that the watch is overpriced. If an automatic movement was used, then there an argument that the price is justified. But for a quartz movement, it is a bit pricey. However we do see where they are coming in terms of the price. It does take time and a great deal of effort to create their stunning handmade straps. A price range around $250, would suit this watch.

Any improvement?

Yes. Quick release pins is a must for this watch. We know we’ve also been saying this for other watches, but it just makes life easier when it comes to changing the straps. Also why not add a little bit of a creative design on the back casing?

Do visit https://bocatime.com/ to see more of their watch collection along with their accessories.

So this was our review of BOCA MMXII Watches Country Club Blue. We’d love to know what you think about the watch, do let us know in the comment below.

If you’ve missed our last post on Svalbard watches, do read it here.

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