We have had many great gent watches throughout our two years at New Labels Only. We have had the Kane watches, Dukudu watches and most recently James McCabe Heritage watch. Today we are going to add another great gentleman’s watch to our collection, a watch perfect for any man with an impeccable taste for style and this watch is the Cornwall Retrograde from Thomas Earnshaw 1805.

Thomas Earnshaw

So let’s find out a bit more about Thomas Earnshaw watches.

Thomas Earnshaw is a legend and a great pioneer in the horology world. He was celebrated for his work in refining, and improving upon the Marine Chronometers of the era. Because of his work , the British, with the powerful Royal Navy, circled the globe during a golden era in English history of science and exploration.

Thomas Earnshaw’s work was also well embraced by also another legend in the field of science. Charles Darwin on his journey around the world to inspire his breakthrough study of evolution, carried with him a Chronometer no. 506, which Thomas Earnshaw helped to design and make.

Thomas did not just stop there, he also went on to design clocks for use in observatories such as those in Greenwich and Armagh, with some of his well-known work instilled in museums and auction houses around the world.

To commemorate his great work and to keep his legacy alive, Thomas Earshaw 1805 was created. Each watch has been carefully crafted to show the remarkable designs from Thomas Earnshaw past chronometers used by Charles Darwin on the Beagle while discovering the Galapagos or by Captain Mathew Flinders who first charted Australia.

Cornwall Retrograde Unboxing

Cornwall Retrograde Review

So let’s get straight to the review. We will not talk much about the packaging as we have done an unboxing video for you to see its high quality. Video coming very soon. We have to say that the box is quite similar, in terms of design, to James McCabe.

The Specification

Movement: Japan Quartz 3 Hands with Date and Day
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Case Diameter(mm) : 42
Case Thickness(mm) :10
Case Shape: Round
Case Colour: Stainless Steel
Dial Colour:Silver White
Band: Genuine Leather Strap
Band Colour: Black
Buckle: Strap Buckle
Band Width(mm): 20
Water Resistant: 5 ATM
Weight(g) :65

The model of the Cornwall Retrograde we are going to review today is the ES-8077-05. This model comes in different colours of strap and casing. Our Cornwall Retrograde has a blue strap, blue dial and a stainless steel casing.

In terms of our first impression, this watch is classy. It has to one of the classiest watches we’ve ever had. The dial is gorgeous and the colour combination of the dial and casing really goes well together to create a stunning timepiece.

The Dial

The dial has to be the centre piece of this watch. It is truly stunning and really well thought off. The first thing you eyes are drawn towards zig zag pattern you have on the inner dial. It is simple yet very effective. It stands out from the rest of the dial and this simple attention to detail is what makes this watch desirable for any gentleman.

The index of the watch is simple, with Roman numerals. We have to say this is a good choice as regular digits will take away the vintage and sophisticated look from it.

Now lets talk about the main feature of this watch, the day and date feature. The day display is shown above the 6 o’clock position. It is legible to read despite its small size. It also has a curved shape which make it distinct from the rest of the dial. However we believe this can be made better. The main reason is because the Thomas Earnshaw logo overshadows the day window. A smaller logo and bigger size day window will be more suitable.

The date window is definitely unique. The date window is semi-circular and located beneath the 12 o’clock hand. You have two lines on the semi circular date window, the base line has dates from 1-16 while the upper line goes from 17-31. At first it was a bit confusing how to set the date, but after a bit of practice and playing around, it is actually pretty easy. You also have a red arrow pointing to the date, so you do not have to keep wondering about to know what the date is.

We have to say this is a great way to set the date window and break away from the norm. This is definitely something from Thomas Earnshaw design book for sure.

The hour and minute hands have a Breguet style and goes well with the Roman numerals. The second-hand is your usual, sharp-looking with EE initials placed on its end.

The case

The size of the casing is 42mm and suits this watch and the dial. The casing sits well on the wrist and does not stick out 10mm thickness. One feature you may not notice about the case is the bezel. There are two levels on the casing. The bezel is at a lower level while the dial is lifted up a bit higher. This may not seem important but it actually is. By having the dial at a higher level, your eyes are more attracted to the dial and you will notice it straight away.

Another feature on the casing the engraved ‘Thomas Earnshaw’ name of the size of the casing. It is a nice feature and a little reminder to you and any one who sees your watch, that this is a Thomas Earnshaw watch.

The crown is signed and well cut out but a little too big. We would say a small-sized crown would suit the casing and also blend in.

Movement

Inside you have a solid and reliable Japan Quartz 3 Hands with Date and Day. So far as you’d expect there has not been any lag in time and the accuracy of the time is pretty much spot on, probably around -1 seconds/day to +10 seconds.

You may argue that an automatic movement would suit this watch and we also agree. But in terms of a design perspective and time accuracy, an automatic movement will not be ideal. To power the day and date along with 3 hands with a basic automatic movement, you will expect a lot of lags and poor time accuracy.

However, if the decide to go for an automatic movement in the future, an automatic Miyota 2350 will be ideal. However this will also increase the price and weight of the watch.

Strap

The strap of the watch is actually pretty thin. Its width is 20mm. You do not have to break into the strap as it is not thick. The strap is really comfortable around the wrist with its genuine leather. The only downfall is that it does not have quick release pins.

Price

The price of the Thomas Earnshaw Cornwall Retrograde ES-8077-05 is £230/ $305/ €261. The price is of this watch mid range and is affordable. You may get watches from more established brand for this type of money but you will not get the ES-8077-05 stunning design, gorgeous day and date window and the heritage which comes with the watch.

Do visit https://www.thomas-earnshaw.com/collections/retrograde to see the different styles of the Cornwall Retrograde.

So this was our review of Thomas Earnshaw Cornwall Retrograde ES-8077-05. We would to know your opinion about this watch. Do let us know in the comment below.

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