We first came across DUFA watches when we reviewed their Albers Automatic 9010-03. It is a truly stunning watch and a high quality piece of German engineering. This time we are going to review a watch from their Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002. Will it still have the same aesthetic appeal and the unquestionable German engineering? Or will it be an overpriced watch from Germany? Do read on to find out!

Who is Van Der Rohe?

At first we thought, the name, Van Der Rohe, is a weird name to give to a watch. But after doing our research, we found out that Van Der Rohe is a German-born American architect, whose full name is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

He created an influential twentieth-century architectural style, stated with extreme clarity and simplicity. Mies first called his designs for steel-and-glass skyscrapers and horizontally oriented houses and pavilions as “skin-and-bones” architecture due to their minimal uses of industrial materials.

He served as director of the Berlin Bauhaus before moving to America in 1937 where he found ample work and fame for his enduring masterpieces. Some of his well-known building are

Alois Riehl House, Potsdam-Neubabelsberg, Germany (1907). His first ever design at the age of 21.
Project for a Glass Skyscraper (1922).
German Pavilion, Exposicio Internacional, Barcelona, Spain (1929)
Seagram building in New York (1958)

To pay homage to the great man himself, DUFA Watches created the Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 watch collection, where every detail and design of the watches reflects the principles and concept used by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002

So the watch, we are going to be reviewing from the Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 collection is the 9002-0B. Let’s find out a bit more about this watch.

MOVEMENT: Swiss Quartz Chronograph with Date
CASE: Stainless Steel
CASE DIAMETER (mm): 38
CASE THICKNESS (mm): 10.4
CASE SHAPE: Round
CASE COLOUR: Stainless Steel
DIAL COLOUR: White
BAND: German Made Genuine Leather Strap
BAND COLOUR: White
BUCKLE: Strap Buckle
BAND WIDTH (mm): 18-16
WATER RESISTANCE: 3ATM
WATCH WEIGHT (g): 50
WARRANTY: 2 Years International

Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 Unboxing

First Impression

It is a very minimalistic watch. It is not a watch which is going to stand out in terms of the dial and the colours, but it is definitely a good-looking watch. If we compare it to the 9010-03, with both watches following the Bauhaus approach, we’d say that the Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 – 0B has a slightly more ‘vibrant’ dial. But first impression is good!

Dial

So let’s find out why this dial is more ‘vibrant’?

The first feature which is going to catch your eyes straight away is the DUFA Watches logo. It is positioned under the 12 o’clock hand and it is darker and bolder compare to the rest of the feature on the dial. It is a bold move from DUFA Watches, as they could have easily done the logo in a light colour and hid the logo somewhere else. But we believe it is a move that has paid off.

The watch has 3 sub dials. One for the hour, minute and second count. They are all in a decent size and do not overpower the dial with their presence. One thing we like about the hour and minute subdial is that they have actually used an index in both. The minute has an interval of 10 while the hour subdial is complete. Most watch makers will leave the subdial with simple batons and expect us to know that the index is. We actually saw this on the 9010-03, where the hour subdial only had a 24 on the index.

The overall index of the watch has been clearly marked. It has a 5 minutes interval between them, with each 5 minutes interval having a longer and grey baton. You also have very large numerals on the index of 12, 3, 6 and 9. They are again in a grey and also quite bold.

So far so good, but we do have an issue. The date window is circular and it is at the bottom of 24 hour subdial. Personally we think that the window is not large enough and reading the date is not as easy as telling the time. Your eyes will try to figure what is what, especially when you have big number ‘6’ underneath the date window.

The hands are simple and have a baton style. They are all in a slight darker colour to stand out from the dial and they are all legible.

Casing

The casing of the watch is made from 316L Stainless steel and the watch diameter is 38mm. We’ve gotten use to 40mm+ watch dials, where we are now seeing the 38mm as small. But the 38mm is great for this watch as it sit very well on the wrist and you can see everything clearly. A 40mm dial will also be great appreciated for those who have a larger wrist.

The width of the casing is 10.4mm, which is small. As the watch has a quartz movement, you would not expect a greater width. Again the Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 -0B sits well and does not get in the watch of moving your wrist.

The lug of the watch is very interesting. It curves a lot and in a way creates a hook type of look. This really helps to dial to sit on the wrist and in a way molds around it, so you do not get any uplift.

The crown has been signed, which is always great to see, and the back casing has been engraved with a building and the word ‘Thuringen’. Thuringen or Thuringia, is the German state where Ludwig Mies van der Rohe along with many other architect spent large part of their most productive creative period.

The glass is mineral crystal glass and has a curve around the edge, which creates a slight dome at the top. The glass is clear and reflection is at its minimal.

Movement

The movement inside the Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 -0B is a Swiss Quartz Chronograph with Date. As it s a quartz movement, the time accuracy is spot on and the movement of the hands is very fluid.

Because of the quartz movement the watch only weighs around 50g. As watch enthusiasts, we love to feel the weight on watches and the Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 -0B is on the lighter side.

Strap

Similar to the strap from the 9010-03. It is made from genuine leather and it does not have to be broken into. It is also quite thin in width, which helps the strap to molds around the wrist and help the casing to sit comfortably on the wrist.

The buckle has also been signed with DUFA Watches logo and it is quite noticeable.

In terms of fitting, having a wrist size of 17cm, the watch fits very well and there are two spares holes.

The strap does not have quick release pins. In a way it is good, as there is not other strap colours to match the dial of the watch.

Buy, Shortlist or Avoid?

Before we come to our verdict, let’s find out about the price. The RRP of the watch is €399/ £360/ $455. The watch is at the upper end of the price range for a quartz watch and many of you may say that there are more well-known established brands from a cheaper price, and we agree with you.

There are definitely more established brands, but they are not DUFA Watches. When buying a DUFA Watch, you are not just buying a watch, you are buying a piece of history, with an unquestionable German engineering and a watch which not many people have.

We would say to shortlist this watch. Yes, the price is a sticking point, but you cannot ignore this watch. The Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 -0B is a stunning watch.

This was our review of DUFA Watches, Van Der Rohe Chrono 9002 -0B. We’d love to know what you think about the watch. Would you buy it, shortlist it or just avoid it? Do let us know in the comment below.

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