It has been a while since we reviewed a Thomas Earnshaw watch. The last time we did was the review of the Beaufort ES-8082-01. We love the Beaufort, it is a simple and a great looking watch. But we think the Thomas Earnshaw Flinders ES-8080 might be about to take the reign from the Beaufort.

Thomas Earnshaw Flinders ES-8080

As always, we love to find out the story behind the watch and behind the name. The name of the watch comes from Captain Matthew Flinders (1774 –1814), a distinguished navigator and cartographer, who was the first to circumnavigate Australia and identify it as a continent.

Matthew Flinders was among the world’s most accomplished navigators and hydrographers, though his exploration was mostly made in unsuitable, leaky or rotten ships. During his exploration and to make sure his observations were as accurate as possible, he paid attention to even the smallest details.

Flinders is remembered not only for his achievements in the realm of discovery but also for great improvements in the science of navigation, for his research on the action of the tides, and the affinity between the height of the barometer and the direction of the wind.

There are 9 models of the Flinders and the one we are going to be reviewing is the Thomas Earnshaw Flinders ES-8080-03.

Features

First Impression

It is a great looking watch. It is elegant and this will make a really good dress watch. The design of the dial is minimalist but there are some great features. This ES 8080-03 is pretty large but you’d appreciate the size. The colour theme with the dial and the strap really goes well and it is a watch which will attract people for sure.

Case

The casing is pretty large. The diameter is 42mm and the width is 15.5mm. The watch will sit tall on your wrist and it is very imposing. The case does wrap around the wrist and does not cause any problem when moving the wrist.

The casing has been polished throughout and give a shimmering finish. It does look good and as this will be an eye magnet.

The lens is made from hardened mineral glass and reflection is at its bare minimum. Similar to the Beaufort, the clarity of the dial is great from any angle and reading the dial is very legible.

The crown, signed with the classic ‘EE’, is a push and pull. The size is suitable to the size of the casing. It does not get in the way of the wrist, but you might feel some little jab now and then.

Finally the case back is an exhibition. The rotor has custom and branded with ‘EE’. Similarly as Thomas FIndlers did not miss out on any little details, the case back is also well designed.

Dial

In terms of numerals on the index, the Thomas Earnshaw Flinders ES-8080-03 has only one at the 12 o’clock position. This was a good move as it more numerals would have caused a mess and took your eyes away from the second sub dial. The outer index are large rectangular batons for the 5 minutes intervals and small white batons for the minutes.

The second sub dial looks similar to a tourbillion movement and looks very elegant. There is no index around the second sub dial to measure the second which is a pity but the design of the second sub dial is stunning. There is also little second hand but it gets lost with the gold design background.

There is also a power reserve indicator at the 12 o’clock position. We’ve also seen this once on the DUFA Albers and it is an interesting feature. The maximum value of the indicator is 90 hours, which is a lot.

Another interesting design are circular rings going around the index and also in the power reserve indicator. It gives the watch a little more character and makes it a every elegant looking watch.

Overall, the colour theme with the rose gold and brown background really goes well together. Everything has been thought about, even the minute detail.

Strap

Every good watch need a good strap. The strap on the Thomas Earnshaw Flinders ES-8080 is made from genuine leather and is quite thin. The width of the strap, 22mm, suits the width of the watch. In terms of comfort, the strap wraps well around the wrist and will fit small wrist. The strap does not need much breaking into and is supple.

Movement

The movement is a Chinese PTS 2HN44-1 Automatic. This is the first time we have come across this type of movement. The movement is reliable. The time accuracy is around -10/+30 second per day according to our calculation. The time accuracy can be better but there will be a trade off if the movement were to replaced with a more expensive one.

To fully increase the power reserve, the crown needs to be rotated at least 30 times. The rotation of the crown is a little rigid and not the easiest.

Buy, Shortlist or Avoid?

Before we answer this question, let’s have a look at the price. The price is currently at £169. It is on sale and it RRP is £380. Going back to the question, we will say to buy the Thomas Earnshaw Flinders ES-8080. A simply stunning watch with an affordable price tag.

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