The Edox Grand Ocean Chronograph I may be the next best thing for a person who doesn’t want to spend (a lot) more on something more luxurious like, say, an Ulysse Nardin Monaco YS Maxi Marine diver.
Initial Impressions
Before Edox introduced the Grand Ocean line, their top collection was the gorgeous Classe Royale.
Ranging in price from €1500 to €3500 (and even less on the gray market,) the square-shaped members of the collection looked like they were 2-3 times more expensive. Too bad, Edox didn’t dare to bring to market a solid-gold version of the Chrono V model: a limited-edition model could be a hit among the aficionados.
What a waste of potential!
Their new Grand Ocean series looks cheesier to me. It’s difficult to explain, but it feels like there is just too much gold-plating and too many details that don’t add any aesthetic value. It feels like they simply wanted to make the watch look expensive.
The Busy Dial
Trying to squeeze the nautical theme dry, they overloaded the dial with unnecessary elements that made legibility in bad lighting conditions a bit problematic. There is a lot of gold-plating here on all of its six hands and twice as many hour indices, but there is not a drop of Superluminova on any of these parts.
The other problem, as another reviewer pointed, is that time becomes almost unreadable in bright sunlight. Its elegant hour and minute hands are too thin to provide adequate contrast.
However, if you don’t plan to use the watch on your yacht, and do not live in Spain or Chile, these problems would possibly never bother you at all.
The 48mm Case
The third problem is its size.
With its 48 mm case made of stainless steel with black and gold-colored PVD coating, the ref. 01201-357RN-NIR stays on the *ahem* larger side of the automatic chronographs world. It will possibly be too big even for athletic guys. I mean, the width of one’s wrist is one of precious few body parts that doesn’t grow regardless of how much you bench.
The Mechanism
When it comes to the internal hardware, there is nothing revolutionary about this chronograph.
Edox says that the Grand Ocean Chrono I is powered by the Edox 012 movement, which is based on a relatively new ETA Valgranges A07.211 mechanism. Created to satisfy the demand for larger watches, the mechanism is 36.60 mm in diameter and 7.90 mm in height, which makes it larger than most automatic watches of the past.
A natural-born chronograph, the movement has all the usual parts. It comes with two push-pieces, an Etachron regulator system, and offers a standard tri-compax layout. The 12-hour counter stays at 6 o’clock, the 30-minute indicator is at 12 o’clock, and a seconds indicator is at 9 o’clock.
There is also a wide vertical date window at 3 o’clock, that balances the overall layout and provides it with a more professional look and feel.
Once again, too bad that Edox doesn’t want to make a solid-gold version. It would easily rival even the gorgeous, yet much more expensive Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver chronometer.
It is a matter of personal preference, of course, but the new Edox Grand Ocean Automatic Chronograph I (ref. 01201-357RN-NIR) is perhaps one of the best-looking nautically-themed dressy watches in the class of relatively affordable Swiss-made timekeepers.
See also: Girard-Perregaux Dual Time Automatic in Rose Gold
WWR’s Verdict
Originality 5/5
Build Quality: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Overall Legibility: 4/5
Nighttime Legibility: 4/5
Value for Money: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Photos: Edox
Edox Grand Ocean Automatic Chronograph I (ref. 01201-357RN-NIR) specification
Price range: €3500 (MSRP)
Movement: Caliber Edox 012, based on ETA Valgranges A07.211 ebauche, automatic, 28800 vph, Swiss Made
Complications: Date
Power reserve: 42 hours
Case: Stainless steel, rose gold PVD-plated
Size: 48.00 mm
Case height: 17.00 mm
Dial: Black
Water resistance: 100 meters
Strap: Black rubber with a folding buckle
Crystal: Sapphire, anti-reflective