Mancheront Pacer Watch Hands-on Review: Premium Reimagined Submariner

Microbrand is a word that many microbrand watchmakers prefer not to be labeled as. However, with microbranding what can sometimes result are products that are not so much defined by profitability, but by the pure passion of few individuals who are out to realize their dream product. And this is exactly what the Pacer by Mancheront is meant to be.

A brain child of its founder that took 5 years in the making, just how premium can a microbrand watch be built? With a prototype watch sent to us from Mancheront, we went hands-on to find out.

Case inspired by the Submariner

The first thing that caught my attention was the familiar shape of the Pacer. It has a thickness (or rather, thinness) and solid stainless steel watch case that takes obvious inspiration from the iconic Submariner. It's one of those automatic watches that feels extremely thin on the wrist - which I appreciate since no watch looks good while getting snagged on the shirt cuffs.

It has a brushed metal finish on top that is very subtly contrasted with polished sides that gives the overall aesthetics depth, while keeping its sophistication quiet and tasteful.

Patented Wreath Bezel Design

The similarity to the Submariner pretty much ends with the case, with the watch quickly taking on colors of its own. One of the most distinct features of the watch is the patented wreath design embellished on its bidirectional bezel. The design, like pedals on a flower, gives the watch a unique frill, while at the same time offering a functional grip on the bezel that isn't abrasive to anything the watch happens to rub against.

On the face of the bezel, instead of having the typical tachymeter markings, the Mancheront Pacer has a base 30 Pulsometer. This allows for checking one's pulse by counting to 30 from the moment the second hand passes the 12 o'clock marker and taking a reading on the bezel. This is an interesting mechanical take on what people use smartwatches for these days, and I find myself using the bezel more than the typical minute markers.

Impressive Design and Fabrication on the Back

Whilst I usually prefer a transparent back on my automatic timepieces to showcase the mechanical wonders on the side, the Mancheront Pacer showcases something else with its back. Another of its patented features, the Pacer has a convex stainless steel back with a recessed hexadic petals design. The recessed design means it doesn't 'stick' to the wrist as a polished back can, but give the skin some breathing room, not to mention another distinct aesthetic feature.

When I first laid my eyes on the back of the Pacer, I actually did a double take as I wondered if the back was removable or was simply machined out of a single block of metal. I had to actually get a macro lens on the camera to be able to see the very fine seam between the back and the case. It's a testament to how well the Pacer is manufactured, there is an air of polished finish to it that you would normally only find on luxury watches.

Functional and Detailed Watchface

The watchface of the Mancheront Pacer is simple, yet functional. It has two subdials: a power reserve at 12 o'clock, and a 24 hour dial at 6 o'clock. These two subdials resolve the two most commonly felt problems in automatic watches: not knowing how much power is left in the windup spring, and not knowing whether the time is showing AM or PM which affects the date setting.

Aesthetics wise, I find much much resemblance in the Pacer to the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time ref. 47450 with the pencil watch hands and the subdials, but what's different is that the Pacer has a higher contrast between the matte black finish and the white hands that it's more legible and can tell the time at a glance - something essential for the modern day watch wearer who has a smartphone always at hand.

Upon closer inspection, there are actually many details that make the Pacer more handsome than at first glance. Within the 24 hour subdial there are textured concentric circles, a design language that carries over to the recessed power reserve arc.

With the application of C3 Swiss Super-LumiNova(R) photoluminescent, the Mancheront Pacer is also easily legible in the dark. It keeps it quite simple, with only the stick indices and the minute and hour hands visible in the dark.

Minute Work in Progress

Since what I had on-hand was a prototype, the Mancheront team also informed me of the only difference between it and the retail version of the watch: its clasp. The retail version of the Pacer will have a butterfly with pushers and an additional security cap, which should keep the watch more securely on the wrist while allowing for easy release.

Since we haven't seen this in person, we're looking forward to seeing a retail version of the Pacer to give it a true evaluation.

Final Verdict

For anyone who appreciates attention to detail, you will not be disappointed with both the design and the manufacture of the Mancheront Pacer. Made in France while being designed in Sydney, Australia, it has unique offerings when it comes to both functionality and aesthetics.

For its blend of modern watch functionality together with classic iconic designs, the Mancheront Pacer is a watch that we would happily recommend. We're awarding it with the IBTimes Editor's Choice badge.

Sam is a production engineer turned tech writer who specializes in seeking out gadgets that enhances productivity while still looking sharp. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travelers.