Hands-On With the Charriol Celtic Legacy: How Casual Chic Turns Into A Daily Companion

While I have a great passion for mechanical watches— preferably complex ones— sometimes a thought-through quartz-powered timepiece can be just as pleasing. It can be similar to a nice hot bowl of soup, a type of horological comfort food if you like. Such a watch is the Charriol Celtic Legacy.

While the Ronda quartz movement is unlikely to excite many watch enthusiasts, other than being a solid performer, it is the design of the Celtic Legacy that really makes a difference. This starts with the diameter of 40mm, which is quite generous given the fact that the bezel is rather thin. Here, the thin profile of the Ronda movement comes into play, as it allows Charriol to keep the overall height of the Celtic Legacy at a modest 6.23mm. That does a lot for the watch, as it sits smooth on the wrist and easily goes under the sleeves of sweaters, shirts, and jackets. The well-finished and equally thin bracelet further enhances this wearing comfort, while also tying into the design of the Celtic Legacy.

The Celtic Legacy also shows nicely how much Charriol is in tune with its own DNA. The rope design is a hallmark of the brand, yet they use it with this watch with masterful restraint. It is just barely visible highlighting the bezel, and showing a bit more of itself when looking at the case sideways. The bracelet also shows a hint of it, as does the caseback, yet it is never overpowering in any way.

While I normally would never wear a bracelet on the same wrist as my watch, I made a short exception for the photos for this article to show the appeal of wearing similar designs. Not many brands offer men the option to wear jewelry in the same style as their watch, and when they do, they are more often than not at the higher end of the market. For this Charriol, it extends the playfulness of the watch itself, as this can be combined with various styles of bracelets and even cufflinks that tie into the same original design.

A rather bold move by Charriol is also to have the movement turned 30 degrees in the case. This makes the Celtic Legacy an asymmetrical proposition, as the seconds subdial is not at seven o'clock, with the crown being at four o'clock. While small, the crown is easy to grasp and decorated with the Charriol logo. The subdial for the seconds has a sunray motif which offers a nice contrast to the Clous de Paris, as this hobnail decoration is also called, on the rest of the dial. The blue hue is understated and playful and suits the watch's character very well. Charriol kept the rest of the dial design simple, with stick hands and hour markers. It makes the Celtic Legacy a watch to wear in comfort and style, with the reliability and precision of a quartz movement and a design that knows how to put a smile on your face. The Celtic Legacy is priced at $1,586, with matching bracelets starting at $176, and cufflinks at $230.

For more info, visit Charriol, here.