Exploring Summer Vibes with the Charriol Navigator Surf Prototype
While it is not uncommon for brands to send pre-production pieces on loan to press for reviews, prototypes enter our offices more rarely. After successfully launching the Surf in 36mm at the 2023 edition of Watches & Wonders, Charriol followed up with the 41mm version in 2024, of which this is one of the prototypes.
The Navigator Surf, as it is officially called, holds a unique position in the world of watches. While it is a high-end watch featuring an automatic movement, it comes with an undeniable fun factor that is usually associated with less serious timepieces. This starts with the bold use of color, in this particular case using red. Here, we also see the difference between the production model and the prototype, as with the latter, the hour hand is red, while for the first, it is the minute hand. Red is also the color of the flange with the minute markers, as well as the tip of the seconds hand.
That seconds hand is shaped like a lightning bolt, not just because it looks cool, but also because that is the symbol on the surfboard of Coralie Charriol, CEO of the brand. Coralie is passionate about watersports and also wants her watches to be able to keep up with the pace in, on, and underwater. The Navigator Surf is, therefore water resistant up to 10 ATM/100 meters, and fitted with a 120-click unidirectional bezel. The insert is made from ceramic and sports two colors, combining very subtle black with grey. It is one of those details that elevates the Navigator Surf from just being a nice summer watch, to a timepiece you actually bond with.
Other details are the textured segment in the middle of the dial, which resembles the rope design which is an important part of Charriol's DNA. We find this also in the attachment of the strap. A nice aspect of this is that it makes the watch also great to combine with the jewelry line of Charriol, which includes a wide variety of matching bracelets for men. The FKM diver strap makes quite a bold statement with its bright red color and Charriol branding, but for those who want to tone it down a bit is it also available in black or white. It comes with a quick-release system, so you can also take several straps with you to always match the occasion. Charriol also invested in a superb folding clasp that is sturdy yet thin, an aspect of importance that some brands tend to overlook.
The movement is visible through a sapphire insert in the caseback. While you might not instantly recognize it with this watch, it is ETA's renowned caliber 2892-A2, although with this prototype is the osscilating weight removed. At the caseback, we also see the rope decoration again, underscoring once more that the Navigator Surf is not only a capable and fun watch, but also a well-made and thought-through one. Prices start just above $2,900, and the Navigator Surf is also available in various other color combinations.
For more info, visit Charriol, here.
