Hands-On With Ciga Design Z Hunter: As Fun As It Is Affordable
One of the main benefits of being a relatively young brand is that you get room to experiment. As fewer watches define the brand's identity, people tend to give you a bit more slack in that department. Ciga Design is a brand that most certainly makes the most of it, yet here we already see a tradition emerge. They have a profound passion for skeleton watches, and the Z Hunter might be their best yet.
While there is no connection with the 'Terminator' franchise, this was immediately on my mind when I first set eyes on the watch in the metal. The watch has something distinctly futuristic in an organic yet robotic-kind-of-way. Even the name fits into this theme perfectly. On the wrist, the Z Hunter is quite the experience. Visually, there is a lot going on with the skeleton movement and complex case, but in a good way. From every side that you look at this Ciga Design, there is something interesting to see. The tonneau-shaped case featured many angles and planes, and all together, they work wonders.
The bracelet cleverly tones it down with a traditional H-shaped link design and a matte finish. The sides are cut at an angle and polished, highlighting the bracelet's shape with the reflection of light. What is also noticeable is that the bracelet links are quite thin. This makes it very comfortable to wear. As is typical with this type of bracelet, there is no micro-adjustment. As the links are not overly large, a comfortable length of the bracelet can still be found for most people.
With the Z Hunter, Ciga Design is also launching its new caliber CD-07. This movement is all about visibility, with a prominent place for the balance wheel and sneak peeks of most of the gear train. It is fitted with an anchor-shaped oscillating weight and runs at 28,800 Vp with a 40-hour power reserve. While it lacks a power reserve indicator, the mainspring barrel is open, so you can get an idea of the power reserve based on the tension of the spring. Like with the tonneau case, there is also much to see with the movement. The architecture is appealing, as is the finishing. The top of the bridges features the same matte finish as the case and bracelet, while the chamfered edges are polished, highlighting their shape.
Another beautiful aspect of the Z Hunter is the shape of the sapphire crystals, the top one of which also has a slight curve. The hands are also quite appealing, with their bold tips in bright green luminous material, matching four of the hour markers. All together is the Z Hunter a compelling watch with a bold yet captivating character. Ciga Design offers it in three different finishes. The one in this article is called silver and shows the stainless steel in its natural splendor. The carbon version is slightly darker, like a distinguished grey, while the black version is all black.
As Ciga Design has not a world wide network of dealers, they use Indiegogo as the initial sales outlet for the Z Hunter. Prices start at $389,- for either color with delivery in April 2025.
For more info, visit Ciga Design on Indiegogo, here.
