Hands-On with the SevenFriday PE1/01 M, a More Serious Side of the Brand
One of the great things about SevenFriday is that all their watches come with a certain fun factor. They possess a certain casual appeal that simply makes you smile whenever you check the time on one. In some cases, this is quite obvious, with fun drawings on the dial; in other cases, it is a bit more sophisticated and reflects in the choice of materials, the use of color, and the way that it displays time. The PE1/01 M is on the more restrained side of this spectrum, being sober and serious.
The seriousness of the watch starts with its monochrome-esque color scheme. It makes it that you have to look for a second more to realize that the dial is packed with details. The black plate that covers most of the dial side has the SevenFriday logo in high relief. Together with the lines that are also in high relief, it adds depth in a subtle way. A marker at nine o'clock points to the wandering hour disc but also serves as a point of reference for the hour hand, which is a bit reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower.
At the center of the display, there is Rhodium finished plate with a stunning brushed finish that adds a great deal of character. The base of the minute hand is shaped like a classic steering wheel, and mounted on top, the seconds hand makes its turn. The date window is tucked on the lower right side of the dial and looks like a stylized entrance to the Tutchancamun tomb. Again a feature that adds depth and character, for which you forgive that the date wheel is laying quite deep and window itself sometimes casts a shadow over it.
The case is typical SevenFriday, being almost square and measuring 44.5mm by 44mm. This sounds rather large, but as the watch lacks lugs and both the corners and the bottom of the watch is well rounded, it sits very well on most wrists. The PE1/01 M is powered by caliber TMI NH35, an automatic movement made in Japan. It is sturdy and reliable, and although I would personally love to see a slightly higher power reserve than the 41 hours it offers, it is a perfect choice for this SevenFriday. Fortunately, the brand also knows that this caliber is not the best looking, so they refrain from showing it. Instead, we find in the caseback an embedded NFC chip, which allows you to register and authenticate your watch through the SevenFriday App. This works both on iOS and Android and even allows you to keep track of your entire collection of SevenFriday watches.
The finishing of the watch is very nice, with the SevenFriday logo engraved on the crown, as well as on the other side of the case. While SevenFriday also offers this watch on a leather strap, the mesh bracelet is too good to pass on. It is very comfortable to wear, as the clasp can be positioned freely along the bracelet, and the chains are very fine. It also adds to the serious look of the PE1/01 M, which brings me to the following question: is it too serious for a SevenFriday? I don't think so, as the brand has executed the concept of the PE1/01 M very well. It expands the SevenFriday universe even further, and I hope that the brand will also nurture its serious side on occasion in future models. The SevenFriday costs $1,170 on the mesh bracelet and $1,150 on a leather strap.
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