Armand Nicolet M02-4 Review
Armand Nicolet are a respected boutique brand in Europe, but virtually unknown in the US and Canada, and so they don’t sell well here. Instead, they sit forlornly on cushions like an ugly child in a Cambodian orphanage, overlooked by western movies stars until the retailer’s patience is worn through and off they are shucked to the salt-mine of the Greymarket.
I’m English, so underdogs are like catnip to me.
Armand Nicolet are nice watches. I found the M02-4 and fell in love with the guilloche dial. OK, it’s not a true guilloche but it shimmers and reflects like a satin diamond. The applied indices are crisp and bright, and the knife hands look like they could slice though a Wookie. The design is simple, yet subtly elegant, the off-white dial a delicious ambrosia cream. This is a refined watch, well suited for occasions of gentility.
Yet despite its refined dial, the case is thick and the bracelet heavy, with solid links and screw joinery rather than pins. It’s weighty on the wrist - rugged, like I could drive nails with it. At 42mm, with a 22mm lug width, this is not a dainty watch either. This is watch for a burly man like me.
So, it’s an oxymoron; rugged enough for a man who veers towards masculinity, the dial radiates the refined taste of a gentleman and the polished case & bracelet exude decadence. Even from a distance - this is a watch that wears far more expensive than it really is.
It’s a “Dress-Tool Watch”.
Everyone has a different opinion on what constitutes “Luxury” in the watch world, but the consensus is that it means “unaffordable for most middle-class people”.
I disagree with this definition. To me, luxury is just that – a non-essential item that brings joy just for the ownership of it; it is a folly, a whimsy, a trinket or bauble. At my level of income and spendthriftness, a couple of thousand bucks is deep into luxury territory for me, especially when you consider that I have 30 watches in my collection – they can’t possibly be all Rolexes.
The Armand Nicolet M02-4 ticked every box for me; the luxury experience, the gorgeous dial, the masculine heft, the underdog company, and my bargain-hunter genes flooded my brain with dopamine because I only paid CDN$800 for a watch with a list price around CDN$4200.
If you haven’t heard of Armand Nicolet, I encourage you to look into them. I believe you will find your time well spent.
Armand Nicolet M02-4 Review
Yes
No
- Guilloche Dial
- Weightiness of the case and bracelet
- Luxury finishing
- Nothing
I enjoy collecting mechanical watches and prefer hidden gems - quality watches that are not well known.
I don't know if your writing channels Robert Farago or whether this is common Brit parlance. I certainly never heard of this brand. They seem to be in an uncanny valley between respectable maturity and half-baked shadiness, so I really don' know what to think. They're not boring.
My guess is a 2892 or thereabouts inside?
I don't know if your writing channels Robert Farago or whether this is common Brit parlance. I certainly never heard of this brand. They seem to be in an uncanny valley between respectable maturity and half-baked shadiness, so I really don' know what to think. They're not boring.
Nicolet is an old name with a very good reputation in the Tramelan area of Switzerland. If memory serves, this is an Italian brand trading on that name.
Nicolet is an old name with a very good reputation in the Tramelan area of Switzerland. If memory serves, this is an Italian brand trading on that name.
Yes, that's my understanding too. Apparently they found a whole whack of in-house movements from the 1970's and an Italian businessman and watch lover had the brilliant idea to dust them off and put them in new designs. Many of the Armand Nicolet watches bear the moniker OHM (Original Historic Movement) to show that they are powered by one of the serviced movements.
I think that's such a great story...
My guess is a 2892 or thereabouts inside?
That I could not tell you I'm afraid. The watch has an exhibition back and the rotor is nicely decorated. The rest of the movement has a bead blasted finish, nicely done.
Nicolet is an old name with a very good reputation in the Tramelan area of Switzerland. If memory serves, this is an Italian brand trading on that name.
Yes, I read the company's "History" page to see if it was some zombie story like Stuhrling or Waldan ("...and then that watchmaker's grandson decided to resurrect the dead brand bearing his name...") but they're pretty straightforward that second generation owner sold to Italian businessman during late Reagan era.
https://www.armandnicolet.com/history
Their whole website needs a little polishing, and I'm mainly talking about clearing up clunky language and typos. That's part of what gave me an iffy perception. But in a way it is fitting.
Your M02-4 is beautiful and I am sure it has punched well above the weight of its price. I’m totally in love with this brand and will have 1 or more added to my collection in 2024. I am fairly new to this hobby but it is obvious to me that this is one of the greatest values we can find.
Your M02-4 is beautiful and I am sure it has punched well above the weight of its price. I’m totally in love with this brand and will have 1 or more added to my collection in 2024. I am fairly new to this hobby but it is obvious to me that this is one of the greatest values we can find.
I own two Armand Nicolets and will add at least one more.
Another high quality brand, little known outside of Europe, is Paul Picot. Excellent watches that sell in the US for far less than they are worth. Enjoy!