On My Wrist: Akerfalk First Season

A Change in Perspective – It’s About Time!

Words/Photography: Me. Akerfalk provided this watch at no-cost for the purpose of this review/shoot. Please read more about our review policies.

Akerfalk watches is a fashion-centric microbrand watch company based out of Sweden. The First Season, currently their only model, comes in many flavors and rings in at a reasonable $248 direct from their website.

The 24-hour dial is an unusual convention, and it’s this trait that separates the First Season from every other watch in my expansive collection. 78 watches strong and only one 24-hour dial- this one.

My time with the First Season has been enjoyable for a number of reasons, in part because of its classic minimalist aesthetic and tasteful size. Another enjoyable part of my experience with the First Season is its personality, which is polished but quirky. Despite being a 40mm dress piece, I noticed that the watch caught the eye of a number of my friends and colleagues when I wore it to the office. It seems to be a hit- let’s check out why.

Akerfalk First Season Technical Specifications

Model Number: Gold White With Brown Leather
MSRP: $248
Case Diameter: 40mm
Alternate Models: Tons of variations
Movement: Quartz, Ronda 515.24H
Complications: None
Battery Life: Estimated 3-5 years
Water Resistance: 50m / 165ft
Crystal Material: Mineral

My Favorite Kind of Dress Watch is One That is Timeless

Timeless design is design that remains attractive as the days, months, years, and decades pass. By that measure, I am confident that I’ll still find the First Season attractive 20 years from now. Akerfalk kept the dial clean and minimal, while using the logo and branding at 6 o’clock to grab the eye. The outer ring is where all the action is, which is where the Roman numeral hour markers and minute markers are printed. And it has plenty of white space, helping each part of the dial stand out and feel special.

The hands are different colors, with the hour hand in silver and the minute hand in gold. Two-tone hands are an interesting choice, and one that I think works well for the First Season and empowers its unique personality. At certain angles, the domed mineral crystal makes the end of the minute hand bend toward the dial. It also does wonders for the minute hand’s rich gold plating, which is highly polished and very shiny.

It’s Not Often You’ll Wear a Dress Watch With a Personality

Conservatively-styled dress watches are some of the best looking designs out there, but despite how good they can look, they rarely have a look that feels unique or notable enough so as be classic and memorable. This is especially true when pursuing a minimal design, where you have fewer elements available to you to leverage.

The First Season accomplishes this goal, however. It has a quirky and appreciably friendly personality that makes it kind of endearing. It feels special, in part, because of these qualities.

An example of this is the screw-down crown, which is fine but perhaps unncessary given the 50m water resistance rating. It feels like a good unit- it springs open when unwound and winds up tight and secure once closed. The crown travels the threads nicely, too. There’s nothing wrong with the screw-down crown… it just seems odd to use a screw-down crown when you’re only aiming for 50m of water resistance. A little overkill, maybe.

Included with the watch was an alternate strap, a green nato. As you can imagine, this strap really changes the look of the First Season. It looks good with the gold case and hand, but I prefer the leather.

Powered by the Ronda 515.24H Quartz Movement

The 515.24H is a mid-level quartz movement, comparable to ETA quartz movements of similar price and function. It’s a perfectly acceptable movement to use at this price point and should provide you years of trouble-free timekeeping. The battery is expected to last between 3 and 5 years, with a specc’d life of 45 months.

Something notable about this movement is that it is repairable. Many movements used in inexpensive watches are not repairable, meaning that they are simply replaced if your watch is not working. It also features a power saving mode: when the stem/crown is pulled out, power consumption is reduced by about 70%.

The movement accuracy specification is -10/+20 seconds per month, which is also pretty average for a quartz. You can read more about the Ronda 515.24H on the Ronda website.

It’s Lightweight & Comfortable to Wear

At just 10.4mm hiugh, the First Season discreetly tucks away under a cuff or blends into the background. The crystal has a smallish dome (vs. the larger dome on the V2 Bambino or Graff Zeppelin dual-time, for example), and so it hugs the wrist rather than towers above it.

Don’t mind the red winter jacket, necessary thanks to the polar vortex and the -31c temperatures it brought with it.

The First Season is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I think this is because it is sensibly sized, but also because the crown isn’t too large and the indices have a gentle curve to them that helps the watch hug the wrist a bit.

The leather strap is also quite comfortable, and it still feels taught after spending a few weeks on and off the my wrist. It’s not showing too many visible signs of use aside from some creases near the holes. It’s also perfectly sized for my wrist and has a great resting position. Sometimes the holes on a strap don’t align with the “ideal” position for my wrist; this one does. A small luxury, but one I appreciate.

Another small luxury is Akerfalk’s choice to use quick release springbars, making it a ten-second affair to switch between leather and nato.

Well Thought Out & Memorable, I Like the First Season Quite a Lot

Simple, purposeful, and tasteful are three qualities that many of the most beautiful watches, automobiles, homes, and other items of luxury posses. Akerfalk has given a classic style their own Swedish spin and the end result is well executed and very good looking. The First Season is indeed simple, tasteful, and purposeful.

The $248 price puts it smack-middle in what most people would call “a reasonable price to pay, but the watch had better be good” territory. Many people would invest $250 in a nice watch if it would last them ten years (or more) and look great throughout its life. The First Season could be one such watch assuming care is given to keep its gold-plated case looking good.

Many people appreciate that this watch offers you a different perspective on time; it makes you consider what 24-hours of time really looks like as it passes by. It felt a bit foreign at first, but by the third or fourth wrist check I was used to it.

With two straps included, the First Season is a good value considering what’s in the box and how well it is made. Recommended.