Pole Guardian by Edmond Watches
Edmond Watches is giving its famous Pole Guardian watch a new bracelet. An appointment is set with Jean-Pierre Edmond himself, the brand’s founder, in Geneva at Place du Mollard, to discover this bracelet that completes its key model: the Pole Guardian.
The French designer, a creator of Swiss watches, shares a journey of which the Pole Guardian is a relevant, logical culmination—the result of a wealth of diverse design experience, brought together with coherence and harmony in this timepiece.
With the watch out of its case, let’s begin this review without delay…
Cushion-shaped, the 316L steel case is well designed, with a judicious alternation of brushed and polished finishes that creates interesting angles—indeed, a sense of depth—to the watch.
The bezel is pierced with 12 hex-head screws that look superb, and it encircles the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Access to the crown is via the Lock-Ed Concept. This is a patented crown locking and control system. By pulling the system outward, you release it and can easily select the crown positions. You can wind the watch’s automatic movement, change the date (first position) and set the time (second position).
This system is also a guarantee of safety, ensuring the watch’s water resistance (200 metres), as it guarantees a properly locked crown.
The watch makes a strong statement on the wrist, both in terms of its weight and its 44 mm diameter… A pure concentrate of masculinity with a sporty yet elegant look.
Refinement and originality are not left behind, with a carefully executed dial, finely worked and entirely engraved. The 24-hour display is unprecedented, with an ingenious system of three rotating discs.
The progression of the discs makes it possible to distinguish noon from midnight, 6 o’clock from 18:00, and 9 o’clock from 21:00, as illustrated by the animation below as well as the film at the end of the article.
The date is indicated in an original red window. The hands, coated with Luminova, are skeletonised (as opposed to solid hands) to ensure good legibility of the dial and to maintain coherence with the rest of the dial.
Edmond watches are Swiss Made, and the movement fully lives up to that protected designation of origin. The Pole Guardian is powered by an ETA 2824-2 calibre, known for its reliability and robustness. It offers a 40-hour power reserve and beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.
The oscillating weight is engraved ED, the brand’s initials, and is clearly visible—like the rest of the movement—through the transparent caseback, beneath a sapphire crystal.
The bracelet, new for this watch, is in steel, alternating—like the case—between polished and brushed finishes. In my view, this bracelet option is the element the watch was missing. While rubber is a sporty alternative and pleasant to wear, steel—and its successful finishing—will delight current owners and future buyers alike.
One last strong point of the watch: its price—€1,195.
The website: www.edmond-watches.com
