Mark Frankel shared with us the moment he realized the potential in the affordable watch market.
Discussing the founding of his brand Islander Watches, Frankel explains: “I started the business when I learned Seiko was discontinuing the SKX007 (and) SKX009 models... I was selling several thousand of these watches a year. I thought: 'My God, if I don't do anything, I will face a serious income shortfall.'” He further recounts that a meeting with Seiko representatives where he saw the SKX replacement was a decisive moment. Seeing that the SKX successor used mineral glass instead of scratch-resistant sapphire, he remembered thinking: “(The replacement has) a push-button crown; they reduced water resistance to 100 meters...
Adherents of this model will be furious! I immediately knew I could come up with something better.” In September 2019, Islander Watches launched its own brand of already popular Long Island Watch by Frankel. Now, with over 200 items in its lineup, Islander has introduced its first mechanical chronograph, the Bridgehampton. The two-register racing chronograph is available in four colors, priced under $500 USD, making it appealing to both new collectors and OG enthusiasts.
Over six years, Frankel and the rest of the Islander team have developed a distinctive design language through color. Rejecting the notion adopted by many small brands that standing out means using bright palettes visible from a mile away, Islander prefers to use color in more restrained variations. In the bi-compax Bridgehampton chronograph, dark tones are widely used across the dial and bezel, with accents added two at a time on the hands, minute track, and selectively in the dial text. The Islander branding is subtle and executed in monochrome shades corresponding to the dial variant.
Among the options are Pure White, Asphalt Black, Deep Blue, and Golden, the latter being a nod to Seiko “Pogue.” The ISL-237 model with the same golden dial paired with “Pepsi” is the boldest in the Bridgehampton lineup. While in the “Pogue” the red-blue color scheme was prominently featured on the bezel, in the Bridgehampton this scheme is calmly used on the minute track running along the edge of the dial. Attention to detail is also evident in the color-matched numerals placed on the IP-coated bezel insert. Like the hands and hour markers, these numbers are luminescent, giving the bidirectional bezel a premium look. These touches remind one of Islander's fan-focused approach - to make something affordable yet better than everything else.
While the Bridgehampton variant with the golden dial stands out the most, fans will find the blue, black, and white versions suitable for daily wear. On the Pure White model, electric blue hands and text highlight the chronograph's overall functionality, while on the Asphalt Black model the red coloring allows for quick reading of the chronograph indications. The Deep Blue model is the most modern of all, featuring a combination of light blue and bright yellow colors that stand out strikingly on the dial.
Regardless of dial color, one of the interesting aspects is the location of the tachymetric scale. While in most chronographs it is located on the fixed bezel, in the Bridgehampton it is positioned under the domed sapphire glass. This frees up space on the bezel, which was used for the aforementioned luminescent 12-hour scale. As Frankel demonstrates in his helpful YouTube video, the bezel can be aligned with the hour hand when starting the chronograph, turning the 30-minute chronograph into a 12-hour one.
Named after the town of Bridgehampton (part of the glamorous Hamptons area on Long Island), the watch has reasonable dimensions that won't ruffle any feathers at your next bourgeois garden party. A 40 mm diameter and 48 mm lug-to-lug length are sizes suitable for most wrists. Although smaller watches are currently in vogue, for a chronograph this size is minimally acceptable, not only due to the size of the mechanism itself but also because if it were smaller, it would be very difficult to read the fine details of the sub-dials with any accuracy.
Thus, the Bridgehampton occupies an optimal size that will appeal to enthusiasts. Thanks to the 20 mm lug width, strap choices remain diverse, but this necessity is eliminated as the Bridgehampton comes with a solid link bracelet, solid link bracelet, and leather racing strap. Each is successful in its own way. The bracelet features female end links, micro-adjustment, and a single-lock deployant clasp, while the strap enhances the vintage character of the Bridgehampton, distancing it from the current era and bringing it closer to the era of Jay Gatsby.
Inside the watch is the Seagull ST1901 movement. Through the exhibition case back, it's easy to understand why collectors are increasingly interested in hand-wound chronographs, as they are remarkably different in complexity from automatic ones. By nature, they are also more interesting, as they require regular manual winding. While quartz or automatic watches can be (at least theoretically) worn until they require servicing, mechanical watches need to be taken off and wound manually. This technology almost disappeared but has found new development in the digital age.
Collectors concerned about the questionable reputation of the ST1901 in terms of reliability can rest assured that this issue has been resolved. As Frankel explained in a recent Reddit Ask Me Anything forum, a significant obstacle to releasing the Islander hand-wound chronograph was sourcing movements in the right place. By partnering with a reliable factory, Islander can guarantee that the Bridgehampton will be more reliable than other watches with this movement. And if anything does go wrong, the famous superior customer service of Long Island Watch will step in. In addition to the growing list of advantages, mechanical chronographs are generally thinner than their automatic counterparts. The thickness of the Bridgehampton is just 14 mm.
Since the brand's first watch, the ISL-01, Islander has been engaged in creating “watches for the geek.” But assembling a watch that meets all the core principles is easier said than done. Frankel and his team do it effortlessly, consistently noting the little things, and the Bridgehampton is no exception - things like AR coating on the underside of the crystal (to prevent smudging), curved lugs for wearing comfort, and a value proposition that, essentially, has no analogs. For those looking to dive into the world of mechanical chronographs and for seasoned collectors wanting to fill a gap in their watch box, the Bridgehampton is just what you need. The Islander Bridgehampton watch is available now, exclusively at Long Island Watch, priced at $469 USD.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Brand: Islander
Model: Bridgehampton Racing Chronograph
Case: Stainless steel. 40 mm diameter, 14 mm thickness, 20 mm lug width, 48 mm lug-to-lug length.
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Crystal: Domed sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating
Strap: Stainless steel with deployant clasp + Bonus leather strap, 20 mm.
References:
– ISL-234: Black dial, black bezel, bonus black leather strap with red stitching
– ISL-235: White dial, black bezel, bonus brown leather strap with white stitching
– ISL-236: Blue dial, blue bezel, bonus blue leather strap with white stitching
– ISL-237: Golden dial, dark blue bezel, bonus blue leather strap with white stitching
Movement: Manual-wind chronograph Seagull ST1901 (central hours, minutes, chrono seconds. 30-minute and running seconds sub-dials)
Power Reserve: 40 hours
Price and Availability: From $469 USD through Long Island Watch