In 2019, I first saw the MW & Co Asset 2.1 watch. It was the debut year for the brand, which had a small booth at Baselworld. Ironically, the first year of the French brand's existence turned out to be the last year for the Baselworld watch exhibition. I didn't have the opportunity to wear the watch, but I remember thinking, "This is very cool." Now, in 2021, I finally have the chance to get acquainted with the MW & Co Asset series - and I am definitely impressed. Let's take a look at these very original motorsport-inspired sports watches together.
In this review, I will look at two MW & Co Asset models - the MW & Co Asset 2.2 and a unique piece similar to the Asset 2.3. (Functionally, the watches are identical but differ in color tones.) What I like about the Asset watches is their originality. Designers, who are artists at heart, dislike when their works resemble anything that came before. MW & Co ensured that almost everything is original when it comes to the case, strap, dial, etc. The movement is from a supplier, but it's not a mechanical module you see very often. More on that later.
MW & Co claims that the case itself, a love affair between titanium and the world of modern automotive component design, uses 77 parts. The brand notes that they must contact 17 suppliers to obtain all the parts for each Asset watch, with final assembly and decoration done in-house in France. 11 suppliers are in France, and these watches are among the cool but still rare models that proudly feature the "Made in France" inscription on the case (despite the Swiss-made movement).
The two most distinctive features of the case are the "muffler" style ring around the round case and the damper-style front lugs (resembling a shock absorber), which are indeed spring-loaded. Despite the watch's extremely original appearance, they are not only comfortable to wear but also easy to read and use.
The case width is 46mm, thickness is about 16mm, and the lug-to-lug length is about 55mm. The case is water-resistant to 50 meters and has a sapphire crystal with AR coating over the dial, as well as another for the exhibition window on the case back.
Take a closer look at the case, and your eyes will be delighted by a wide variety of colors, textures, and interesting design elements. For example, the titanium bezel is a mix of sandblasted surface treatment with polished edges. Titanium also helps save significant weight, as this is not a small watch, but it definitely doesn't feel too heavy.
The spring-loaded "shock" lug construction is very cool - not only in detail and function but in every part. MW & Co claims that each damper tip consists of 14 parts, including springs coated in ceramic lacquer and sapphire glass tubes, which give a visual clue to what's happening inside. Additionally, there is a system of O-rings ensuring that dust and water do not enter the damper system lugs. A slight pull on the strap lets you feel how the spring works. I think the goal here is not so much cushioning, but a comfort system allowing the strap to "give" a little, which can improve comfort with wrist movement or its expansion and contraction throughout the day.
The movement inside the watch is something you don't see often, but nevertheless, it's a very cool caliber. It's the Swiss Eterna Caliber 3916A with an automatic chronograph featuring a flyback function. The first thing to mention about the chronograph is that, despite having only two subdials on the face, it is a full 12-hour chronograph, as the right subdial has a hand counting both elapsed minutes and hours.
The left subdial is the running seconds for the main time. The 3916A movement operates at 4 Hz, with a power reserve of 60 hours. It is equipped with an automatic rotor made by MW & Co at the brand's own factory.
Completing the very cool and original package is a matching strap. The handmade straps are made of alligator leather and elegantly taper at the wrist. The ends of the strap have a "Y-shaped" cut, allowing them to attach to the protruding lugs without a traditional spring bar. This is another way the Asset watches strive to stand out from other watches.
And now it's time to note that even the case screws have an original design and were custom-made for MW & Co.
As part of its business, MW & Co makes many custom watches. This means customers order unique versions of the Asset watches in materials and colors they choose. I recommend this route for serious enthusiasts, if only because you can have a lot of fun playing with all the color options and the rich variety of details to play with.
Otherwise, watches from the "main" Asset collection are now released in limited editions. For example, the Asset 2.2 model is released in a limited series of only 20 pieces.
Depending on the version of the MW & Co Asset watch, the titanium parts of the case or dial are painted differently. The Asset 2.2 model is primarily made of natural gray titanium with a black PVD-coated middle ring and some orange accents on the dial. Other Asset watches have a fully orange rehaut ring around the dial, accented with more orange in places like the lug springs.
MW & Co has designed the dials to be extremely complex, but in a good way, as legibility is the most important characteristic of the dial. Easily distinguishable hands are combined with embossed hour markers, and everything from the date indicator (located at the "6 o'clock" position on the dial) to the subdial hands is very easy to read.
The dial of the watch is also cut with slightly wavy horizontal lines, creating a skeletonized feel without being distracting. I am really impressed with the level of sophistication used to create an original, interesting, proportional, and, again, legible dial. It's nice to see a tool watch under all this design fun, which is central to the presentation of the Asset series watches.
Considering all the original details and intricacies, I believe the prices for most of the MW & Co Asset collection are fair. The limited edition Asset 2.1 (similar to the 2.2 model but with a focus on green and orange colors), consisting of 20 pieces, was sold for only 6,600 euros. The limited edition Asset 2.2 of 20 pieces has a retail price of 8,800 euros. The limited edition Asset 2.3 (with more black-coated details) of 50 watches costs 9,200 euros. The price of other unique or less serial MW & Co Asset watches mainly ranges from 12,100-13,475 euros. These are quite interesting watches, and I hope many enthusiasts will have the chance to at least try them on.
Essential Data
> Brand: MW & Co
>Model: Asset (mainly Asset 2.2 and reviewed)
>Price: 8,800 euros (for the Asset 2.2 model tested)
>Size: 46mm wide, ~16mm thick, lug-to-lug distance ~55mm.
>When the buyer will wear it: As an energetic and original sports chronograph for everyday life and social events.
>The friend we would recommend these watches to first: A lover of modern, detail-oriented watches who wants something original and hard to find.
>Best feature of the watch: Completely original design that still manages to be good tool watches with lots of fun details and refinements. The spring-loaded lug concept is well executed. Easily readable dial with an effective movement.
>Worst feature of the watch: The large size isn't suitable for all wrists. Not for every budget.