I’ll wager that most of you reading this article won’t remember (or know of) the times when most people owned affordable watches because they needed them to stay organized and they constituted an essential part of men’s and women’s wardrobes. Since watches were a need more than a want, I assume many folks couldn’t or didn’t see the point in spending too much money on timekeeping devices. Just like today one may not pay too much attention to which smartphone one has or the make of a car as long as it takes him or her from point A to point B. Things are different nowadays when it comes to watches since we don’t need them but we want them. This begs the following question: why make affordable versions of things that are now just a hobby? 

Of course I don’t mean to imply that any object forming the basis of a passion and collection should by default be expensive to acquire. But from a business standpoint, we might want to ask ourselves and understand what brands get in return for making affordable watches. The simple pleasure of knowing that they made it easier for someone to get into horology? The desire to help people find out who they are? Or perhaps the understanding that they play a key role in making our niche community strong and universal? I believe it is all of the above and this explains why we at Mainspring are solely dedicated to the micro and independent market because we believe that the latter serves as the bedrock of our nerdy community. 

I’m therefore pleased to be telling you about the Chez Maman Apollo today as it is the kind of timekeeping device which helps many horology-inclined folks to get into the hobby and to be part of our wonderful world. Let’s find out how. 

Specifications

From a technical standpoint, the Apollo does many things right in order to bridge the gap between the world of those who want to join the watch community and those who are already in it. Pragmatically, we can first see this in the watch’s dimensions: 35mm in diameter, 42.6mm lug-to-lug, 11.8mm thick, and coming in with an 18mm lug width. According to yours truly, these dimensions endow the Apollo with a universal aspect as it will fit the wrists of many men and women who are watch enthusiasts. Even the manly men who have the privilege of having BigFoot-like wrists. For the sake of this review, know that all photos here showcase the Apollo on my slender 6.50”/16.50cm wrist. Despite its smaller dimensions, this model looks great on the wrist thanks to having a mostly rectangular case and Batman-like lugs. 

The case is made of fully polished 316L stainless steel and is sold on either a leather strap or a metal bracelet as it is the case here. The latter has a straight-lug construction (in other words, it can be matched with any watch that has an 18mm lug width) and a Beads-of-Rice design showcasing an alternation of brushed and polished surfaces, held together via push pins. The nondescript clasp is small, of the two button-release deployant variety complete with a security fold-over latch and three holes of micro-adjustments. Furthermore, the scissor-part is stamped and not machined which is how I prefer them to be (take that clasps snobs) as it is lighter and more comfortable to wear. And honestly, how many times do you look at this part of the bracelet? Exactly my point. 

Inside the case we find a Miyota 8215 automatic caliber which beats at 21,600 BPH (3Hz) and comes with a power reserve of 40 hours. The 8215 is a movement that comes with what some describe as a “hesitating” or “stuttering” seconds hand as the latter moves back and forth whilst setting the time. This is not a mechanical default and instead a characteristic of these entry-level calibers which are equipped with “an indirect-drive system for running the central seconds.” (Quoting from this great article on Caliber Corner.) What I like about the stuttering seconds feature is the fact that it reminds me of vintage watches the Apollo has the look of. To finish the specs: the crown and case-back screw-down which endows this model with 50 meters of water resistance. The crystal is a “beer cup” piece of plexiglass. 

Design

What will most likely drive you to visit Chez Maman’s website (LINK) and purchase an Apollo is the vintage-inspired design this model is endowed with and how it perfectly matches the rectangular-shaped case. But before we go any further you should know that the Apollo comes in three color options: Silver Moon as showcased here, Silver Black, and Khaki Sand. When asked which version I would like to check out I immediately indicated the Silver Moon which to me is the one that looks the most deliciously vintage. What further looks vintage are the rectangular polished hands filled with black paint to make them easier to see, akin to what you would find on a 1970s/80s Seiko. The applied hour markers are also polished and filled with black paint for the same reason. Put together we find ourselves with an elegant, classy, even, legible watch. 

And I would add that the Apollo is watch which is not devoid of functionality given the six o’clock framed date aperture (black numerals printed on a white disc for maximum legibility,) the fully graduated minute track printed in black, as well as the 24-hour military scale printed in red on the periphery of the dial. Printing so many elements in black as well as the model name above the pinion and the brand’s logo below it was clever to, once again, make the watch easy to read. I particularly like how well the hands, hour markers, and the minute track contrast with the matte silver/white dial. Furthermore, the case is also handsome to look at given its vintage-inspired rectangular shape, the pointy lugs, and the massive chamfer which runs all around it. 

The Heart of the Matter

At the heart of the matter is the fact that Chez Maman clearly spent a lot of time designing this model and obsessed over the smallest of details to create a coherent package. And what makes the Apollo even more coherent is the fact that it retails for 325 €/$360 USD which is more than reasonable for this model. (Note: this is the price if you purchase the Apollo within the European Union. If you don’t, you must subtract 20% of VAT from the listed price.) Going back to my lengthy introduction, I believe that this model constitutes the perfect gateway to the hobby for those who are most attracted to elegant/everyday options rather than die-hard tool watches. A bit like a Casio G-Shock is a wonderful entry-point to his obsession of ours for those more inclined to purpose-driven timekeeping devices, and very much like what Seiko used to be until a couple of decades ago. 

I’d wager (again) that you have never heard of Chez Maman and so I’ll now be delighted to tell you about it. Chez Maman is a multi-brand watch retail store based in the heart of Paris (France) and one which has been around for 20 years. A few years back, two of their core team members—Violette and Eva–decided to create their own brand to offer stylish, unique, and affordable timepieces. Although the Apollo is the first model I write about for Mainspring, it’s not the first one I’ve taken a look at. Indeed, I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with their Atlas and La Duel models, two collections which also come with vintage-inspired vibes and which both were thoughtfully designed and put together. It might be clear now that Chez Maman exists within a niche part of our niche world and I’m delighted to let you in this little secret. 

Conclusion 

A Watch Which Unites The Watch Community is the subtitle I opted for today, and 1,300-ish words later, I stand by it. In my humble and ultra personal opinion, the Chez Maman Apollo gives anyone interested in vintage-inspired watches an opportunity to own one which will certainly surpass his or her expectations of what one should get for $360 USD. I’ve seen fashion watches that cost this much as well as micro/indy models which retail in the same range and which have much less to offer. And as someone who has had the opportunity to check out three models from Chez Maman, I can tell you that each release gets better and better which is a sign that not only Violette and Eva know what they’re doing, but also one which indicates that their creations are met with great—and well-deserved—success. 

Lastly, it’s important to note that the Apollo is the first mechanical model Chez Maman has released which is, again and at the risk of sounding like an old broken French record, a very good sign. So I encourage you to check out the brand’s website to know more about their full collection and the brands they carry as well as this page to learn more about this particular model. 

Thanks for reading.