Tutima Saxon One M now in an Elegant 40mm Case with a Midnight Grey Dial

Last year, we were pleasantly surprised by a new watch from Germany: the Saxon One by Tutima Glashütte. While the brand is better known for its pilot chronographs or the high-end Patria collection, it has drastically changed its philosophy and has jumped into the luxury sports watch concept with an integrated case/bracelet construction. While the first versions were rather robust, Baselworld 2018 was the occasion to launch a more restrained version, which you’ll see here.

The Saxon One is still a young collection, which was first launched at Baselworld 2017. The inaugural pieces were powered by an automatic chronograph movement or an automatic day-date calibre and both were relatively large on the wrist – at 43mm and 42mm respectively – dimensions that felt standard on paper, yet due to the barrel-shaped case, these watches wear larger than expected. Because not everybody wants to wear such a robust piece, German brand Tutima has decided to introduce a more restrained, more elegant, more classic version: the Saxon One M 40mm.

Basically, the design of this new 40mm version of the Tutima Saxon One M hasn’t changed. Apart from the dimensions, we find the same attractively designed case. The barrel-shaped case is facetted with straight lines and sharp angles on each side. With a certain “luxury sports watch” inspiration, the integrated lugs, to which the strap is directly attached, create a continuous line between the case and the strap. Contrasting with the rest of the case, which is polished, the two lug-modules are brushed.

On top is a perfectly round bezel with a fluted profile – adding a sportier look to the watch and somehow reminiscent of the bezel found on Flieger watches. An oversized screw-down crown ensures water-resistance and easiness of use. The case is nicely executed with its solid assembly and well-finished surfaces. It is complemented by a brown leather strap for a more formal look. A steel bracelet, for a more casual look (more suitable for sports activities), is also available.

On the wrist, the 40mm diameter of this case adds comfort and makes this Tutima Saxon One M more versatile – especially when worn on a leather strap. The case is still relatively massive (again, this is due to the shape) but remains thin enough to be worn with a formal shirt. For this new 40mm version, two other updates have been made, the first one being the dial. The Saxon One was originally available with blue, black or silver dials. Here, we have a nice grey dial with great contrast for the polished markers and hands.

The second novelty is the use of a time-and-date movement, instead of the day-date movements found on previous 3-hand versions of the Tutima Saxon One – this makes the dial cleaner and feels more adapted to the smaller diameter. Visible through the case back is calibre Tutima 330, a modified ETA movement with a specific rotor with an 18k gold seal. Specifications are classic: 38h power reserve, 4hz frequency and 25 jewels. Nothing fancy but a reliable and easy-to-operate movement.

I consider the new Tutima Saxon One M 40mm to be an improvement compared to the previous, larger versions. The 42mm and 43mm models require a solid wrist while this one is more versatile and will fit most. As always, finishing and execution are very pleasant and the prices of EUR 1,590 on leather and EUR 1,950 on steel bracelet feel justified. More details on tutima.com.