Review: Bangalore Watch Company Mach 1

India has not been a hotbed for watches. Historically, HMT was a regional powerhouse, with some vintage watch lovers still enjoying them, but that brand slowly deteriorated until it was finally shuttered in 2016. It only took one year for the mantle to pass from HMT: in 2017, Bangalore Watch Company emerged as a new producer of high-quality, proudly Indian timepieces.

While the brand’s first watch was a somewhat generic dress model, it’s subsequent releases have all been deeply rooted in Indian culture and history, with inspiration taken from the Indian Air Force, cricket, and Indian space exploration. Though not clearly designated as such, the Bangalore Watch Company Mach 1 seen herein is the second iteration of the model, the original of which was released in 2018 and commemorated 50 years of supersonic flight in the Indian Air Force. This new version sees a number of changes while still maintaining all the things that made its predecessor so great.

The new Mach 1 has a smaller, refined case; a new dial layout with upgraded lume; and a different movement. The standouts are still the same, though: the orange seconds hand seemingly floating around the dial, the applied badge at 3 o’clock, the conical crown, and the lines of the case.

The Case

BWC shrank the case from 42mm to 40mm and added a crisp polished chamfer to this version; the former makes it more wearable, the latter makes it prettier. The curved lugs wrap right around the wrist, and the faceting and alternating finishes of the case creates a dynamic experience. The shape and twist of the pull-out crown is inspired by the afterburner of the MiG 21 Type 77, India’s first supersonic jet; it’s easy to operate with distinct positions and smooth winding.

The finishing itself is incredibly well-defined and the transitions are clean and discrete. There’s a small facet to the bezel, around the crystal, that smooths the transition, continuing the angle of the peripheral bevel of the sapphire. The flat sapphire means there’s no distortion at any angle; while I appreciate the vintage look that a big dome can provide, readability is paramount. In any case, a dome doesn’t belong on a watch with such a modern design.

The Dial

The Bangalore Watch Company Mach 1 comes in 5 different variants. Examined in this review is the Aviator model in steel, with the 5-minute indices. There’s also a “Civilian” model with traditional 12-hour indices, and both options are available in steel or black-coated steel. Finally, a bright “Officer’s Blue” dial is available in steel, honoring the color worn by IAF officers.

One of the more subtle changes is the new use of molded lume. The numerals on the Mach 1 feature three dimensional printed lume plots—essentially applied markers made entirely of lume. The previous model didn’t have any issues with lume but this seems to make them shine even brighter, as you’ll see below. While I like the orange arrow at the end of the seconds hand, the solid black hand itself is a double-edged sword: while it gives the arrow the appearance of simply floating around the dial, the black against the black dial makes it harder to track the seconds hand except with the arrow as it doesn’t have any contrast.

Do you like the applied badge? I like the applied badge. I did, however, like the previous day-date dial layout better; the windows were sandwiched by the applied badge and the company text, similar to what you see on some Sinn chronographs.

The left side of the dial features the IAF fin-flash (the Indian flag’s color as depicted on the MiG’s vertical stabilizer). The added text here balances out the logo and company name at 3 o’clock, which would otherwise be lopsided against the fin flash alone.

As I mentioned, I preferred the day-date at three to the new date at 6. I had that reaction immediately when I saw the first renders of this new model, and it was confirmed in person. The position of the date window is perfect, right along the arc of the 24-hour numerals. You may notice the date numbers seem a bit cramped; this was a sample and it had the wrong date wheel. In the production models, the numbers will be perfectly-sized to fit the date window. Another thing to notice: from 4 to 8, the numerals on the rehaute are oriented away from the dial (towards the wearer).

The molded lume shines brightly, and BWC has done an excellent job matching the brightness of the hands for an even glow. Note that the seconds hand isn’t lumed, as it doesn’t need to be as it’s not a dive watch. If you’re diving with this watch or setting your time to the second in the dark, you should stop doing those things because they don’t make sense.

The Rest

The caseback of the Mach 1 is a bold celebration of supersonic flight in the Indian Air Force. It uses the flat surface for a triptych of MiGs, placing the usual specifications around the slope of the caseback. As ever, I think it could’ve done without all the smaller specifications, but brand seem to want to communicate value on the caseback. The movement has been switched from the Sellita SW220-1 to the SW200-1, which amounts to a change from day-date to date.

I rather like the new leather strap the brand has used. The old strap was very stiff and had an unreasonable break-in period, which I refused to abide. This one has a pebbled grain and substantial feeling without being too stiff. Quick-release pins made swaps a cinch and the buckle is just as well finished as the case.

I have to admit I’m a bit nostalgic for the original 42mm Mach 1. It was a watch I reviewed and didn’t buy, a decision I’ve been regretting since. It also wore very well for a 42mm watch. The new Bangalore Watch Company Mach 1 is going to have a much wider appeal due to its smaller size and nicer case. The only issue I had was the date number sizing, and that’s being resolved for production. I still want the 42mm original, but everything here is well done and continues the brands streak of excellent timepieces steeped in Indian history and culture.

The Mach 1 is available now for preorder from the BWC website, with delivery expected to ship in late May 2022.