by Tyler Frederick
Old souls
As technology evolves and people become increasingly dependent on phones, smartwatches, or anything else that tethers our entire lives, many are choosing an opposing tact–dropping tech and going down a more traditional route. Owning a watch is a perfect example. I love vintage cars, watches, guitars, furniture, and anything with an old soul. In a world that’s changing so quickly–where traditional objects and items are becoming extinct or hard to come by–the Wayforth
Voyager V1 is an antidote.
It’s a modern chronograph with a vintage touch, excellent functionality, and convenience. It’s a watch that makes me want to go fast, and I’ve had the pleasure of checking out both the V1.06 (White/Black) and V1.08 (Black/White/Gold).
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Key Features of the Wayforth Voyager V1
Let me paint a picture for you: it’s a hot day in the California sun. You’re in the cockpit of a 1977 Porsche 935, engine screaming as you exit turn 11 at Laguna Seca, enter the straight and head towards the beautiful Andretti hairpin (turn 2). You see the stunning, gleaming Wayforth Voyager V1.06 (Panda) in its glory on your wrist while driving one of the most beautiful cars ever made on one of the world’s most impressive tracks.
Voyager V1.08 @horologyobsessed
Change the pace (and country) to an evening at Le Grill de l’Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, suited up, shoes shining, and the V1.08 (Evil Panda/Gold) on your wrist for a night out in the beautiful principality where racing legends are born. These are the initial thoughts I had when pulling both watches out of their box, and I know
both are a stretch, but it’s what they made me feel; we all know dinner in Monaco money doesn’t come easy, but the V1.08 gives the vintage motorsport glitz and glam vibe. While the primary focus of the Voyager is to be a convenient travelling companion, I thought about racing immediately, and hey, racing drivers travel a lot, so it works.
Panda Dial @horologyobsessed
While I love the aesthetics of the Voyager series, I was worried about the size due to the 41mm case and the 48mm lug-to-lug; the watch is on the larger side. There’s a reason so many say you should try a watch and not base your thoughts on spec. The Voyager feels fantastic on the wrist, and while it does feel on the larger side, it’s not in a negative way; if anything, the watch has a lot of presence and takes charge without feeling clunky or overwhelming.
Long lugs @horologyobsessed
Now, that being said, for those who have smaller wrists, this watch might feel too big. My wrists are 6.75”, and I think the watch has excellent proportions and a comfortable feel, but those with wrists smaller than mine might feel it’s too big. I advocate buying watches within your wrist size, but wear what feels right.
Regarding the design of the Voyager, Wayforth stated, “We designed the Voyager as the perfect watch we’d want on our wrists for our next adventure.” I’ll be honest: they created a functionally convenient and aesthetically beautiful watch. The most prominent feature is the 12-hour inner rotating bezel to track a secondary timezone, along with implementing the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz chronograph movement, which features three complications: a 24-hour indicator at 3 o’clock, a date window at 6 o’clock and a 60-minute counter at 9 o’clock. Another thing to add to the list of conveniences is the 100m of water resistance.
The Wayforth Voyager is equipped with a sapphire crystal and the applied indices are coated in Swiss BGW9 Superluminova. In all, it’s a fantastic travel package, and it doesn’t hurt that it looks stunning, either.
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SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 41mm Diameter 38mm Lug to Lug 11.25mm Thick (13mm /w Crystal) 20mm Lug Width 12-Hour Bidirectional Bezel /w Tachymeter 100m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Sapphire Crystal Layered Dial Applied Indices Pencil Handset BGW9 Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Seiko VK64 Meca-Quartz Hybrid 32 768Hz 3-Year Battery Life |
| Strap | Italian Leather Handmade in Germany |
Wayforth Voyager V1
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Quibbles
The only quibble I had with the watch was mentioned earlier in this write-up: its overall size. I think people with wrists smaller than 6.75” will have a slight issue with the 41mm case diameter and 48mm lug-to-lug, but this is primarily a “practical” thought. I know many people wear watches larger than intended for the size of their wrists and find them quite comfortable, but it’s just something to keep in mind.
Final Thoughts
The Wayforth Voyager is a watch I’d bring to any destination for its functionality, looks, and wearability. Considering the initial concept of creating the ultimate watch for any adventure, Wayforth hit the nail on the head and made a watch capable of being a fantastic travel companion. Not to mention, it’s a tremendous budget-friendly option that packs a lot into one package. If you have the chance to check them out, I recommend it.
Pricing & Availability
The watch retails for ($375 USD/$515 CAD) and is available from the website.
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About the author
Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
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That’s a great looking watch, however, the movement choice that will only track 60 minutes and then stop is not very useful and the 24 hour dial is entirely useless. An ETA or Ronda 5030 that with a 12 hour totalizer dial would have made it quite a package.