Timeless Watch HMS N0. 003

By Tyler Frederick

Neo-vintage

It’s no secret that I love Microbrands. I love seeing people put their passion for watches and watchmaking into their designs and share them with the world. I’ve had the opportunity and privilege of checking out many different watches from many other countries, and it’s safe to say that most of my passion for watches comes from the connections and friendships I build through these brands and the individuals behind them. A few weeks ago, I had a gentleman from Timeless Watch (hi, Jonathan) reach out regarding their beautiful watches. After a short conversation, we arranged a hands-on with the Timeless Watch HMS No. 003, and here we are.

The “Timeless” watch is inspired by the design codes of yesterday and tomorrow, to offer a neo-vintage watch at the same time unique and accessible to all…”

–Mael Oberkampf (Founder & Designer – Timeless Watch)

Key Features of the Timeless Watch HMS No. 003

I’ve had this watch for about three weeks, and it’s been a fantastic three weeks. As I’ve said in my previous reviews, I love weird and different watches, and the HMS No.003 combines traditional watchmaking with an almost steampunk-esque twist, almost like something out of BioShock or Fallout (two phenomenal video game series that I think everyone should check out at some point). The HMS No.003 combines aesthetics and comfort into one cohesive package.

Designed in Vevey, Switzerland, the HMS No.003 and other HMS collections pay homage to their Swiss watchmaking heritage through technical innovation and gorgeous aesthetics. The watch features a 41.5mm case diameter, 46.1mm lug-to-lug, and 22mm lug width. The case has a matte satin finish paired with a sandblast polished accent between the case and bezel and the case and case back to create some separation between the components, not to mention the cheeky rose gold accents at the base of the lugs to add some colour contrast against the stainless steel. While the watch is on the larger side at 41.5mm, it doesn’t feel bulky or cumbersome on the wrist, but you should know it does wear pretty tall due to the case size plus the lug-to-lug.

The HMS No.003 is a watch packed with details, not just on the dial. As previously mentioned, the rose gold accents on the lugs, the complex design of the crown, and the HMS.003 engraving on the left side of the case are just some of the many fine details to appreciate with this watch. Still, I’m going to shift focus to the front of the watch because that’s my favourite part. There’s so much to unpack from the dial. It’s challenging to put so many components into a dial and not have it look like a jumbled mess, and Timeless has done a phenomenal job. The outer hour wheel surrounding the beautiful salmon-coloured guilloche dial with a slight cut out in the centre gives us the slightest peek of the Swiss STP 1-11 movement powering it, all protected by a domed sapphire crystal.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 41.5mm Diameter 46.1mm Lug to Lug 12.8mm Thick /w Glass 22mm Lug Width 50m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Sapphire Guilloché Finish /w Decorative Hour Wheel Printed Indices Custom Handset
Movement	STP 1-11 Automatic 26 Jewels 28 800bph 44-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Brown Calf Leather

Timeless Watch HMS No. 003

Quibbles

The HMS No.003 is a gorgeous watch, but there are some things you need to know. At 41.5 mm, it is slightly out of my comfort zone regarding size. While the watch is comfortable, it does feel larger overall; the sizing hasn’t pushed me away from enjoying the wearing experience. On another note, I’ve never been a big fan of any form of “skeletonized” dials. While the center cut on the dial is subtle, I would have preferred a solid dial, but the implementation on HMS No.003 does work with the overall design. The last bit would be the crown. I love the design and the complexity of the inner portion of the crown, but I wish the outer portion were stainless steel to match the case instead of being all black. I find it breaks the design slightly, but still cool nonetheless.

Final Thoughts

The Timeless HMS No.003 is beautifully designed, with gorgeous finishing and material implementation, to create a captivating design that makes you look deeper at every detail; it’s an excellent example of Swiss finishing and a unique design that won’t destroy your wallet (CHF 1,450 or USD 1,700). While it’s on the larger side, I think it’s a watch many collectors would enjoy and is a conversation piece. You can find the HMS No.003 and others from the HMS collection through Timeless Watches.

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.

Please understand that using any links to products on this site might result in us making money.