by Tyler Frederick
Inspired by speed
Since the day I was born, my life has revolved around cars and things that go fast. Coming from a motorsport family, Sundays were always spent watching either NASCAR, F1, or IndyCar, and they were big days spent with snacks and excited yelling directed at the tv. Fast forward to the present day: relaxing on my couch with a hot tea, a bowl of chips, and the F1 Mexican Grand Prix on TV is my personal trifecta for a perfect Sunday. Peaceful and cozy, with the perfect amount of excitement. The cherry on top is always having a new watch on my wrist and the
chance to experience it, especially if it’s inspired by the world of automotive and motorsport. If it has any connection to racing, I’m all in and want the chance to check it out. The watch in question? I’ve had the chance to check out the Time Master 70s from Ferro & Company.
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Key Features of the Ferro & Company Time Master 70
Porsche 917K
I briefly met with the folks from Ferro & Company at the Toronto Timepiece Show after walking by their booth and seeing their collection of motorsport-inspired chronographs: the Race Master. Again, anything racing grabs my attention immediately. After checking them out, I looked to my left and saw this gorgeous “squircle” cased watch with such a ’70s charm, and curves that reminded me of the supercars of the ’70s, as well as Le Mans, specifically the ’70s Prototype category—a generation of cars so beautiful, so sleek, and one where aerodynamics were considered, but not prioritized, where power mattered most. The Time Master 70s reminds me of the Porsche 917K piloted by Hans Herrmann and Richard Atwood, which won that season. If you look at the car and then the watch, you can see the curves and sexy profile of the Porsche and other cars of that era that inspired the watch.
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The sweet spot
I had one of the most efficient discussions regarding the Time Master 70s and getting one in for review, and a couple of weeks later, boom, I have one on my wrist, and it’s fantastic. Apart from my partially biased adoration–due to the fact that it’s inspired by something I love–the aesthetics, as well as the overall proportions, are in my sweet spot: 39mm in diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, and 10.4mm thick; the recipe for a compact wearing experience while maintaining heaps of wrist presence. It’s got a vintage vibe and feel on the wrist, but it feels like a modern-contemporary take, and the bracelet construction paired with how it sits in the case makes for an integrated-esque design, creating a streamlined feel, much like the race cars of the 70s Le Mans era. This is also probably one of the nicest fitting watches I’ve ever experienced; the lugs curve perfectly to my wrist, and it sits completely flat; it’s beyond comfortable.
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Timeless design with a modern twist
The finishing touch is how simple yet sporty the dial is. Yeah, it’s clean and simple, but it’s still exciting and fits perfectly with the case and bracelet design. The first thing that came to mind when I looked at it was that the indices look similar to racing wheel spokes, something you’d see from OZ Wheels or BBS, and the silver portion looks like a brake drum/disc, which is fitting but might be a stretch. It’s a classic, timeless design with a modern twist and is beyond easy to read thanks to the contrasting orange hour, minute, and second hands. Ferro & Company selected a strong motor to power the Time Master 70s: the Miyota 9039—a common selection among microbrands due to its reliability and high-end performance, and it is a favorite of mine for those exact reasons. It gives brands the opportunity to have a balanced power supply and won’t break the bank, making watches of great quality more accessible. Beautiful design with a reliable engine; not to sound like a broken record, but 70s Le Mans: beautiful exterior with powerful engine—you get where I’m going.
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SPECS
| Case | Brushed 316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 47mm Lug to Lug 10.4mm Thick 20mm Lug Width 100m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Sapphire Sector-style Dial Printed Markers Needle Hands BGW9 Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Miyota 9039 24 Jewels 28,800 bph 42-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet |
Ferro & Company Time Master 70
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Quibbles
Alright, so I do have to go back to the comfort of the wrist portion and my statement about it being one of the most comfortable watches I’ve ever experienced. Yes, it fits well. Yes, the proportions are spot on. Yes, it sits perfectly on my wrist. All of that is true, but when I felt a chunk of my arm hair get torn out because the watch rotated a bit, that was slightly alarming, and I now have a bit of a bald spot on my wrist. The issue seems to be the links near the end links, or closest to the clasp, that pinch hairs, and I’m basically a gorilla, so there’s lots to pull at and tear. I was so happy with this watch, but the second I felt that annoying pinch, all that left my mouth was a sigh, followed by “come on, man…” I’m not saying it’s a deal breaker; the watch is great overall, but if you’re hairy like me, please, PLEASE, keep that in mind. You’ll get a micro-waxing you never asked for.
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Final Thoughts
The Time Master 70s is a watch inspired by the golden era of automotive and motorsport design that looks just as sleek and sexy as the cars of that era. It’s a timeless and classic design that will always make my heart swoon and a reminder that clean and simple can look fast and sporty. It’s such a fantastic representation of an era we’ll never get to experience, but one we can reflect on and appreciate for generations to come. Design in the 70s had no one to dictate what was beautiful; it was entirely subjective, which is why we had so many concepts come to life to become staples of design for decades to come, and the Time Master 70s is a great example of design carried over and done right. Apart from losing a few hairs, I enjoyed my time with the watch.
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Pricing & Availability
For more information or to pick one up for yourself, the watch retails for $685 ($780 CAD )and can be found on the Ferro website. Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to give this a read and for your support. Until next time, have a fantastic day!
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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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