by Tyler Frederick
Inspired by speed
I’ve been playing catch-up since meeting so many amazing people at the Toronto Timepiece Show: brands, collectors, and friends from the Instagram Watch Fam. It was such a pleasure to be in the presence of so many remarkable individuals and beautiful watches. On the Sunday of the show, literally at the very end—15 minutes past the end—I saw a brand with a model of the Lotus 97T, and in the cockpit was the bright yellow helmet of my hero, Ayrton Senna. Right next to it was the watch inspired by my hero: the Sunrex Racer’s Type 321. I needed to get one on my wrist for review, and Ray from Sunrex didn’t let me down.
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Key Features of the Sunrex Racer Type 321
Good watches, good people
Watches have been such a great way to connect with people passionate about so many things other than watches; guitars, cars and motorsport. Having the opportunity to briefly talk with the team from Sunrex, while ranting facts about Ayrton Senna and how much he means to me, I met a team of lovely individuals looking to make great watches and combine them with other passions, and that hooked me immediately. While it is a beautiful watch, the people who offer it are just as amazing, and it’s been phenomenal to have the Racer’s Type 321 on my wrist.
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Gold livery
There’s nothing more iconic than the John Player Special black and gold livery on a race car, especially when paired with the glowing yellow helmet of Ayrton Senna. In a watch, this makes for a gorgeous and clean aesthetic, and the overall design is reminiscent of vintage chronographs. I know aesthetics aren’t everything, so I’ll finally start talking about how the watch actually wears, and to keep a long story short, it’s fantastic. The tonneau shape of the case creates a comfy and cozy feel on the wrist, especially considering it’s in a smaller form factor at 38.6mm. I should mention the case is also fabricated from aluminum, so there is a nice lightness to it, but it still carries a nice heft. The watch comes equipped with an “asphalt” textured rubber strap that feels great and adds an additional level of comfort, but overall, the Racer’s Type 321 is a strap monster and looks great with whatever you throw on it; versatile, just like the driver it’s inspired by.
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Solar quartz
There has been a rise in popularity regarding the implementation of solar-quartz movements, and I was happy to see Sunrex on board as well. Powering the Racer’s Type 321 is the Epson (Seiko) VS75—a solar-powered quartz movement that will run for five months on a full charge. I know many people prefer mechanical watches, and I was one of those who would frown upon a quartz movement, but over the last couple of years, I see how quartz can make the experience of wearing a watch much more enjoyable and seamless. You don’t have to think about winding it; you don’t have to worry about it stopping one day and having to reset it, along with many other concerns regarding mechanical movements. The use of solar-quartz creates a more casual and enjoyable experience by making the wearing and using process more streamlined: you wear it, you take it off, and you put it back on a few days later with no issues, allowing for an effortless wearing experience. You get your standard stopwatch functionality as you would with a chronograph, but you also get a 1/20-second dial at 12, a 60-minute counter at 6, and at 9 is the seconds counter for the time. In the center is Ayrton Senna in a kart during what he called “the most pure form of racing” throughout his career. His karting career spanned from 1973 to 1982, and the depiction on the dial would have been from his last seasons in either 1981 or 1982.
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SPECS
| Case | Brushed 316L Stainless Steel 38.6mm Diameter 43.5mm Lug to Lug 14mm Thick 20mm Lug Width 100m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Domed Sapphire Tricompax Dial Applied Markers Baton Hands |
| Movement | Epson VS76A Solar Quartz 5-month power reserve |
| Strap | FKM Rubber |
Sunrex Racer 321
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Quibbles
As a whole, from case shape to dial, proportions to aesthetics, the Racer’s Type 321 is a gorgeous watch. However, as much as I love the pop of yellow on the indices and hands as a nod to “Senna Yellow,” I would have loved to see a bit more gold to break up the yellow. On another note, the smallest issue with the FKM rubber strap: since I have smaller wrists, I take up almost all the holes on the strap to get it to fit just right, leading to quite a bit of strap hanging above the watch. I know that’s a small and insignificant gripe, but I love when things sit flush on the wrist.
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Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to unpack in my journey with the Racer’s Type 321. I met some of the nicest people, I got to experience a watch designed with my hero in mind, and to be blunt, it’s a freaking great watch. For those interested in motorsport, specifically F1, or if you’re just looking for a classy, no-nonsense chronograph, this is the watch for you. Compact, comfortable, and looks great on literally every strap you throw at it. I’ve rocked this on a black Horween leather strap for the last couple of days and tried some weird combos; it looks great across the board and has quickly become a favourite in terms of aesthetic and wearability.
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Pricing & Availability
Visit Sunrex for more details or to pick one up for yourself. The watch retails for $555. Until next time, thank you as always for taking the time to read my thoughts, and 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.