Bravo Watch-Palette Pool Party Review: Colourful Watch Storage

by Brent Robillard

Watch storage gets a splash of colour

There is an irony to watch collecting that becomes increasingly obvious as a collection grows: eventually, you need somewhere to put all these things.

Watch storage tends to fall into a couple of familiar camps. At one end are inexpensive boxes that do the job but rarely inspire much enthusiasm. At the other are beautifully finished cases that can cost as much as another watch. Bravo appears to have spotted the considerable space between the two, creating watch storage that feels properly made while injecting considerably more personality into the equation.

The Watch-Palette Pool Party might be the best example yet.

Bravo Watch-Palette Pool Party with Nappa leather — Bravo Watch-Palette Pool Party 8-slot watch case @calibre321

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A different kind of watch box

As the name suggests, Pool Party is not particularly interested in blending into the furniture. Part of Bravo’s Watch-Palette collection, the eight-slot case uses the brand’s signature gradient treatment to create something considerably more colourful than the traditional black, brown, or navy watch box.

Watch collecting is supposed to be fun, after all, and there is something appealing about opening a case that reflects some of the colour and variety of the watches inside. The gradient gives the Pool Party a contemporary character without making the case itself feel inexpensive or gimmicky.

That distinction becomes more apparent once you handle it.

Gradient colourway and soft compressible pillows — Summer-inspired gradient pillows @calibre321

Hands on with the Citizen Promaster Dive

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Nappa leather

The exterior is finished in Nappa leather with a smooth, uniform grain that feels both premium and durable. At 24.5 cm by 17 cm and 7.5 cm tall, it has enough presence to feel substantial without consuming an unreasonable amount of dresser or desk space. Inside, however, is where some of the more thoughtful details begin to reveal themselves.

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Small-wrist approved

The interior is lined with soft microfiber, with individual spacers separating each of the eight watches. Those dividers prevent neighbouring cases and bracelets from rubbing against one another and provide a little additional peace of mind when the box is being moved.

But more important to me are the compressible pillows. With a 6¾-inch wrist, this is something I notice immediately with watch storage. Many conventional watch pillows are surprisingly large and rigid. A bracelet sized comfortably for my wrist can end up stretched tightly around one, placing unnecessary tension on the clasp, links, and spring bars simply because the watch is sitting in its box.

Eight watch box — Soft spacers separate each watch @calibre321

Compressible pillows

Bravo’s pillows compress easily enough to accommodate smaller bracelets without forcing them into place. At the same time, they fit securely within their individual slots. That second part is equally important.

There is virtually no unwanted up-and-down movement once the watches are installed. Each pillow sits snugly in position, while the surrounding microfiber and individual separators keep the watches isolated from one another. It creates a reassuringly tidy arrangement, particularly when storing heavier watches on bracelets.

It is a relatively simple piece of design, but one that demonstrates an understanding of how enthusiasts actually use these cases.

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Bravo Watch-Palette Pool Party — Tidy watch storage solution @calibre321

Eight Watches, One Palette

The eight-slot format also hits something of a sweet spot. There is enough room to assemble a useful rotation without the Watch-Palette becoming cumbersome, and the layout makes the entire collection immediately visible when the lid is opened.

There is also now a smaller option for those who want to take the same aesthetic on the road. Bravo has introduced the Pool Party colourway to its Watch-Palette Trio, a three-watch travel case that carries over the colourful gradient treatment in a more portable format.

For collectors who prefer their accessories restrained and traditional, Pool Party may be a little exuberant. That is precisely what gives it its character.

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At $345, the Bravo Watch-Palette sits above basic watch-box territory, but the quality of the leather, microfiber interior, secure individual compartments, and particularly those compressible pillows go some way toward explaining the difference. More importantly, none of those practical considerations have come at the expense of personality.

We spend an enormous amount of time choosing watches because of their colours, textures, materials, and design. There is no particular reason the box we keep them in needs to be boring.