Feynman Q review

Up till now I’ve not reviewed any quartz powered watches, but that’s not because I have anything against them. I just don’t normally think to look at watches that aren’t mechanical or automatic apart from Casio, but I think this one deserves a proper look.

The Feynman Q follows up from their previous launch of the Feynman VI, Feynman Timekeepers first attempt at a square case and steel bracelet. I’m told the “Q” stands for “Quartz” and “Quirky”, both of which I’ve found to ring true for this watch. 

Feynman were kind enough to send me one to test out and they only asked that I give my honest opinion, whether it be good or bad.

Specs
Case size: 34.0mm
Lug to lug: 38.0mm
Lug width: 18mm
Thickness: 7.0mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Glass: Sapphire Crystal
Caseback: Screw down caseback
Movement: Ronda Calibre 1014 (Quartz, Hacking)
Complications: Seconds, Minutes, Hours
Power Reserve: Up to 40 months
Water Resistance: 50m
RRP: US$582 / S$733
Reference: Feynman Q – Turqoise

Overview
The Feynman Q series currently comes in 4 different dial types across 2 different case and strap combinations.

The “Turquoise” and “Lapis” dials come in a standard stainless steel case paired with a black leather strap while the “Tiger’s Eye” and “Malachite” dials come in a gold coloured stainless steel case paired with what I’d call a burnt orange leather strap. These were originally paired with an olive green strap but Feynman introduced this new strap colour in their latest batch which, at least to me, is a much better pairing. 

All 4 dials are cut from gemstone meaning every dial is unique. The piece that I have for this review is the Turquoise dial variant.

Case
So just looking at the case you already start to see the quirkiness of this watch. It’s as if following the launch of the Feynman VI, their itch for designing square cases was still there and that resulted in this admittedly unique design.

While technically still a 4-sided square, the slight wave along each side gives it a less squared off look and feel which I think does a good job to soften it up and add some personality to it.

They didn’t skimp on the details either. A flat, brushed bezel on the top meets a polished beveled edge before transitioning into a very intentional coin edged finish along all 4 irregularly shaped sides. From my engineering background I can tell you that this is not the easiest thing to machine, and speaking with the founder confirmed that it was a challenge to manufacture while still keeping the case this thin.

The caseback is a relatively straightforward back plate held down by 4 screws, 1 on each corner. While simple, I think it is a pretty elegant solution in completing the overall case design with the sandwiched coin edge.

The crown is simple, subtle, and gets the job done without getting in the way, especially considering that you’ll likely only be using it once every few years.

Dial
The case is only half the story though as the Feynman Q also comes with a very unique dial selection. I specifically chose the Turquoise dial for this review as I felt it was the most neutral and I didn’t want it distracting me away from the core qualities of this line of watches.

The only markings on this dial are the indicators for the brand’s signature small seconds layout. This gives the face a very clean look while still remaining interesting due to the organic dial pattern together with their trademark lizard tail small seconds hand.

Telling the time accurately is definitely not a strong point of this watch, but it is surprisingly easy to get a decent read of the time at a glance especially if you are used to reading analog faces. 

Movement
Regarding the movement, there really isn’t all that much to be said. It is a Swiss quartz movement from Ronda which means you get a quality, accurate and reliable movement that’s built to last, as far as quartz movements go at least. An estimated 40 month battery life means this watch is almost always ready whenever you decide to put it on.

Strap
The included strap is made by their longtime partner, Yi Leather. While it looks like an alligator leather strap, it is actually an embossed calf leather strap. At this price point, I think it’s a fair trade off especially considering how soft it is unlike many stock straps from other watches in this price range.

The softness is very suitable for typical wearers of this size of watch as stiffer straps tend to bulge near the lugs especially on smaller wrists. And if the stock strap is not to your liking, the 18mm lug width makes it easy to swap out for aftermarket alternatives.

Wearability
Wearability is excellent, which is to be expected of a watch this size. Even on much smaller wrists, the downward lugs and soft leather strap drape over the wrist like soft linen.

Despite its’ size it doesn’t look all that small and is ironically highly legible. It’s probably due to how flat the case is which is something I’ve found makes small cases look and feel larger than their numbers suggest.

In the time I’ve worn it out and about, I barely noticed it on my 6.25″ wrist because of how light and supple it is. Luckily it is also very thin as that goes a long way to minimizing knocks and dings, especially when you forget you’re even wearing it.

Final thoughts
So who is this watch for? Well I think it’s good for almost anyone, both male, female and anything in between. The fact that it is a quartz makes it all the more convenient for most people as a grab and go option. The sales numbers that I’ve been told also reflect this and many of the men who purchase it also buy it for their wives and girlfriends.

To be honest when I first heard it was a quartz model, I didn’t really think much about it. Much less with a near indicator-less dial for a tool-watch person like me. But now I’ve had the opportunity to test one out, I am genuinely surprised how much I like it and can even see one fitting into my collection.