doc savage Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 I ordered this watch almost as a novelty--I have been wanting to try out the Instrument series for a while and ever since I first saw the Phantom I knew I had to have one. What a marvelously impractical variation of a watch that seems designed to be the ultimate in readability! I'm not going to spoil this review by posting photos of the real Phantom. Anyone that is aware that replicas of Bell & Ross watches exist will know this timepiece for what it is; I bought this for it's own merits and not to try to fool anyone. So I'll get the "flaws" out of the way first: 1) No lume whatsoever. Nada. In the dark it dissapears... like magic! Stealth Mode! Perfect for ninjas or people afraid of radiation. 2) Mineral crystal with NO AR coating. 3) Quartz movement. Tic, tic, tic, tic.... 4) Subdials are wrong. The rep has running seconds at six and a 24 hour dial at three. Also, the gen has no date window. 5) Brushed finish with shiny bevels--I understand the real deal is flat black all over. 6) Shiny dark gray dial print--The gen black lume is about the same color but much duller. I have brightened some of the photos to show detail, in person it looks pretty much black-on-black. 7) Caseback is a joke. It has phony screws, a typo, and the laser engraving looks printed on. Even the expensive rep BR casebacks are a joke if you have ever seen how deep and crisp the gen engraving is. Alright, on to the good stuff. CQout seller Skimlace was my choice for this purchase, it cost me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 This watch is really stealthy and cool. Thanks for the review. I loved that picture of it beside the gun and other black accessories... I think it really suits your image, and then some! I would definitely consider one of these affordable quartz Bell n' Rosses for outdoor excursions, sports, fitness, and other times where I get active but don't want my fragile timepieces to suffer the consequences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pix Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 With all its flaws, it's still a sexy military type watch. I would buy it if they did a 39mm version. And for the price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc savage Posted February 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 This watch is really stealthy and cool. Thanks for the review. I loved that picture of it beside the gun and other black accessories... I think it really suits your image, and then some! I would definitely consider one of these affordable quartz Bell n' Rosses for outdoor excursions, sports, fitness, and other times where I get active but don't want my fragile timepieces to suffer the consequences! Thanks Corgi, but where's the gun? I think this watch is perfect for times when you wouldn't wear something too expensive. And as a quartz, it keeps great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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