CWhatWatch

In the affordable watch segment, the Seagull ST1901 and its variants are really the only show in town when it comes to mechanical chronograph movements. However, for a time most watches that utilized the movement were dressier in style, such as the original Seagull 1963. What if you wanted the movement in a sportier case? Enter the Islander Bridgehampton, ISL-237. Marc and his team at Long Island Watch have produced a solid mechanical chronograph with a few interesting design elements and a nod to Long Island’s racing heritage. Thank you to Long Island Watch for lending me the watch for review.

When I first opened the box and put the watch on my wrist, I was astonished at how sturdy the watch felt. I own one other watch with an ST19 series movement, and that watch in particular is one that feels pretty fragile in the hand. The Bridgehampton, however, has all the hallmarks of Islander’s other offerings. It has a case with extremely fine tolerances, and a bezel that ratchets cleanly. The Bridgehampton also has a bracelet with plenty of micro adjustment, screwed links, and solid end links. You can really feel the quality in the products that Marc is releasing.

So far, the 40mm watch comes in 4 different colorways. There are black and blue dialed versions with white subdials as well as the classic panda variant, a white dial with black subdials. The final colorway is the one I have in for review, a beautiful gold dialed model with deep blue subdials. If you remember from my review of the ISL-02, there is sometimes a connection between Islander Watches and Seiko’s past offerings. If you look a bit closer at the chapter ring, you will see that the red and blue , along with the gold dial, is a subtle call back to the “Seiko Pogue” ref. 6139-6002 – one of Seiko’s iconic watches from the 1970s. Another feature of this colorway is the gold-toned bezel. I think two-tone is a bit of an acquired taste, but I am a fan of this addition. Even more so, I am glad that they did not extend the gold-tone onto the bracelet.

On the wrist, the watch is a big boy. This is to be expected, since it is a chronograph watch with a large 12-hour ratcheting bezel. However, due to the great bracelet, you are almost guaranteed to find a comfortable and secure fit that will alleviate any wobbling of the watch head. Using the bezel and pushers on the watch was a pleasure. There is a tactile feel from mechanical pushers that just cannot be matched on a chronograph with a cheaper quartz movement. There is a reassuring and crisp click when pressing the top pusher. Similarly, there is a satisfying ratcheting feeling when using the 90-click coin edged bezel. Speaking on the bezel, there is an interesting use case in conjunction with the chronograph function. While the 12-hour bezel can clearly be used to track a second time zone, it can also be used as an hour register when set against the hour hand. A neat feature that makes complete sense after the first time you use it.

Overall, the watch is another example of a solidly built watch from Long Island Watches. I think the best compliment that I can give is actually from my father. My dad has always been a one watch guy and currently wears a big dive watch. I was a little reluctant to show him the watch, but he was a total fan. Long Island Watch may have found themselves another customer, Father’s day is only a couple months away!

https://longislandwatch.com/islander-bridgehampton-racing-chronograph-with-golden-dial-isl-237/

Reference	ISL-237
MSRP	$469.00
Case Size	40mm
Lug-to-Lug	48mm
Lug Width	20mm
Materials	Stainless Steel