From time to time, I treat myself to some luxury. In my case, that luxury has to go hand in hand with usefulness. Watches — and I mean good watches — meet this condition with ease and elegance. My latest private luxury hails from beautiful Switzerland and bears the name Richtenburg Lugano. What can I say? The name fits. Lugano is the third biggest financial center of Switzerland, and its watch counterpart is appropriately classy.

Review

The first thing I notice is how little the Lugano weighs. It’s not even a hundred grams, and that’s including the strap. The watch is no-frills and looks very elegant. I especially like its stainless steel case; it looks majestically heavy and sturdy.

I’ve always liked the Richtenburg logo, and it looks really good on the bright dial of the Lugano. The Latin numbers are easily legible, and the hardened mineral glass guarantee excellent looks and sturdiness.

The wristlet is made of genuine leather and snuggles comfortably around my wrist. It’s wide enough to keep the Lugano in place, and narrow enough to avoid looking pretentious — this is a quality that’s very important to me. Wristlets as wide as a cowboy belt do nothing for me. I’m glad the Richtenburg watchmakers think along similar lines. Switzerland: 12 points!

As outside, so inside. What the majestic Lugano promises on the outside, it keeps on the inside. First of all, it’s an automatic watch, something I really like. With digital watches, I’m missing the silent tic-toc of the second hand. So: The Lugano is tic-tocing along nicely, and I imagine one of the reasons for its gentle sound might be the fact that it’s got 25 jewels built in.

The real sensation, however is the Lugano’s caliber: it’s an ETA 2824-2, Swiss-made. These calibers are known for their accuracy and can also be found in other high-priced brand watches. They’re deemed absolutely reliable. The technical data of the ETA 2824-2 are impressive: Incabloc shock protection, Swiss escapement and winding system.

That being said, the inner workings of the Richtenburg Lugano are in no way inferior to its outer appearance. And though I’m a real egomaniac when it comes to wristwatches, I’m happy the Lugano is not sold as a limited edition. This way, everybody can enjoy this piece of art. My recommendation.

Fact sheet

Modell-No.: R12300 Swiss Made
stainless steel case IP black
leather wristlet
automatic caliber ETA 2824-2 Swiss Made
25 jewels
hardened mineral glass
date
case diameter: 42 mm
height: 12 mm
band width: 22 mm
10 ATM water resistant
weight 96g with wristlet
recommended retail price 2.290 € / 2.830 CHF