Italy is my favourite country in all the world, but one rather noteworthy city I had yet to explore was Milan. Known by many as the capital of fashion, Milan is the epitome of sophistication and elegance. Most of the locals are dressed to the nines – we’re talking high fashion attire with luxury watches strapped to their wrists– and there’s designer shops on every corner. So, of course I planned to arrive with my own fancy timepiece; I chose the Geckota Pioneer.
Geckota Pioneer in Milan - Credit Guest Author
Last week, I had the privilege of exploring Milan’s vibrant streets with the Geckota Pioneer by my side. Out of Geckota’s complete portfolio, the Pioneer has always been my personal favourite. It’s got a very distinctive, retro personality thanks to its cushion-shaped case and fumé dial. Other than the smaller 39mm-wide Midnight Sky Edition, the standard 42mm Pioneer always seemed a little oversized for my wrist. But as I quickly found out, my 5-and-a-half-inch arm quite happily accommodated this square-shaped joy.
Geckota Pioneer in Milan - Credit Guest Author
Yes, the Geckota Pioneer watch is a large watch for me. But that’s actually part of its charm. Its dimensions lie at 42mm wide and 14mm tall but with a lug-to-lug of only 45mm, it was able to sit nicely in line with my wrist. It certainly made a statement but it never once felt “too big” or heavy. In fact, I spent much of my week in Milan exploring in the rain, and it was a relief knowing I had a solid, durable timepiece on my wrist that could effortlessly withstand the weather. It’s 200 metre water resistant rating could handle even more if I had let it.
Milan, Italy - Credit Guest Author
The finishing of the case is just as pleasant as its retro-futuristic shape. Polishing is added to every side and angle, giving the watch a neat, dressy finish. The sloped bezel and angled case sides in particular catch the light beautifully. The lugs are super short, adding to its surprisingly compact nature, and in my case led onto a warm, reddish brown Vintage Highley leather strap with a matching polished stainless steel pin buckle. The strap goes beautifully with the red fumé dial, but I also really want to see what this model would look like on a mesh metal bracelet. I’m going to have to try out one of the Geckota bracelet options with it soon.
Geckota Pioneer in Milan - Credit Guest Author
The dial of the Geckota Pioneer joins in with the retro aesthetic of the case. It has a wonderful, brushed finish with fumé effect and a subtle crosshair decoration down the centre. The model I had the pleasure of sporting was that with the dark red gradient dial. The colouring is a gorgeous deep, blood red which starts at the centre and gradually turns darker until becoming completely black at the edge. The dial has a subtle metallic shine to it, especially at the very centre, which matches with the polished finishing of the hardware.
Geckota Pioneer in Milan - Credit Guest Author
The rounded and trapezoid-shaped hour markers and cathedral-styled hands are executed in yellow gold for a nice contrast against the dark red backdrop. Another pleasant touch can be found on the crown located at 3 o’clock which features its own yellow gold tip with the Geckota logo in relief. As someone who wears a lot of gold jewellery, the touches of gold on the dial and case are a really nice addition. The dial also presents a printed minutes track with vintage-styled hash markers and plenty of glow in the dark Superluminova across the golden hardware.
Milan, Italy - Credit Guest Author
The Geckota Pioneer watch is powered by the NH35 automatic winding movement, a reliable Japanese made calibre engineered from Seiko. During my week in Milan, I discovered no loss or gain in time so its accuracy claim of +/- 20 to 40 seconds per day is certainly warranted. The 24-jewel movement also has hacking seconds and a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. The only thing that could make the Pioneer better would be an exhibition case back so you could enjoy a view of the movement. Instead, the back is left closed and engraved with its limited edition number out of 150 pieces.
Geckota Pioneer in Milan - Credit Guest Author
The Geckota Pioneer watch was the perfect wrist companion to take with me to Milan. It’s stylish, sophisticated but has plenty of personality that allows it to stand out against the mass of other luxury watches in the area. It never once felt out of place. It suited both the adventurous climb up to the Duomo’s roof in the rain and the fancy dinners and drinks that followed in the evening.
Geckota Pioneer in Milan - Credit Guest Author
It’s one of those unique watches that overlaps several genres; it’s dressy with its retro-futuristic shape and polished finishing but also has a retro dive watch look to it, especially when paired with a rubber strap. It refuses to be pigeon-holed and has an identity completely subject to the occasion – very much like Milan itself.
