Was I Wrong About This Tiny £379 Watch and the Strap I Said I'd Never Wear?

This is the Area Nostalgia Clocktower in Teal — the debut watch from Kieron, who many of you will know from Top Tier Ticker. On paper this 30mm rectangular dress watch shouldn't have worked for me at all: a wrist that's bigger than it's designed for, and a Milanese mesh strap style I've never liked on anything. Somewhere along the way, that changed. This is a full honest review of the Clocktower (Teal) — full specs, a proper walkthrough of that sunburst dial and the Gothic-inspired case detailing, the strap options (including which one I'd actually recommend), the niggles worth knowing about, and how £379 stacks up against alternatives like the Benjamin James Scarifour and Studio Underd0g. Disclosure: this watch was sent to me free of charge to keep by Kieron, who I know personally. No editorial input from him on this video — you're getting my honest take, same as always. THE SPECS — Area Nostalgia Clocktower (Teal) Case: 316L stainless steel, polished Diameter: 30mm Lug-to-lug: 39mm Thickness: 9mm Movement: Seagull ST6103K, manual wind, hacking seconds Power reserve: ~36 hours Water resistance: 50m Crystal: Curved sapphire, anti-reflective Strap: 20mm — mesh standard, + choice of Saffiano leather or suede Price: £379 (~$430–440 USD) Edition: First Edition, numbered 1–100 Chapters 0:00 The watch I shouldn't get on with 0:51 Meet the Area Nostalgia Clocktower (Teal) 1:33 Full specs: case, movement, price 2:20 That sunburst teal dial up close 3:30 The case is the real star 4:39 A case back with a personal story 5:15 How it actually wears on the wrist 6:44 Mesh vs Saffiano vs suede — which strap to pick 6:59 Channel membership perks 7:38 The niggles (strap fit & stiffness) 8:22 £379 vs the Benjamin James Scarifor 10:08 Why I had to try this watch 10:54 Verdict: was I wrong? 12:14 Final thoughts Links Area Nostalgia Clocktower: https://areanostalgia.com/products/cl... Top Tier Ticker (Kieron's channel):   / toptierticker   Every week, honest microbrand watch reviews that cut through the hype — real-world wearability, genuine value, and the independent watchmakers who deserve far more attention than they get. I'm Dave and Microbrand Watch is where independent watchmaking gets the spotlight it deserves. If a small, passionate team is building something special — from an affordable automatic under £300 to a hand-finished piece that punches well above its weight — you'll find it here first. 📬 Join The MicrobrandWatch Movement — my free monthly newsletter celebrating independent watchmakers, honest watch reviews, and real value: 👉 https://microbrandwatchmovement.beehi... 🎖️ Support the channel with a YouTube Membership and go deeper: — £2/month · Early Access: every video before it goes public — £5/month · Quick Verdicts + AMAs: my rapid-fire verdicts and exclusive Q&As — £18/month · Live: join live watch discussions (limited to 100 members) 👉    / @microbrandwatch   🔗 Find us everywhere: https://linktr.ee/MicrobrandWatch 📧 Brand & business enquiries: [email protected] 🔔 Subscribe for weekly microbrand discoveries — and let me know what you think in the comments. I read every one. Disclaimer: All watches featured are purchased with my own money or received on loan from the brand unless explicitly stated. Honest reviews, real value — no exceptions.