Design
Quality of Materials
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service 
Automatic watches are a bit strange from an outsider’s perspective.
They don’t really keep time as well as a quartz. They’re usually more expensive. You have to reset them every time you wear them.
But to insiders like you and me, they’re a treat: a symbol of fine watchmaking, a throwback to the history of watches, a marvel of intricate engineering.
So when
Does the Icon live up to its name? Keep reading for all the gritty details.
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Vincero Icon Overview
The
I’ll dive into specifics a little later in the review, but it’s clear
The Icon is also a departure from
While I’ve been really enjoying the brand’s foray into tool watches—more so than their early dress watches—I was still excited to see them go back to their dress watch roots with a power play. And that’s the Icon.
The Vincero Icon is a statement. The Seiko automatic movement, sapphire crystal, and hefty water resistance are all packaged in an affordable and dressy timepiece. If you had any doubts that Vincero is commited to quality, let the Icon put them to rest.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Dress Watch
Rules around dress watches are changing, especially as office environments get more and more casual.
In general, dress watches are slim and have smaller diameters. They’re typically all metal and have a high polish. Just think: sleek, shiny, and refined.
The Icon sits outside those norms, though. While it has the high polish and dressy dial, it’s also much larger than a traditional dress watch. With a 41mm diameter and 11.5mm thickness, this timepiece has all the masculine edge I expect from
Vincero Icon Review
Packaging & First Impression
The Icon comes in
I’m usually not too worried about unboxing experiences, so long as the watch isn’t just tossed into its packaging haphazardly (which I’ve seen before).
As I said earlier, the Icon feels like a move toward the brand’s earlier designs: more dressy, less crowded on the dial, and more simple overall.
However, the Icon is more substantial than some of
Case & Caseback
The Icon features a 41mm 316L stainless steel case with an 11.5mm thickness.
For a dress watch, this is pretty beefy. But it also means that the Icon fits naturally into a casual wardrobe, too. That’s my feeling so far: it’s not really a tuxedo type piece—it’s more of a business-man’s watch. It’s bold, but not over-the-top.
The lugs have a subtle curvature that works well with the design. At 41mm, it doesn’t look oversized, and I think anyone with average to large wrists will find it fits well with most outfits.
This is the sort of thing that turns unsuspecting people into watch fanatics. When you see the inner workings and get a glimpse of the engineering, you might get a whole new appreciation for watches. And you might find yourself like me: too many timepieces.
I was surprised to find that the Icon has a 100m water resistance. That’s really good for a dressier piece with a display caseback. So if you like to keep your watch on in the shower, or going for a swim, the Icon can handle it with ease.
Dial & Crystal
I went with the Silver/Blue color option, which features a deep navy dial. Because the dial is fairly matte, the silver batons and hands really shine.
The design is classy and minimal, but it still keeps a little
The glass is flush sapphire, which has excellent scratch resistance. Many
Movement & Crown
The movement is the star of the show: a 24-jewel Seiko. This engine is solid, with a decent power reserve and excellent reliability.
There are plenty other watches with the same internal mechanics, so this isn’t just true for the Icon, but this Seiko movement punches way above its weight-class in terms of quality. It’s one of the most affordable automatic movements you can find that actually keeps time well and doesn’t lose several minutes a day.
With this automatic, you get the benefit of watching the second hand drift by at three hacks per second, which leads to a pleasing sweeping movement.
The crown is simple: a single three-position chamfered piece that controls the winding, date, and time. Again, the crown is larger than what you’d normally find on a dress watch—it’s more bold, more striking.
Strap & Wearability
I picked up the stainless link bracelet version, which costs about $20 more. In my opinion, it’s totally worth it.
I love the all-stainless silver look, and I think the links really drive the classy and bold style home. This bracelet has a butterfly, or deployant clasp, which is easy to put on and take off.
However, the bracelet is where I have my biggest gripe with the Icon. If you get a stainless link bracelet,
But right out of the box, the Icon is three or four links too big. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to pull out the pins with the right tool and resize this bracelet at home, but I think the process would be much easier if
That’s a pretty minor issue though—after spending 10 minutes changing out the links, I never have to do it again, and the watch wears perfectly. But you know that feeling of busting open the box and trying on the watch for the first time—you want that immediate impact.
What do Other Reviewers Say?
The Vincero Icon is a statement. The Seiko automatic movement, sapphire crystal, and hefty water resistance are all packaged in an affordable and dressy timepiece. If you had any doubts that Vincero is commited to quality, let the Icon put them to rest.
The
The negative comments really focus on two things: first, it’s not the easiest watch to read (at least with the navy dial and deep silver batons and hands). And the other comments come from folks who really appreciate precision in automatic watches. The Icon loses about 5-7 seconds a day. To get automatics as precise as quartz, you usually have to get up above $1,000.
I’m fine with the slight loss, and I’m fine with the readability. Neither of those issues have bothered me a bit since getting it, but they’re important to note if either of those are important to you.
My Thoughts Overall On the Vincero Icon
What I Like
Vincero went all out with excellent quality materials like sapphire glass and a Seiko 24-jewel automatic movement.
I love the display caseback, and there’s no sacrifice on the water resistance.
The style of the watch is bold, handsome, and striking.
It’s hard to beat Vincero’s 365-day returns and a 5-year warranty.
What I Don’t Like
Like all automatic watches, if you don’t wear it every day, you’ll likely need to reset it.
The bracelet arrives sized for extra large wrists, so you have to pull out the pins and remove several links before wearing it for the first time.
Who is the Vincero Icon for?
The Vincero Icon is the right timepiece for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the world of fine watchmaking. Sure, it’s not a true luxury piece, but the materials are top quality, the construction is solid, and it offers a glimpse of the wonderful engineering behind automatic watches. It’s a bold and striking piece, so if you’re a bold, striking guy, you’ll love it.
The Verdict
The Icon is, technically speaking, Vincero’s best watch. I’m really impressed with the quality of materials they put into this timepiece, especially considering the price.
In that way, it almost seems like the brand is aiming to make a statement. Early on in Vincero’s history, they got lumped into the wrong crowd with other brands like Daniel Wellington, which sell low-quality watches with high markups.
While I’ve never felt that way about Vincero, I think the brand has worked hard to show why they’re different. And the Icon is their way of showing the watch-geek world they can make stylish timepieces packed with value. I wouldn’t be surprised if Vincero barely makes a profit on the Icon at all.
The only knock I have on this watch is that the bracelet comes with too many links attached. Though after five or ten minutes spent resizing the bracelet, that stops being an issue.
Otherwise, I think the Icon is an excellent watch for the price and a great introduction to the world of automatic watches.
The Vincero Icon is a statement. The Seiko automatic movement, sapphire crystal, and hefty water resistance are all packaged in an affordable and dressy timepiece. If you had any doubts that Vincero is commited to quality, let the Icon put them to rest.
FAQs
Does the Vincero Icon need a battery?
The Vincero Icon doesn’t need a battery. Because it’s automatic, it should continue to run as it’s in motion. You’ll likely need to rewind and reset this watch every other day, though.
Is it bad to let automatic watches stop?
It’s ok to let automatic watches stop. You aren’t damaging the mechanics. It’s only a problem if you are tired of resetting the watch after it stops, though most people take little issue with that.
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