We used to rely on sundials to tell them. Although ridiculously cool, that’s no longer practical. When Abraham Louis-Breguet engineered the very first wristwatch in 1810, it changed the world as we know it. For the first time – the time is literally in your hands. The introduction of a tourbillon in the early 1900’s fascinated watch collectors all over the world. The elegance of the absurdly complicated movement that seems to defy gravity captivated the world. These watches weren’t just beautiful, they were also expensive. A tourbillon wristwatch will set you back easily $100,000.

Tourbillon watches have been glamorized by celebrities such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and countless famous athletes. Needless to say, having a fortune simply isn’t enough to own a tourbillon watch. You’d need several fortunes.

Then came Era Timepieces, a company that’s offering a watch with a tourbillon movement for $1499. That’s less than a fraction of what a Jacobs & Co. watch. Is it real? Does the watch actually have a tourbillon movement? We decided to reach out to Era Time Pieces for a review sample.

About The Founder

Michael Galarza, the founder, and CEO of Era Time Pieces had his first major success in 2018 after his Kickstarter campaign garnering over $700,000 in orders only after a month. That marked the beginning for Michael and proved that there is a market for affordable tourbillon luxuries. Soon after the success of his first watch, the Prometheus, his company moved ahead and produced a whole line of watches all sharing the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail of his first success.

Redefining Attainable Luxury

According to their website, Era Timepieces’ goal is to make Haute Horlogerie accessible to the common man. Their prices range from $999 to $6,500, a long shot from other well-known brands. I have seen a Patek Philippe with a monstrous price tag of $1,423,028! Therefore it’s understandable that most would be skeptical. How could a company possibly make a tourbillon for that cheap? At $1499, it certainly isn’t cheap. However, for a tourbillon, it’s a steal.

Upon opening the package we’re greeted with a wax seal with the company’s logo on it. We always appreciate it when companies go the extra mile for presentation. Unwrapping the tissue paper, you’re greeted to a gorgeous piano black box that houses the $1499 Era Prometheus.

Unwrapping The Watch

Opening the box for the first time, you’re greeted to the sight of the Prometheus. Pictures don’t do it justice. Seeing it in person has an entirely different effect.

Purposeful Design

Here’s a closer look at the Prometheus. It’s a lot to take in. The watch has a single-axis tourbillon with automatic movement. On the left, there’s a secondary GMT hour hand useful for keeping track of two timezones. This is a good feature if you’re a frequent traveler who goes back and forth from the coasts and doesn’t want to constantly adjust your watch.

On the right side, you have a Sun/Moon rotating disk. I don’t see a real function to this, but then again you’re not buying this watch for functionality. You’re buying it because it’s a tourbillon watch and you’ll look like a boss wearing it. Regardless, the sun/moon indicator is a neat feature to have and adds to the styling of the watch.

The Size & Fit

The Prometheus is surprisingly well balanced in terms of its size and weight. At 44mm wide, it’s average in size. I have a fairly normal size wrist and the watch fits well without looking bulky. It’s 12.72 thick, which is right up there with your typical Tag Huers and Omegas, but it’s not thin like Movados.

It weighs about 125 grams which put it right there in the middle in terms of weight. It’s not heavy and you won’t feel its mass while wearing, but it’s certainly not light. You won’t “not” notice it.

Its water-resistant 5 ATM / 50 meters. Keep in mind this doesn’t mean it’s water-proof, just resistant. You’ll be fine washing your hands and maybe swimming around in a pool with it. But definitely not a watch you’d go scuba diving with.

The Glass

Michael and his crew didn’t skimp out on the glass. The Prometheus features ultra scratch-resistant Sapphire glass. It’s good glass and you shouldn’t have to worry about scratching it from polishing. The anti-reflective coating on top of the glass is also a nice touch making it easy to see even outdoors.

The watch needs to be wound up in order to work. We carefully took it out of the leather-padded box and gave it a few turns to bring the tourbillon to life. And then it came to life. It’s a beautiful and practically silent movement. We weren’t sure how to adjust the secondary clock and the day/night phases. The manual gave simple instructions on how to make those adjustments, and within a few minutes, we were all set. The Era Prometheus is alive.

The Straps

The Hornback style leather band has a 24mm width and feels comfortable on the wrist. It has an extendable butterfly clasp with blue stitching that stands out beautifully. One downside is that the mechanism to open and close the latch can be challenging with just one hand. This is something new owners will have to adjust to.

Different Models

The Prometheus comes in two models, the basic and the Titan versions. Besides the price difference, the Titan also comes embellished with 78 diamonds, totaling 2.3 carats, placed on the bezels and the lugs.

Look And Feel

Unfortunately, we couldn’t provide pictures of how it looks and feels wearing the Prometheus around in the friendly neighborhood of Philadelphia. During the few days that we wore the Prometheus, a handful of friends and coworkers commented and asked about my new watch. They were impressed with the mechanical movement of the tourbillon.

Just about everybody was curious about the sun and moon dial and how that works. The watch definitely gets attention. It was designed to be admired, that anyone who buys the Prometheus should have that understanding. It also isn’t a watch you can casually wear. There’s nothing casual about it. It will look a bit out of place if you don’t at least dress in business casual.

How Much Does It “Look” Like It Cost?

Throughout the week I’ve had at least a dozen people asking me how much it costs. I asked them to guess the price, to see how much they valued the watch at. Unfortunately, my coworkers and friends know how much I make and what I can’t afford. But I had a few interesting guesses. Most guessed the watch to be between $5000 – $10,000. Several asserted that I stole the watch and should return it to its Ferrari owner.

The Verdict

Era Timepieces aren’t Swiss made, as a matter of fact, Prometheus’ movement is from Hangzhou from China. But you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at it. The craftsmanship is top-notch and every piece is engineered precisely with purpose. Most surprisingly, the tourbillon movement works and works quite well.

Era Timepieces delivers on its promise of bringing a $100,000 tourbillon watch to consumers at an affordable price. The Prometheus at $1499 looks, feels and works like any other high-end luxury watch on the market. If you’ve always wanted to own a millionaire’s watch consider your prayers answered.