The RZE Urbanist

Truth be told, it has been a hot minute since I’ve dived into the world of microbands. Through fate, this RZE Urbanist came onto my radar thanks to a friend (@adr1an_and_watches). Before anything, I’d like to thank @lugtolugmy for letting me experience this for a week. If you didn’t already know, they bring in different microbands for Malaysians to experience. More than anything, it takes passion to run something like this, respect!

First off, materials. The grade 2 titanium case really elevates the entire wearing experience. Although I agree that some watches benefit from a bit of heft, the lightness that titanium brings to the table is addicting. The watch effortlessly merges with your wrist, making it the perfect daily wearer. Paired with the UltraHex coating that increases the scratch resistance of the case, you get both comfort and durability in one package. Personally, I would swap out the nato strap for a MN strap to make the wearing experience more seamless.

Design wise, this is by no means a bland watch. There’s flavor, just the right amount of it. The twelve sided bezel in particular, catches my eye. Admittedly, matte-finished cases can look a little dull without any cool design elements. But thanks to the bezel, the case is elevated when viewed from different angles. Overall, this is a visually balanced watch. However, something to consider would be the DLC coated crown that’s contrasting with the grey titanium case. In my opinion, it throws off the visual balance of the watch by a tad bit and it’s something that can’t go unnoticed after seeing.

Now here’s something that might be a dealbreaker to some. It’s quartz. To be specific, it’s a Miyota solar movement. As a field watch, I find that this fits the criteria really well. Think about it, a true grab-and-go piece that you don’t have to worry much about (as long as you expose it to the sun).

As for the dimensions, I’m happy to report that this checks a lot of boxes for me. At 36mm in diameter and 42mm lug-to-lug, it wears really well on my 16cm wrist. Factoring in its weight of only 42g (with the original nato strap) into the equation, it’s an absolute winner. And guess what? The 18mm lug width makes this a strap monster!

All things considered, this is in many ways, a great watch that does exactly what it should do. It’s rugged, lightweight and has distinct design elements. Making it a true grab-and-go timepiece. Yes, I won’t lie that the contrasting crown color isn’t for me, but I can imagine that to many out there, this might not matter. And at only MYR 1200, it’s superb value if you asked me.