When looking at all of what micro and independent watch brands output each year, it’s possible to tie models with one another based on where in the world they were designed. For example, many of the watches designed by American brands tend to be endowed with a strong utilitarian DNA. Those created in Scandinavian countries are characterized by bespoke elegance and everyday-usability. While French brands generally err on the side of avant-gardism and peculiarity. At least, that is my observation based on the 150+ watches I’ve reviewed thus far. (Humble bragging, I know.) And the watch we’re going to take a look at today perfectly exemplifies what I just put forth. 

Not long ago I reviewed the limited edition AM2 Millésime Mars 2024 from March Lab which belongs to the same family of watches as the AM2 Slim Electric we’re gazing at today. However, the AM2 Slim Electric is a smaller version of it and a regular production model. Nowadays it feels almost like a privilege to be able to write a review of a model that humans can actually buy at the conclusion of this review. (That is, if I did my job well and that the AM2 is what you are looking for.) I’ve had this model for a few weeks and it made me understand that I do indeed like elegant horology but that I need to find my type of elegant horology—different and affordable. 

Specifications 

The March Lab AM2 Slim Electric’s case is a hybrid between a rectangle and an octagon (it’s actually square but not akin to what you imagine), which makes its dimensions wear oddly well on my 6.50”/16.5cm wrist. Indeed, the AM2 measures 36mm across,  40.7mm lug-to-lug, 10.4mm thick (the brand lists 11.32mm,) and has a lug width of 20mm with a bracelet that tapers down to 15.8mm at the clasp. In other words, a comfortable watch and bracelet combo. I rarely mention the size of a crown but this one is quite noticeable coming in at 6.3mm in diameter which I quite like as it looks bold. Moreover, the AM2 Slim comes with a screw-down case-back and a push/pull crown, giving it a decent 100 meters of water resistance. 

As the model name indicates, the AM2 Slim Electric is powered by a quartz caliber, here the Swiss Made Ronda 517 that has a stated battery life of 45 months (about 3.75 years which is quite neat) and which comes with a practical day/date complication at the three o’clock. Being an everyday elegant watch, the March Lab AM2 Slim Electric is equipped with lume but only on the hour and minute hands, though the type of lume is unknown. The crystal is a K1 mineral glass with beveled edges, a material which is stronger than regular mineral glass but not as scratch resistant as sapphire. But it seems to be a good in-between as I believe it to be less expensive to manufacture than sapphire. 

The bracelet is in itself a work of art as well as being a magnificently manufactured part of the AM2 Slim. The links have a seven-part construction and are held together with screws on both ends. Sizing the bracelet is not the easiest thing to do but once it’s done, you won’t have to go through this process again as the removable links are very short which makes it easy to find the perfect fit. The clasp is marvelous as it is thin and well-machined, and it operates in a way I’m not familiar with: basically, a notched tab goes through one of the central main links and firmly closes onto itself. It’s hard to describe how it works, nevertheless it’s genius. Lastly, the bracelet comes with quick-release spring bars to make swapping the bracelet for a strap an easy task. 

Design

Visually, the AM2 Slim Electric is a AM2 Millésime Mars 2024 but more elegant and more restrained. Actually, I would say that the latter looks like the former. The hour and minute hands are straight and are endowed with a slit at their tips, while the needle-shaped seconds hand has a more straightforward design. All hands are fully polished, so are the baton-style applied hour markers. We also find a polished frame around the day/date aperture which makes sense and looks great. Particular attention was given to the design of the day/date complication which has a March Lab classic design: bold font, especially for the Arabic numerals, where “3” is printed in green which is the brand’s main color.

The dial has a two-level construction where the center part is raised and beautifully frames the day/date complication. Both levels of the dial received a sunburst white/silver finish, perfectly matching the elegant nature of this timepiece. The case is what we would describe as being the star of the show and again, we find a design that is unique to March Lab. A square case with large surfaces which are either finished with a mirror-like polish or vertical brushing. I particularly like the fact that the top of the lugs and the upper section of the case are fully polished as it creates beautiful light plays when jiggling the wrist around. 

The Heart of the Matter

At the heart of the matter is the fact that March Lab has created a unique visual identity for this collection, as it did for all of its collections. And for what it’s worth, although the asking price of $828 USD might seem a little steep, I would argue that it is a reasonable price for a watch that comes with its own visual character. As always, I like to say that we cannot put a price tag on design and this is absolutely true here. Everything from the case shape, the dial finish, the custom day/date disc to the beautiful bracelet shows that a lot of attention was put into designing the AM2 collection. And I particularly appreciate the fact that March Lab offers the AM2 in various sizes and colors. (I suggest taking a look at the website.) 

As mentioned in the introduction, the AM2 Slim Electric is only the second model from March Lab that I got my hands on and I can already tell you that I very much like the direction the brand currently is in. Each family of watches comes with its unique visual aesthetic and none have a doppelganger in the watch world. (That is as far as I know of course.) The AM2 Slim has look of its own which not only includes the case shape but also the crown design and placement, the bracelet all links of which can actually be removed to size to any wrist, the applied slightly abstract logo, and the Miyazaki-like illustration engraved on the case-back (see photo below.) 

Conclusion

The more brands appear on the market, the more models they produce, the more options we, watch enthusiasts, have to find horological happiness. If you’re looking for a unique looking diver, then you can opt for the Horizon Nemo. If you’re into under-the-radar pilot watches, then check out the Alcadus Opus V2. And, finally, if you are into elegant watches that come with their own aesthetic charm and quirkiness, then the March Lab AM2 Slim Electric is for you. Although I don’t like to say it: There is nothing like the AM2 Slim on the market today and that in itself is a strong selling point for many watch collectors. 

Check out this link to learn more about March Lab and the following one to learn more about the AM2 Slim Electric and discover the various sizes and colors this collection is offered in. 

Thanks for reading.