Some watches are described as being “classic” and “iconic” on account of their simple and singular designs, respectively. But they often come with intricate internal mechanics and multi-stage manufacturing processes to have been made so. Some watches can be both classic and iconic and we all know which ones those are. And I’m tired of reading and talking about them. But I’m interested—and you might be too—learning about and understanding what’s about them that stuck and worked. Nature can be described as being both simple and complex—simple in the ways it appears to us and complex in the ways it functions internally. A leaf is a leaf and consumes light and oxygen to grow and change color. Pretty straightforward, right? But there are many more steps that must be taken into account in order to get the full picture. And the man-made things which appear seemingly simple are actually complex, just like nature is. 

If we were to try to clumsily translate the above rumble of words into horology, our thought process would take us to the Parea Sector. Parea is a new brand out of Australia and the Sector its first model. Sector dials are “classic” and “iconic” designs from times immemorial (actually, allegedly since the 1920s) which have had military and non-military applications for they were considered to make reading the time an easier process. (I personally am not convinced they do.) However they are visually striking, have always been, and have always also kinda of looked same-same but different since…times immemorial. We’ve looked at a few here on Mainspring—the Alcadus Quantra, Arcange AS06, and Branch Sector—which look classic and refined, but we had yet to look at something different. Something with an extra umph if you will. Hence the Parea Sector launching today, June 25, 2025, on Kickstarter with prices starting at $399 USD. 

Specifications 

Being a watch nerd in 2025 is neat because we can acquire high-technology and well manufactured watches for not too much money. And I cannot wait to see—and hope to be around to witness—how much value we will get 25 years from now. Hollow watches perhaps? Mechanical movements with four barrels and six months of power reserve? Pocket watches made of recycled wood shavings? Who knows? But today we can indeed get a lot of watch for our money and the Parea Sector is yet another good example of what is real right now. First by looking at its modernly sized case of 39mm in diameter, 46mm lug-to-lug, 9.9mm thick and with a 20mm lug width. 9.9mm in thickness is no longer jaw-dropping or something that disrupts the industry—yuck to this phrasing—but it’s neat when paired to a decent 50 meters of water resistance, sandwich sapphire construction, and three-dimensional dial. 

Indeed we find two flat pieces of sapphire on the top and bottom of the case, the former with six layers of inner anti-reflective coating. The latter lets us gush over the polished customized rotor (I don’t recall ever seeing a non-matte finished rotor before but my memory might be playing tricks on me) attached to a premium Miyota 9039 caliber (4Hz/42 hours of power reserve,) regulated to run at +/- 10 seconds per day. If you know me you know I love Miyota movements and would pick them over any Swiss made caliber any day of the week! We also find a small push/pull crown measuring 5.8mm in diameter which is lodged exactly in the middle of the case—not always a given—which guarantees it doesn’t dig into your wrist. Moreover, the dial of the Parea Sector is pretty much half constituted of BGW9 applied on the sector, hour markers, and hands for ultimate nighttime readability. 

Lastly, the watch will ship free via DHL on two handmade German straps—a color-matched calfskin leather and a soft grey one—as well as a UV light (because the brand is so confident the lume is good) and a watch roll. I’ve never mentioned most items on that list before but today I do because I want to show you how much value the Parea Sector is endowed with. And final point here: as it is often the case, I photographed a prototype which indicates 30 ATM of water resistance on the case-back and not 50, and which shows a lower quality of lume although I’m already quite impressed. 

Design 

There was a lot to say about the specs as stand alone paragraphs making up the history of the Parea Sector. But there is much more to say about its design. I’ll come right off the bat admitting I’m not a sector dial aficionado, at least I wasn’t until today. I did review a few of them and I enjoyed looking at the Alcadus, Arcange, and Branch for they are delightful watches meticulously designed and thought through. So I don’t fancy sector dials but I love it when brands revisit a classic design and modernize it. And personalize it to either renew our interest for them or to introduce them back into a new chapter of watchmaking and to a new generation of watch nerds. Humans do that all the time about everything so it too happens with watches. And the Parea Sector blends two things which I personally am a big fan of: superlative legibility and minimalism. 

Though there is nothing of the latter here per se although it appears so at first glance because the white pigment of the BGW9 lume dominates the dial. So yes, the lume jumps out—or drags you in, depending on how this occurrence can best be described—for it covers the raised hour markers, the skeletonized syringe-style hands, and the elements which make up the sector: the crosshairs, the circle, and the lines attached to it which indicates the odd hours and separate the numerals. Most of the white stuff is lume, generous quantities of it, applied on multiple raised sections of the dial. And though the minute track is not lumed it sits above the dial, is angled, and appears to end up on the same plane as the rest. So let’s first hang out with the latter for a sec: it’s a railroad track with small hash-marks for the minutes and numerals for the 5-minute increments. 

Further examining the dial we are met with two types of textures/finishes separated by the sector circle but partially traversed by the crosshairs/hour markers. In the center a granular or melted-plastic like section complemented by a subtle sheen. Outside of it a radial section which is 3D stamped using an oil-pressing technique which endows it with great depth. (I did my best to showcase all of this with the micro shots and I’m sorry not sorry if I wasn’t successful.) Of note is the fact that the radial finish extends past the raised minute track onto the dial edges which is neat as it tricks us in thinking that the railroad section was applied rather than raised and stamped. This goes to show that technically and visually, a lot of work was poured into the design of the Sector—25 months actually—which we will go back to shortly. Lastly on the dial, I appreciate the minimal presence of text—simply the brand’s logo. 

And let us talk about the case, the glorious case. It was designed to constitute the perfect backdrop for the dial and finished to make a statement. The flanks are made up of polished elements framing a recessed and beadblasted section, echoing the hour and minute hands design, a first combo of this nature in my humble experience. This type of case design and construction isn’t new but isn’t common, and here at last paired with something on the dial that makes sense. (I hate it—too strong?—when brands add something that looks cool just for the sake of it.) Here Parea combined two elements of different nature in a logical way which is refreshing. Moreover, I love the sculpted nature of the case sides where the thin bezel, mid-case, and case-back are stacked on top of each other. Four layers looking tight together. And a last glorious detail: the polished chamfers which merge with the side frames.

The Heart of the Matter

I’ve been writing about watches for four years only, and in my short career I’ve reviewed a little over 350 watches. Which I would say, in a humble manner, is quite a few ! And I observed that more and more often, micro/independent brands offer tremendous value. Generally speaking, highly-spec’ed watches, better equipped than many mainstream horological creations, and increasingly coming with more singular looks. Completely unique designs are rare and far-between, though they are becoming a bit more common. But more often than not we are met with reinterpretations of past designs, which is fine as it is normal for us to recycle and revisit what we’ve come up with before. The point and interest of rejunivating—upgrading and modernizing—classic designs is to not only generate a renewed interest for them but also, and more importantly, to preserve them for generations to come. Just like a privileged segment of the western population wants to make handmade and analog stuff cool again. 

So the Parea Sector presents a new way to make a sector dial and one which hasn’t been made before. Earlier I mentioned that it took the brand 25 months to design and bring to life its vision for the Sector, and that is a lot of time to pour into the creation of just one model. This first milestone—whose three dimensional and mechanical result is marvelous—is secretly celebrated into the knurling of the crown which has 25 teeth to mark the 25 months that were required to create Parea’s first watch. That is meaningful and what is such as well is the intricacy and minutia with which the dial and case were designed and manufactured. As we saw earlier, a 3D stamped radial pattern using a particular technique, the raised sections of the dial which add further dimensionality and depth to the Sector and double as superb nighttime beacons of light akin to what light towers were several decades ago and for thousands of years. 

Conclusion 

Perhaps the most important information you should be equipped with at the end of this effing long review is this: the Parea Sector just launched on Kickstarter, and the campaign will run through July 15, 2025. Five colors will be available in unlimited quantities—Ocean Blue, Plum, Dragon Red, Black, and Forest Green—each being striking in its own right. If all goes well with the campaign, Parea estimates for the watches to ship around October/November 2025. So, looking at the complete spec sheet and incredible design—a singular, minimalist, and bold design—for $399 USD you really can’t go wrong with the sector. When I first saw photos of this watch, and then when I first got it in hand, I was taken aback by the depth of the dial and its rare elegance. It is truly quite something and I highly recommend you check out the Kickstarter page and the brand’s website.

Thanks for reading.