Today, we have a new offering from the Austin-based brand Jack Mason. The new Ellum expands its offerings into uncharted territories. Jack Mason has been undergoing a brand overhaul kicking off with their GMT line in 2023; check our coverage here. After multiple successful restocks and a diver, they have announced a 9mm thick manual wind dress watch at $949 equipped with the Sellita SW200. The Ellum is a revamp of a previous release; however, the name is about the only element that remains the same across the two watches. The Ellum is defined by its linen dial and warm vintage aesthetic. We have the gold version to review, but the watch also comes in a steel case with a green dial.
On the Wrist
On my 7.75″ wrist, the 38mm watch feels borderline nonexistent relative to my typical fairs. The watch is all dial and does not feel lacking in the slightest. The unreal comfort predominantly comes from the thinness afforded by the manual movement. Wearing a dress watch like this for an extended period is enough to remind you that the invented automatic movement was not without its trade-offs. Despite the thinness and its ability to glide underneath any cuff, the glow of gold grabs the attention of those I’m conversing with. Is that a vintage Omega? (Knowing I wouldn’t be swinging a modern gold dress watch). “No,” I say, “this is a Jack Mason,” to bewildered eyes.
The 20mm leather strap is a supple “Italian Epsom” leather that matches the watch perfectly. There was no break-in time, and the leather showed minimal signs of wear over the three or so weeks of wear.
The buckle matched the case well and was substantial enough never to warrant a complaint. “JACK MASON” is along the edge of the buckle in a font that does not quite match the rest of the watch. With the beautiful typeface seen elsewhere on the watch, I am not sure the heave block type used here was the correct choice.
Dial Details
The linen dial is by far the most enticing aspect of the watch and paired with the polished case and markers, it provides much-needed contrast. You have the Jack Mason logo at twelve, and the word Ellum is in the script at six. The date window at three has polished borders and a stark white wheel underneath the dial. While I enjoyed the functionality of a date during use, I do not like how it breaks up the linen dial. If there was a no-date option, that would be my preferred choice.
The polished hands catch light beautifully and provide excellent legibility despite the consistent gold between the hands, indices, and dial. The polishing creates great contrast without the addition of color, and I found this to be enough for reading even in low light. One can imagine finishing up the tail end of a new marketing campaign and catching the time reading early AM hours while you and Don Draper drink whiskey at the office. Luckily, I work from home, and the only long hours I have pulled lately are the night shift with a newborn, so the Ellum still fits right in.
Case, Movement, Misc
A polished gold plated case completes the vintage aesthetic with soft curves and beautiful lugs. The curves allow the illusion of the watch not sitting flat on your wrist despite the impossible lack of thickness.
The profile of the watch perfectly shows the curve yet flatness. Having something in your box that is less than a centimeter thick was never something I longed for previously, and I know now that opinion needs to be corrected. The crown is adorned with the only piece of metal on the Ellum that needs to be polished. The crown is slightly smaller than I would prefer for a manual wind watch. When the crown being wound is the requirement for the watch to keep going, oversizing it slightly pays dividends.
An exhibition caseback displays the Sellita SW200 Manual Movement. The view of the movement is a nice treat, but it is somewhat unexpected because of how clean the rest of the watch is. Jack Mason easily could have fitted a polished caseback, and I would not have thought twice about it; the addition of the display back is appreciated, and for those likely purchasing their first dress watch, sets the Ellum apart from cheaper fairs (think Timex marlins).
Final Thoughts
Though I am sending this watch back, I’m not heading to the post office without having caught feelings. There isn’t an actual dress watch in my collection, and though I have reviewed others, no modern one has caught my interest like the Ellum. The 9mm case and linen dial are unique and usually have a much steeper price tag for modern watches. Searching for a vintage dress watch was never appealing to me because of all the dilemmas of purchasing a vintage watch. The Ellum seems to check all the boxes while coming brand new at a reasonable price. My few complaints are primarily personal preferences, except for desiring a more oversized crown. The subtraction of the date would undoubtedly please some, but I would wager all would appreciate the sized-up crown for use.
Check out more Jack Mason reviews at The Watch Clicker here
Check out the Jack Mason website here