Dietrich is one of the recent internet phenomenons. Like SEVENFRIDAY, they are Swiss designed but made in the Asia, and use social media and the internet to its full advantage to promote and sell the products. The collection is growing and the company now offers six models. Each model are essentially the same watch, but offered in different case, dial material and finishing. A huge variety of straps are offered. The Dietrich OT-5 we are reviewing here belongs to a collector friend, and is the second most expensive watch in the current collection.
Dietrich OT-5, in bronze PVD, and a vintage brown leather strap.
The company started in 2013 by Emmanuel Dietrich, a French designer based in Zug, Switzerland, and they coined the tag line Organic Time. Emmanuel explains, “The Organic Time is the translation of my singular world. It is the expression of my desire for balance, a balance between feelings, forms, sensations and pleasure. It is the culmination of my design signature: delicate but bold, powerful yet sensual. The Organic Time is more than a desirable object; it is a tool that speaks the same organic language as our bodies. This is the philosophy that generates the Organic Time, an organically different timepiece.”
Dietrich OT-5, showing the 3 dimension impression one gets from the dial elements.
The result is a case which is unlike any other. Six sided, and curved. The case is stainless steel with a bronze pvd in matt finish, and very smooth to the touch. Bezel and crown are made of bronze. The strap goes under the case, and is designed to be easy to swap. .
Dietrich OT-5 is identical to the other Organic Time watches safe for the case material, dial and strap.
The dial is a skeleton with a lattice like structure (bones?) criss crossing the dial. Visually, the dial is very interesting, as it gives the impression of depth. The dial comprises of 4 layers, each in a successively darker shade of bronze from the inside and ending with a black outer ring layer. The minute markers are printed on the under side of the sapphire crystal. The hour and minute hands are also in bronze, and skeletonized with tips filled with SuperLuminova. A stylized bronze skeletonized star serves as the second hand. The hands seem to float above the face of the watch. The overall aesthetic is one of different levels, and depth.
On the wrist, the OT-5 feels the bulk that the generous dimensions bear. While not uncomfortable to wear, it does feel large, and the aesthetics are perhaps more suitable for a casual outfit.
Overall, this is more a design watch, and the price reflects this. The ability to easily swap out the straps from huge variety Dietrich offers, from leather to nylon to suede and rubber, for a different look supports this. Dietrich offers a wide variety of straps to choose from.
3 Comments
Great review Peter, just two corrections I’d like to submit: firstly, the bezel (and crown) is actual bronze, not a bronze PVD. Mine is already showing patina. The rest of the case is brown PVD treated steel.
Secondly, it’s actually the second most expensive Dietrich, coming in after the forged carbon OT-4.
Thanks for the comments. I have added that the crown and bezel are in bronze. And corrected that it is the second most expensive Dietrich.