Charlie Paris Concordia GMT Bleu Owner Review : Humble, discreet and singular

If you are looking for a unique, discreet and accomplished GMT watch? The Charlie Concordia GMT may be for you! Is it still a Plongeuse? Is it a real GMT? Why is it unique? I give you my opinion by humbly trying to decipher it! Charlie Paris is a French brand born in 2014 with a humble ambition to create elegant, durable and accessible watches. Several collections have been created, including the Charlie Concordia. Launched in 2018, this diving watch waterproof to 300 meters has been successfully declined with nearly twenty references, automatic or quartz. The Charlie Concordia GMT that I wore for several weeks is the very latest variation of the collection. ➡️ So, why do I have this watch, friends? Because I asked the brand to lend me one in order to try to answer the question… Why might you like this Charlie Concordia GMT? The Charlie Concordia GMT is available in several colors and it is the blue reference that I was able to wear for a few weeks and that you can discover in photos… General appearance: It exudes a general harmony that pleases the eye, highlighting the stylistic continuity of the design created by Charlie Ménétrier, the designer of the Charlie Paris brand. The beautiful proportions between the different elements of the watch reinforce its appeal, giving it a pleasant and harmonious visual balance. Case: Made of 316L steel (the market standard), the case has dimensions of 40mm in diameter excluding the crown, for a thickness of 12.5mm. This recalls the historic case of the Concordia launched in 2018, offering a touch of authenticity to this new iteration. Although the case back is open, it is surprisingly flat for a diver's watch that is water-resistant to 300 meters. The introduction of the crown guard is a first on this model, but it may not please everyone. Although it is crafted with care and attention to detail, its aesthetic offset from the caseband may leave some observers wanting more. Crown: The redesigned crown retains the iconic engraved wheel bar present on the various models in the collection. It is screwed down to ensure optimum water-resistance. The crown stem is marked by an original red marker whose durability should be monitored. This marker is only visible when the crown is unscrewed and helps to remember to screw the crown back in after handling it. Dial: The blue dial is bright and very well proportioned, particularly in terms of harmony. As with previous Concordias, other color variations are available with the references Black, Dune (desert beige) and Latitude 0° (textured green reminiscent of the lush vegetation on the Equator). Although respecting the historical DNA of the Concordia, the applied plot indexes, although effective, are not the most unique on the market. Hands: The so-called "syringe" hands are treated with an effective Super Luminova, guaranteeing good visibility in the dark. The green treatment for the hour indexes contrasts with the blue treatment for the arrow of the GMT hand. This choice is paradoxical because it aims to clearly differentiate the local time and the second time zone in the dark, but the GMT hand is tone on tone (blue on blue), which makes it stand out in daylight. Bezels: The bezel is graduated unidirectionally to 120 clicks, offering interesting precision for users, but is (too) hard to manipulate like previous Concordias. The fixed 24-hour flange in two colors blue and white is an original, bold and distinctive choice, standing out from the way other brands integrate the GMT function into their dive watches. Movement: The Swiss Made Soprod C125 movement is at the heart of this watch. With a power reserve of 40 hours, although acceptable, it is becoming a little tight with the new standards that seem to be imposed with at least 70 hours of power reserve. The decorations of the movement are well done, adding a touch of elegance, which will appeal to first-time buyers of mechanical watches. The Charlie Concordia GMT is currently available for pre-order (until October 31, 2023) at a price of €1,195 instead of €1,375 on a Fabric strap and €1,245 instead of €1,425 on a Steel strap. The price is the same regardless of the dial version. ➡️ In this price range, the Charlie Concordia GMT is in particular competition with two other models from French brands: The very trendy Baltic Aquascaphe GMT sold from €1,104 and the iconic Yema Superman 500 GMT offered from €1,449. Two other French brands with very different trajectories with models that are omnipresent in their collection, like the Concordia for Charlie Paris, but which are no longer really divers because the unidirectional 60-minute bezel has been replaced by a bidirectional 24-hour bezel! ➡️ This is the main reason why this Charlie Concordia GMT is unique. It is the only GMT watch that is a true diver and the only diver that is a true GMT. The integration of the 24-hour scale in the flange is unheard of on a diver. This type of bezel is however well known on the so-called "Worldtime" or "Worldtimer" models allowing you to read the time in all time zones. But in this case, the outer bezel shows the main city for each time zone. This type of complication was invented by the watchmaker Louis Cottier who unfortunately did not patent it! For 4 weeks, I wore this watch regularly in a very natural way... Alternating with other watches in my collection to question myself about this Concordia and share my opinion on a watch that I neither dreamed of, nor did I buy it. Charlie is the little brand that is on the rise (the oldest of my generation will remember the M6 TV channel ads in the 90s). A brand that moves forward without making noise, without glitter, without superfluity and without showing off... A brand that grows wisely, even if it means being a little too wise... ➡️ In 2024, the brand will celebrate its 10th anniversary... The age of maturity that is just around the corner and that we feel with this Concordia GMT. A little more madness and pep is what I expect from future Concordias and why not a Charlie Concordia "Worldtime" to celebrate the brand's 10th anniversary. XS