Hands-On With The New Dietrich ED-1 — Featuring A Soft Hexagonal Case
Designing anything, including watches, is an iterative process. You move from one design to another, and every time, you get a bit closer to what you had in mind. I’m not a designer, but Emmanuel Dietrich, who founded the Dietrich brand in 2010, is. When you look at his previous designs, you can see that the new Dietrich ED-1 is a clear outcome of all those previous models. Spoiler alert: to me, it looks like Emmanuel took the best features of all those watches and put them into one.
The Organic Time
If you’re not aware of those earlier models, let me go through a few of them here. One of the brand’s first watches in 2014 was the Organic Time (OT). It was a big 46mm watch featuring a lugless case with a soft hexagon shape and exposed screws. The dial was partly skeletonized, and it had distinctive leaf hands.
In 2017, the Dietrich Time Companion (TC) came out. It had a more conventional 42mm stainless steel case with an integrated bracelet. However, the six-sided shape and exposed screws were still there. A few years later, there was the 45mm Dietrich Device Nr. 1 (DD-1), which looked more like the initial Organic Time again.
The Skin Diver 2
Going back to the roots
A couple of years ago, the brand surprised us again with the more conventional-looking Skin Diver. It was 38.5mm in diameter, did away with the hexagonal case, and had a unidirectional dive bezel. It still featured the quirky leaf hands, but overall, it was a lot less distinctive than the brand’s earlier models. As Nacho explained in his hands-on article about the Skin Diver 2 (SD-2), it was a great and versatile diver, but it was certainly less recognizable as a Dietrich watch.
I’m glad to say that the new Emmanuel Dietrich Nr.1 (ED-1) brings back a little bit of the more experimental design language of those earlier models. I get this feeling because it combines the Skin Diver’s more conventional size with the brand’s signature hexagonal shape. But let me go over the specifications first before I tell you what I think about it.
The Dietrich ED-1
The new Dietrich ED-1 has a six-sided 39mm stainless steel case measuring 11mm thick and 46mm from lug to lug. Its six sides might make you suspect that it’s quite a pointy or harsh case shape. However, the corners are all rounded, just like the more organic Dietrich designs from before. The only sharp line is the one separating the circularly brushed and mirror-polished surfaces on the bezel. The rest of the case, including the underside, is brushed and feels just as soft as it looks.
Even though the actual dial layout is circular, the opening for the dial and the sapphire crystal still has a slightly hexagonal shape, which is a very thoughtful detail. You can choose to get the ED-1 with either a blue or green gradient sandwich dial, and Dietrich will offer date and no-date options for both. The sector containing the softly rounded numerals is a bit raised, and it has very sharp bevels. Just like the numerals, the signature leaf hands, seconds hand, and hour markers are lumed. The railroad minute track, crosshair, Dietrich logo, and model name are all printed in white.
Sellita inside
Inside the Dietrich ED-1 and controllable through its screw-down crown is the very common and reliable Sellita SW200 automatic movement. It runs at a frequency of 28,800vph, features 26 jewels, and holds a power reserve of 38 hours. The rotor on the production models will be engraved and visible through the sapphire window of the exhibition case back. It’s not a fancy movement, but it’ll do the job and will be easy for any watchmaker to service.
On the wrist
Emmanuel Dietrich says that this could be someone’s “go anywhere, do anything” watch. That’s why it’s nice to know that the watch is water resistant to 100 meters. Additionally, alongside the included leather strap, the ED-1 comes with a stainless steel bracelet. It’s an improved version of the bracelet with hexagonal center links that was on the brand’s Time Companion. It’s almost fully brushed but also has nicely polished bevels to accentuate the distinctive shape of the individual links.
On my 17cm wrist, the Dietrich ED-1 fits very well. Its organic shape makes for a comfortable wearing experience, and the design has just the right proportions. Importantly, the polished bevel on the bezel nicely accentuates the six-sided shape without overdoing it. The sandwich dial is well executed, and the narrow bevels play nicely with the light. I love how wearable the Dietrich ED-1 is while maintaining some of the quirky Dietrich spirit with its organically shaped hexagonal case.
The only thing I didn’t like is how the bracelet’s end links don’t integrate that well with the case. That’s why I prefer how the ED-1 looks on the matching leather strap. Other than that, it’s a well-built bracelet that is easy to swap for something else thanks to its quick-release spring bars.
Final words
I have always found Emmanuel Dietrich’s designs charming. I especially liked the DD-1, but it was just a bit too big and quirky for me to buy one. Now with the Dietrich ED-1, we get a less outspoken design, but it still offers the signature Dietrich feel through its hexagonal case. Its 39mm size also makes it more suitable for everyday wear, and its sandwich dial, although not open-worked, still offers some very nice details. The brand’s Skin Diver might have been a bit too conventional, but it seems like it was a necessary step to get back on track with the new Dietrich ED-1.
The Dietrich ED-1 is available for pre-order now until the 19th of August. It costs CHF 1,480 excluding taxes and comes with a Delugs leather strap and the aforementioned bracelet. The watches will be delivered in 2025. For more information, check out the official Dietrich website.
Let me know in the comments below what you think of the new Dietrich ED-1.
