Introducing: The New Venezianico Arsenale Collection
Venezianico is a young brand from Venice that continues to roll out new releases. Today, the Arsenale joins the lineup, and while it contains familiar styling details, the watch can claim a historic local building as the source of inspiration. This is a watch that should please those looking for value and refinement.
I’ve now covered three Venezianico watches, and each has been significantly different. A chronograph with lunar ties, a striking gold-dial diver, and an integrated-bracelet watch have crossed my keyboard within six months. The watches may not be similar in intent, but each focuses on a high level of finishing for the price. The new Arsenale blends luxurious details with a slim form factor to join the highly competitive marketplace of watches with integrated bracelets.
The Venezianico Arsenale
The new Arsenale is a 40mm by 44mm stainless steel watch with an integrated bracelet. It has a water resistance rating of 50 meters and comes with a dial in your choice of blue, anthracite, or violet. The bracelet is the only option available, and it has a push-button butterfly clasp.
A key feature of the Arsenale is its knurled and polished bezel. Admittedly, it gives off Parmigiani Tonda PF vibes without directly copying it. This detailing is inspired by one of the most significant buildings in Venice, the original Arsenale built in 1303. This impressive fortress-like structure housed a factory that made ropes and other equipment for the navy. The bezel is inspired by the edges of the building’s distinctive towers with similarly edgy patterns.
A clean and classy dial
Another distinguishing feature of the Arsenale is the Côtes de Genève-finished dial. Venezianico has given these dials a vertical stripe pattern that looks clean and elegant. Fans of luminous materials will not find any on this watch, but the brightness of the polished, skeletonized hands and indices should keep the watch legible in relative darkness. This is especially true due to the textless dial, the simple polished and applied indices, and the printed minutes track. The lack of a sweeping seconds hand is also supportive of the watch’s dressier look.
The Miyota 9029 automatic aids wearability
The Venezianico Arsenale has a solid steel case back that depicts the nearly 825-year-old factory. The case back, mid-case and flat sapphire crystal add up to a pleasing 8.95mm. This thickness is afforded through the use of a Miyota 9029 automatic. The 9020 runs at 28,800vph and has a 42-hour power reserve. The latter spec may not be a world-beating one, but the 3.9mm movement thickness is 0.7mm less than commonly used ETA 2824 clones.
Final thoughts and pricing
The new Venezianico Arsenale will cost €800 and is available now in person at authorized dealers or online. While there are plenty of choices for watches with integrated bracelets, this is an attractive option at this price. The various textures and touches, including those found on the bezel and dial, offer a more refined look than the competition. If a classy, somewhat sporty everyday watch is on your acquisition list, the Arsenale could be a nice option.
For more information on the new Arsenale collection, visit the official Venezianico site.
