Emporio Armani Men’s 43mm Chronograph Watch (AR11349)

Everything on this watch is black except the markers and the hands. Case, bracelet, bezel and dial all take the same treatment, and the only relief comes from gunmetal-toned batons, Roman numerals and a pair of bright hands. It is a design that relies entirely on texture to keep from disappearing. Case and Wrist Presence A 43mm round case with a flat bezel, short lugs and two pushers beside the crown. The ion plating is even and matte across the top surfaces with a polished edge where the case meets the bezel, and that single bright line is what gives the watch its shape in a photograph and on the wrist. A blacked-out case of this size reads smaller than a steel one would, because there is no reflection to spread it out. Dial and Legibility Flat black with a black inner ring carrying the printed minute track. Roman numerals sit at nine and six, applied batons fill the other hours, and the three sub-dial rings are outlined rather than sunk in a contrasting colour. In daylight the metal markers do the work well. In low light this is a slow dial to read, and that is the trade for how clean it looks. Movement and Functions Quartz chronograph. The pushers run a stopwatch: elapsed minutes on the register at nine, elapsed seconds on the long central hand. The register at three is a 24-hour indicator and the one at six carries the running seconds. The date shows in a small framed window between four and five, and it is set from the crown in its middle position. Bracelet and Fit A three-row bracelet in matching black plating, alternating brushed outer links with a smoother centre row. Sizing is by link removal. Because a black bracelet hides its own edges, a loose fit is more obvious here than on steel: the watch slides and then sits face-down on the side of the wrist. Who This Watch Suits Someone who wears a lot of black and wants the watch to fold into it rather than break it up. It works under a dark jacket sleeve and it works with a plain T-shirt, and it will look deliberately monochrome either way. Care and Maintenance Black plating shows wear before any other finish, usually at the clasp edges and on the outer links. Rinse off salt and perspiration, dry with a soft cloth, and stay out of chlorinated water. Avoid abrasive polishes entirely: they take the coating off. Have the gasket replaced with the battery. Technical Specifications Attribute Specification Brand Emporio Armani Reference AR11349 Case diameter 43mm Case shape Round Case Black ion-plated stainless steel Dial Black Markers Roman numerals and applied batons Movement Quartz chronograph Date Window between four and five Bracelet Black ion-plated stainless steel Gender Men’s Warranty 24 months Buying With Confidence Movement cover runs for 24 months under the international manufacturer warranty, with the battery and ordinary wear excluded. Every watch leaves us new and unworn, boxed with the manufacturer’s paperwork, and goes out by tracked courier anywhere in the country. An unworn watch in its original packaging can be returned under the Consumer Protection Act.