Emporio Armani Men’s 43mm Watch (AR11276)

From two paces this looks like a plain black watch. Up close the dial turns out to be mother-of-pearl, and the shell under the surface pulls aubergine and bronze into what should be a flat dark face. It is the sort of detail only the person wearing it will ever notice. \n\n Case and Wrist Presence \n A 43mm round case in black ion-plated steel with a matt finish, a thin bezel and lugs that are cut away from the case so the strap threads through an open gap. That gap lets the strap begin its curve at the case edge instead of two centimetres further out, which is why a wide case like this still sits properly on an average wrist. The crown at three o’clock is small and matched to the case. \n\n Dial and Legibility \n Black mother-of-pearl with a fine concentric guilloche pressed into the outer ring and a smooth centre disc. Applied black batons mark the hours and the hands are black with a polished edge. A printed white minute track runs around the rim, and the date sits above six o’clock in a small window. This is the lowest-contrast dial you will find on a men’s watch of this kind; you read the hands by the light on their bevels rather than by colour, which works in daylight and much less well at night. \n\n Movement and Functions \n Quartz, with hours, minutes, seconds and a date. Battery driven, so nothing needs winding and the time holds whether the watch is worn every day or twice a month. \n\n Strap, Clasp and Fit \n Smooth black leather with the grain visible in the surface, matched to the case in colour so the watch reads as one continuous dark object. Smooth leather softens quickly and takes the wrist’s shape, but it also shows scuffs more than an embossed strap; on black they are less obvious than they would be on tan. \n\n Who This Watch Suits \n Someone who wants the quietest possible watch that still has something in it. It disappears against a dark sleeve, which is either the appeal or the problem depending on what you want from a watch. \n\n Care and Maintenance \n Dry cloth on the case, no abrasives on the plating, and keep water off the leather. If the strap does get wet, dry it flat and away from heat. Store the watch out of direct sun, which will fade black leather to grey over a couple of years. \n\n Technical Specifications \n \n Reference AR11276 \n Brand Emporio Armani \n Case diameter 43mm \n Case colour Black \n Dial Black mother-of-pearl \n Markers Applied sticks \n Movement Quartz \n Functions Hours, minutes, seconds, date \n Strap Black leather \n \n\n Buying With Confidence \n A 24-month international manufacturer warranty covers the movement, excluding battery and normal wear. Ships new and unworn in its original box with the manufacturer’s paperwork, delivered nationwide with tracking, and returnable unworn in its original packaging under the Consumer Protection Act. Because the dial is real shell, the colours that appear in it will not match the photograph exactly.