Wristwatch Review: Tahari Quartz "Datejust Homage" Dress Watch

Do you like the look of a fluted bezel like the one on the famed Rolex Datejust "Presidential" dress watch? I've been playing around with fluted bezel watches for awhile. On the one hand, I like the way that the fluted bezels catch the light, but on the other, I typically wear more utilitarian watches. Before plunking down big money on a Rolex, it's worth exploring the look a bit more thoroughly.  That's where a watch like the Tahari Quartz Datejust Homage comes in.

Tahari Datejust Watch Features

The Tahari Datejust has a quartz movement made in Singapore. It is a dress watch with a domed crystal, a magnifier bubble (or cyclops) over the date window; a gold-tone fluted bezel, case, bracelet, and hour markers; and the number 12 at 12 o'clock. It's a simple watch.

Tahari Datejust Quartz Watch

Tahari Watch Style

The Rolex "Presidential" Datejust is a watch that has long been associated with presidents, prime ministers, and other leaders around the world. With the Tahari, the style is a bit more relaxed. You don't need to do any of that leadership stuff. You just need to take $20 or so down to Burlington. Other than that, the Tahari mimics a traditional Rolex Datejust--without actual gold, diamonds, or crowns here there and everywhere.

Tahari "DateJust" Homage

On a more serious note, the Tahari does give an approximation of how a datejust might look on your wrist. It's not a substitute for a Rolex, but it is a placeholder. It'll help the wearer figure out if they like fluted dials or not.

Tahari Watch Construction

The Tahari Datejust is made by Accutime in Asia (most likely in China or Hong Kong). The watch has a stainless steel case back, a base metal case, and a Chinese stainless steel bracelet. Over the years, I've been satisfied with other watches made by Accutime over the years. The company makes many watches under license for sports teams and store-brand watches. 

This Tahari watch does have a few little things that reveal its low price point. For example, the bracelet is very light weight and there are a few brush or tool marks on the case. None of these minor things are showstoppers for a $20 fashion watch.

Tahari Watch Dimensions

The Tahari "Datejust" case is 39mm in diameter and 10mm thick. Without the room requirements of Swiss, antique-style, mechanical works, the Tahari (not counting the 1mm cyclops) actually comes in a little thinner than a 41mm Rolex Datejust which measures 11.6 to 12mm thick. The lug-to-lug measurements come in at about 47mm. The stainless steel bracelet is 19mm wide at the lug and tapers slightly to 15.5mm at the clasp.  It's  long enough to fit my 7 3/4-inch wrist perfectly without adjustment.

The Tahari Datejust Bracelet tapers significantly

Overall Impressions of the Tahari Datejust Homage

The Tahari Datejust Homage is a comfortable, cheap, watch that has allowed me to experiment with the fluted bezel watch look. It's a nice looking watch for casual wear. However, I probably wouldn't wear this watch in a professional setting. While it does mimic the look of a far more expensive Rolex, it doesn't have the brand reputation or high quality look that we expect from more expensive brands like Bulova, Seiko, or Timex. Still, its a fun bang around watch for the weekend.

[Do you want to see five more alternatives to the Rolex Datejust Presidential watch? Read my blog post here!]

Wristwatch Review: Tahari Two-Tone Dress Watch

Oops! I did it again. I bought another cheap watch. I couldn't resist. I got lost in the game. This time, I picked up another Tahari watch at Burlington. This one is a dress watch. It's a two-tone timepiece with black and silver tones in a coherent design that is carried through the bracelet, bezel, and dial.

Tahari Men's Two-Tone Dress Watch

Tahari Watch Style

This is my second Tahari watch. In my first Tahari review, I revealed that the brand is the brainchild of fashion designer Elie Tahari. She is best known for women's fashions and accessories. However, Accutime produces a limited number of Tahari-branded watches for men. 

This Tahari watch features a simple retro design with silver-toned  numerals to mark the time at 12 and 6 o'clock and silver-toned batons for the other hours around the black dial. The bezel appears to be round like the dial of a Rolex Explorer-style field watch. However, a closer look reviews subtle facets at the edge of the bezel. The sword hands are very readable in low light conditions.

Tahari Bezel Close Up

The watch fits my wrist perfectly, but it would be nice to have the capacity to adjust it to be just a little looser. The interior of the bracelet is pretty smooth and comfortable for day-to-day wear.  However, as with many watches with metal bracelets, this watch can get uncomfortable for extended wear at a computer keyboard. The weight of your wrist causes the bracelet to dig into your wrist a little. 

Tahari Watch Bracelet

The clasp of this Tahari watch is etched with the brand name which is a nice luxury touch at this low price.

Tahari Watch Construction

This watch is built under license by Accutime Watch Corporation. They do a great job for many different brands and make pretty good sports team watches.  This watch has a stainless steel caseback and stainless steel bracelet. Presumably, base metal is used for the case and bezel. The watch design uses black for the case and outer bracelet links. The finish is smooth and glossy for the black portions of the watch and shiny and highly polished for the bare metal parts.

Tahari Men's Two-Tone Dress Watch

As with many inexpensive watches, the watch bracelet is integrated into the case and would be difficult to replace. You won't be able to find an interchangeable strap.

This Tahari watch bracelet would not be easy to replace

According to the caseback, this watch has a Japanese quartz movement and uses a standard SR626SW watch battery. That should make changing a battery simple.

Tahari Two-Tone Men's Dress Watch Caseback

Tahari Watch Dimensions

The case is around 42mm in diameter and 9mm thick. From the tip of one lug across the watch to the tip of the opposite lug is about 51mm.  The bracelet is about 21mm wide tapering down to 19mm wide. The watch is nicely proportioned for a dress watch and would fit easily under the cuff of a shirt.

Tahari Two-Tone Dress Watch Out on the Town

Tahari Watch Overall Impression

I generally like this watch. It is comfortable for a few hours of wear, but it would be nice to have an extra link or an adjustment to loosen the fit just a little bit. Overall, it is a good looking watch in the $20 to $40 price range. I enjoy it for casual wear.

Where to Buy Tahari Watches

I bought this watch for about $20 at a Burlington store. You can also find them at affordable prices online at Belk and QVC.

A Tahari Dive-Style Watch

If you are interested in a review of my other Tahari watch, you can read it here on this blog!

Wristwatch Review: Tahari Diver-Style Watch

Recently, I've been wearing some of the inexpensive watches that I picked up over the summer. This one from Tahari is one of my finds from watch shopping at Burlington. For $20 to $25, this Tahari watch checks many of the Diver-style watch design boxes on my list. 

Poolside with my Tahari Men's Watch

Tahari Watch Style

Fashion designer Elie Tahari is best known for women's fashions and accessories. In the days of disco, he popularized the tube top. The vast majority of Tahari labeled products are aimed at women. However, under Bluestar Alliance brand management, the Accutime produces a limited number of Tahari-branded watches for men. However, I found Tahari branded men's watches at Burlington and you sometimes see them on various online auction sites.

My Tahari diver-style watch has a dodecagonal (12-sided) bezel that does not rotate. Around the circular dial white numeral batons are edged with gold tone as are the hour and minute hands.  A thin second hand is also gold-toned.  The gold tone is continued with the crown.  It's a nice look that is not overwhelming or gaudy.

As a fashion watch, the Tahari is not for swimming or diving

The watch is comfortable to wear with a soft strap and it doesn't stand overly tall on the wrist for easy wear with long-sleeved shirts or business attire. According to the caseback, this watch uses a standard SR626SW watch battery. As an inexpensive watch, you can readily see that the bezel is simply molded into the case. It's a minor detail that reveals that this one is a cheap watch.

Tahari Watch Construction

Without an online listing of this watch, I have to assess the materials by look, feel, and labeling. The watch has a stainless steel caseback and a somewhat slick feeling case that I presume is a base metal. It doesn't have the solid feel of a stainless steel case or the flexibility of a plastic case. It has a flat crystal that seems like the glass crystals of most Accutime watches. The strap is generously long and made of "simulated leather."  I would not count on this watch having any water resistance beyond minor handwashing splashes. However, for a $20 fashion watch, I feel that the build quality of this one is pretty decent. Accutime certainly knows how to mass produce quartz watches with lots of brand names at match various price points.

The Tahari Dive-Style watch for men has a generous simulated leather strap

Tahari Watch Dimensions

This Tahari watch has rather large, manly man, dimensions. The case is 47mm in diameter and 10mm thick with 24mm lugs.  From the tip of one lug across the watch to the tip of the opposite lug is about 55mm.  I like that that strap fits my rather large wrist and is long enough to fit both keepers.  Overall, this watch is large without being obnoxious and is easy to read and easy to wear.

This Tahari watch looks good when the lights are low

Tahari Watch Overall Impression

I like this watch.  It's one of my favorite cheap watches.  It's lightweight and comfortable for all day wear.  It's also very easy to read. Most importantly, this Tahari Men's Watch simply looks good.