Area Nostalgia Mantel: Taking Your Niche to the Peak

I first became aware of the new UK microbrand, Area Nostalgia, through a conversation with Jonny of Walker & Crown when he told me he'd gotten a new watch. After seeing Jonny's Clocktower, I realized that Area Nostalgia was the brand of none other than Kieron of Top Tier Ticker, one of the best youtubers in the industry. The Clocktower - full review to come - is a supremely dressy piece with an engraved case that directly references the clocktower of Manchester, and while one may think it's quite niche, it has sold over 450 units, so it's safe to say that Area Nostalgia has certainly found its audience.

But, in the past few months, Kieron had begun teasing the world about something new - a collection called Mantel. Then, on the night of a Blood Moon caused by a partial solar eclipse (August 28), Area Nostalgia finally revealed the Mantel Collection - unabashedly niche watches that feature two stone dials for each model, and inspired both by hefty mantel clocks, as well as the Moon itself.

How's that for a follow-up to the Clocktower?

Area Nostalgia Mantel: Design & Function Go Hand in Hand

The new Mantel collection launched yesterday with three distinct models - the Bloodmoon, Midnight, and Moonglow. While the main part of the 20mm dial is the same plain white (or not so plain, more on that later), Kieron has layered a brushed metal ring featuring Roman numeral hour markers to add some dynamism. However, where the naming of each model finally makes sense is when you look at what surrounds these Roman numerals, and that would be the dual stones that take the place of your usual chapter-ring or minute-track.

Each model features different dual stone-rings. For the appropriately named Bloodmoon, the top stone ring is a Red Garnet Stone, which is not fully red, and almost looks like a gemstone that's been cut open. The bottom ring is a Red Jasper Stone, which has a smooth finish. According to Kieron, they have done their best to match the shades of red between the top and the bottom stones, but of course, these stones will inevitably vary, so you shouldn't expect it to be the same for each watch.

The Midnight features Black Adventurine Stone on top, replete with flecks of white that glitter under the light, while the bottom half is a smooth Black Onyx Stone that's nice and glossy in comparison. Last but not least, the Moonglow features a Rose Quartz stone on top, and a White Pearl Stone on the lower half. From the pictures and videos that I have seen, the two stones for the Moonglow seem almost identical, but that's just from my perspective.

The Mantel is a 38mm cushion case (lug to lug of 45mm) with only 10.8mm thickness (thanks, Miyota!), and because of its screwdown crown, 100M of Water Resistance. Personally, I really like the cushion case design, and it makes me think of vintage Panerai, somehow. On all four corners of the watch is the flower engravings that you may recognize from the original Clocktower release, and the back is an exhibition case-back revealing the Miyota in all its workhorse, hi-beat glory.

Finally, the 'plain' white dial at the center? Well, turns out that it's fully lumed, and it will literally light up the room.

So Much Value for One Watch

When it comes to watches, I always consider value-for-money. After all, for most of us, money is not unlimited. If it is unlimited for you, please contact me immediately - I just want to talk. Jokes aside, value is an important consideration, particularly for a microbrand during a time when some brands feel like they can charge thousands without offering much of anything. In this regard, Kieron & Area Nostalgia passes the test with flying colors, as each Mantel watch comes with three straps. That's the newly improved mesh bracelet, black Saffiano leather strap, and a rubber strap.

Speaking as someone who runs a microbrand, and as someone who regularly reviews other microbrands, I can tell you something with absolute certainty: none of this is cheap. Making a microbrand is not a get-rich-quick-scheme - God, I wish it was! Unfortunately, that simply isn't the case. Everything costs money, and these costs add up quickly. So, having two different stones on each watch? That costs extra. Three straps with each watch? Extra costs! Screw-down crown? You guessed it - extra costs! This isn't to say that we should buy these watches just because it offers good value, but it is definitely something I want to highlight, because it's quite respectable.

With a pre-order price of 499 USD, Kieron & Area Nostalgia definitely could have gotten away with a higher price. He has over a hundred thousand subscribers, after all. I promise you that there will still be hundreds of people who would be willing to pay for this watch (or even all three watches!) if it had cost double. So, the decision to price it so reasonably is a respectable one, so kudos to Kieron for that.

In Kieron's launch video on Youtube, he talked a lot about how these watches are not for everybody, and that the design concept is niche. While that may be true, I do think that there is a lot of aspects about the Mantel collection that would make it emminently collectible for all kinds of collectors. From my perspective, it's like he's fully embraced his niche, and by doing so, has taken it to the highest level possible.

Learn more about the new Mantel collection, which is available for pre-order and ready to be shipped in November, at the following link: Area Nostalgia's Mantel Collection.