Introducing The Brew Retrograph Stone Blend Automatic Has Us Craving A Cold One

Brew was founded in New York in 2015 by Jonathan Ferrer, and the brand built its whole identity around the cult of coffee. Ferrer comes from a line of jewellery designers (his father worked for Tiffany, his grandfather designed for Cartier), started with US$1,000 and a watch inspired by an espresso machine, the Retrograph. Themed watches, not to mention brands, can easily go wrong, but what could have been a gimmick has evolved into a genuine design language echoing pressure-gauge dials, shot-timer scales and café-toned palettes. I’m a three-to-five-coffees-a-day bloke, so properly biased, but Brew has earned a strong following by telling a personal story set within discreet-cased watches, mainly chronographs, surfing the retro wave.

This warm-coloured Retrograph fits the Aussie love of coffee to a T, even if espresso-based drinks still hold their ground. I love a well-made flat white myself, and it still rules the Australian cup, but cold brew is gaining momentum among younger drinkers and in the warmer north. This makes the inspiration behind this cold-brew-inspired watch from Brew feel genuinely current rather than gimmicky for Aussies.

Oh, and if anyone asks, here is my caffeine-fueled fun fact: No, the cold-brewing process didn’t originate in the US; in fact, its documented origin is Japanese. Kyoto-style coffee is the earliest record of cold-brew coffee, originating in the 1600s, when coffee arrived in Japan via Dutch traders, who are rumoured to have brewed coffee on their ships using cold water. Why? Fire was too dangerous for a wood-hulled ship. The Japanese then developed it into the elegant, tower-based drip method Kyoto is still known for. Tell that to your local barista, mate.

Launched via Kickstarter in 2018, the original Brew Retrograph was a tank-cased, mecha-quartz chronograph with a built-in espresso “shot timer,” a subtle scale marking the 25-to-35-second sweet spot for pulling a shot. It put Ferrer’s brand on the map, and the rectangular cushion case has been Brew’s signature silhouette ever since, with the bracelet-chic of the Metric collection appearing later. This new version keeps that DNA but changes the recipe in two significant ways.

Firstly, the Retrograph Stone Blend is mechanical rather than mecha-quartz (which means it's also not a chronograph). The second and more dramatic move is a dial made from genuine pietersite, a natural gemstone whose flowing, contrasting patterns reminded Jonathan Ferrer of the moment milk swirls into cold brew before the two fully combine. Pietersite remains a rather uncommon stone in watchmaking, and it's used to great effect here.

At A$1,110 with a limited run of 250 numbered watches, the Retrograph Stone Blend at first sight gives you less functionality sans its stopwatch prowess, and for a bigger outlay. But this is about more, and not only about fuelling your desire for a chilled perk-you-up drink. The Retrograph range, like the flavoursome Espresso Chronograph, is all powered by the decent and ubiquitous Seiko VK64 mecha-quartz movement, but at the heart of the Stone Blend sits the automatic Miyota 9015, visible through a cheeky crescent sapphire in the case back revealing its gold-toned look and bean-infused rotor.

Along with the fact that each pietersite dial is unique in its pattern and vibrancy, this makes for a tempting proposition. I still remember the first time I saw the combo of pietersite and gold: that was in the 39mm Biver Automatique. Now, that is a whole different galaxy of watchmaking nearing the A$300,000 mark, but the autumn tones are equally soothing here, at a much more affordable price point.

The case is 38mm with a lugless, short 41.5mm length, supremely comfortable, and 10.4mm thick - a great blend (see what I did there?) of dressy yet casual, making a small but powerful statement with any outfit. The Retrograph Stone Blend is a very different route for Jonathan Ferrer and Brew to go down, but the frame of a well-rounded case and baton hands is a great canvas. For those who see lines of Dennison in the shape of the Retrograph, it debuted in 2018, so it predates that Anglo-Swiss stone dial success story by a significant margin.

Choosing to go down the mechanical route is a wise move by Ferrer. Don’t get me wrong, I love the everyday reliability of a VK-series mecha-quartz, but the semi-precious stone dial warrants the automatic mechanical upgrade. And at A$1,110, the prospect of a watch with a unique dial is pretty special. As a named gemstone, pietersite was discovered in 1962, but the rock itself is deep-time old. Its appearance stems from millions of years of geological processes: under high temperatures and pressures, layers of quartz and fibrous minerals fold, fracture, and reform. I will leave you with this scientific fact, while I hotfoot it down to my nearest coffee shop for a hit of chilled caffeine. I knew this story would get to me.

Brand: Brew (Brew Watch Co.)
Model: Retrograph Stone Blend
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 10.4mm
Lug-to-Lug: 41.5mm
Lug Width: 22mm
Case Material: Gold PVD-plated 316L stainless steel
Caseback: Gold PVD 316L stainless steel with a sapphire crystal, half-moon exhibition window
Crystal: Sapphire
Dial: Polished pietersite stone with gold-toned baton hands and a needle central seconds
Water Resistance: 5 ATM (50 metres)
Strap/Bracelet: Brown pebble-grain leather strap with quick release

Calibre: Miyota 9015
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4 Hz)
Jewels: 24
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: A$1,110/US$775
Availability: Directly from brew-watches.com
Limited Edition: Yes, 250 pieces worldwide

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