Oakley Swiss Quartz Watches Review: Crankcase, Judge, Holeshot, Minute, Blade, Time Bomb

Oakley watches do an important service to the company and its customers: they reveal several hidden, unusual brand qualities and characteristics that have not emerged in the sunglasses, and that eventually complete the “big Oakley picture.”

Equipped with Swiss Quartz movements, often including a chronograph complication (12 Gauge, Minute Machine, Holeshot, Crankcase), the timepieces feature round or rectangular cases, rarely rigorous – the notion of fluid movement, surprising turns and twists lavishly informs the entire watch department.

The insistence on analog time display also says something about this department: while striving to carve an independent, aesthetically stand-alone niche, the company acknowledges horological traditions, and sees its offerings as a part of the large industry whole.

Despite the aggression laden look of separate models, quite a few of them, Blade and Judge in particular, were made as casual/fashion rather than sports items.

Oakley outfit their watches with sculpted, elaborate and unorthodox bracelets – visually interesting, even fascinating – with the main theme being, it seems, “Dune.” That is, the bands resemble either all purpose vehicle tracks, or giant warm scales and bodies; the effect of motion is arresting; brand designers prove that it's possible to continue innovating in watchmaking, Casio, Seiko, Timex, et al. take notice.

Bracelet links in Judge and Blade collections have something in common, on purely visual-geometrical terms, with Radar lenses.

Dial in Oakley watches again jettison most traditional ideas of how a quartz dial should like. Cyberpunk inspired designs, industrial and strikingly original, they literally appear to come alive, fed by pools of deep, saturated colors – orange, blue, burgundy red, and black.

Overall, there's a sense of uninhibited energy, unbound spirit, both the colors and the shapes reveal a strong affinity with nature, as if these watches are rare plants wishing to return to their exotic environment.

Oakley employ a range of alloys and complex materials that protect the mechanisms from harm, and render the timepieces durable and impact resistant. Besides familiar stainless steel and trademark Unobtainium, also make an appearance advanced and high-end carbon fiber (available in Radar, Flak Jacket) and titanium.

Minute Machine luxury items feature classic diamond ornaments for the hour markers.