Cheap Bastard: The Tapferkeit ‘Furchtlos’ is a Bauhaus beauty for $183(!)
Time+TideEditor’s note: As part of his ongoing column, David thumbs his nose at high horology to rummage through the bargain bin and unearth some mind-boggling bang for your buckaroos.
While it may sound like a ski run in the Alps, the Tapferkeit ‘Furchtlos’ is actually a rather handsome timepiece with a distinct Bauhaus aesthetic and a vague touch of the Vacheron Constantins about it.
On the face of it
The dial comes in four colourways – a white, blue, grey and black – all brought to life with a touch of sunburst shimmer to create a pleasing backdrop for the duo-tone, silver slicked hands. The minute markers pay homage to morse code in a series of dots and dashes resulting in a happy blend of appearing clean from a distance but with a dash of detail up close. The date window at three o’clock adds a sense of discreet functionality.
Dimensions
The surgical grade stainless-steel case size sits at 42mm with a thickness of just 7.9mm. In other words sleek enough for the office. Especially given it’s topped with dome of sapphire glass. It’s also water resistant to 5atm, which translates to about 50 metres.
Straps
There are blue, black, grey and brown cow-hide leather straps on offer plus a metallic bracelet. Each is 20mm in width and they can be mixed up for different looks.
The movement
Powering this bargain is a Japanese Miyota 2115 Precision Quartz Movement. It has an accuracy of +/-20 seconds per month and a battery life of three years.
The warranty
We wish this was a simple yes but it ain’t. And we quote: “Tapferkeit has a limited warranty that covers manufacturer’s defects for two years after the original purchase date from an authorized dealer. If the watch parts or mechanics don’t work properly, and it’s our fault, we will repair or replace your product for free. However, this does not cover any abuse you might put your watch through on your own. The warranty does not cover water damage, normal wear and tear, batteries, accidental glass damage, scratches, strap damage, or theft. Proof of purchase is required for all warranty claims and service requests, so please keep your receipt. If you’ve purchased from our site or Amazon, the order number will suffice; otherwise you will need to send us a copy of the receipt from an authorized Tapferkeit dealer.”
What if it’s not your jam IRL?
As anyone who has ever pushed the buy button on Wish.com will tell you, sometimes expectation and reality are as far apart as Lewis Hamilton and anyone else on the grid. Tapferkeit placates with a free return service within 14 days as long as you don’t bash the shit out of it.
The bottom line
“Furchtlos” actually means fearless and there is certainly an element of bravura here in the strict adherence to a Bauhaus aesthetic. Value aside – and there’s buckets of that – it looks way more expensive than it is and packs a decent warranty. Tick and tick.