But the real highlight of this watch isn’t the dial, it’s the back. The push-button above the signed crown already hints that there’s something unusual going on.
A little over half a year ago, I already wrote about the UMF Ruhla brand and reviewed their NVA Kampfschwimmer 1932-M. I was actually quite positively surprised by that watch, and at the end of the review, I mentioned that I’d be ordering their reissue of the Digital – Jumping Hour. Well, I did order it, and I’m still waiting for it to arrive (I promise I’ll show it here once it does).
In the meantime, while browsing Poljot24.de, I stumbled upon another interesting piece from Ruhla – the Spring Lid watch. It was released in two versions, both limited to just 70 pieces. The only difference is in the color of the hands and indices. The one you see here has a greenish tone, while the other one came with a white-yellow tint. I originally wanted the yellowish one, but by the time I tried to order it, it was already sold out, so I ended up with the green.
What really caught my attention with this watch is how nicely they integrated a vintage design into a modern timepiece. The dial alone, but especially the hands and indices, absolutely scream 1970s Eastern European watchmaking. Now that I have the green version in front of me, I’m actually glad the yellow one sold out, because these green shades feel even more in tune with that era. Of course, the lume is modern Super-LumiNova, and it’s really good—excellent for a non-diver.
And sure enough, the caseback has a lid that pops open when you press the button. Underneath is the “real” see-through back, showing off the ETA 2824-2 movement (apparently even the Elabore grade). Around the glass you’ll find the usual engraved details, including the serial number. The lid itself is mounted on tiny hinges opposite the crown, which makes it open and close very elegantly. Both crystals, front and back, are sapphire.
So basically, this watch imitates the vibe of old wristwatches that were converted from pocket watches. And they pushed that even further— the whole polished case really has that pocket-watch spirit. Add to that the size: 43mm diameter, 50mm lug-to-lug, but surprisingly only 13mm thick, even with the extra caseback lid. If they had moved the crown to 12 o’clock, the illusion of a converted pocket watch would have been perfect.
With these dimensions, you start to wonder where exactly to categorize it. The clean dial without numerals could put it in the “dress watch” camp, but the size makes it a bit too big for that. Clearly Ruhla thought the same, because they paired it with a leather racing strap (22mm lug width), which suggests they wanted to position it as a sporty watch. Now, I have to admit: I usually dislike racing straps. Doesn’t matter which watch they’re on, I just don’t like them. But here, I have to give credit where it’s due—the strap is actually great. Thick yet soft, very comfortable, and I love the grayish-black shade, which gives the watch an extra sporty vibe. To my own surprise, I haven’t even felt the urge to swap it out yet (though the quick-release spring bars are definitely tempting me to play around with strap options).
The only thing that really breaks the sporty vibe is the rather modest water resistance—just 5 ATM.
As mentioned, the watch runs on an ETA 2824-2, which honestly surprised me. You almost never see this movement in modern watches anymore—it’s usually just clones. Where Ruhla managed to dig up at least 140 genuine ETA calibers (and Elabore versions at that) is beyond me. Performance is solid and right where you’d expect: mine settled at about +4 seconds a day with regular wear.
So how does it wear? On my 19cm wrist and with my tendency to like slightly bigger watches, it fits really well. But I wouldn’t dare say it would look good on smaller wrists. If you’re not into “noticeable” watches, this isn’t for you. On the wrist, it looks even bigger than it actually is, thanks to that large, clean dial. The crown is also quite chunky and very visible. And the thick strap only adds to the overall bulk.
The watch was delivered in a simple leather pouch, which honestly surprised me in a slightly negative way. The Kampfschwimmer came in a proper box, and even on Poljot24.de the Spring Lid was shown in the same style of box. So I can’t say for sure if they all come in just the pouch. On the other hand, it’s actually kind of practical—it doesn’t take up extra space in my already overcrowded shelves full of watch boxes.
The price is €649, which I think is very fair for what this watch offers. And given the small production run, it’s no wonder it’s basically sold out by now.
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