The reality of humankind is that we perpetually make more stuff of all types all the time. Each month, new watch brands come to market to offer their unique vision for a particular type of horology. Each month, there are new tool watches, new dress watches, and new [fill in the blank] types of watches. So brands must fine-tune their design language and storytelling to capture enthusiasts’ attention, which is being pulled in all directions by an oversaturated market. Enter French brand Neotype and its LM02 Type C chronograph, which we got our hands on last year and liked – and now, Neotype has brought some panda dials to the fore, giving us even more to like about them.
The case
Some folks in the industry claim that the trend for smaller watches is now dead, only a couple of years after the same folks claimed that the trend for larger watches was dead. In my own experience, brands make smaller and bigger watches because they wish to do so or because certain types of watches make more sense in smaller cases and others in larger cases. We might agree that the deeper depth rating and the more robust a tool watch is, the larger it tends to be for mechanical and engineering reasons.
Which is why the Neotype LM02C1AC measures 39mm in diameter, 48.50mm lug-to-lug, 13.80mm thick (excluding the crystal, 15.1mm with it) and comes with a 22mm lug width. These dimensions are paired to a 200-meter depth rating, a 3.5mm thick domed sapphire crystal, a 2mm thick screw-down case-back, a screw-down crown and screw-down chronograph pushers – in other words, a robust case necessitating these proportions that can easily handle rough terrains.
Despite its slightly above-average dimensions for a solid tool watch, the LM02C1AC wears well on the wrist (a 6.50”/16.5cm wrist as pictured here) because it sits a little high, given the thicker case-back, which makes the mostly flat and elongated mid-case steer clear from the wrist. And thanks to that, the crown and chronograph pushers won’t ever dig into the wrist, which is a clever piece of design.
Moreover, the Neotype’s case has a distinct muscular and angular profile, fully brushed to a satin finish, showing the same bezel-to-case cascade we saw in the first four iterations of the Type C Chronograph. In other words, its large fixed bezel is now made with a polished sapphire insert that angles out and down, then back down to meet the mid-case at a sharp angle. The LM02C1AC’s side profile is striking and contributes to the strong utilitarian aspect of this model.
The dial
The biggest novelty here is the new colour scheme for the dial, which adds a strong vintage mechanical chronograph air to an otherwise ultra-modern-looking tool watch. The classic panda colour combination between the dial and chronograph sub-registers is made even more striking thanks to the ‘old radium’ Super-LumiNova lume present on the hour and minute hands and through the sandwich dial construction (a fully lumed disc sits below the dial). The creamy yellow tint of the lume works symbiotically with the main cream colour of the dial, making the LM02C1AC a more elegant tool watch than its older siblings.
The contrast created by the black sub-registers and the main dial/old radium markers is answered by the black rehaut (on which is printed a fully indexed minute track in white) and the old radium-filled bezel markings, which are delicately machined into the polished ceramic bezel insert. In other words, the bezel and dial match each other superbly. Further emphasising the new vintage theme are the black-surround hour and minute hands, which also contrast with the dial and make reading the time a second-nature operation.
The rest of the dial remains mostly unchanged and uniquely Neotype: the three o’clock 24-hour indicator shows a minimalist design (to reduce its visual importance whilst preserving dial symmetry) and the nine o’clock 60-minute totalizer is easy to read and use—and I would say easier to read than it was on the previous versions—because the minute hand is painted yellow (as it is on the 24-hour counter) whilst the minute markers are painted white. This, to me, makes it easier to tell how many minutes have elapsed since starting the chronograph, even at a reasonable distance. (We rarely look at a watch with our nose touching the crystal.) As someone who handled this and other versions of the Neotype Type C, I would point out that the finishing of the dial, as well as the case, is superior to that found on the 2024 release.
The strap
Even though this review focuses on the LM02C1AC, which is the only of the two new panda dial models I had in-hand, both this one and the LM02C4A (reverse panda model) share the same specifications and design, save for the black-on-white colour scheme and PVD gold treatment on the case of the latter. Both come on a black bespoke two-piece FKM rubber strap which measures 22mm at the lug and tapers to 20mm at the steel buckle, and which measures 4.8mm at its thickest point and 2.8mm at its thinnest point. (So, overall a 2mm taper across.) Neotype also includes an olive green nylon NATO-style strap, which perfectly matches the case and dial design.
The movement
The caliber inside is also the same in both models as it was in the four first iterations of the Type C ChronographL a Seiko VK64 mechaquartz caliber which comes with a 24-hour indicator at the three o’clock, a 60-minute totalizer at the nine o’clock, a mechanical chronograph functionality of 1/5th of a second, a monthly accuracy of ±20 seconds, and a battery life of approximately three years.
Neotype LM02 Type C pricing and availability
The Neotype LM02C1AC (panda) and LM02C4A (reverse panda) chronographs will be available now for purchase directly from the brand’s website with immediate shipping: the former is limited to 150 pieces and the latter to 75 pieces. Price: €525/A$926 (panda), €566/A$998 (reverse panda)
Brand
Neotype
Model
LM02 Type C Chronograph
Reference Number
LM02C1AC (panda)
LM02C4A (reverse panda)
Case Dimensions
39mm (D) x 15.1mm (T) x 48.5mm (LTL)
Case Material
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel insert (panda)
PVD gold stainless steel, ceramic bezel insert (reverse panda)
Water Resistance
200 metres, screw-down crown and chronograph pushers
Crystal(s)
Sapphire front
Dial
Panda or reverse panda sandwich dial with ‘old radium’ Super-LumiNova
Lug Width
22mm
Strap
FKM rubber or nylon
Movement
Seiko VK64, mechaquartz
Battery Life
~3 years
Functions
Hours, minutes, 24-hour indicator, chronograph
Availability
Limited edition of 150 pieces (panda)
Limited edition of 75 pieces (reverse panda)
Price
€525/A$926 (panda)
€566/A$998 (reverse panda)