Maen: The Brand
Maen is a young independent watch brand with a vision of blending vintage inspiration with modern execution. Founded in 2017 by two Dutch watch enthusiasts, the company (now based in Stockholm) focuses on quality materials, and delivering great value watches. In fact, the name MAEN is the old Dutch word for “moon,” symbolizing the passage of time. Maen’s design philosophy is all about capturing the charm of the past, then blending it with modern technology.
On that note, we are presented with the magnificent Manhattan 37, Maen’s take on the current integrated bracelet sports watch craze. Icons like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak have gone from ’70s curiosities to absolute must-haves, and as a result, integrated bracelet-style watches have never been more popular. Maen’s version of a 1970s-style luxury sports watch – compact in size, packed with retro glam, yet built for everyday wear is the Manhattan 37.
Manhattan 37 M2: Overview
The Manhattan 37 was first introduced in 2022 and immediately turned heads. It channels the integrated steel sports watch aesthetic of the late ’70s, but Maen has given it its own character. The watch measures a modest 37mm in diameter, yet due to its shape it has serious wrist presence (more on that shortly). All the glamorous ’70s cues are there: the geometric steel case, a richly patterned dial, and an integrated bracelet – but they’re done with subtle twists and modern refinement.
In Maen’s lineup, the Manhattan fills the role of the elegant sports watch you can wear daily – a watch that’s dressy enough for the office but sporty enough to take on weekend adventures. It’s offered in a range of dial colors (Midnight Blue, Ice Grey, Anthracite Black, and Salmon copper) with both date and no-date variants. For this hands-on review, I picked the Ice Grey dial version with date, getting intimately familiar with its looks and performance in real life.
Specs:
- Ref #: M2.1.5
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: Sellita SW 200-1
- Battery Life: 38 hours
- Case Width: 37 mm
- Lug-to-Lug Distance: 47 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
- Price: Under $1,000
Dial
The Ice Grey dial is an absolute stunner in person. It immediately caught my eye with its dynamic play of light. Maen gave the Manhattan 37 a dial finish you rarely see at this price: vertically elongated Côtes de Genève stripes, the kind of pattern usually reserved for movement decoration. On the wrist, this translates into a dial that shimmers and changes personality with the lighting. In direct sunlight or under bright indoor light, the Ice Grey dial gleams a silvery white – almost like freshly polished steel – making the applied indices and hands pop against the bright backdrop. In softer, shaded light, the dial takes on a cooler medium grey tone, and the Geneva stripes become more pronounced, adding texture and depth. It’s mesmerizing and visually rich.
Despite the elaborate finishing, the dial layout itself remains clean and minimalist. Maen wisely avoided any clutter – there are no numerals, just polished geometric baton indices marking the hours. Each index is faceted and catches light nicely, and at 12 o’clock you have a double index marking the top for orientation. The indices and the broad baton-style hands are filled with Swiss Super-LumiNova (C1 X1 grade), which glows a pale green in the dark. The seconds hand is a simple needle with a counterbalance, sweeping around with a smooth 8-beat-per-second sweep thanks to the high-beat movement inside. Maen’s branding appears at 12 o’clock in black print.
One thing I appreciate is how balanced the dial is. Even with a date window at 3 o’clock, it doesn’t upset the symmetry. Maen offers no-date versions for all dial colors, so purists can opt for the perfectly symmetrical look. Overall, the Ice Grey dial made a strong first impression and continued to impress me with its changing palette of greys and silvers. It manages to be both sporty and dressy: the striped texture brings a ’70s sport-luxe feel, but the restrained color and clean layout keep it elegant.
Case & Bezel
The case is stainless steel with mostly satin-brushed finishing, but Maen has applied polished chamfers or bevels to accentuate the form. 37mm in diameter on paper might sound small by modern standards, but because of the case shape, the Manhattan actually wears more like a 39-40mm watch. The case has an almost cushion-shaped outline with an octagonal bezel. As a result, the 37mm diameter feels “just right,” not undersized. In fact, I have a 6.5 inch (15 cm) wrist, and the Manhattan 37 had plenty of presence. Crucially, however, it’s thin and balanced. The 9.3mm thickness (thanks to the slim movement) is a godsend – it gives the watch a sleek, modern look.
The crown is relatively small and sits nearly flush with the case flank, which maintains the clean lines. Despite its size, I found it easy enough to grip thanks to the facet edges.
Movement
Under the hood of the Manhattan 37 M2 beats a reliable Swiss heart. Maen transitioned to the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement for this model, moving away from the Ronda R150 used in the initial release. The SW200-1 is a well-known caliber in the watch world: a reliable 26-jewel movement providing around 38 hours of power reserve.There is an option to go with a top grade caliber, but even the base SW200 is already a workhorse that should run for many years with minimal fuss.
One thing I’d like to highlight about the Manhattan 37’s movement choice is the fact that you’re getting a Swiss-made automatic at this price point. In comparison, many microbrands in sub-$700 watches opt for Japanese movements, or possibly low-end Swiss ones.
Integrated Bracelet and Clasp
Of course, no integrated sport watch is complete without a matching steel bracelet, and this is an area where the Manhattan 37 really shines. Maen’s integrated bracelet design shows a lot of care and attention to detail. First off, the way it attaches to the case is rather unique: instead of using conventional spring bars or even screws through the lugs, the Manhattan’s bracelet is secured by four screws from the caseback side. If you flip the watch over, you’ll see one small screw near each corner of the caseback. These lock the end link in place from underneath. It’s a neat nod to vintage engineering (several high-end watches from the ’70s used similar methods) and it results in an extremely secure attachment with no wiggle.
Each link has a flat brushed top and a polished bevel along the long edges. The brushing is along the length of the bracelet, and it’s fairly uniform and fine, looking great in different lighting. The polished bevels on the outer edges catch the light and visually tie the bracelet to the case (which also has polished edges). The bracelet tapers from about 22mm where it meets the case down to ~16mm at the clasp, a pretty dramatic taper that further adds to the vintage elegance and comfort. On the wrist, that taper makes the bracelet feel very natural; the wider end links near the case provide visual balance to the head of the watch, and then it slims down to a graceful width at the clasp, preventing any chunky feel. This is a trick many luxury watches use to enhance comfort, and Maen executed it well.
An interesting change Maen implemented during production was switching the bracelet sizing system from pins to screws. The Manhattan 37 comes with screw-secured links, which can make resizing at home a breeze if you have a small screwdriver.
The bracelet does not have any micro-adjustment holes or quick adjust mechanism on the clasp – a common compromise with hidden butterfly clasps. However, the individual links are relatively small, and Maen includes a couple of half-size links, so you should be able to fine-tune the fit well enough.
On the Wrist: Wearability and Versatility
In terms of sporty vs dressy feel, I’d rate the Manhattan 37 M2 about 55% sporty, 45% dressy – a bit more on the sporty side, akin to an Omega Aqua Terra or a Vacheron Overseas. The dial, especially in grey, reads somewhat dressy because of the sheen and polished markers, whereas the case and bracelet are unabashedly a sports watch design – angular steel, integrated lugs, etc. This contrast actually makes it very versatile.
If you’re the type of person who wants one watch to do it all, the Manhattan 37 is a strong candidate. Especially in this Grey Ice variant, it’s like a chameleon – it can be your jeans-and-tshirt weekend watch, and on Monday slide under your dress shirt cuff for a meeting. The 100m water resistance means you don’t have to baby it around water, and the sapphire crystal resisted any scratches during my time with it (despite a few inadvertent bumps, there’s not a mark on it). The only area I’d caution is that fully brushed steel watches will pick up scuffs over time; I can already see a couple of very faint hairlines on the bracelet from desk diving. That’s normal wear and tear and actually brushed finishes hide it well (better than polished). If anything, a bit of wear might even add character to this style of watch – a well-loved integrated bracelet watch kind of gains a handsome patina of microscratches that you’d see on old Royal Oaks and such.
Final Thoughts and Value Proposition
This Maen Manhattan 37 M2 punches well above its weight in many ways. It’s easy to forget that this is (even at full price) a sub-$1,000 independent microbrand watch, because so many aspects of it feel like they belong to a higher tier. The design is confident and cohesive – Maen set out to deliver a modern re-interpretation of 1970s classics and they absolutely nailed that. The Manhattan 37 has loads of character: from the moment you see that glint of the octagonal bezel or the shine of the Geneva-striped dial, you know this isn’t a cookie-cutter piece. It’s a watch with a bit of vintage soul and a modern build. After wearing it extensively, my subjective take is that the Manhattan 37 M2 offers tremendous value and a distinctive personality for the price.
Let’s break down the value: You’re getting a Swiss-made watch with a Swiss automatic movement, a complex case design, a beautifully finished integrated bracelet, sapphire crystal, and genuine 100m water resistance.
In closing, Maen has created something special with the Manhattan 37 M2. It’s a watch that proves you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a beautifully designed, well-built timepiece with genuine character. After wearing it firsthand, I can confidently say that Maen delivered on their promise of a “sleek ’70s glamour” sports watch for the modern enthusiast. The Manhattan 37 is suave, comfortable, and capable – a true sporty-meets-dressy chameleon that could easily be a daily driver. It offers a slice of that integrated bracelet luxury lifestyle, minus the five-figure price tag and years-long waitlists.
If you’re looking for a versatile steel bracelet watch with a bit of retro flair and modern reliability – and you value slim profile and sharp design – the Manhattan 37 deserves a spot on your list.
Specs:
- Ref #: M2.1.5
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: Sellita SW 200-1
- Battery Life: 38 hours
- Case Width: 37 mm
- Lug-to-Lug Distance: 47 mm
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
- Price: Under $1,000
Written by
Maté D
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