My Eastern Watch Collection: Alba Mechanical Square Face Black Dial AU4043X (Similar to AU4045X, AU4039X & AU4037X) - Sleek and Minimalist, Sophisticated yet Understated, A Review (plus Video)

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Alba Mechanical Square Face Black Dial AU4043X (Similar to AU4045X, AU4039X & AU4037X) - Sleek and Minimalist, Sophisticated yet Understated, A Review (plus Video)

This purchase was an impulse buy. I was walking inside a neighborhood mall that I have not visited for many years. I happened to stumbled into a watch shop called Magic Time. The sales person was helpful but not that knowledgeable about watches. Nonetheless, they have a nice selection of Alba watches when one caught my eyes.

The square shape as well as a big sticker on the side of the dial which states that it is an automatic watch got me to look further. It looks like my Casio EF331SB1AV Edifice. It interest me because it has some interesting features. The square shape casing, the automatic movement, the display case-back and the simplicity of the dial arrangement pushed the right buttons for me.

There are four dial colours to choose from. I would prefer to get the green dial version but unfortunately, only the black dial was available. After negotiating with the sales person, I decided to take it anyway. The pricing is rather affordable.

The Series

The Alba Mechanical Square Face Black Dial AU4043X is a standout timepiece that combines classic design with modern functionality. As part of Alba's mechanical watch collection, this model offers a unique blend of style, durability, and affordability, making it an excellent choice for watch enthusiasts and casual wearers alike. There are four members to this sub-series. These are:

Reference AU4045X	Reference AU4037X
Reference AU4039X	Reference AU4043X

All four have an MSRP of RM745.

The Watch

The square face of the AU4043X immediately sets it apart from the more common round-faced watches. Built to last, the stainless steel case and bracelet are sturdy and resistant to everyday wear and tear. With a dial diameter of 40.0 mm, height of 12.5 mm and a lug-to-lug length of 49.0 mm, the watch sits comfortably on the wrist, making it suitable for all-day wear. The square case is not overly large, making it a good fit for most wrist sizes. The black dial and silver case make it a versatile combination that can easily transition from day to night.

To be precise, the shape of the casing is more tonneau shape than actually square. It has an eight-sided sloping chapter ring painted in black that transitions nicely to the flat dial surface also in black. The hour markers are three dimensional trapezium shaped protrusions that emanates from the chapter ring and painted in white. The minute scale are white lines with Arabic numerals at every 5th minute (except for 3:00). Special markers at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 have luminous paint to facilitate low-light reading of the time.

A date aperture cut in a trapezium shape and framed with white paint is located at 3:00. I salute the designers for balancing the dial by putting a similar sized marker at the opposite side (9:00). Most designers will truncate the marker at 3:00 thus making the dial feel asymmetrical.

The simple hands only have luminous paint for the hours and minutes hands.

There are only three lines of text on the dial. The brand is printed in white at the top quadrant while the words 'AUTOMATIC' and '10 BAR', also printed in white, are located at the bottom quadrant.

The glass protecting the dial is made out of mineral crystal. As can seen from the photo above, the edge of the crystal is beveled and is place slightly higher than the edge of the fixed bezel. There is a small likelihood of side impact damage to the glass.

The crown is well protected by solid shoulders extending from the casing. The crown is unsigned and uses a simple push-in/pull-out mechanism to engage the adjustment gears. Note also the short lugs which are 22.0 mm wide have no pass-through lug holes.

The watch features a exhibition case back, which allows you to admire the intricate mechanical movement inside. This is a nice touch for those who appreciate the craftsmanship behind mechanical watches. The movement powering this watch is the Alba Caliber Y678. This movement has 21 jewels and operate at a frequency of 21,600 BPH. Power reserve is approximately 41 hours. It has a date complication but it does not have a winding nor hacking mechanism.

The watch comes with a press metal bracelet with a secure clasp, providing a snug fit on the wrist. Visually appealing but not as comfortable as a machined bracelet as the folds within the bracelet makes it less comfortable on the skin.

To remedy this, I replaced the bracelet with a comfortable NATO strap. The watch now looks more 'aggressive'.

There is luminous paint on the watch, namely on the main hands and side of the 12, 3, 6 and 9 hour markers. However, the brightness is rather poor as shown in the photo below.

The Wearing Experience

The bracelet could be more comfortable to wear if it was made from machined steel. As I have decided to replace it with a NATO strap, it is even more comfortable to wear. Nonetheless, a black leather trap could also make it more more elegant.

Having a sleek and minimalist black dial punches this watch well above its price point. Coupled with clean, easy-to-read hour markers and hands, the silver-tone stainless steel case complements the dial perfectly, giving the watch a sophisticated yet understated look. The square design adds a touch of vintage charm, making it versatile enough to pair with both formal and casual outfits.

Below are two videos of the watch on my wrist. The first is with the original bracelet while the second is with the NATO strap.