Peren Regia and Peren Regia X

Fergus Nash

You might assume that the niche for vampiric-inspired wristwatches is quite small, and yet Peren are one of the most prolific and popular microbrands today. With a logo of stylised fangs, they created a range which blended gothic atmosphere and traditional designs, captivating enthusiasts. Now in their tenth year, the brand with Transylvanian ancestry has released the Peren Regia. It cleans up their act with more tasteful details, embracing genuine Transylvanian history out from under the shadow of the vampire.

The case

Being a brand founded by an enthusiast, you can rely on the Peren Regia to come with a comfortable set of dimensions. It hits the Goldilocks spot with a 39mm diameter, seeming neither too big nor too small for most wrists. The lug-to-lug length is 45.3mm, but the thick lugs can be enjoyed by those with bigger wrists as well as small ones. The thickness is also comfortable at 12.8mm, the slab-sided case maybe increasing the visual bulk as appropriate for a 200m diver.

Its sportiness carries through in design, while the overall size prevents it from feeling limited by the ruggedness of bead-blasted stainless steel. Those staunch shoulders of the lugs have been given a polished chamfer, weaving some elegant lines through the haunches. The bezel gives an interesting view from side-on, with opposing sections of horizontal and vertical grooves offering a delicate texture. Two versions of the Peren Regia are available, set apart from their aluminium bezel inserts. The Peren Regia comes with a heavily stylised diving bezel with a luminous section, while the Peren Regia X has split counters for elapsed time and 12-hour markers to use as a GMT function.

The dial

Peren’s style has always strayed towards the minimalist, respecting classical design with a contemporary cleanness. The Peren Regia moves away from the blocky style that they’d had with the Nera Rogue, bringing in some more organic shapes for the applied hour markers. Made from three-dimensional chunks of Super-LumiNova, the indices are hollowed out to give a greater sense of depth and intrigue.

The fencepost hour hands are fairly similar in length which may make it difficult to check the time at a glance, but it contributes to an overall balanced look. The minute hand reaches out to a black-on-black printed minute track, so you can still see the precise time when needed. The index at 12 o’clock has been replaced with a circular date window, keeping the symmetry pleasing. As with many of Peren’s releases, they say that the dial’s design was inspired by the prehistoric calendar of Sarmizegetusa Regia, which was one of the most accurate ancient calendars with a 364-day year of 13 28-day months. It’s a great tribute to the Dacians of historic Transylvania, however that influence doesn’t really come through as much as it could.

The movement

The Peren Regia is powered by the Sellita SW200-1, which is the ubiquitous choice for an affordable Swiss-made watch. It’s covered by a solid caseback that’s engraved with an outline of Sarmizegetusa Regia’s sacred zone, and the limited edition number set in the centre of the D-shaped sanctuary. The 38-hour power supply and 4Hz beat rate are great for daily wear, and the movements have all been regulated in-house to an accuracy within +/-5 seconds per day. A Nivaflex mainspring also helps to protect against magnetisation and overall reliability.

The strap

With three strap options to choose from, the Peren Regia’s versatility shines through. An FKM rubber strap with horizontal ridges is the sportiest of the bunch, followed by a black fabric NATO-style strap. There’s also a stainless steel bracelet with a brushed 3-link design, and blasted end links for a more uniform finish with the case.

The Peren Regia pricing and availability:

The Peren Regia is limited to a total of 600 pieces, meaning 300 of the Peren Regia and 300 of the Regia X. Delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023, with a hefty discount for pre-orders. Price: CHF 693 (pre-order), CHF 963 (RRP)

Brand	Peren
Model	Regia
Case Dimensions	39mm (D) x 12.8mm (T) x 45.3mm (LTL)
Case Material	Stainless steel
Water Resistance	200 metres
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Black
Strap	FKM rubber, fabric NATO-style or steel bracelet
Movement	Sellita SW200-1, regulated, automatic
Power Reserve	38 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Availability	Pre-order, deliveries in Q4 2023
Price	CHF 693 (pre-order), CHF 963 (RRP)