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Michel Herbelin 35647P12SU Inspiration Chronograph Tan Leather Strap Watch - W03128
Ref. 35647P12SU
Sits in Michel Herbelin’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Michel Herbelin watches we list, which start at £135.
Price range £135 to £405 across 24 Michel Herbelin watches in stock.The Inspiration line draws its aesthetic directly from mid-century French watchmaking, and this chronograph makes the reference explicit: the fluted ball crown, the thin bezel, the domed sapphire sitting above a brushed silver dial — these are all deliberate signals of the 1940s and 1950s rather than incidental details. At 11.05mm it wears far closer to the wrist than chronographs usually do, and at 54 grams it disappears on the wrist in a way that a fuller-sized sports chrono never will. The gold PVD case and tan leather strap together read warm rather than brash, and the subdial layout keeps the face legible without congestion. Inside, the Ronda 3540.D handles timing to a tenth of a second — Swiss quartz at the more serious end of that category, chosen for longevity over novelty. The strap is finished in a French artisan atelier using vegetable-tanned leather, which means it will wear in rather than wear out, and the buckle pin aligns with the gold of the case without drawing attention to itself.
- Reference
- 35647P12SU
- Brand
- Michel Herbelin
- Collection
- Inspiration
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 11.05mm
- Lug width
- 21mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Quartz
- Calibre
- Ronda 3540.D
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Origin
- Swiss made
Learn more about Michel Herbelin
Michel Herbelin founded his workshop in 1947 at Charquemont, a village in the French Jura a few miles from the Swiss border, in a region that had made watch parts for generations. The company is still run by his descendants and still assembles in Charquemont, which makes it one of the few French watch brands of any age to have stayed independent.
The Newport, introduced in the late 1980s and named after the Rhode Island sailing town, is what most people know it for: a nautical-styled watch with a distinctive articulated bracelet. It has been in the range ever since and accounts for a large share of what the company sells.
- 1947
- Michel Herbelin founds the workshop at Charquemont
- 1988
- The Newport is introduced and becomes the signature line
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (5,241), Chronograph Watches (1,336), Leather Strap Watches (1,111), Gold Watches (766) and Silver Dial Watches (757).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Michel Herbelin's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Michel Herbelin 35647P12SU Inspiration alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 35647P12SU | 96B415 | T1224231103300 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £338 | £319 | £380 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
21mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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