Vario Futurist Owner Review : Futuristic, modern and retro

As a fan of the futuristic style of the 70s, I was immediately captivated by this watch. Its strength clearly lies in its look and style: what immediately stands out is its faceted sapphire crystal (with 9 facets), which reminded me of the Seiko Lord Matic watches of the 70s. It gives it an incredible charm. Then, its case is striking: the crown positioned at 12 o'clock creates an ultra-symmetrical and slim silhouette. The radial pattern texture (machined piece by piece) completes its unique identity: it seems to extend the sunburst finish of the dial and minute track. The interplay of light, created by the multi-faceted sapphire crystal, the radial pattern, and the alternating polished-brushed and mirror-polished surfaces on the case and bezel, is stunning. As for the dial, the sunburst finish with its smoky gray color provides excellent, high-contrast legibility. The applied hour markers appear as a perfect extension of the hands and give the watch a sense of depth. The luminescence is two-tone: blue for the hands and markers, and green for the minute track. Mechanically, it's equipped with a Miyota 9039 movement, which allows for a slim profile (10mm). The Miyota 9xxx series is accurate: my model has been accurate to within one second per day for months. It's worth noting that I bought it directly from Vario and not through a French retailer; the purchase therefore cost me a bit more than €550 with customs fees, but I like to think that the excellent accuracy is also due to this. As for the strap, it comes with a fairly good quality Italian leather strap, but I personally find it a bit too thick. Consequently, I fitted it with an elastic metal bracelet (also from Vario) which accentuates its retro-futuristic look. And I subsequently bought an Eska strap, a tribute to the Gay-Frères strap of the Zenith El Primero, which suits it perfectly. Vario has expanded the available colors, and it can currently be found, in 2026, in smoky gray (like mine), black, smoky red, smoky orange, smoky blue, smoky purple, and smoky green. At €550, you'll be hard-pressed to find a retro-futuristic watch of this quality. I recommend it without hesitation.