The Mercer Durham is a 41-millimeter, cushioned cased timepiece that Mercer readily admits is inspired by watches from the catalogs of both Heuer and Nomos. Heuer, of course, references the Camaro’s case, and Nomos, I think, refers to the German brand’s bold use of color. At first glance, the Durham appears to be a relatively straightforward watch, and yes, a bit referential. But after spending some time with it, the inspirational elements blend together quite seamlessly to create something that, to my eye, appears to stand on its own. And, for the price, which is $629 direct from Mercer, the execution is notably high.
There are four dial variants in total, and today we’re looking at Cobalt.
For our full thoughts on the watch and to see it in action, be sure to watch the video below.

$629

Video Review: Mercer Durham
Case
Stainless Steel

Movement
STP 1-11

Dial
Blue Sunburst

Lume
Super-LumiNova

Lens
Sapphire

Strap
Shell Cordovan

Water Resistance
30m

Dimensions
41 x 47mm

Thickness
11.5mm

Lug Width
20mm

Crown
Push/pull

Warranty
Yes

Price
$629

Despite its given size, the Durham wears quite a bit smaller, largely because cushion-cased watches like this often have stout lugs and smaller dial diameters. That’s not to say the watch is without presence. In fact, the opposite is true. It’s also quite comfortable on the wrist, and the 11.5-millimeter thickness allows the Durham to slip comfor...