A Review of the Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A

Are you curious about the Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A watch? Here’s everything you need to know about this timepiece.

The watch industry is insanely competitive at just about any price point. It’s especially true at the sub-$500 price point. Models from Seiko, Tissot, Orient, and Timex dominate the mass-market game. But it’s just as easy for a startup to concoct a superhero-type origin story and source a basic Swiss movement. They’ll outsource production to Asia, use a few folks with large social media followings to push the product, and make millions. 

How does a watch microbrand like Primitive Haus stack up? We’ll dive into their flagship Timekeeper Type-A to cover what works, what doesn’t, and everything else in between.

About Primitive Haus

Primitive Haus is the second iteration of the same company. Created by Teslim Alabi, a product designer, and Princewill Esekhile, a product manager, it launched on Kickstarter as James & Muriel. The brand’s first model, the Timekeeper, was a Bauhaus-inspired watch. It was fairly well received, even among watch snobs. 

In early 2023, they underwent a rebrand, renaming to Primitive Haus. I’ll admit I’m slightly confused by the name. The latter part is perfectly fine. Haus is a nod to the Bauhaus design that started the company in the first place. But…Primitive? I’m not sure where it fits. If anything, it detracts from the image and implies something unsophisticated. 

Other than that, information is quite limited.

About the Primitive Haus Timekeeper

I spent a lot of time with this watch and learned all about it. Here’s everything you need to know about the PH Timekeeper so you can decide if it’s the right watch for you.

Specs

Some might call it a dead ringer for the Nomos Club Campus. I wouldn’t disagree. But this is far from a copy. 

It is, all in all, a well-equipped timepiece, especially for the price. A 38mm diameter will work well for most wrists and especially well for thin ones. The lug-to-lug at 44m might make it rather squat for some. But it’s a borderline ideal size for me, sitting right in the middle of my 17cm (6.7”) wrist. The flat sapphire crystal tapers some of the pudginess. It also makes it appear far more ‘modern’ than retro. On the spectrum of Bauhaus design, this definitely leans more toward Nomos than, say, the Junghans Max Bill.

The 316L surgical-grade stainless steel case is well-finished, with horizontal brushing on the sides. There isn’t a true ‘bezel,’ but it is polished. It’s not highly polished, though, which is to the benefit of the watch. It isn’t a ‘bling-y’ and less of a scratch magnet. 

It’s a secure case, too, offering a phenomenal 200m of water resistance. That’s more than enough to take it swimming. But I’ve not done more than dishes with this piece.

Movement

The watch runs on the Miyota 82S5 calibre with hacking. It isn’t an ultra-accurate movement, running at +/- -20 to +40 sec/day. But it’ll do just fine at this price point. It’s a readily available movement, too, found in several Citizen watches. You can even find one on AliExpress for around $48. Considering the price of the quartz movements in many fashion watches come in under $10, it’s a decent investment for the company, even likely buying at scale. 

Dials

The Nomos influence comes through on the dial. It’s highly legible but also a little whimsical. Some options have bright red faces; others are black with a pink small seconds dial. The ‘White Dawn’ does look quite a bit like the Club Campus 38 Ref 735.

My model is an interesting shade of green. Green dial watches are #trending right now, with luminaries such as Omega, Rolex, and Tissot dropping green colorways of their most popular pieces. The dial has yellowish undertones, extending outward and fading to dark emerald. I’ll again question the name a little here. The company calls it ‘green smoke.’ 

Also interesting is the ‘00’ at 12 o’clock. Primitive Haus says this is not only a nod to Bauhaus design but also to eliminate the night and day distinction on a 24-hour clock. 

Straps

The Timekeeper Type-A comes with three straps in three different materials. The first is a Rolex Oyster-style stainless steel watch bracelet. At 20mm wide, it has some heft and locks up quite well. The next is a rather thick canvas strap in bright green. The third is a perforated rubber strap that’s a little difficult to place. It’s not quite rally, but also not a dupe for the rubber straps on, say, the modern Daytona. 

What Works

With a Bauhaus dial, a small seconds hand, and a range of straps to cover almost any situation, this is a lot of watch for the price. The build quality is quite good. The sapphire crystal sits flat, which is absolutely the right decision for this watch. So, what else works? 

Size Matters

As we mentioned earlier, 38mm is almost an ideal size for the majority of wrists. If you’re a smaller guy, it has a substantial presence but doesn’t dominate the wrist the way, say, a 40-42mm case can. The more compact 44mm lug-to-lug helps this wear like a true 38. Additionally, a colored dial like this doesn’t add width the way a white or silver one can, nor does it wear smaller as a black one does.

At 12.3 mm, this isn’t exactly svelte. But it sits far flatter than my Omega Aqua Terra. It slides really well under a shirt cuff. 

Straps on Straps…kind of

Primitive Haus set out to cover many bases with the Timekeeper Type-A. I’ve found all the straps to be of good quality. The green is fun but perhaps not as applicable or versatile with my personal style. However, it’s been nice to play with different options. The 20mm lug width has allowed me to work in some options in both my Hamilton Field Khaki and my Seiko Speedtimer. 

Of the varieties, I’ve mostly worn the watch on the rubber strap. Even though I’m usually a leather or steel kind of guy, it’s interesting to have that option and breathe new life into a piece I find myself not wearing as much as I once did. 

What Doesn’t

The Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A has quite a lot going for it. It’s a tidy package with some funky dials. The straps are (largely, as we’ll see) versatile and well put–together. But nothing’s perfect, and it’s got some room for improvement. 

A Jangly Movement

One of the best parts of a mechanical watch is holding the case up to your ear and hearing the faint tick-tick-tick of the movement. With the Calibre 82S5, I get…not that. I can’t hear it at all. In fact, all I can hear is an odd, spring-like sound. Perhaps that’s just how the rotor sounds, but whatever it is, it’s not especially pleasant. 

Very Long Straps, Not-so-Quick Change Bracelet

I wrote earlier about the straps being well-made. Indeed, they are. Primitive Haus, including three of them (in a well-appointed carrying case), is fantastic, especially at this price point. However, the canvas and rubber ones are quite long. As comfortable as they are, they snake far around my 17cm (6.7”) wrist. If they’re big on me, they’ll be almost unwearable on the more slender wrists among us. However, offering multiple strap sizes may add some cost to the consumer. I hope, though, that the option comes along.

Additionally, while the straps have a single quick-change pin, the bracelet has two pressure pins. This makes it extremely difficult to change for those with less-than-nimble thumbs. As I write this, I’ve been trying to put the bracelet on for the last fifteen minutes with no success. 

A Few Other Quibbles

A name can say a lot. I still can’t figure out what ‘Primitive Haus’ actually means. The model name Timekeeper could perhaps be more inventive- but at least it’s an accurate title. This does, indeed, tell time pretty well. 

I’ve become less enthused by the green dial over my month or so with the piece. The white dial models lean pretty hard into the Nomos Club Campus aesthetic. But, at a fifth the price (even for the $1650 non-exhibition caseback), it might well be worth it. If I were to do it again, I’d choose the black dial with the pink small seconds.

One other minor annoyance is the screw-down crown. Its placement at the 4 o’clock position is a nod to the Seiko 5 Sports models. The intention is to keep the crown away from the top of the hand and prevent any banging on doorjambs, etc. But, in the case of the Type-A, it makes it a pain to change the time. 

The Wrap-Up: Just How Good is the Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A?

The Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A has a lot going for it. Its versatile case size, a little fun in the dial options, and three included straps make it an attractive watch that is easy to dress up or down. The build quality is also quite good, especially for the price.

It’s not perfect, though. The straps are just going to be too long for those with less than 7” wrists. The two-pin change on the bracelet is extremely difficult to change. The novelty of the green wears off a little. 

I’m also less than thrilled about the name, but that matters less in the scheme of things. Overall, it’s an interesting design and one you should at least consider in your rotation. 

What do you think of the Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A? Let us know in the comments below.