If you haven't heard of Parchie, it's a new brand for kids watches that was started by Cara Barrett mid-2021. In case you're not familiar with the name, Cara Barrett is a former editor of Hodinkee. Her vast experience in working on Hodinkee-limited edition watches led her to launching her own brand of fun watches for kids (and maybe even for grown-ups young at heart). The name Parchie came from her childhood imaginary friend. Isn't that the just the cutest?

It comes in 3 colorways right now: The Me-time Parchie, Party-time Parchie, and the School-time Parchie. I ordered the Party-time Parchie for my niece, the one with the hot-pink case with yellow strap. We got it in September and it came in this super cute round box.


Specifications:

  • Case diameter: 32 mm
  • Lug to lug: 37 mm
  • Case Thickness: 9 mm
  • Lug width: 14 mm

The case material is hot-pink aluminum with the numerals in indigo. For safety reasons for little kids, the bezel is not a separate piece that rotates.

I'm not entirely sure what kind of crystal it has but when I tap the crystal, it sounds like my other watches with a mineral crystal.

It comes with an adjustable nylon strap with hot-pink aluminum hardware that can fit wrists at 4-6.5 inches. The velcro makes it's easier for little kids to put them on and take it off.

It's powered by the Seiko PC21J which is a Japanese quartz movement.

This watch has a water resistance rating of 30m so while it's water resistant, okay for occasional splashes and handwashing, not for showering and swimming.

For the review portion, let's first go over the pros:

  • It has a cute yet classic design. The cute pop of color is certainly striking and fun but with a dial design is simple. On top of that, that the case design feels "familiar" as it's based on a grown-up's dive watch but with a fixed bezel. Overall, it's a design that is classic enough to be worn by people of all ages, but in a color that's fresh and fun.
  • While stainless steel is better than aluminum, aluminum still feels more premium than the other materials typically used in kid's watches like plastic, resin, and alloy. It's also the same material used in the more affordable apple watches and iPhones. I've only had it for a month and I just hope the pink plating doesn't easily chip off.
  • For kids who are just learning how to read analog watches, it's a good watch for teaching kids how to read time. The hour numerals are on the fixed bezel while the minute numerals in 5-minute increments are printed on the dial in the other edges. The hand colors also match the numeral colors of the minute and hour to help kids differentiate the hour hand and the minute hand.
  • With the help of an adult to remove spring bars, kids can accessorize their watch by changing up the straps. I bought aftermarket 14mm nylon and silicone straps to change up the look. It certainly adds to the fun!



Moving on next to the cons:

  • I suppose the reason for using a velcro strap might be for safety reasons and ease for little kids but my niece and I thought the strap was itchy, especially around the edges of the strap. A huge part of the wearing experience is the strap so if it's itchy, people won't enjoy wearing it. 
  • It has a water resistance rating of 30 meters water resistance but it's being advertised as resistant enough for bathing and swimming. A water resistance rating for 30 meters means that it's splash resistant. It's okay for handwashing and minor splashes but not advised for swimming and showering. I think they should that part off the FAQ section.
  • $50 for a kids watch may be a little steep, especially if you don't know if the recipient will take good care of it or if they'll even use it. There are other cheaper options available with Casio, Timex, Lorus at around $20 if you're not willing to spend that much on a watch. However, if you're definitely sure that the recipient will take care of it and will make the most of it, I think $50 is worth it, especially because of the aluminum case material with a reliable Japanese quartz movement that could last them through teenage years.

So what do you think? Let me know if you have anything to add or if you have any questions!