A Week on the Wrist with the Ciga Design Z Series Hunter – all the fun of Richard Mille without the second mortgage

Ask any watch enthusiast what the best watch on the market is and you'll likely get a different answer each time. That's one of the beautiful things about watch collecting – there really is something for everyone to love.

Still, it's hard to deny the influence of Richard Mille. Plaything of the rich and famous, the brand has carved out a niche for crafting exuberant pieces with innovative manufacturing techniques and eye-watering price tags.

It's certainly an influence for the new Ciga Design Z Series Hunter. Featuring a similar tonneau case shape and stunning skeletonised movement, this watch is every bit as stunning. There's just one catch – it trades out the six-figure price tags associated with Richard Mille for one that is less than £1,000.

Intrigued? So was I. I've been part of a select group of journalists getting hands on with this watch prior to launch, to see if it's any good.

Ciga Design Z Series Hunter: key specs

Let's get started with some specs. As mentioned, this watch features a tonneau case shape. For the unaware, that's a barrel shape, which pinches in at either end and widens out in the middle. It's gone through various phases of popularity over the years, and is having a particularly resurgent moment right now.

That measures 43 x 48mm, though it's not the greatest metric for determining size. Unlike a round watch where the case diameter alone serves as a good indicator, or a square case which makes use of all of the area, the tonneau is somewhere in the middle. I'd say it wears similarly to a 41/42mm round-cased watch, for reference.

The case also sits just 12.1mm thick. That's slimmer than the previous version, and is generally a really good size for a watch. It's neat and tidy on the wrist, with a low profile which should keep it away from errant door handles and bag straps.

You'd be forgiven for thinking this was crafted from something like titanium or ceramic, but it's actually stainless steel. It's micro-sandblasted for a gorgeous, matte finish, which is contrasted with some really top-notch polishing work. The whole thing feels incredibly luxurious – and quite how they've made a steel watch that lightweight I don't know!

Inside, you'll find the newly developed CD-07 calibre. That's an in-house, skeletonised movement, which offers 40 hours of power reserve, a 4Hz beat rate and accuracy measurements of -15/+25 seconds per day.

That skeletisation continues with the bridges. Those form an X-shape which suspends the movement in mid air, with space all around to see straight through the sapphire case back.

You'll also find the watch in three colours. Silver, Carbon and Black options ensure at least a modicum of choice, and all pair neatly with the green accents on the hands and indices.

What is the Ciga Design Z Series Hunter like to wear?

To say I was surprised by this watch is an understatement. From the moment I pulled it from the box, I was seriously impressed with the fit and finish.

That micro-sandblasted case and bracelet is really smart. It feels almost identical to ceramic, which helps to make this appear far more luxurious than the specs would suggest. Polished surfaces – though rarer to find – are equally stunning, with a really high-end sheen.

The weight also shocked me. The head itself weighs less than 70g, while the bracelet also manages to keep things feeling trim. I even questioned whether the spec sheet was wrong, assuming this to be titanium rather than the generally weightier, steel. Quite how Ciga Design has managed this I don't know, but kudos to them.

Don't fret if you've got smaller wrists, either. As mentioned above, the dimensions for case shapes like this aren't all that useful, but in practice it wears really neatly on my dinky wrists. Don't get me wrong – it will definitely fill your wrist, but it doesn't look wrong.

Is the Ciga Design Z Series Hunter worth the money?

Perhaps the most telling part of this whole review is the price. When I first received the watch, I'd mistakenly assumed it cost around £1,000. That's the price of some other top watches from the brand, so it seemed a fair assumption to make.

The reality is much, much nicer on the wallet. The suggested retail price for the watch is just $549 (approx. £450 / AU$883) which is frankly absurd. That's one of the best value propositions I've ever known in watchmaking.

It gets even better, though. The watch is actually being offered for even less than that - you can pick one up for as little as $349 (approx. £286 / AU$562) as a VIP. That's ludicrously cheap. Honestly, I was pretty happy with this as a £1,000 watch, so seeing it sold for just a fraction of that cost is fantastic.

If you're looking to snag something really trendy – skeletonised, tonneau case shape etc. – but want to keep the cost reasonable, this is probably the best piece you're going to find.