I've known Adam of Farr + Swit watch brand for a number of years now. We originally met when he needed some straps for the Vice Edition Chrono, and we've been friends ever since. Adam has also been a big supporter of Men Wear Pink, purchasing and helping promote several Men Wear Pink straps. So I was excited to learn that Farr + Swit would support the American Cancer Society directly through sales of the new B Sides Vol. 2 XL Berry 4 Breast Cancer. I was even more excited when Adam sent me one for a hands-on review!
Farr & Swit B Sides Berry 4 Breast Cancer First Impressions
The B Sides is a larger version of Farr + Swit's Retro Digital Mix Tape model. I found it to fit better on my 7 1/4" wrist, and appreciated having more real estate to see the retro-inspired faceplate. It also looks cool in bright pink!
Farr & Swit B Sides Berry 4 Breast Cancer Details
Instead of a translucent case, B Sides models come in solid colors (currently "Blue Moon" is available in addition to Pink).
They maintain the same 3-button layout. The display layout is also the same, albeit larger.
Wearing the Farr & Swit B Sides Berry 4 Breast Cancer
The dimensions are where the two versions really part ways. The Vol. 1 measures 35mm wide by 38mm tall and 8.5mm thick. That is pure 80s sizing. The Vol. 2 XL grows to 41mm wide with a 45mm lug-to-lug and a 10mm thickness. That puts it much closer to a modern everyday watch, and it will suit larger wrists that found the Vol. 1 a bit small.
Even with the extra size, it's still a light, mostly resin watch that disappears on the wrist (this morning my sleeve was covering it, and I thought I had forgotten to wear a watch!). The color does the talking, and you should expect even more comments than with the Vol. 1.
The larger display offers better legibility during the day. In the dark, it uses the same teal backlight as the original.
Farr & Swit B Sides Berry 4 Breast Cancer Original and Replacement Straps
The B Sides uses a similar black resin strap as the original, just in a larger size. The Vol. 1 uses 18mm lugs, which is why our TQ18 Q Timex straps fit it. The Vol. 2 XL moves up to 20mm, which opens up a huge range of 20mm watch straps.
Farr & Swit B Sides Berry 4 Breast Cancer Movement
Like the Vol. 1, the movement is a digital quartz LCD, keeping the throwback authenticity and the price low. Water resistance is also unchanged at 50m. It retains the Day and Date display, plus alarm and stopwatch functions.
The Charitable Side
This is where the Berry 4 Breast Cancer earns its name. Farr + Swit is donating proceeds from the Berry for Breast Cancer and its sister Cotton Candy model to the American Cancer Society's Men Wear Pink campaign from September 21 through October 31. All of the proceeds from the first 20 Berry watches go directly to the campaign. After that, 50% of proceeds from both models will be donated through October 31. If you'd rather just donate, Farr + Swit has a direct link to its campaign. If you run into Adam in person, you can tap your phone to his pink bracelet to donate on the spot.
Farr & Swit B Sides Berry 4 Breast Cancer Conclusion
The Vol. 1 is the purist's Mix Tape: small, clear, and thin, just like the watches we wore as kids. The B Sides Vol. 2 XL trades some of that authenticity for a size that works on more wrists, a negative display, and a bold opaque color. At $39.99, it's only $5 more than the Vol. 1, and it's still one of the most fun watches under $50. This version also does some good. If you've been looking for a reason to buy a pink watch in October, this is it.
To learn more about the Berry 4 Breast Cancer, visit the Farr + Swit website. If you'd like to learn about some other great watches under $500, you can read the StrapHabit Top 10 list, or view other reviews of under $500 watches. You can also browse more digital watch reviews and quartz watch reviews.
Specifications:
Name: Farr & Swit B Sides Vol. 2 XL Berry 4 Breast Cancer
MSRP: $39.99 (buy 2 Mix Tapes, save $5)
Diameter: 41mm
Lug-to-Lug: 45mm
Thickness: 10mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Movement: Digital quartz
Display: LCD
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap: Resin
Charity: American Cancer Society Men Wear Pink (100% of proceeds from the first 20 sold, 50% through October 31)