Full Review - CIGA Design Magician (Series M)

Welcome back to Chrono Pursuit, your trusted source for deep dives into the most innovative and exciting watches available today. In this review, we examine a watch that breaks boundaries in both form and function: the CIGA Design “Magician.” Known for its avant-garde designs and award-winning craftsmanship, CIGA Design has earned a reputation for pushing the limits of mechanical creativity—and the Magician is a perfect embodiment of that ethos.

If you haven’t heard of CIGA Design before, here’s a quick recap. CIGA Design was the first Chinese-based manufacturer to win an award from the GPHG back in 2021. For those that don’t know, the GPHP is the watch industry’s Oscar equivalent, and is judged by a panel of extremely respected watchmakers that are extremely picky with their awards. Contestants each year include absolute powerhouses such as Rolex, Tudor, Cartier and other highly technical brands such as MB&F, Urwerk, Krayon and others.

Not only did CIGA Design’s Blue Ocean win a GPHG award, it won one of the most hotly contested categories: the “Challenge” category, which featured other up-and-

coming brands such as Anordain, Furlan Mari, Norqain and Massena Labs. Not to rest on their laurels, CIGA Design has been collecting a trophy-case full of awards from other prestigious watch competitions for many years as well including the Red Dot Design Awards, German Design Awards and IF Design Awards. This is all incredible for a brand barely 10 years old, and a brand located outside the usual bastion of watchmaking in Switzerland.

And let’s just get the whole “but this is a Chinese-made watch” argument out of the way, as I know the comments section will likely have some thoughts. Not every luxury watch comes from Switzerland (Atelier Wen, Grand Seiko, Nomos, Sinn, A. Lange & Sohne, Bremont and Gronefeld, to name just a few), and there are plenty of talented brands from many nations that produce fantastic watches. I think many watch enthusiasts have become disillusioned by Chinese movements such as the Seagull ST19 being used in a lot of watches that, either purposefully or negligently, try to obscure the origin of the movement they are using. That has put a bad taste in the mouth of some collectors who take issue with watches costing thousands of dollars with a relatively cheap movement beating inside.

CIGA Design is different, though, because it is very clear that the brand is Chinese-born, Chinese-designed and Chinese-made. And there is nothing wrong with honesty! I myself was a bit of a Chinese watch snob prior to acquiring my Atelier Wen Perception “Piao” and my Studio Underd0g “Pizza Party” which proudly uses a decorated version of the Seagull ST19. At the price ranges we are discussing here, of which almost all watches from CIGA Design are less than $500, I think the use of a Chinese movement is completely legitimate. And further, I believe CIGA Design’s brand ethos, design capabilities and manufacturing execution deserve a second or third look by every self-respecting watch enthusiast.

With that soapbox moment out of the way, let’s turn to the watch itself. What sets the Magician apart is its radical design architecture: a 3-in-1 case system that allows the user to effortlessly swap between square, round, and tonneau-shaped cases—essentially three watches in one. Even more impressive is the floating mechanical movement, suspended in the center of the case like a kinetic sculpture that is sandwiched between layers of sapphire glass. This “anti-gravity” effect isn’t just an optical illusion—it’s an expression of the brand’s technical mastery. Not many brands have achieved a suspended movement, and pieces that have accomplished such feat such as the Cartier Masse Mysterieuse (which retails for a cool $300,000) or the MB&F SP One which retails at $70,000, all cost magnitudes more than the Magician. At under $500, the CIGA Design “Magician” delivers a level of creativity and execution that frankly embarrass many Swiss brands charging multiples on the price. Let’s dive into the specs and story behind this fascinating timepiece in this full review.

Not surprisingly, the Magician scored very well on our 100-point scale, which breaks down the design, construction, movement and other factors of each watch. As explained in my intro, my 100-point scale is meant to discern between a watch that does one thing really well and a watch that does all things great.

The Magician scored an overall 91 points, which is the highest score in the sub-$500 range that a watch has achieved (let along the sub-$1,000 and even sub-$5,000 ranges). CIGA really put together the entire package with this watch, and I am excited to tell you all about it.

One more note before we launch into the full review. This was watch provided to me by CIGA Design, who reached out asking for an honest, unfiltered review. I always insist on maintaining my editorial capacity and strong opinions, and CIGA was more than willing to send me a timepiece in order to get those strong opinions. If you are interested in buying a timepiece from CIGA Design, I’ve posted a link in this video and the description below, which you can click to see the other innovative timepieces produced by CIGA. However, I am not compensated by your clicks or purchases, so I hope you take an opportunity to check out CIGA’s website in order to learn more about this excellent manufacturer.

And with that, let’s jump into the review itself!

Overall Score: 91/100

Design – 23.5/25 pts

Case (size, shape, construction, angles, finishing) – 4.5/5pts The core design innovation of the CIGA Design Magician lies in its interchangeable case system. The watch ships with three case modules—square, round, and tonneau—each of which slots around the central movement chassis with surprising ease using two “push” buttons at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions. The transformation is seamless, turning the Magician into a shape-shifting chameleon depending on your mood or outfit. All three cases are constructed from high-grade 316L stainless steel, with a sandblasted matte finish that enhances the watch’s architectural feel. The finishing is uniform and tactile and the central module clicks into place satisfyingly, and I think it is even more impressive given the price of this watch. For “just” $499, you are essentially getting three different watches in one.

Another important design element of the Magician is the sapphire-sandwich dial that suspends the watch’s movement in a “force-field” in the center of the watch. I’ve look at this watch for quite some time trying to figure out the “magic” that is holding this watch together, and I still can’t quite figure it out. The technical capabilities required to suspend a movement between two sapphire crystals cannot be overstated – this is a technical marvel and it is even more incredulous given the MSRP of this piece. It would be rare to find a watch with these specifications for under $50,000, yet CIGA Design has created a compelling offer for less than one percent of that figure.

The case design is nearly perfect, which is why this watch scored an impressive 4.5 points out of 5 points in this category, but I did notice one demerit that cost this watch a half-point. Inserting the central component into the outer cases sometimes takes a bit of effort – there are no rough edges or other manufacturing problems, but I believe the fit is so tight that alignment can be difficult. I think a ball-bearing design would aid in a “cleaner” fit between the inner- and outer-case.

Dial (color, pattern, indices, hands, chapter ring) – 5/5pts There is no traditional dial on the Magician—instead, it features a skeletonized movement suspended within the open structure. This gives the illusion that the movement is “floating” in space, a visual trick that’s genuinely striking. I also love that the indices are etched into the outer-ring of the movement, creating a unique visual that maintains legibility without breaking the minimalist design language. The rounded hands and gear seconds hand are lume-filled and provide good a surprisingly good contrast against the backdrop of the skeletonized movement, though legibility can suffer slightly in certain lighting conditions due to the transparent dial components.

The skeletonized movement also feature several finishing techniques that are extremely impressive (and unexpected) at this price points including bead-blasted surfaces, chamfered edges, polished gears and screws, and a unique 45 degree angle horizontal brushed pattern on the “arms” of the movement’s central baseplate that reflect light in a dazzling display.

Strap/bracelet (material, comfort, finishing, clasp) – 5/5pts The included strap is a comfortable, high-quality fluoroelastomer rubber strap that complements the futuristic design of the watch. It integrates well with all three case styles and features a secure buckle clasp that is easy to adjust. What impressed me most was the comfort of this strap—the strap is soft and supple, making the watch wearable all day despite its bold presence. A lot of straps, including the abundant FKM strap, can be extremely rigid and uncomfortable, but that is not a worry with this strap. I do wish that CIGA would have included a butterfly deployant clasp instead of the standard branded buckle, but my overall experience with the strap has been extremely positive.

Bezel (indices, rotation action, scale) – 4/5pts Since the Magician doesn’t have a traditional bezel, this category is scored based on the bezel area’s finishing and integration with each outer-case. The inner-case’s bezel is intricately machined with a 60-minute bezel that is etched into the rim of the case. What is most interesting about the design of the Magician is that there are technically two bezels: the inner-case’s 60-minute bezel, and then the outer-cases sculpted bezel. The bezels on all three outer-cases are flush against the inner-case and are well-machined and perfectly aligned with the inner-case. Each offers a slightly different tactile and visual experience when worn—the round bezel looks sportier, the tonneau adds a dressy vibe, and the square one leans heavily into Bauhaus-inspired industrial design.

Originality (design cues, homage, re-issue, re-design) – 5/5pts Originality is where the Magician truly shines and makes CIGA Design stand out against its peers in a very competitive market. The Magician doesn’t borrow from anything else on the market and isn’t an homage to any famous design – it’s truly a unique design. The Magician’s case designs, mechanism and “floating” mechanisms are all fully original concepts from CIGA Design that will ultimately add new possibilities for the watch industry. The floating movement and interchangeable case are proof that CIGA Design is more than a budget mechanical watchmaker—they are design leaders in their own right.

Construction – 23/25 pts

Overall Quality (case, dial, hands, finishing) – 5/5pts For a sub-$500 mechanical watch, the build quality is fantastic. The edges of both the inner- and outer-cases are smooth, tolerances between the cases are tight, and the entire package feels more premium than the price suggests. Even under close inspection, the movement and case interface shows a level of refinement that I honestly wasn’t expecting. The lumed hands are neatly finished and are rounded and polished to a very high degree.

The star of the show here is the obviously the movement itself, including its sculpted and polished bridges, gears and other components that are on full view given the sapphire sandwich design of the inner-case. I am extremely impressed by the vertical brushed polishing on the bridges, which are the largest flat components of the watch’s mechanism, and the sand-blasted finishing of the rest of the movement’s bridge and baseplate match the finishing of the rest of the watch as well.

Materials (type of metal, rare metals, finishing technique) – 4.5/5pts316L stainless steel is the primary material used across the three modular cases, which is standard for this price range. The case is fairly uniform in its finishing with a frosted matte finish that, in my opinion, elevates the look of the watch considerably. The internal movement is protected by a full stainless steel chassis and sapphire glass on both the front and back of the watch ensuring that the movement is secure and always in full view. I also appreciate that the sapphire crystal is healthily covered in an anti-reflected coating that prevent reflections and allows the user to check the time in any lighting condition.

There is also a version of the Magician, which costs about $100 more, that is made out of titanium, which I think is an excellent value proposition. While I normally prefer titanium watches for the significant weight reduction compared to stainless steel cases, the Magician is already incredibly light for an all-stainless steel watch due to the unique case design and a majority of the watch being made out of sapphire crystal, so the upgrade to titanium isn’t necessary, but a nice option to have.

Resistances (water, magnetism, shock) – 4/5pts The Magician is water resistant to 3ATM (30 meters), which is fine for daily wear but not suitable for swimming or heavy splashes. There’s no specific anti-magnetic or shock certification, but the suspended movement architecture and CIGA-designed movement do offer a degree of resilience that is reassuring. Still, this is more of a city-watch than a rugged field piece, although some of the case designs, such as the tonneau case, make the watch appear ready for any sort of adventure.

I do wish that CIGA Design would improve the water resistance a bit, as the industry standard has been moving towards 10ATM (100 meters) of water resistance for some time now. Many microbrands and mid-tier brands are offering watches with screw-down crowns or double o-ring stems that make their watches more suitable for any scenario, and I think it’s a relatively easy improvement for CIGA Design to make in the next iteration of this watch.

Ancillaries (lugs, crown, pushers and other extremities) – 4.5/5 pts The knurled crown is easy to grip and offers a satisfying click during time setting. The crown is also fairly large (although not obnoxiously large compared to the case), which makes it extremely easy to grip. Its position slightly recessed into the modular frame means it’s well protected, yet remains accessible to the wearer, and it does not have to be un-screwed in order to pull the stem to set the time. There are no extraneous pushers or complications to interfere with the clean silhouette, and the floating architecture means the crown’s engagement with the internal chassis is mechanically precise.

Bracelet/clasp (link type, integration with case, clasp mechanism) – 5/5 pts The included rubber strap integrates cleanly into all three case designs with precision fitment that doesn’t look like an afterthought. I also enjoy how easily the quick-release strap snaps into each case, some quick-release straps are difficult to manipulate and aren’t really “quick” – but CIGA Design’s strap is extremely comfortable and easy to swap between the cases.  It’s hard to overstate how much value the quick-release straps adds to the modular experience as it is not difficult to quickly swap from one case design to another.

Movement – 22.5/25 pts

Origin of Movement (Swiss, sourced, in-house, design) – 4.5/5pts The Magician is powered by a Chinese-made mechanical movement designed in-house by CIGA Design and produced by Seagull called the CD-02. While some purists may initially balk at the idea of a non-Swiss movement, this caliber performs admirably and is really well-designed for this specific application. It’s worth remembering that CIGA Design has won international awards for their design ingenuity, and this movement is tailored specifically for the Magician’s unique floating construction. What you get is a movement that integrates beautifully into a watch unlike anything else on the market, and performs relatively well for the price point. The CD-03 sports 26 jewels, beats at 28,800bpg and includes an industry-standard 40 hour power reserve. The movement also features hacking seconds for more precise adjustments to the time.

Starting with the architecture of the movement, the four “bridges” that connect the movement with the sapphire sandwiched crystals are impeccably polished and reflect light beautifully. The rest of the movement is literally built to show-off, including the balance wheel architecture and the mainspring barrel to slowly uncoils to provide power to the movement and which is engraved with the movement’s designation, which I think is a very nice touch.

The rest of the movement is also designed to be shown off, but much more subtly. While much of the movement lacks polishing, perlage or other decorative techniques often used by Swiss manufacturers, the CD-02 movement includes brushed surfaces which seamlessly integrate with the rest of the watch’s tone.

The only improvement that I would note here is the “phantom” date position on the crown. For those that don’t know, a “phantom” date position is when the crown on a dateless watch needs to be pulled out 2 positions to adjust the time, even though the watch lacks a date function. While the Magician has removed most of the architecture required for a date wheel (including the wheel itself), I would have liked CIGA Design to also remove the phantom date position for cleaner operation. However, at this price point, almost all watches that use standard movements and are dateless often have phantom date positions, so I won’t fault CIGA Design too much for that.

Complication(s) (design, usefulness, integration, operation) – 4/5pts The Magician features a straightforward three-hand display with no date complication, keeping the focus squarely on its dramatic aesthetics. That simplicity works in its favor—clutter would only detract from the architectural layout. There’s no added GMT or chronograph function here, but that would likely interfere with the case-swapping system and floating design. This is a purist piece at heart, designed to emphasize mechanical beauty, not overload it with complications.

I also really enjoy the central 60-notch gear that acts as the second hand, as it really adds to the “industrial” feel of the watch, but not in an overwhelming or “kitschy” manner. However, I wish CIGA Design added a luminous dot or other indicator to show where the seconds hand is actually pointing, but that might betray the simplicity of the design, so I don’t believe such change is entirely necessary.

Accuracy (overall +/-, positions, variance) – 4.5/5pts In real-world testing, the Magician performs within the expected range for a mechanical movement at this price point. The standard posted on CIGA Design’s website is around +10 to +20 seconds per day, and this watch here is actually clocking at +6 seconds a day. That is fairly impressive at this price range and, in my opinion, demonstrates how much progress some Chinese movement manufacturers, such as SeaGull and CIGA Design and Atelier Wen, have made strides in movement design and accuracy.

Power Reserve (length, indicator, variance) – 4.5/5 pts CIGA Design states a 40-hour power reserve for this movement, which is both accurate and sufficient for regular use. During my testing, I achieved slightly over 41 hours from a full wind, which is more than acceptable at this price point and for the intended wearing scenarios for this watch. This means you can rotate this watch out for a day or two without worrying about resetting it, but it won’t last the entire weekend like some other brands such as Tissot, Hamilton, and Citizen.

If there is one potential improvement here for CIGA Design, I would really like to see CIGA Design using a double-barrel power reserve system. I think this would look especially cool in a watch such as the Magician, which already highlights its mainspring barrel prominently in the design. Such a system would require more advanced movement manufacturing (including parts such as a sequential power reserve gearing system) that would require serious developments by CIGA Design, but after holding and reviewing this piece, I have a lot of faith in them.

Finishing/Design (decoration, finishing, architecture, rotor) – 5/5 pts This is where the Magician really dazzles. The movement is highly skeletonized, with architectural bridges and gears that float like planets in a microcosmic universe. There is clear visual balance, excellent depth layering between the baseplate, gears and superstructure, and well-applied brushing and polishing on the bridges.  Every component is placed to maximize aesthetic impact and is skeletonized to what feels in the maximum, but it does not feel over-done or over-complicated in this particular model given the industrial focus. I also am blown away by the polished bridges that suspend the rest of the movement, which I do not expect at this price point.

Other Factors – 22/25 pts

Price (Value) (MSRP, secondary (new), secondary (used), value proposition) – 5/5pts With an MSRP of $499, the Magician is an absolute triumph in value. You’re getting three case styles, an original skeletonized movement with great decoration, and a design that feels more like mechanical art than just a watch. Other brands charge thousands for less engineering creativity. Others charge hundreds for “homages” that are really just lazy copies of other more famous (and expensive) watches. I believe the watch industry over-uses the term “unique” when a watch strays just a bit from a more established example of the same base design, but CIGA Design really came up with something truly unique with the Magician that deserves a second look. Even if you only wore one of the case styles, you’d still be getting more than your money’s worth with this watch.

Quality Control (Finishing, dial cleanliness, mechanical, known issues) – 5/5 pts All three case modules fit perfectly with the central body, with no wobble or loose fit. The movement winds smoothly, the hands are properly aligned, and the finishing is remarkably clean—even under magnification. CIGA Design’s QC is clearly stronger than some other microbrands, and this piece is a solid reflection of that.

My one gripe with the watch is that I believe the central movement is “tilted” by about 1 degree to the right. It’s hard to tell if it is just my eyes playing a trick on me or if the movement is slightly skewed, but I think this may be a small design flaw that could be easily remedied by CIGA Design.

Certifications (COSC, METAS, manufacturer) – 3/5 pts The Magician doesn’t come with any COSC, METAS or other third-party certifications, which is not surprising at this price point. I can’t think of another sub-$500 watch that comes with a COSC or METAS certification, I believe most COSC-certified movements go for $500 completely naked, but let me know in the comments if you know any manufacturer that is selling sub-$500 chronometers.

Warranty (limitations, extensions, service) – 4.5/5 pts CIGA Design offers a two-year warranty, which is in line with the industry standard. Customer service has improved significantly, and international buyers now receive clearer instructions and faster response times. Considering the brand’s pricing, the warranty is generous and fair.

Presentation (box, certificates, ancillary items) – 5/5 pts Packaging is where CIGA Design continues to impress – and if I could give them more than 5 points in this category I would! The Magician comes in a sleek, book-style box with magnetic closures, foam inserts for each of the three case modules, and an instruction card explaining how to swap them. It reads like a “book” and is just unlike any other watch box I’ve received. I’ve opened watches worth 20 times the Magician and been less impressed by the presentation.

Once again, CIGA Design has gone and done something truly unique that other brands simply can’t compete with. I have tucked away most of my other watch boxes, including my green Rolex box, but I am tempted to keep this presentation box out as a coffee table book given how cool the design is. The experience of unboxing this watch truly feels premium and thoughtful, adding to the sense that you’re buying a watch unlike anything else in your collection.

Conclusion

The CIGA Design “Magician” is a watch that truly lives up to its name. With its interchangeable case system, floating movement, and architectural elegance, the Magician is a “shape-shifter” watch that will add a truly unique watch to any collection. The Magician is a timepiece that refuses to be confined by convention, instead offering the wearer the freedom to reshape the very form of their watch depending on their mood or occasion. At under $500, it’s not just a good deal—it’s a remarkable one. Recently I have been focused on adding “value” watches to my collection such as vintage Seikos, the Hamilton Khaki and the Citizen Tsuyosa, which are all recognized as good “deals” in the watch industry. I honestly had not considered CIGA Design’s other watches other than the Blue Planet, but after handling the Magician I can comfortably state that I was wrong for ignoring CIGA Design for this long.

For collectors looking for something off the beaten path, or for someone who just wants a mechanical piece of wearable art, this is a must-own. CIGA Design has pulled off something truly magical here—and that’s no illusion.