A Week on the Wrist with the Hvilina L&MR Lion – a quirky favourite returns in a classy new outfit

It has been over a year and a half since I first got my hands on the Hvilina L&MR, and in all that time, it's a watch which has kept my interest thoroughly piqued. Produced in Belarus, Hvilina's L&MR range commemorates the history of the Liverpool and Manchester railway.

You'll find a slew of touches all over these watches which point to this connection. That ranges from the overall design – the case is flanked by a pair of train tracks – to subtle nods, like the 27th minute marker being highlighted to commemorate the 27 km/h speed of the trains.

With the latest collection, the brand has added some classier touches to bring this to a more elegant standing. But does it offer enough to make it worthwhile? Let's jump in and take a look.

Hvilina L&MR Lion key specs

Just as with the previous model, this watch is powered by a Miyota 9029 movement. That's a solid, reliable Japanese calibre, offering a 42 hour power reserve and accuracy of -10/+30 seconds per day.

That sits within a square case which is crafted from stainless steel and – in this instance – PVD coated with a rose gold hue. The case itself is also flanked by a pair of bars, which curve around at either end to offer a point for the strap to attach to.

That does make the measurement of this case even trickier than usual. The internal case measure 34x39mm, but that rises to 39.2x51.1mm when we factor in the outer construction.

The strap in question is a leather one, which is 22mm wide. It comes in a deep green hue, which matches the colour used in the outer, coloured guilloché portion of the dial. That flanks around an off-white inner section, which features Roman numerals on the even indices and rose gold-toned screws inbetween.

The two sections are separated by another rose gold-toned band, which features a train track design. That's broken at the 27th minute, as mentioned above, but otherwise makes for a neat styling touch.

Last, but certainly not least, is a decorative "Beware of the Trains" sign at the six o'clock position. This might be one of my favourite elements of this piece – not only does the red hue contrast perfectly with the green, it's just right for a watch of this ilk.

What's the Hvilina L&MR Lion like on the wrist?

My first impressions of this model were seriously impressive. Having already used a different version last year, the initial shock of the case design was tempered this time out. Instead, I was bowled over by just how classy it is.

The guilloché pattern on the outer edge looks far more premium than a watch at this price point has any business being, while the rose gold-toned appointments also feel like a much classier affair.

Strapped on, you do encounter what I think is the worst part of this watch – the size. And actually, that's a pretty unfair statement, because the dial portion itself is beautifully sized. If the strap attached directly to that, I'd be telling you all to go and buy one for each day of the week.

Sadly, it doesn't, and while the train track edges are a neat bit of personality, they also make the watch a little too large for my wrist, as well as adding some holes around the case which are a little unsightly. It's certainly not a dealbreaker, but just like last time, I find myself wishing for something just slightly different to the final product.

If you've got larger wrists, though, there should be no issues for you. And that means you'll be able to enjoy a seriously classy piece.

Is the Hvilina L&MR Lion worth the money?

Priced at €467 (approx. £407 / US$542 / AU$832) the Hvilina L&MR Lion represents really good value in the modern watch arena. There's an awful lot of competition at that price point, but I think this watch more than holds its own.

Not only is the build quality excellent, with a unique design, it's got a decent Miyota movement inside which should stand the test of time.

I still long for a slightly different design, but that's more of a personal preference than anything else. As long as you don't have cocktail sticks for forearms, you should be good to enjoy this one.