Watch Review: MTM Special Ops Silencer

 

COMPANY: MTM Special Ops

WEBSITE:

http://www.specialopswatch.com/products-page/silencers/gray-silencer/

ABOUT:

MTM Special Ops Watches, the leading manufacturer of military watches & tactical watches worldwide, proudly introduces the Pro Ops Series of rugged, dependable timepieces. After years of development, MTM unveils the exclusive Special Ops tactical watch models. View watch collections and learn more here: https://www.specialopswatch.com

 

MODEL: SILENCER

SPECIFICATIONS_

MOVEMENT | MTM’s Proprietary Analog/ Digital Quartz
CASE & BAND | 316 L Stainless Steel
BAND | Adjustable band links are individually connected with allen screws on the stainless steel band option, adjustable with the allen key supplied
FINISH | Available in Brushed Silver, Sandblasted Grey and Black DLC Coating
BEZEL | Unidirectional, Ratcheting Bezel
CROWN | Locking, Screw Down
GLASS | Sapphire Crystal; Multi-layer Coated, Scratch Resistant, Anti-Reflective
DIAL | Unique Embossed Composite Material
INDEX & HANDS | Luminous
WATER RESISTANCE | 330 Feet / 100 Meters
CASE SIZE | 44.5 mm (Without Crown) x 15.4 mm (Thickness)
WEIGHT | 9.4 oz
DIGITAL LED DISPLAY MODES | LED display area shows current time, alternative time zone, month, date, 4 daily alarm settings, countdown timer, chronograph and alarm beeping or vibration status
DIGITAL MODES | Display Image Shows Activated Digital Mode. To View Display, Press Watertight Pusher After Unlocking
INTERNAL LIGHT MODE | LED digital display glows for easy reading for up to 3 seconds per actuation
EXTERNAL LIGHT MODES | Two bright white LEDs – for flashlight and emergency strobe functions
TO RECHARGE | Simply place the watch on the included electromagnetic induction charger overnight. The New Black Silencer will be fully charged without having to open the case or change the battery
CHARGING SYSTEM | Electromagnetic Induction. Each watch equipped with overcharge protection and low battery alert
CHARGE DURATION | Each recharge lasts for approximately 4 months under the following conditions – Starting with a full charge: One beeper alert, one vibration alert, and 20 seconds of external LED light actuation per day
CHARGER SIZE | 159mm x 67mm (L) x 72mm (H)
WARRANTY | 3 Years
PACKAGING | Securely Shipped In Its Own Watertight Tactical Case

RUGGED. ADVENTUROUS. TATICAL. All of us have heard these terms used to describe a watch. Quite often when you receive the watch you quickly find out those terms are used a little to freely. When I by a watch that is labeled rugged, tactical, adventurous, I am going to use it to its full capabilities. I spend a lot of time in the elements, outdoors, and where there is a lot of abuse to the watch on my wrist. I expect a watch that’s labeled these things to handle what I can dish-out. It is so disappointing when a watch fails you, especially when it’s supposed to be designed to keep up and handle your adventures.

.

If speaking on experience of design alone, MTM seems really promising considering that they originally designed watches for use by Special Operations Forces, Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Air Force Pilots, Delta Force Units, SAS, S.W.A.T. Teams, Police Officers, Firefighters, DEA, FBI & Secret Service Agents and not for the general public. The last thing those ‘guys’ want to worry about out in the field is their watch failing them. If a watch can hold up to what they can dish-out, then it surely can with what the general public can put it through. Right? Well let’s find out shall we.

Upon first sight the case does scream rugged as heck. The matte grey sandblasted case is pretty awesome. Has stealth style but not as dark as if it was the DLC coated version. The sandblasted finish is the perfect in between place.  The finish teamed with the square case shape gives the Silencer such a tactical/tech look, like a Transformer as my son described it. It is very cool like a Transformer, if Megatron transformed into a watch, the Silencer would be that watch. No exaggeration. The case comes in at 44m x 14mm From shape and feel alone this watch is battle ready.

The Silencer features a central crown and 4 pushers which all of these bad boys screw down into place making for a good water-tight seal up to 330 FT to be exact. I love how the pentagon screw heads of the case match the crown & pushers. A really great consistency detail that can be found on the screw bars for the strap and along the bracelet. The crown and the pushers are easy to grip thanks to the precise and excellant edges. Check out the pics to see how nice. This nice edging can also be found around the compass bezel. A true adventurer’s bezel. You can use the bezel as a compass with positioning it with the sun.(see pic in additional picture section)

 

The square case has beautiful angles throughout. The lug and crown guards are awesome. On the non crown side engraved into the integrated pusher guards is MTM. It’s a great detail that remains refined and simple, but adds to the overall aesthetics of this watch. Even the triangle lugs have some great detail and angles. The lugs have holes that allow the screw in bracelet/strap bars to go through. The screw down case back features an engraved MTM knife logo. An welcome and beautiful detail.

The black dial is viewed with ease in water and on land thanks to the “crystal clear” sapphire, uh well crystal. Pun clearly intended. The black dial isn’t what it appears to be at all. I will explain in a minute. The dial features lume coated numerals and indexes as well as lume coated hour & minute hands. The long orange second hand has a nice lume arrowhead tip. At the 10 and 2 o’clock positions are small yellow circles. Interesting and puzzling at first glance, completely awesome once you discover what they are. By unscrewing the bottom left button pusher and pressing it once activates the two bright white LEDs flashlight and pressing it twice activates the emergency strobe functions. These lights are extremely bright and can be seen for a pretty impressive distance at night or dark situations. Extremely helpful when using this watch in the tatical/outdoors setting.

At the 6 o’clock index is the MTM knife logo and looking closer you can faintly see printed dark grey ALM TMR STW VIB and BEEP. By unscrewing and pushing the top left pusher those printed letters light up & unleash some awesome features of the Silener watch. The Silencer features a LED display area shows above the printed letters the current time, alternative time zone, month, date, 4 daily alarm settings, countdown timer, chronograph and alarm beeping or vibration status. But what makes this feature even more awesome is the fact you can’t see the LED screen when the modes aren’t activated. It remains hidden like Arnold’s foe in The Predator movie. Having a LED display screen is cool, but having it truly hidden until activated is way beyond cool. It keeps a certain balance on the dial that can’t be achieved when the screen is in plain sight. I love the combination of analog and digital on the Silencer.

Yes quartz movements have a battery that is on a limited life span, typically 2 years is average. But MTM takes it a step further here. Included is a charger and you don’t have to plug it into your watch either. What you do is simply place the watch on the electromagnetic induction charger overnight. The New Black Silencer will be fully charged without having to open the case or change the battery. You don’t have to worry about over charging because the Silencer is equipped with overcharge protection and low battery alert. When fully recharged it can last for up to an impressive 4 months. The 4 month charge can last when under the following conditions A.) Starting with a full charge B.) One beeper alert C.) one vibration alert D.) 20 seconds of external LED light actuation per day. Lasting 4 months on a single full charge is quit handy when you are in limited electricity access situations. I took the Silecer on a 2 1/2 week trip through some harsh conditions and I used all the functions many times, including the flashlight mode that was used many dark nights, and the charge lasted well past the end of my trip. I was very impressed.

Something else that also impressed me on the Silencer is the bracelet. This massive and rugged bracelet is built for abuse. The links are held in place by octagon head screws which the included tool are removed with ease. The bracelet sand blasted finish perfectly matches the finish on the case. The end links at the lugs are solid, not cheap hollow links. Which you want on a watch that is designed for the abuse of the wearer. The deployment buckle features a micro adjustment to fine tune the fit and it also is engraved with MTM. The clasping system works without fail. I love how solid this bracelet feels on the Silencer. It’s definitely a plus.

The Silencer is a well made piece that is built for those “survival situations”. It feels great on the wrist and feels like it can handle any situation on land and sea. The features on the Silencer lend a helpful hand on any mission. Everything functions perfectly as you would expect. Coming in at $750 the Silencer is quite impressive for what you get. A solid case, functions galore, an included charger that allows a single charge to last up to 4 months, and a massive bracelet. This watch is constructed like a tank and it’s surely ready for battle.

What’s not ready for battle and my only complaint about the Silencer is the sand blasted finish. Unfortutely it shows scratches pretty easily which is a bit disappointing because this watch is designed for outdoors/tatical/survival situations. A watch like this shouldn’t have to be babied. Now the quality and build on this watch is great, it’s only the finishing that takes a hit. Is this a deal breaker? Certainly not. The Silencer also is available in a brushed stainless steel and DLC coated versions as well. I would like to give the brushed stainless steel a go in the field to see how well it would hold up.

If you are looking for a tactical, badass watch that can handle the outdoor with ease and has some great hidden features, then the Silencer is a great consideration. I know personally it can handle adventures on land and sea. I put it through a lot and it didn’t miss a beat.

I want to personally thank MTM for this honor and for this opportunity for the review. I was impressed on how the Silencer was able to keep up with me on my testing adventures.

Thanks for reading.

Wrist shots 7 1/2″ wrist for reference and Additional Pictures:

 

Watch Review: Miang Copenhagen GMT

COMPANY: Miang Copenhagen

WEBSITE: http://miang-copenhagen-2.myshopify.com

ABOUT:

The story of Miang Copenhagen begins on a day in 1970 with a young boy receiving a fine Seiko chronograph watch from his father, who had just returned home from the World Expo in Osaka, Japan. The mechanical watch made a great impression on the boy, sowing the seeds of what would grow into a passion for watches.
Founder Jens Ole Miang has now spent more than 20 years working with watches as corporate gifts, supplying countless customized logo watches to companies around the world. As a watch enthusiast and collector, Jens Ole Miang’s work has always been accompanied by an unwavering dedication to each individual watch. He travels far and wide to experience original pieces first hand, staying at the forefront of the latest trends and witnessing every detail up close. Miang’s deep professional and passionate insight into the universe of watches led him to wonder why people did not have the option of designing their own watches. By founding Miang Copenhagen, Jens Ole Miang set out to provide such an opportunity for other watch enthusiasts. His knowledge of the industry and direct contact with quality suppliers around the world has eliminated the need for costly middlemen and made such watches possible at a reasonable price.
Focusing on the unique quality of every single detail, Miang pledged to avoid simply changing the colors and graphics of standard components. He then commissioned Jan Egeberg, one of Denmark’s leading industrial designers, to specially design the watch from scratch.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Watch case

Made from 316L stainless steel that is either polished or polished and coated in gunmetal PVD. In addition to the two colors above, the crown is also available with rose-gold PVD coating. The watch is pressure tested to 5 ATM.

Glass
Sapphire glass on the front with anti-reflective coating on the interior glass surface. The case back is equipped with a tempered mineral glass exhibition window.

Movement Cal. 2551, decorated

Watch strap
Italian calf leather, suede or salmon skin. Tone-on-tone or contrast stitching. Buckle in 316L stainless steel.

Hands
Chrome-plate, rose gold-plate or colored. Hour and minute hands available with luminescent material to match the watch dials with dial markings in the same material.

Guarantee / warranty
Every Miang Copenhagen watch comes individually numbered with a 2-year guarantee and warranty.

 

Who doesn’t like options and choices. Let’s face it there will always be details on a watch on our wrist that we think “if this was different, if these hands were a different color, etc.. Well the masterminds at Miang knows us well and they give us the chance to make the choices ourselves through their customization process. There are so many different combinations that it’s addicting to try them all out on their website. I highly recommend trying as many combinations as you can to find what you like best. Technically there is about 400,000 different combinations possible.

I spent a lot of time trying all the different choices for each detail of the watch. For the case I went with the polished stainless steel. The finish on this watch is honestly like a mirror. I was surprised high nice it looks. I usually gravitate towards brushed stainless but this is a refreshing change from the norm. The shape on this case is very unique and cool. It’s 43mm by 13mm. It wears thicker due to the rounded shape of the case. The dial circumference is smaller than the case back circumference this gives the GMT a unique shape. It’s a fantastic profile.

The lugs are quite unique in their own right. The lugs are short and rounded but what makes them truly unique is how thin they are from the top view. What this does is from the side profile view they lugs look rounded wide, then from the top view the thinness allows the dial to be the main focal point. The crown is hard to ignore though. A crown is a detail that can really add so much to a watch if it’s done correctly. The crown on the GMT adds some great detail to the profile and overall look. The crown screws and it is also signed with a simple raised M. But that’s not what makes it add to the aesthetics of the watch, it’s the size and location of the crown that does. The crown tube is quite wide and extends out into view from the case even when the crown is fully screwed down. I love this detail. The crown’s circumference  is proportionate to the case but what makes this crown great is how wide it is making it easy to grip & nice to look at.

If you have read my other reviews, you know that my personal preference is solid case backs. The GMT has an exhibition case back. But Miang ensured that they will give you something worth looking at through the case back. The first thing you will notice is that it’s an automatic winding movement by the lovely blue rotor that’s signed with a grey M. Throughout the movement you can see matching blue screws. That beautiful blue color of the screws is achieved from a long process of heating the steel screws to a very high but specific temperature. The color throughout the movement gives you something pleasing to look at instead of just a plain stock movement. The movement itself is manufactured by Seagull.

The dial is where you can really get creative with your customization choices. Dial color, hand color, indexes, lume vs no lume etc… It’s great having choices. The dial on the review piece here has the blue sunburst dial. The blue is deep and beautiful. It reminds me of the ocean and how the water changes color with the lighting of the day. I can’t express how nice this color is and how truly beautiful it makes the dial. Now the dial wouldn’t be complete without hands and hour indexes.

The hands on the GMT are nice and long extending out to the indexes with perfection. A detail on a watch that I appreciate. It makes timing more precise and it just looks better when the hands reach the edges the dial. The hour & minute hands and the indexes are chrome. The chrome set against the blue is magnificent especially when catching the light. A splash of color variation can add nicely to any dial. That splash comes in the form of the long red GMT hand and the white small seconds hand located at the 9 o’clock position.

There are other splashes of color on the GMT dial. Located just under 12 o’clock and above 6 o’clock, the text is printed in white “Miang Copenhagen and GMT”. The GMT hours,minute track and small seconds track. The color combination works together in perfect harmony. This dial is a real stunner. Even the date window located at the 3 o’clock hour is unobtrusive and blends into the dial. I actually forgot that there was a date window on this watch. That’s how nicely it blends in. So many times a date window can distract or disrupt the flow of a dial.

There are plenty of choices when it comes to the strap. For the GMT here for review, a simple black leather strap. There is something that is quite beautiful about simplicity. The strap is smooth and soft from the get go. The black stitching adds to the simplistic nature of this strap. Armed with a simple tang style buckle that singed with a simple M. The tan wrist side of the strap is stamped with Miang Copenhagen. I really like this strap because of its simple, unassuming nature.

Miang has really made watch wearing a custom experience. Allowing the wearer to choose their wrist candy’s destiny. What’s impressive about the whole Miang GMT experience is that is can be done for under $350. You not only get a plethora of great design detail choices but you get a solid made watch. And it’s not just your typical designed watch. You get a very unique case. The shape of this case is just awesome. I love the way it sits on your wrist. The case size and shape gives the GMT great wrist presence.

There are so many different combinations possible to make your GMT truly personal and truly your own. It’s hard though not to think of getting another one to see what it would look like with other combinations. The customizing interface is really easy to use and it’s awesome to see what your choices look like. It’s not until the watch is in your hand when you can see how awesome your choices look. And to tell you the truth it’s just fun to mess around on the Miang website to customize. I spent a lot of time just doing that. There’s no wrong choice. It’s like critiquing art, you can’t really do that because it’s all about the artist’s vision when creating that piece of art. Miang gives you the canvas, and it’s up to you to create the masterpiece.

I would definitely recommend the GMT watch to anyone looking for a unique experience to customize your own watch. A watch with a unique case, one that can be dressed up or dressed down, that all depends on what style you choose. You can play around on Miang’s website to see what I mean at: http://miang-copenhagen-2.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage

My only nit picking complaint is because it has so much polished surface it’s very easy to show smudges and fingerprints. I would love to see this exact watch with a brushed stainless steel case.

I want to personally thank Jens and the Miang team for this opportunity to go through the custom experience.

Thanks for reading.

Wrist 7 1/2″ for reference:

Watch Review: James Caird Endurance

COMPANY: James Caird

WEBSITE: http://www.jamescairdtimepieces.com

ABOUT:

Our Brand

At James Caird Timepieces we love that an automatic watch is a perpetual machine, moving and beating constantly to keep the hands in motion. So when we created our watches, we took that spirit of perpetual motion and designed a watch for the person in perpetual motion — a watch that could look sharp at the office and perform on the trail. When you wear a James Caird Timepiece, you can dive into the deep end, sweat it out at the gym, dig in the dirt, and then head out to dinner and know that your watch will never stop. Because a James Caird is automatic, it’s motion is powered by your motion, so you’ll never replace a battery again.

We have worked for over a year to create a watch that we believe can be your only watch. We’ve incorporated the best features of traditional diver-style timepieces — durability, wearability, utility, accuracy — and added thoughtful details — steel outlined hands and indices and unique dial colors — to ensure your James Caird Timepiece will stand the test of time.

We are not just another micro-brand. Our experience comes not only from years of collecting, but time spent at Lititz Watch Technicum, where only 14 students out of thousands of applicants are accepted each year to learn the art of Swiss watchmaking. Our timepieces are not stock – they are designed specifically to include the best elements of both timeless and contemporary watchmaking to ensure they will look good and wear well for decades to come, and all at an affordable price.

Our name comes from the epic story of Ernest Shackleton’s antarctic expedition in 1915. After abandoning their ship when it became hopelessly entrenched in ice, the crew boarded two lifeboats and sailed to Elephant Isle. The one remaining lifeboat, the James Caird, transported half of the crew to South Georgia, through some of the most treacherous seas in the south ocean. Thanks to the James Caird and Shackleton’s leadership, every member of the crew survived.

Our watches strive to be as timeless as Shackleton’s story and as durable as his lifeboat, the James Caird. For more on Shackleton’s voyage, check out The Endurance by Alfred Lansing.

Our Promise

We want you to be fully satisfied with your timepiece. If you aren’t, we will work to make it right. All of our watches have been tested for quality assurance and are manufactured with the utmost care.We pride ourselves on delivering both a high-end product and high-end service, and we strive to ensure we are doing so everyday.

MODEL: ENDURANCE
SPECIFICATIONS:
CASE: Brushed Stainless Steel 42mm, 13mm thick
MOVEMENT: Seiko NH35
LUGS: 22mm lugs with holes for screwed strap bars
CRYSTAL: Flat Sapphire
DIAL: Matte black with C3 Lume
STRAP: Green NATO style

 

Kickstarter has paved the way for watch makers and watch enthusiasts looking to get into the business. Every day new campaigns pop up. It’s hard to keep track of them all and it’s even harder to know which ones are worth your time and more importantly your money. I came across James Caird one night while I was looking at watch pictures on Instagram as I often do to relax at night. There was something that caught my eye. Yes you can say that the design is nothing new, but there was something special about this classic designed diver. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I found myself coming back to the Endurance pictures over and over again. I needed to get hands on with the Endurance to see if it was something special or just another fly by night Kickstarter watch. Let’s explore the Endurance to see what it is all about!

The brushed stainless steel case comes in at the “new classic” size of 42mm by 13mm thick. It’s a good size because it universally fits most wrists no matter the size. Not too big and not too small. The finish on the Endurance is to my personal likings. I prefer brushed over polished because I like a more tool looking watch over the polished dress look. But it’s all about personal preference. The finish is well done, uniform throughout and very smooth. The lugs are also brushed and have a good amount of curvature that allows the endurance to sit on your wrist comfortably.

The crown is definitely a great detail on this watch for a number of reasons. Being labeled as a diving watch of course you would expect the crown to screw down and James Caird gets it right thankfully. I also like that the crown is located at the 4 o’clock position, it just offers a bit of change from the norm and you won’t have the worry about the crown digging into the back of your wrist. The nautical star that is on the crown is a nice touch and it’s a great detail that ties in nicely with the theme of the watch & the origin of the James Caird name. The gear style edges make the crown very easy to grip. The crown could have been just a bit bigger though. This has more to do with personal aesthetic preferences and has nothing to do with function. No worries here because the crown functions as it should.

The solid case back also features a nice engraved nautical star. I love this case back and I am so glad that James Caird decided to go with a solid case back instead of an exhibition case back. This watch wants to be your adventure watch and claims to be able to handle your adventure. An exhibition case back just doesn’t scream rugged, adventure watch to me. The nautical star is well done and ranks itself as one of my personal favorite solid case backs that I have seen. It is simple but makes a big impression.

The stainless steel bezel is quite solid. It has very little play and is pretty firm when you rotate it. The edges of the bezel makes for an easy grip when you do go to rotate it. As a dive watch, the essential triangle with the lume faux pearl makes allows you to properly mark off time which is important on long dives to keep track of oxygen usage/time. The bezel lines up pretty good as well with the dial which is something that I always look for on a watch of this style/design. The silver numbers on the bezel are crisp as can be with nice sharp edges. The unidirectional rotating bezel ratchets amazingly and is music to the watch enthusiast’s ear.

The dial is classic on the Endurance, nothing out of the ordinary but still a classic beauty. I’m such a sucker for matte black dials as they are so incredibly easy to read, with very little to no glare whatsoever. The black is also the perfect backdrop for the white details on this dial. I like that James Caird chose the hour indexes that they did. They could have went with the easy and obvious, but instead went with triangles and rectangles instead. These little details throughout the watch is what makes the Endurance refreshing while stayin with that classical design. The applied markers give some depth adding detail to the dial. The dial would not be as easy to read if it wasn’t for the nice sapphire crystal.

The dial on the Endurance is really clean and uncluttered. The text is kept to one line under the 12 o’clock position and 3 liner above the 6 o’clock position. I questioned the date window at the 4 o’clock position at first. Not the location but the color choices. I thought to myself why did they go with the white wheel and black text? I didn’t get it at first. But after spending some good quality time with the Endurance my lightbulb came on. The white date wheel matches great with the rectangle hour indexes and actually allows the date window to blend in more.

The sword style hands are sized so perfectly to this dial and overall size of this watch. Just as the edges of the hour indexes, the sword hands are polished. A detail that actually works well here because of the matte black dial. The reason is that it keeps the bling factor in check and keeps the Endurance classy, not blingy. The second hand reaches to the chapter ring. This is a huge plus in my eyes as it allows precise timing right down to the second, no guess work here. All of the hands and indexes on the Endurance feature C3 lume making the dial easy to read just as easy to read at night as it is to read in the daylight. Even the tip of the second hand has lume.

One of my favorite details on the dial is the inner chapter ring. I absolutely love that James Caird decided against the usual plain steel chapter ring, but instead they added minutes/seconds markers on a black background. It looks great, adds more function and adds another detail to the classic design adding something more instead of less. I also like the nautical star that’s printed on the dial inbetween the James Caird name.

The movement ticking inside the Endurance is the reliable Seiko NH35. The 24 jewel movement has an accuracy rate of -20~+40 seconds per day and a power reserve of over 41 hours. The movement also has shock absorber for balance staff. It’s a good movement and especially if you factor in the price of the Endurance.

Keeping the price in mind($199-$225), the Endurance comes on a simple, but nice green NATO style strap. I do like bracelets on dive watches occasionally, who doesn’t. I understand why James Caird went with the strap choices that they did so that they kept the Endurance in this attractive price point. The green NATO is well made, softer than most and is a bit thicker as well. So you aren’t getting a cheap strap here by any means and not to mention that it’s held in place by double sided screw bars not typical spring bars.

The Endurance doesn’t break the mold of unique style design, but it does do something to separate it from other Kickstarter choices out there. James Caird added nice, subltle details throughout the Endurance. These details are throughout this watch and they are really nice. I’m actually quite shocked that they are able to offer this watch at this price point considering all of these details. It’s quite impressive to say the least. I’m also impressed that I can’t really nit pic about anything either.

Here’s the detail perks that the Endurance steps up and makes it a real value:

C3 Lume
Tight rotating bezel
Sapphire crystal
Screw down signed crown
Engraved screw down case back
200m water resistance
Seiko NH35 Movement
Screw strap bars

Seriously, I have had watches that cost triple that the Endurance does and didn’t feature half of those perks. This watch really is a no brainier. It’s a great weekend adventure watch, a daily “beater” that has style. And at $225 how can you lose? James Caird are extremely passionate about watches and they are down to Earth people. They have a clear vision with the Endurance and in my opinion they have executed it with percision. I am impressed with the Endurance. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable dive watch. It won’t break the bank, it looks great on the wrist and it is packed full of some nice details. If you are interested in the Endurance you can check out James Caird’s website or their Kickstarter campaign at:

I would love to personally thank James Caird for this opportunity for this review.

Thank you for reading!

WRIST SHOT 7 1/2″ wrist for reference:

 

Watch Review: DELTAt NBS MKI-TCS

COMPANY: DELTAt

WEBSITE: http://www.deltatwatch.com

ABOUT:

Change is the only thing that is eternal in the universe, but without time , nothing changes. (∆t) standards for the different between two different points in time, Time 1 (t1) and Time 2 (t2). In equation, we write ∆t = t2 – t1, which, on the other hand, denotes the change of time.

Watch is one of the greatest inventions of human kind. Without it, civilization could never become so advanced. It is the instrument of measuring the change of time (∆t), and that’s why we named ourselves .

At DELTAt , we not only produce high quality watches with reasonable prices, we produce watches with special characteristics. Every watch from is so unique that it may also be considered as a piece of art.

MODEL: NBS

SPECIFICATIONS:

Features:
Patented Design
Patent Pending Lug Screw Locking Mechanism
Limited to 300 Pieces World-Wide
Movement:
Japan Miyota Automatic Movement Cal. 8N24
Manual/Automatic winding
21 jewels
21,600 vibrations per hour
more than 40 hours power reserve when fully winded
Hands:
Lumed Hour, Minute hands
Case:
49mm diameter excluding crown
66mm from lug to lug
20.2mm thick
Titanium
Satin and Sandblast finishing
Screw-down Titanium Inner Bottom Cover with Mirror finishing Logo
316L Stainless Steel Outer Bottom Cover
Three Main Screws locked Bezel and Outer Bottom Cover
Automatic Helium Escape Valve
Dial:
Carbon Fiber Dial with Lumed index
Windowed Dial to see-through the Balance Wheel and Pallet Fork
Crown:
7.7mm diameter with cross-diagonal pattern screw-in Crown
Crystal:
Sapphire Crystal with anti-reflection coating
Water Resistant
1,000m/3,300ft (100ATM) Water Resistant
Straps:
22mm width / 5mm thick
One set of 90/130mm fine genuine leather straps
One set of 90/130mm unique canvas straps
Uniquely designed Titanium Buckle and Loop

Price: $1350

Individuality is what defines us, making each person different. Our personality makes us who we are. We may follow certain style trends, but we put our own individual spin on things. As time goes on, most everything has been done sometime before. But like I mentioned before, there’s always that individualized spin we put on things to make it our own, to make it personalized to us, which in turn gives it a special meaning to that individual. DELTAt has taking this into their mission when designing watches. The NBS is a prime example of unique, individualized design. It’s certainly unique, and certainly refreshing as an escape from the “norm”.

The case is definitely as unique as they come. When I first opened the packaging the case was the first thing that I noticed. The titanium case is big, coming in at 49mm excluding the crown and 20.2 mm thick. The NBS is not for the faint of heart. It is a rugged beast of a watch that I can picture members the Voltron force wearing. It has a futuristic look to it. This is made of titanium but it still has some weight to it, but not in an obnoxious way. A watch of this size and build is going to be expected to have some weight behind it.

The bezel is fixed and it’s held in place by 3 large head screws. What’s really cool is that DELTAt includes mini tools which allows you to remove all the screws that you will find throughout the watch. I love the positioning of the 3 main screws that hold the bezel in place. The satin and blasted finish throughout the case is beautiful.

The side profile of the NBS is full of unique detail. The 7.7mm screw down crown is easy to grip and operate thanks to it’s size. But the cross-diagonal edges of the crown also adds to the ease of gripping. Normally I would complain when I see a non signed crown because I believe that when a crown is signed it adds nice detail to the overall design, but in this instance it works that it’s not signed. There is a lot going on with details on the NBS case design and the crown looks clean how it is. I think if it was signed it wouldn’t look right and be too much. The non crown side has an automatic helium release valve a nice touch of detail to the case.

I really like the solid case back on the NBS it’s just as unique as the rest of the watch. It’s held in place by 3 pentagon head screws which are smaller than the ones on the bezel. I love that the screw tube is on the outside edge of the case. It looks absolutely awesome and even more awesome because the case is cut out for the screw tubes. The center of case back is sunken in and is features an engraved DELTAt logo. There is also 3 notches cut into the case back as a continuation of the 3’s theme on the NBS.

The lugs are huge on the NBS and normally huge lugs can inhibit the overall aesthetics of the watch and also affect the comfort. But the lugs work well on the NBS. I like that the lugs have hole in them for the strap bars, especially because of the strap bars have pentagon heads. Just a great little design detail.

The NBS holds onto it’s uniqueness and continues it onto the dial. The carbon fiber dial features a large gold Y which adds a nice splash of color onto the dial. But if you examine a little closer you will see that it’s not just a gold Y, but you will see that the dial is cut out and the movement underneath is exposed. There is even the DELTAt logo cut out as well that you can see the movement through. It’s a beautiful detail that DELTAt went with that wasn’t just taking the easy trend way out by making a straight up skelotonized dial or an open heart.

The indexes are quite unique on the NBS dial. First you find round applied indexes which are lumed for some brilliant night time viewing. The indexes are nicely elevated and rounded on top. Really nice in person. Coming back to the gold Y on the dial, if you trace the Y out to each of it’s branches, each on leads to a large white triangular in nature indexes. They are located at 12, 4, 8 and they are also coated with lume. The Y on the dial is opposite by the Y that is created by the bezel screws which gives such a sense of balance to the overall look of the NBS.

My only disappointment with the NBS is the hands. I think that the hands could have taken this dial from just a good dial to a great dial. I believe that the hands are too small for the dial and the overall largeness of this watch. Also the hands are better suited for a dress style watch rather than this large, rugged style that the NBS exudes. I would have loved to see some larger hands that were skelontized a bit so they wouldn’t interrupt the views of the Y cut out on the dial. The high polished hands feature a small bit of lume but just on the hour and minute hands, the second hands is void of any lume. The hands wouldn’t necessarily be a deal breaker for me but it would have made the NBS that much better.

The movement ticking away inside the NBS is a Miyota Automatic Movement Cal. 8N24. It has a 40 hour and an accuracy rate of -20~+40 seconds per day. It also has a built in shock absorber for balance staff.

The NBS comes with a killer canvas strap, game over. I love canvas straps and it’s crazy because that love has over taken my custom leather love. The grey canvas strap with the yellow detail is very well made. The white stitching adds extra detail that makes the strap even better. The titanium buckle is what makes this strap crazy awesome. It’s very industrial in design and the detail on the buckle is just plain out cool. I have never seen a buckle like this on a strap that was not a custom strap. The titanium keeper is also pretty cool but the edges are a little on the sharp side and ends up digging into your wrist after some long term wearing. Some rounded edges instead of the square edges would fix the problem. Perhaps a keeper that matches the buckle would be even better.

This watch is not for everyone lets get that out of the way. But like DELTAt states their watches are like works of art. The NBS does feature some really unique design details on the case and on the dial. I really like all the pentagon screw heads that are actually for functional purposes and not just for decoration purposes. I like that DELTAt included the tools for each size screw so that you can remove them if you so desire. So many details work on the NBS watch making it a one of a kind style watch. The only detail design that I would suggest that would make this watch even better from a stylistic perspective is the hands. Like I mentioned earlier in the review, is some bigger, more rugged hands would look/work much better on the NBS. DELTAt held true to that futuristic, rugged design vision throughout the NBS except for the hands. As I have mentioned many times in my reviews I am pretty crazy/obsessed with hands on a watch and it’s a little disappointing when they miss the mark.

This watch is big, unique and pretty damn cool. It’s completely refreshing. The more time that I spent with it, the more I came to appreciate it. The titanium case is my favorite part of this watch. Usually the dial steals the show, but the case has on the NBS. The carbon dial is very cool as well especially with the open Y. Another added detail that makes the NBS so cool is the extreme depth it can handle, 1000M or 3300 feet. That’s pretty damn impressive. It’s definitely the watch for someone that is looking for a completely unique watch experience and I believe that person would not be let down by their experience with the NBS.

Thank you so much for reading!

I also want to thank Hiro and the rest of the DELTAt team for this opportunity.

 

Watch Review: SPINAKKER HAAS

COMPANY: SPINAKKER

WEBSITE: http://www.spinakker-watches.com

ABOUT:

From the moment man endured to traverse the seas around him, a legacy of bravery, adventure, skill and ingenuity has ensued. While modes of movement across the sea vary, it is yachting, the very use of nature’s own elements to move across the oceans that is the purest form of seafaring. It is also the most demanding. Combining the best of technical skills, engineering prowess, strength, determination -The world of yachting is am embodiment of the best a man can be. Our timepieces through a combination of material, design and craftsmanship pay tribute to the world and lifestyle of yachting, with a flair and style that makes each timepiece wearable on land and on the waves.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MOVEMENT

Miyota Automatic Multi-function

CASE

CASE MATERIAL : Stainless Steel
CASE DIAMETER (mm) : 43
CASE THICKNESS (mm) : 16

BAND

BAND : Genuine Leather Strap
BAND COLOUR : Black
BUCKLE : Strap Buckle
BAND WIDTH (mm) : 24

WATER RATING

WATER RESISTANCE : 20 ATM/200M

Dive watches are quite popular these days and actually have been popular for quite some time. Most people don’t use there watches for diving and there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s no rules in this hobby. There are different types of dive watches that can fall into different categories. I’m talking in terms of style, not price. There are those dive watches that are more on the tool watch/rugged side and there are dive watches that are on the dressy side. There are even some that fall in the middle. Where they possess stylistic qualities of both. That’s where the Haas falls into it’s place. It possess some rugged aspects and some dressier aspects. How do I classify these groups? Well a dressier dive watch has a polished case, polished bracelet, gloss dial with polished hands, ceramic bezel, catching my drift? A more toolish/rugged diver has a bead blasted or brushed case, matte dial, a metal bezel, a rubber strap. Either side is no better than the other in my opinion, as always it just comes down to personal preference. SPINAKKER has attempted to please all sides and preferences with the Haas. Let’s take a look at this dive watch.

When I opened up the box and saw this watch for the first time I was hit in the face by a lot of details, my eyes didn’t know where to go to first. The brushed stainless steel 43mm case is a good place to start though. 43mm x 16 mm is a pretty sweet spot in terms of size. The non crown side features an engraved SPINAKKER which looks really nice in the cursive font.

The bezel at first glance looks like it’s made of sapphire but it’s actually hardlex glass with lume coating underneath. It is quite stunning. The unidirectional bezel rotates smooth and has very little play. I like the fact that the bezel lines up with the dial when it’s rotated into place at the 12 o’clock position. The bezel though can be difficult to grip because of the smooth edges, if the ridges of the gear edges were a bit bigger it would solve that problem.

The screw down crown works like butter and features a nice laser etched SPINAKKER logo. It’s always a bonus when a crown is signed, for such a small detail it surely adds a great deal of character. The crown is easy to grip as well when screwing the crown or when winding/setting the time. In this day and age I would expect watches at this price point to include a sapphire crystal. The Haas has a mineral crystal not that it makes it an inferior watch, but a this price and where the Haas is placing itself, I would just have like to seen a sapphire crystal. What I really like though about the crystal is that it’s domed very nicely.  Domed crystals are a thing of real beauty and something that I personally appreciate on a watch. A domed crystal just adds that extra detail to finish off the look.

The lugs are nicely curved and are a good size in terms of length. They are brushed just like the majority of the case is. The case back is pretty beautiful. As you know, I am not much of a fan of exhibition case backs. I find that they were over done and a nice engraved solid case back can add a lot of detail. Some exhibition case backs were displaying undecorated standard movements without any added details. SPINAKKER stepped it up by adding their logo to the underneath of the crystal and the rotor is very cool. I like that the rotor is open and that its blue. It gives you actually something interesting to look at.

The dial is also an interesting focal point. The textured dial is volcanic ash black and it’s nice to look at. The texture and dial color really makes the rest of the dial details pop out. The applied indexes add depth to the watch  3 dimensionally. The indexes are brushed to match the case. I like this because of the continuity and because it doesn’t make the dial appear “blingy”. The indexes are coated with Swiss Superluminova C3 Lume. That continuity doesn’t end there either, the hands of this watch share this same quality. The hour hand is brushed and lumed, and it matches the hand on the sub dial at the 9 o’clock position on the dial. The orange minute hand matches the hand on the sub dial at 4 o’clock. It’s great when there’s consistency within details on a watch.

The sub dials have special jobs to perform and each one is different. The sub dial located at 9 o’clock is a 24 hr secondary counter. The other sub dial is a small seconds display. The orange hands add some nice color and detail on the dial, set against the volcanic dial, the orange pops beautifully.

The strap on the Haas is full of it’s own details as well. The black leather is soft and well padded. I like the grey stitching  on the black leather, again shows the Haas devotion to consitancy to detail. (Matches perfectly with the brushed details on the case) This strap is very comfortable for a number of reasons, one it’s soft, two it’s padded and three that extra flap under the buckle creates a blanket between your skin and the buckle itself. I had a custom leather strap like this that cost well over $100 and it had most of these details that the Haas strap has. This strap is definitely a highlight of the Haas.

The ticking away inside the Haas is a customized 21 jewel Miyota movement. The 8247 has a -20/+40 known accuracy rate and ticks with 21,600 vibrations per hour. It has a power reserve of over 40 hours on a full wind. Not much else that I can add about the movement from a review standpoint that hasn’t been said before so I’ll leave it at that.

The Haas is full of some nice details. The dial is a nice focal point thanks to the textured dial and the applied markers. The dial is easily read on both land and in the water, but also during the day and thanks to the lume coating it’s easy to read at night as well. The strap is definitely another highlight of the Haas. It’s soft, padded and built for style comfort. Coming in at $559.47, I will have to say some things here. The domed crystal really surprised me and it’s really nice.

At this price here’s what I would expect from a watch, don’t get me wrong the Haas does deliver on most, but there are a few things that can be improved upon. The bezel I would expect to be a different material than hardlex and have better grip on the edges for increased ease of rotating. This also carries over to the crystal as I stated before, I would expect a sapphire crystal. With all that being said Spinaker is offering a 40% discount on the Haas if you use the code TIMETOBLOG and TTB30 for 30% off their other watches. Which makes the Haas a good offering at the discounted price.

The Haas is a solid offering from SPINAKKER and I am pleased overall with what I see on this watch. It’s a great mid-style diver in which it sits neutral between being s dress diver and a tool diver.

Hans Hass  January 23, 1919 – June 16, 2013, an Austrian biologist and diving pioneer in which he is known as the first to do a multitude of great things in the world of diving. He was known mainly for being among the first scientists through his underwater films to bring awareness to coral reefs, stingrays and sharks. His life story is very interesting and I highly recommend that you read about his accomplishments.

Thank you SPINAKKER for this opportunity and thank you for reading. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

For reference wrist is 7 1/2″

Watch Review: Heroic 18 M9600

 

COMPANY: Heroic 18

WEBSITE: http://www.heroic18.com/index.php

About:

As a Panerai enthusiast, collecting Panerai and building straps are our major hobbies, with our interest and knowledge on leather, HEROIC18 was founded to share our passion and interest by offering a various collection of straps with the fusion of historic vintage style and high quality leather material exclusively for all Panerai.

We highly emphasize five goals in our straps—premium in leather texture, outstanding workmanship, top level in comfort, modish design and reasonable prices.

We strongly believe that the products you will see demonstrated here and over the coming future will be more and more fantastic and distinctive . So come to utilize our products to present your outstanding personality!
Donald & Caroline

Model: M9600 – Limited Edition Version
Heroic18 Black Vintage Dial with Arabic Numerals Bronze Diver Watch

47mm CUSN8 bronze case

Miyota 90S5 movement ( 24 jewels 28800 vibrations per hour )

500m water resistant

Luminova index & hands

120 clicks bezel

Sandwich dial , a vintage finishing dial

4.5mm dome sapphire with AR coating

24mm strap lug

Lug to lug 56mm

Watch case thickness : 16mm ( glass excluded )

316 Stainless steel case back

3 fixed straps & a bronze Pre-V spring bar buckle included . A genuine brown shark strap with ecru stitching in 24×24 , 125/80 . A crazy horse strap with ecru stitching in 24×24 , 125/80 . A vintage green canvas strap with green stitching in 24×24 , 125/80

A black wooden watch box included

Cover with 2 years worldwide warranty

Limited in 99 pcs only

We all have our preferred style of watches. I do love all style of watches from dress watches to pilot watches and everything in between. But I do in fact have a personal favorite and that favorite are dive watches. There’s just something so magical about a thick, heavy duty case, a domed crystal, etc.. I absolutely love looking at a domed crystal in it’s natural element, the water. Even at a swallow depth, looking through the water into the crystal at the dial. Pure magic.

Heroic 18 M9600 is in for review treatment and being in my favorite style it will be under the microscope. Straight out of the box the first thing I noticed was the large 47mm CUSN8 bronze case. It’s not just your run of the mill bronze either. It’s marine grade bronze. This watch could spend its life in salt water and basically show no signs of corrosion. A few years ago I didn’t like bronze cases. I don’t know why, but I just didn’t. But the more bronze watches that I experience the more I like them. Bronze cases are like a fine wine, they age beautifully. In fact they age better than stainless steel. Even if scratched, it just adds character.

The M9600 is a large, substantial watch. You know it’s on your wrist.(in a good way) This case is built like a tank. In all honesty it feels like it could take multiple bomb blasts and not get a scratch on it. From first handling you can feel the quality of the case design. The bezel operates with that wonderful ratcheting sound, all 120 clicks sounds magnificent. The bezel is so easy to grip to because of the large gear style teeth. Functional and beautiful.Rising above the bezel is a glorious sight indeed. The 4.5mm dome sapphire with AR coating rises above. This is exactly the type of crystal that I would expect on a dive watch. I can’t express enough how nice this crystal is.

The 24mm spaced lugs are nice and wide proportional to the case for sure. H18 did something good in their design of the lugs. What they did is designed the lugs on the short side. Not short where they look disportionate to the case, but short so the already large watch doesn’t wear cartoonish on the wrist. The lugs have holes through them which allow access to the screw bars that hold the strap in place.

The signed H18 crown is well protected by some awesome large crown guards. I love when large crown guards have some sort of detailing and Heroic 18 abliges. On either side of the crown there are sunken flat head screws. This detail teamed with the gear style crown adds a great industrial rugged feel to the M9600. How could this get even better? Well through my review process which is pretty thorough, some nice patina has started to form on the crown and case as you can see in the pictures. I think it’s pretty important to showcase what the watch will look like under normal conditions. If natural patina is not your thing, a simple mix of some household liquids will make the case shine like new again. Me, I prefer the rugged patina look. Adds a touch more of badassery to an already badass watch. Win, win.

The stainless steel case back is badass in its own rights, because it features a raised Heroic 18 sword logo. The logo is one of my favorite company logos. The logo is surrounded by edges that are designed to look like the edges of the bezel. Hats off to H18 for a very cool tie in and consitancy that continues throughout this watch. There’s a detail on this watch that blows me away in terms of consistency that I will bring up when we get to the strap.

There are dials, and then there are DIALS. The dial on the M9600 is magnificent. First of all the textured, matte black dial has so much depth it almost has a volcanic rock/ash appearance. I’m definitely appreciating sandwiched dial more and more. The numerals of the sandwich dial are vintage yellow tinted not white and glow a nice green when charged up by a light source. The killer H18 logo appears again but this time on a smaller scale and it’s on the dial. The logo is done in the same bronze color that the hands are. This watch is full of continuity and consistency. Whenever I see this on a watch, I know that every detail was well planned out and not just thrown together.

Perfect sized hands can be found on the M9600 watch. By perfect I mean that they are perfectly proportional to the circumference of the dial itself. Nice wide, long hands. And I really love when a seconds hand reaches into the minutes/seconds track. Makes for more precise timing. As you probably have noticed there’s no date window featured on this watch. I’m actually pleased that there isn’t a date window because I love the flow of the sandwich dial and a date window would break that flow.

The movement inside the M9600 is a  Miyota 90S5 automatic movement. Has a good 42+ hour power reserve and an accuracy rate of -10/+30 seconds per day. During my review process the watch ran at -6 seconds per day. This was calculated from every position and the watch was on my wrist for the entire review testing process. This movement is a good alternative to ETA as it’s just as reliable, accurate and it’s just as much as a workhorse.

The straps, yes plural straps, 3 of them to be exact. All are very nice and all are different. My favorite of the 3? Hands down the canvas strap. Canvas has overtaken my leather love. When I opened up the watch and saw this amazing green canvas strap I was blown away. Instant love. This isn’t just a throw in strap, this is a real custom made canvas strap. Heroic 18’s background stems from making custom straps. You get a genuine brown shark strap with ecru stitching in, a crazy horse strap with ecru stitching. And of course the vintage green canvas strap with green stitching. All straps are top quality, very impressive.

What I wanted to mention about the straps that I touched on earlier is that the buckle is Mage of bronze. Why is this so awesome to me? Because quite often the buckles are not bronze so they remain bright, shiny and new looking which always looks off to me when the bronze case gains patina, but the buckle still looks new. But H18 kept its consistency here and I love this. Well done!

When I hear people say that substantial watches are “out” I chuckle to myself. Why?  Because for one they couldn’t be more wrong and two there is something that is so satisfying when you have a watch on your wrist that is designed with rugged, tough quality like the M9600. I love wearing a watch that I don’t have to baby or worry about when I’m doing my “weekend adventures”. The M9600 does not have to be babied at all. Trust me it doesn’t. Yes this watch is substantial in size and weight, but it wears surprisingly comfortable.

Everything on the M9600 functions as it should and impresses as it does. The bezel ratchets so smooth with no play, sits tightly against the case. It’s just a quality piece all around. For just over $800 USD you are getting a substantial watch that is full of attention to quality and consistency. You also get 3 quality straps that rival any custom straps that I have experienced. Each strap adds a dividend look to the M9600 and each one is killer in its own way.

Heroic 18 has done a great job with keeping true to their vision of the M9600 and executing it without fail. If I had to be nit-picky and find something that I would change it would be making the crown a bit wider. I personally just prefer a large crown. In defense of H18 because the watch is 47mm a larger crown would have the tendency to dig into the back of the wrist. So this change suggestion is just my personal preference.

I would highly recommend this watch to anyone looking for a bronze dive watch that you can rely on to handle any physical adventure. I think for what you get it’s a great value. I can’t wait to see what is next from Heroic 18.

7 1/2″ wrist

I want to personally thank Donald and Caroline for this honor and opportunity to review this great piece.

Now you can see why dive watches are one of my favorite style watches.

Thank you for reading!

Watch Review: Lebois & Co. Avantgarde

COMPANY: Lebois & Co.

WEBSITE: http://www.leboisandco.com

COMPANY HISTORY:

1934
Dodane FactoryWhere it all began
It is 11 days before Christmas 1934 when Lebois & Co is founded by French watch manufacturer Raymond Dodane, who belongs to the third generation of the Dodane family. It’s mission is clear and simple: create aesthetic and affordable Luxury Swiss timepieces.
The Dodane manufacture is founded in La Rasse in the Doubs in 1857, by Alphonse Dodane and his father-in-law François-Xavier Joubert. In 1929 the Dodane family settles in Besançon, where Raymond Dodane carries on the traditions of complex watch fabrication.

1947
Lebois & Co gets Italian

After World War II the brand Lebois & Co is handed over to Italian importers who outsource production to Dodane aswell as other Swiss watch manufacturers.
With it’s new owners Lebois & Co’s primary market is Italy but the brand is also well established in the rest of Europe.

1972
The brand ceases to exist
Lebois & Co ceases trading 40 years after it was founded, the original Lebois & Co stops producing watches and the brand ceases to exist.
Despite the disappearance of Lebois & Co the brand is still known today and popular with watch collectors all over the world. This beautiful 1945 Lebois & Co Chronograph sold for over $ 6,000 at Christie’s Important Watches auction in 2012.

2014
Old Lebois & Co 

The finding of an unfamiliar brand
Early 2014 Tom & Eveline come across a picture of a beautiful vintage watch, a Lebois & Co Chronograph which was sold at an auction by Christie’s. They print the picture of this watch and stick it to their fridge. Being struck by the beauty of this timepiece they start their research of this unfamiliar brand and their former owners.

2014
Lebois & Co is reborn
Upon the approval of the Dodane family the brand is resurrected, exactly eighty years after the original company was founded. Continuing its mission to create aesthetic Luxury Swiss timepieces. Fitting for these times the new logo for Lebois & Co is crowdsourced and the first model named Avantgarde will be crowdfunded.

2015
Avantgarde Date on Kickstarter 
Lebois & Co launches its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to part-fund the first Re-launch Edition of the Avantgarde Date watch.
The campaign is funded at 126% of its goal making it the first luxury Swiss Made mechanical watch successfully funded on Kickstarter! The first watch is sold to over 20 countries around the world. To find out more about our Kickstarter campaign, visit the Kickstarter project page.

2016
Avantgarde Date 2nd Re-launch on Kickstarter
Lebois & Co returns to Kickstarter to part-fund the second Re-launch Edition of the Avantgarde Date watch.
The campaign is funded at 104% of its goal and Lebois & Co is proud to be able to start producing its second batch of watches! To find out more about our Kickstarter campaign, visit the Kickstarter project page.

Model: Avantgarde Date

SPECIFICATIONS:

Case
Stainless steel case
Diameter: 40 mm
Height: 10,5 mm
Sapphire crystal
Case-back, screwed down, special “Re-launch” engraving
Water-resistant to 100 m / 10ATM

Movement
Movement ETA 2824-2 Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vibrations/hour (4 Hz)
Jewels: twenty-five (25)
Power reserve: 38 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Dial
Satin white dial
Hand-applied indexes
Silver hour and minute hands with luminescent material
Red seconds
Arabic numerals for the minute track

PRICE: $1595

What is old is new again. As I get older it’s interesting to see when something old becomes new again. Classic car designs, clothing trends, music, as time goes on the classics always have a way to become relevant again. It’s great to see when it comes to true classics. Lebois & Co. Have attempted this with their Avantgarde Date watch. Taking something classic and making it new again. Let’s explore the Avantgarde to see if they have achieved that classic greatness shall we?

The 40mm case comes in a just the right size for this style in my opinion. I understand that classic watches came in much smaller cases, around 36mm roughly. I like that Lebois & Co. put a modern twist in terms of the case size. Not too big to become unsightly but big enough to make it relevant in today’s market trends. This polished stainless steel case is quite stunning and it holds true to the roots & overall theme of this watch. I would classify this watch as a classical dress watch.

The majority of the case has a high polished finish. The top side of the lugs though has a brushed finish. The contrast this creates is impressive. The lugs are curved seemlessly. The flow to the case sides is beautiful. The signed crown operates by pushing and pulling to set the time and date but also to wind the watch manually. The crown could have been just a bit bigger so that turning it would be easier. I love, absolutely love that the crown guards are brushed on top like the lugs. This is a small detail that packs a big punch. The rest of the crown guards are polished finished. To achieve that small of brushing on that tiny space is pretty damn impressive. The screwed down case back also features a high polished finishing. There’s a few engraved details on the back of the case as well. I would have liked to see a nice engraved logo or design on the case back.

The dial is where the Avantgarde really makes a statement. The dial shines through the transparent sapphire crystal. The dial has just enough color to give some nice detail and depth. The first detail that really popped and caught my eyes was the large red seconds hand. It’s long and features a cool circle on the non-tip end. The seconds hand moves with great fluidity, no jumpy movement whatsoever. There is some simple, but colorful text on this dial. The deep blue color that Lebois & Co. picked for the dial is perfect and the red 60 at the 12 o’clock position adds some great consistency and detail.

The dial also features some nice texturing details as well. The center of the dial is raised up and the edges of the circle catches light brilliantly. The dial features quite of bit of light catching details as a matter of fact. The applied hour markers have nice angle cuts that light just dances off of thanks to the high polished finishing. The applied markers edges touch into the guiloched ring. This ring is a nice throwback to the art of guiloching that watch makers of yesteryear used to do meticulously by hand. I like that Lebois & Co. added this detail because it shows their dedication to consistency and holds true to the watches vintage roots theme.

Lebois & Co. picked out some nice hands for the minute and hour hands. They are long enough that they reach the hour and minute markers. The hands have small cut outs that have lume filler which is enough to allow you to read the time in the dark. The hands are angled on either side of the center line which creates some very nice light catching effects. All of the light catching effects on this dial are done in a very classy way and not in a “bling” way whatsoever. At the 3 o’clock position is a date window that is bordered in a polished frame. The date is prints in black set on a white wheel.

A strap can make or break a watch in terms of overall appearence. Look how many of us buy “new shoes” for our watches. A strap can change the look of a watch entirely. The alligator finish strap is jaw dropping. It adds so much to the Avantgarde. The deep blue color blows my mind and made me drool when I first saw it in person. The 20mm strap is very well made. The blue stitching is breathtaking. The overall matte blue color of the strap is so nice, I cannot begin to explain. You have to see it in person to believe. Touching this strap brings joy as well. It’s as smooth as butter. It’s padded as well which makes me happy. As you can tell, I love this strap. It’s vintage beauty. The strap has a nice butterfly style deployment buckle. Not only does this add a touch of class but it also helps preserve the life of the strap by limiting the bending stress that tang style buckles cause. This deployment strap goes the extra mile though with a small secure screw detail. Instead of simply snapping into place, the deployment buckle is secured onto the strap by a small, flathead screw. I was very excited by this little and cool detail.

Its just not any movement ticking away inside the Avantgarde, it’s the very accurate Eta 2824-2. A workhorse movement that is as reliable as it gets. The movement has a power reserve of 38 hour. The movement has a self winding rotor and it can also be wound manually via the crown. The 2824-2 has an average rate of +/−4 seconds/day, and a maximum daily variation of +/−15 seconds/day. The 2824-2 also has a built in shock absorption system as well.

I believe every collection deserves diversity. Every collection should have a dive watch, a field/tool watch, a pilot watch, a quartz watch, a daily beater and of course a dress watch. This is a dress watch that will surely shine in any collection. It’s refined and full of details that are a nice reminder of the roots of early watch making. The white dial has many of those reminders, especially with the touch of guiloching. This dial has a quiet elegance. It really has some vintage charm and magic reminiscent of early Patek and Sohne. I was quite taken by it’s magic of old.

The strap is definitely a few steps above in terms of quality and execution. It really makes a statement and adds so much to the overall look of this watch. If you really want to see the beauty of this dial, look at it in a lower lit setting. When it catches the light it is quite breathtaking.

In terms of things I would change on the Avangarde are small. One that would help functionability and one that would help cosmetically. The crown is on the smaller side and a bit hard to operate when you are using it to manually wind the watch. When it’s pulled out for setting the date and time it isn’t quite so difficult. A larger crown would solve this. The cosmetic detail that I would change would be giving the case back a nice engraved logo. It would really give the Avantagarde that extra push.

I think that this is a good offering from Lebois and Co. It is very well made and executed with percision. Someone looking for a nice dress watch with some excellent vintage detailing would be quite happy with the Avantgarde. It has plenty of charm and personality, yet it has a simple and quiet elegance. I has a very reliable movement ticking away inside so you won’t have to worry about reliability, quality and accuracy. I want to personally thank Lebois & Co. for this opportunity to explore and review the Avantgarde watch. I brought back some great memories of my early watch exposure from my childhood. Thank you for reading.

Watch Review: Morgenwerk M1-3

COMPANY: Morgenwerk

WEBSITE: http://www.morgenwerk.watch/en/

About:

Observing the last 200 years of horological history, great things have been accomplished. Micromechanical miracles have emblazoned our wrists and vest pockets. Quartz oscillators have managed the more robust tasks of timekeeping, and some even now keep their time over the internet. But despite these innovations, one thing is apparent: None of the watches we use day–in and day–out actually run accurately. Even top–of–the–line mechanical watches have an off–set of two seconds at the end of the day. If they are not reset weekly, by the end of the month, you might miss your
train. Quartz watches are more reliable, yet achieve far from what is technologically possible. And the internet connection for time verification becomes much less reliable in most parts of the world as soon as we leave the urban space. We believe a watch should measure the time as accurately as possible. Therefore, we have equipped our M–Series watches with everything that is necessary to ensure precise timekeeping, and incidentally created a world–timer that does not let you miss a moment anymore (and also not the train).

 

Model: M1-3

Specifications:

MOVEMENT: Morgenwerk Satellite Caliber 1, bi-directional
CASE: titanium carbide coated, titanium two-part case, saphire lens, hardened (K1) mineral glass for antennae covers, brushed, stainless steel case-back with four inserted nuts, water resistance 5 atm
DIAMETER: 43.8 mm
THICKNESS: 14.0 mm
WEIGHT: 122g
DIAL: galvanised dial, SuperLuminova on index and hands
STRAP: black, high-endurance fuororcarbon–rubber strap
FUNCTIONS: time, date, timezone, daylight saving time on/off
POWER RESERVE: up to 110 days, (eight months in power save mode). Contains rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Separate USB charger and cable (max. charging time 2.5 hours)

Price: $1550

Today’s world is a tech filled world in which it’s all about the gadgets. For a lot of people cell phones have replaced their watches for telling the time. For those of us who know better still rely on our watches for telling time and for those of us that want the best of both worlds, Morgenwerk has given us that. Horological background meets today’s tech world in the M1-3. It’s simply not just a “smart watch” which basically is a cell phone on the wrist. Morgenwerk M1-3 watch has retained the analog design of traditional watch making, but incorporated the technology of today’s world.

Because of the dark grey color of the case it has a military/stealth feel to it. The case is titanium carbide coated, titanium. Titanium is already a solid case material that’s stronger than the traditional stainless steel cases watch. But this case toughness is on steroids due to it’s carbide coating. Morgenwerk uses a stoichiometric pure titanium carbide that is applied through an ion–plating process (condensation of a material vapor in a partial vacuum) onto the case of the M1-3.
The gross hardness grade of the surface exceeds 1000 HV (Vickers) and protects the M1-3 against traces of everyday usage. The case is very, very strong but the base material is softer therfore extreme impact can cause occasional spalling or chipping of the coating.

Though it appears that there is a traditional crown and button pushers on the M-1 watch, it doesn’t function like a traditional crown. Instead it operates but pressing like a button as do the two other button pushers. These are used for setting the time, date display, etc..

The bezel on the M1-3 is fixed which means it doesn’t rotate at all. The bezel is quite useful in a different sense. It makes the M1-3 a true world clock that is able to display all time zones. Originating from UTC, the time zone of the Greenwich Observatory near London, the desired time zone is added or subtracted by the push of a button. This is where the bezel comes in handy because the required scales to accomplish finding the time in different zones are engraved directly on the watch’s bezel. It is extremely convenient and also cool to look at.

The case itself is a two-part case with a flat saphire crystal. The case back is brushed stainless steel and features a city time zone scale. The case back is held in place by 4 inserted hex head nuts. Above the 12 o’clock and below the 6 o’clock you will notice what looks like two windows. These are actually antennae covers for the satellite antennae connectors that are hardened K1 mineral glass.

The matte black dial is really beautiful and minimalistic in appearance. Nothing pops more on a dial than the combination of black and white. It’s probably my personal favorite dial combo, a matte black dial with white indexes and white hands. Looks so good. I really like the hands on the M1-3, squared edges with hollowed out centers in which you can see the dial through. Very sexy. The hands can be used obviously to tell the time, but the hands can also be used to display the date by a push of a button. Along the inner chapter ring is where the numbers are printed that the hands point to numbers that represent the month and day. It’s pretty cool feature because this elimates the need for a date window. Something dial purest can truly appreciate.

What makes this dial even better is that everything that is white is coated with Super-LumiNova. For those of you that don’t know, Super-LumiNova is a nontoxic substance that is made from strontium aluminate, a phosphorescent based on an alkaline-aluminate. Everything glows nice and bright, and it does last through the night on a bit of a charge from a strong light source.

The M1-3 is equipped with a passive GPS antennas that receives signals from up to six satellites the strongest signal is chosen to calculate the current reference time. Sometimes when you are indoors GPS reception is inhibited, that’s when the specialized quartz movement kicks in to keep the time precise until the next available signal is picked up by the M1-3.  This eliminates the need to set the M1-3 manually. That’s pretty freaking awesome.

The movement inside the M1-3 is a combination of complex architecture and technology. Morgenwerk produced a completely custom–developed movement for the M1-3 which is a complex work of high–tech components that Morgenwerk hand assembled into it’s own unique drive. Each movement inside Morgenwerk watches are always one–of–a–kind and is only manufactured by them.

The strap on the M1-3 is my next favorite detail of this watch after the dial. This strap feels like it can handle quite a lot of abuse. The strap is made of carbon–based terpolymers which has a high chemical durability and can handle extreme temperatures. This strap can remain flexible at temperatures as low as -20°C (-4°F). But even at the other end of temperature spectrum this strap remains strong at 200°C (400°F). This strap has a long list of substances that it can fight off, that list is as follows: mineral oils and oil–based lubricants, aliphatic, aromatic and particularly chlorinated hydro-carbons, gasoline, diesel fuels, silicone oils. Due to it’s engineering this strap has age resistant properties. Another awesome detail is how the keeper fits to the end of the strap like a puzzle piece. See the picture below.

The M1-3 has a technology filled heart, with a tactical soul and the shell of a tank. I really enjoyed reviewing this watch from a technology and design perspective. I love the matte finishing on this case it’s absolutely bad ass. It reminds me of a stealth bomber, sleek and deadly. Let me get what I don’t really like on the watch out of the way since it’s only one thing that I think could make this watch look better appearance-wise. The antennae covers aren’t exactly pleasing to the eye. They are quite large and distract from the flow of the case. Now Morgenwerk did make the lugs angle down pretty sharp to allow the watch to hug the wrist despite how the extra length has added to the case to allow the space for the antenna. It would have made more sense in my opinion to mount this on the underside of the case or even incorporate them into the strap somehow. Everything else about this watch is a hit.

The dial is my favorite part of this watch. The shape of the hands  are perfect. The square shape works perfectly with the tatical theme of this watch. I love how the cut out hands a detail that I am finding to like more and more. Another thing that is perfection on this watch is the strap. I didn’t think that my love affair with Isofrane straps could ever be tainted. But Morgenwerk has achieved that. This has to be the nicest “rubber” strap I have ever experienced. It is so flexible yet feels like it can withstand any amount of abuse that you can dish out. Hats off to Morgenwerk for the technological advance strap. This strap can withstand everything, even kryptonite.

The toughness doesn’t stop at the strap, the case is rugged military tough. I put this watch through some heavy duty use during this review. I wore it in seawater during some shallow diving, rock climbing, hiking, at the gym, and it handle itself without fail. This is a great adventurer companion.

It’s battery life on a full charge is pretty impressive. To fully charge this watch on the included charger only takes a max of 3 hours and that charge can last up to 8 months. The lithium-ion battery can handle 500 charges which will last over 100 years. That’s damn impressive.

Traditional watches will always have a place in my heart, but these tech filled watches are gaining a place there as well. Morgenwerk put in a lot of research and science into the M1-3 watch. It’s a great watch that I completely and thoroughly enjoyed reviewing. I want to personally thank Morgenwerk for this honor.

Thank you so much for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch Review: Mondaine Stop2go

 

COMPANY: MONDAINE

“The simple design, the unmistakable easy-to-read face, distinctive hands and the famous red seconds hand have made Mondaine timepieces uniquely recognized the world over. Ingenuity and simplicity are the combined elements that distinguish and define a truly iconic design classic. The Mondaine Official Swiss Railways watches embody these elements and proudly exemplify excellent 20th century design.”

MODEL: Stop2Go

SPECIFICATIONS:

Model number A512.30358.16SBC
Function Stop2go
Movement (manufacture. Ref.) MONDAINE stop2go cal. 58-02
Movement (type) Quartz
Case size/diameter (mm) 41.00
Case material Stainless Steel brushed
Case back Caseback with Screws
Crown Regular Gasket
Crystal/Glass material Sapphire anti-reflective coated
Water resistance (m/ft/atm) 30 / 100 / 3
Strap/Bracelet material Genuine Leather
Strap width at lug (mm) 20.00
Origin Swiss Made

All aboard! Even to this day, when I hear a train off in the distance it brings a smile to my face. When I was a kid I would imagine being aboard that train that I would hear. Imagining how awesome it would be to travel the railroad. Who hasn’t imagine that at some point or another. There is something that is just so fascinating about the railroad. Some people are even more fascinated with the railroad than others. For example, Hans Hilfiker, the man who was responsible for designing the clock for the Swiss Federal Railway service (SBB) in the 1940’s.  This station clock possessed an unique feature, the second hand would pause briefly, allowing the minute hand to jump forward. No it wasn’t broken, there was a very important reason for the pause/jump. This method was for keeping the SBB system synchronized from a central master clock so that the railway could run without incident.

Mondaine has implemented this key feature of the SBB clocks of yesteryear into their Stop2Go watch. Mondaine watches are instantaneously recognizable because of their design roots coming from the famous SBB clocks. The round brushed stainless steel case comes in at 41mm with a lug with of 20mm. 41mm is an ideal size for this watch because I think anything bigger would end up looking cartoonish.

The lugs are quite refined. Thin and short allowing the Stop2Go to wear true to its 41mm size and just over 47mm from lug tip to tip. How the ridge runs along the sides of the case the appear to run the length of the case. This cool little detail adds some great personality to the overal simple case design. The low profile of the case is maintained by its 11mm height.

The crown is pretty unique on the Stop2Go. It doesn’t look like you average crown by any means. What it reminds me of is a winder on an old tin robot toy from the 1950’s, which does go along with my love of trains and the railroad. The crown functions essentially as a push/pull style crown to set the time. You can also use the crown to fine tune the second hand to properly pause at the 12 o’clock position. This can be achieved by holding down the crown for 3 seconds and then turning the crown counter-clockwise to advance the second hand. Once the second hand reaches the 12, you simply push the crown once to set it back in motion.

The case back is held in place by 4 flat head screws and features a raised MONDAINE in the center of the case that is surrounded by a red circle. The case back also features engraved information about the watch itself. This case is simple, effective and well executed. No gimmicks, just pure essential functionality.

The dial has to be the most recognizable part of this watch. The famous crisp matte white dial, with the pop of color, there is something so attractive about the dial on Mondaine’s watches. The white of the dial is so absolutely clean and it makes the perfect backdrop for the applied black hour markers. The markers are midnight black and the minute markers are as well, making ease with legibility.

Now the ease of legibility doesn’t stop with the markers alone, the thick black hour and minute hands help make this dial distinct. Of course I haven’t forgotten about the main attraction here, at that main attraction being the red second hand. This is what truly makes the Mondaine dial in my honest opinion. Its origin of design was inspired by the stop paddle of the old Swiss Railway crossings and looking at it you can absolutely see that inspiration.

The coolest feature of this watch is what it’s actually named for, the Stop2Go. You now know the back story of why it pauses for 2 seconds at the 12 o’clock position while the minute hand jumps to the next minute. It’s just so cool to watch it actually work. I found myself watching and waiting just for the second hand to reach the 12 so I could watch it pause and for the minute hand to jump. It’s quite addicting and quite entertaining actually.

The movement inside the Stop2Go is the MONDAINE stop2go cal. 58-02. Obviously because of its special and unique way of functioning/time telling you can’t just rely on your off the rack movement. Mondaine developed the movement specifically for the Stop2Go watch. Being a quartz movement it is very accurate as you would expect.

The Stop2Go came on a bright red, leather strap. Now, this color strap might not be for everyone but this strap is super soft from the get go. I like that it’s a non-tapering style strap and is pretty thick. It’s more square in design than it is rounded. The Stop2Go also looks great on a NATO strap.

Timing is everything when it comes to the railway system. There is no margin for error. Absolutely none. Percision in timing. Mondaine has achieved that percision with their Stop2Go watch. That percision can be seen throughout the Stop2Go watch. The dial is absolute perfection. There’s a real crispness to this dial and when you see it in person you will see what I mean. I love how clean the dial is, no gimmicks or anything that isn’t needed.  The Stop2Go is just that, no gimmicks, nothing unnecessary. I wouldn’t call this watch minimalistic. Because of its origin this watch is packed with historical character.

Mondaine has done an excellent job with executing every aspect of this watch. There isn’t anything about the Stop2Go watch that I would change. It would be cool though to see a nice engraved train on the back of the case and that’s just a nit picking stretch of a suggestion. If you are a train enthusiast and love watches too, then this is the perfect watch for you. If you are looking for a crisp, clean, killer matte white dial watch then this is also the watch for you. This is perfect to wear with a t-shirt and a pair of jeans just chilling on the weekend kind of watch.

The Stop2Go feature also adds to the coolness factor of this watch. It’s a unique feature that I found myself constantly entertained by. It reminded me of watching a model train circling the track. Another suggestion to the design element would be having the “railroad track” style minute track. I think this would really add to the overall experience of this watch. Mondaine makes some iconic watches and they are very well designed. You will not be disappointed by this variation of their watch and you will in fact find yourself entertained and enamored by the Stop2Go feature.

I want to personally thank Mondaine Watches for this wonderful experience. It made me feel like a kid again, obsessed with the railway. Thank you for reading!

 

Update: Helm Vanuatu Generation 2. WOW!

 

Company: Helm Watches

Website: http://www.helmwatches.com

About the company:

HELM Watches, and the company behind the brand―The Helm Group Limited―are American owned and operated, with roots in North Carolina. Conceived in the summer of 2014, HELM Watches was founded in September of the same year and our first watch, the Vanuatu 300m Automatic, was introduced in October, 2015.

Our mission is simple: To produce durable, affordable, dependable timepieces inspired by adventure and exploration, and designed to survive a lifetime of both.

The same spirit of adventure and exploration that inspires our brand and our watches (the kind of spirit, incidentally, that sometimes gets the better of common sense) is what inspired us to move half way around the world in the first place to launch a new company and a new brand among a sea of other brands. Undoubtedly, it will be one of our greatest adventures in this life. We would be honored if our watches can become a part of yours.

To ensure every watch is up to the task, we committed to quality from day one. And that’s a commitment that involves more than just words and good intentions. Regardless of the product in question or the country of origin, if multiple parts and multiple suppliers are involved, consistent quality is tough to maintain―especially from the far side of an ocean. So we packed up and switched sides, relocating to Hong Kong and southern China to keep a close eye on our suppliers and monitor every step of the production process.

So our commitment remains. Because it’s the only way we’ll fulfill our mission―to produce watches you’ll want to wear for life, and make them tough enough that you can. An unrealistic goal in today’s throwaway society? Perhaps. But we’d rather aim high and miss the mark than aim low and hit it. And we love a challenge. It’s kind of what we live for. So HELM Watches was born. And behind the brand is the challenge we set for ourselves, which inspires us, inspires our products and we hope will inspire anyone who straps on a HELM watch: It’s time to stop dreaming and start doing. It’s time to chart a course, grab what you need and get moving. It’s time for life.

Named for the South Pacific island nation famous for its coral reefs and a WWII shipwreck, the HELM Vanuatu epitomizes rugged functionality. Featuring a 316L stainless steel case and bracelet, automatic movement, screw-down caseback and crown, sapphire crystal, unidirectional bezel and 300 meter depth rating, the ISO 6425  (follow link to read full testing) http://helmwatches.com/iso-6425.html compliant Vanuatu will go as long and as far as you do―above or below the waves. Also included with the watch is a durable NS1 Nylon Strap, a perfect option if you’ll be in the water or just want a lighter weight alternative to the stainless bracelet.

 

VANUATU GENERATION 2

 

Back in January I had the great privilege to review the first release of the Helm Vanuatu. It packed in a great value for your dollar. At the price point I was quite impressed with what you received for the price. There is no such thing as the perfect watch we all know this of course, but what Helm did was they actually listened to the feedback from their first release and improved upon what was already a nice release.

I am here today with the Helm Vanuatu Gen 2 and I’m going to explore & explain the differences between the two watches.
What first caught my attention was the bezel design. The number font is a bit different and the fill is done with more percision. It looks much more streamline than before. Of course I am a bezel snob when it comes to function. I expect a bezel that lines up perfectly with the dial, ratchets firmly & smoothly and doesn’t have any play. Well Helm achieved all of this with the new and improved V2.

V2 DIAL

V1 DIAL

 

As soon as I glanced at this dial I noticed how nice and crisp everything looked. The lume coating on all the indices is done very neat and clean. Sharp lines throughout. I touch on the actual lume later on don’t worry! The new hands are filled now as opposed to the old solid hands on the V1. This small detail really cleans up the dial nicely, crazy what a huge difference it actually makes. Even the printed text on the dial looks cleaner. Now don’t get me wrong the V1 was impressive and I really like it a lot, but these improvements have carried the Vanuatu into a different league competition wise. As I explore the V2, I can honestly say that it will be tough to find these kind of details on a watch at this price point.

 

V2 CASE BACK

 

The caseback on the V2 has also been upgraded both functionally and visually. Helm went with a combination of stamping and etching which has created a much more smooth and clean appearence to the case back. I absolutely love solid case backs and the V2 doesn’t disappoint. Even running my finger across it feels so nice. Underneath this beauty of a case back Helm made some changes they replaced the NBR gasket with a DuPont Viton. What does this mean? Well this gasket helps seal the case back creating a tighter water resistant seal. Something you want on a dive watch. Another important detail about the new gasket is that it has a higher resistance to chemical erosion and it has a higher resistance to extreme temperatures. When exposed to hot or cold the gasket won’t shrink or expand so that the seal is always tight maintaining the water resistance.

V1 CASE BACK

The crown on the V1 operated without flaw and so is the same on the V2. So why fix what isn’t broken right? Wrong. Helm just made it even better. The made the crown with higher profile teeth/gear edges that allow you to get a better grip on things. The crown is so easy to screw and unscrew. Just as I’m a snob with bezels, the crown is the other are of a watch that draws a lot of critism from me. Rest assure my friends, this crown will receive no critism from me.

A detail that you may not notice that was upgraded is the spring bars. They are beefier than before, 2.0mm of beef to be exact. The new included strap is also beefier, from the strap itself to the keepers. It really feels like quality. A strap that can handle some good, rough and tumble outdoors adventure. I like this style of strap for when I’m doing things in the woods, hiking, climbing, chopping wood, etc.. When I’m in the water, I prefer a bracelet. The Vanuatu’s bracelet is crazy nice. Helm switched to single-sided screw pins on the new bracelet which not only adds to aesthetics but it actually makes sizing the bracelet much easier.

The lume is so nice on the V2. It has great depth and detail throughout the dial, hands and bezel. The V1 had a muted blue glow to it. Now? Oh man it has green & orange and glows so bright. Helm used a LumiNova BGW9 luminous pigment, this go around and it works perfectly. This is one of my favorite upgrades on the V2. I never was a lume fan before and what I mean by that is it would never make or break a purchase of a watch for me. Now, it’s so satisfying to lay in bed at night and look at the bright glow of lume. Plus the jerk in me finds it slightly satisfying to shine the lume in my wife’s face. Hehehe. Yes I just say hehehe and yes I wear a watch to bed. Got a problem with that?

V2 lume shot from a 30 second charge of light

 

V1 lume shot from 30 second charge of light

 

The price for the V2 comes in at $275.00 USD plus $30 for shipping. The first 100 V2 will be offered starting around August 15th, for $250.00 with shipping included. To be honest, even at $275.00 the Vanuatu is an incredible value. The bracelet alone makes this an instant value not to mention that each watch is ISO 6425 standard. You get a watch with nice lume, a killer dial, smooth as butter bezel, screw down crown, a rugged stainless steel bracelet, and an automatic movement for under $300.00! That’s crazy! The case construction on the Vanuatu is solid. This watch can handle your abuse.

This is a perfect watch for someone looking to enter the dive watch world. I am very impressed with this watch. Like I said before, I was impressed with the V1, but holding both versions side by side, you can see the work that Helm did to improve upon a solid foundation only to make it even better. I always hear across the watch groups and forums “I’m looking for a daily beater, any suggestions?” Well yes, I have a great suggestion, the Helm Vanuatu generation 2 is that watch. You won’t break the bank either. This watch can easily compete with watches that are offered at a much higher price point.

I want to personally thank Helm for allowing me to explore the Vanuatu Generation 2. It was an honor to do and it was awesome to see the great improvements built upon an already firm foundation.

 

 

VANUATU SPECIFICATIONS:

WHAT YOU GET:
Vanuatu 300m Automatic Watch
SS1 Stainless Steel Bracelet
NS1 Nylon Strap (your choice of 4 colors)

CASE:
Brushed 316L Stainless Steel
Integrated Crown Guards
Screw Down Caseback
Diameter (12H to 6H): 42 mm
Diameter (9H to 3H, with crown): 46.0 mm
Lug to Lug: 50 mm
Lug Width: 22 mm
Height: 14 mm

CROWN:
Brushed 316L Stainless Steel
Screw Down
Position: 3 o’clock
Diameter: 8 mm

MOVEMENT:
Seiko Instruments NH35 (Automatic Mechanical)
Hacking and Manual Winding Functions
Accuracy: -25 ~ +35 seconds/day
Beats Per Hour: 21,600
24 Jewels
Power Reserve: 40 Hours

DIAL & HANDS:
Dial: Matte Black with Luminescent Hour Markers (Super-LumiNova BGW9 + Dark Orange)
Hands: Luminescent Hour, Minute & Second Hands (Super-LumiNova BGW9)
Date Window: 6 o’clock (Black or White Date Option)

BEZEL:
316L Stainless Steel
120-Click, Unidirectional Rotation
Diameter: 43 mm
Stainless Steel Insert with Black PVD Coating
Markings: White Oil + Super-LumiNova BGW9

CRYSTAL:
Flat Sapphire with Internal Anti-Reflective Coating

BAND:
Stainless Steel Bracelet and Folding Clasp with Brushed Finish (22 mm Bracelet Tapers to 20 mm at Clasp)
NS1 Nylon Strap with Stainless Steel Buckle and Keeper Rings

WATER RESISTANCE:
300 m / 30 atm / 990 ft
Tested in accordance with ISO 6425:1996

WEIGHT:
With Stainless Bracelet (full length): 225 grams
With NS1 Nylon Strap: 120 grams

ACCESSORIES:
The LS1 and LS2 leather straps pictured in some photos at left are available separately, and at a discount when purchased with a watch.
The canvas strap pictured in some photos at left is a work in progress, which we hope to have available soon.