I find that affordable diver’s that have their own personality make for great daily wearers/beater watches. They are the perfect watch for those who don’t cry with that first scratch or with that inevitable door knob/door frame bang. These watches are typically durable, typically are able to make seamless transitions between settings and typically are comfortable to wear. They definitely fall into that no muss no fuss category in my opinion. Today I am going to explore the Black Pearl prototype dive watch from Unity Watches.
The 43mm x 14mm Black Pearl falls into the middle of most size preferences of the current watch wearing community. It’s a pretty universal size in my opinion. Maybe it’s just me, but the Black Pearl initially appears smaller that it’s dimensions. This piece will definitely fit under a long sleeve shirt cuff. The relatively short lugs help keep the Black Pearl balanced and centered on the wrist. The 300 meter diver has an AISI 316L combination finish of brushed and polished. The bezel is also identical to the case in terms of material and finish. The bezel operation will feature unidirectional rotating action on the production pieces. The bezel also features diver friendly lume on the faux pearl and on the bezel markers. Obviously comes in handy while diving and in every day use when in low-light environments/situations. I personally prefer that companies treat the bezel markers with lume.
Before moving onto the caseback on the Black Pearl, I want to mention the screw down crown. The crown features the Unity logo which is done with a deep engraving adding a nice touch of design detail to the profile of the cushion case. The crown can be easily gripped thanks to the deep gear toothed edges allowing you to unscrew/screw/operate with fluidity. The screw down caseback is pretty badass in my opinion. Old school diving helmet, tridents, sharks, Sailor Jerry goodness decorates this caseback. ‘Born to Dive” is also engraved which is a simple but old school brilliant detail.
Simple, legible and function, that sums up the dial quite well. Set on a black backdrop which is appropriate for the Black Pearl. The dial features lume treated applied markers which are a combination of circles and rectangles. The chapter ring is tied in nicely with the large white minute numerals and line markers. One detail that I could live without is the date window. Some love that detail on their watch and some hate it. 🤷🏻♂️ A detail that I do love on this dial is an important one in my opinion, a detail that can make or all too often break the deal for me. That detail/s being the hands. Unity has done a fantastic job selecting the right size and shape for the Black Pearls hand set.
The Black Pearl is a great little diver that has a quality designed case, a simple legible dial and a tough movement. What do I like about this watch that makes me think it’s a good recommendation? It has a reliable movement, great legibility in all environments, inspired caseback, and a nice designed case. All these details in my opinion also justify the affordable $650 price tag. The Black Pearl held up well during my review especially wear it was designed for, the water, but more importantly for most the Black Pearl kicked ass in every day life. Indoors and outdoors. The campaign is live on Kickstarter right now which you can checkout by clicking on the link below.
Thanks for reading my friends.
BLACK PEARL 300 METERS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
AT UNITY WE`VE DEVELOPED A NEW DESIGN, OUR FIRST DIVING WATCH “BLACK PEARL” 300 METERS. BASED ON A SIMPLE AND FUNCTIONAL WATCH CONCEPT FULL OF DETAILS AND WELL DONE AND ACTUAL DESIGN. WITH 43mm OF DIAMETER & 45mm LENGTH BETWEEN SCREW BARS THE RESULT IS A WATCH VERY EASY TO WEAR, SUITABLE FOR ALL KIND OF WRIST.
CASE
CASE MECHANIZED FROM SATINLESS STEAL. AISI 316L WITH BRUSHED AND POLISHED FINISHED. DIAMETER 43 mm / LENGTH LUG to LUG 51mm / BETWEEN SCREW BARS 45mm / THICKNESS 14mm INCLUDING CRYSTAL.
BEZEL
BEZEL MECHANIZED FROM STAINLESS STEEL AISI 316L WITH BRUSHED AND POLISHED FINISHED. PEARL AT 12 HOURS WITH WHITE LUMONIVA. MARKS IN BLACK COLOUR FULL OF WHITE LUMINOVA.
BACK CASE
BACK CASE MECHANIZED FROM STAINLESS STEEL AISI 316L WITH BRUSHED FINISHED.
CROWN
POSITION AT 4 HOURS. STAINLESS STEAL SCREW CROWN WITH TOOTHED SURFACE AND BRUSHED FINISHED. WATERPROOF 300 METERS.
AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT
AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL MOVEMENT ETA 2824-2, CALIBER 11 1/2. OSCILLATION FREQUENCY 28800 A/h. SWISS MADE.
DIAL
BLACK BRILLIANT BACKGROUND WITH ROUND APPLIED INDEXS WITH POLISHED FRAME & FULL WITH WHITE SUPER LUMINOVA. WINDOW DATE AT THREE HOURS. APPLIED LOGO DETAIL.
SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL
FLAT SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL WITH ANTIGLARE COATING. THICKNESS 2mm.
HANDS H&M
H&M STEEL HANDS WITH RODHIUM BATH & MINUTES WITH RED FRAME BOTH WITH C1 LUMINOVA. SECONDS HAND WITH RED TIP AND C1 LUMINOVA.
STRAP
TWO STRAPS; SOLID METAL BAND WITH MATTE FINISHING & BLACK CANVAS WITH RED LEATHER BASE. WIDTH 22 MM. BUCKLES WITH ENGRAVINGS.
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