The solid stainless steel bracelet is 24mm in width with no taper and all brushed steel on top with polished sides. It has solid links and very solid and thick end links, and the bracelet is held together using single sided screws. This is something many companies are doing these days, and should become standard, in my opinion, for any watch using screws instead of pins. It allows for very easy sizing, which anyone with a jewelers screwdriver should be able to do. The large dive clasp is engraved with Borealis and is a ratcheting extension clasp. This style of clasp is also being used by more and more companies as it is great to be able to micro adjust without the use of a tool.
On my 7.5 inch wrist, you will see the Seafarer is quite an imposing watch. I removed 4 links to size to my wrist, and that did reduce the weight to about 266 grams. One of the reasons it looks so large is the end link attachment to the case. The end links are quite large and chunky and angle out from the case, giving an even longer length to the case. This, coupled with the domed case back makes it fit slightly awkward. Though, I imagine if you have a larger wrist, this probably would not be as noticeable. Make sure to watch the video review, as I give a look at what the watch looks like on a leather strap.
The lume is really very good, using BGW9 superluminova, which appears white in regular light, but glows a very nice ice blue in the dark. You can see that the bezel lume is as strong as the lume on the dial and hands, which is not always the case with some of the micro divers. Sometimes the bezel lume is stronger; sometimes it is weaker than the hands and dial markers. In this case the lume paint has been evenly applied all over, and it glows for a good many hours in the dark.
The Miyota 9015 movement is the choice for many of the micro brand divers these days. Whether they are budget divers or more mid range. The 9015 is a hacking, hand winding movement, with a 28000 BPH (beats per hour). In this example, accuracy is about -5 seconds a day.
At the end of the day, it is a hybrid homage of a Rolex/Tudor watch. This is not the first company to homage Rolex, and I’m sure will not be the last either. Many people have different viewpoints on homages, and of course that is always subjective to each individual. Will people who want to buy a Rolex, or Tudor, buy this instead? No. It’s not a substitution for them. But, this is an option for the many people that can not afford those watches and prices. And this is a very well executed homage, with good quality materials and components.
I personally would have liked to see the crown have some type of engraving, as it is sterile and looks a little generic. And, the massive end links do look a little weird with the way it sits on the wrist. But, if you don’t mind a leather or rubber strap, that can be easily rectified. And there are many that will probably like the end links as is, because they like a large chunky watch.
For $355, it is really very well made and definitely a bargain. If you are looking for a quality chunky dive watch and are on a budget, this is one of the better homages I have seen.
Would you recommend to a friend: Yes.
Would you purchase for yourself: Yes
The Borealis Seafarer can be purchased directly from the Borealis Website:
http://www.borealiswatch.com/store/#!/~/product/category=6645472&id=33125977
Thank you to Borealis Watch Company for providing this model for review.
Bob
Excellent, helpful review for a watch that appears to be a great value. I’m definitely interested!
Gerard M. Palomo
There is one other big problem with the bracelet. The “micro-adjustable” holes in the clasp are essentially non-functional on the specimen that I have just received. Only the first hole will allow the bracelet to be attached to the clasp. Because there are no half-links in the bracelet, obtaining a perfect fit may be impossible. Using the ratcheting diver-extension as a sizing method is inelegant at best, and since it IS a ratchet mechanism, the extension is locked into place in one direction only: once extended partially, it will pull out no further, but it will in fact push inward and lock at the next-smaller circumference with supreme ease.