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- 42mm Case of Stainless Steel
- 22mm Lug Width
- Lug to Lug 48mm
- 12mm Thick
- 198 Grams in Weight
- Sapphire Crystal and Bezel
- 200m Water Resistant
- Seiko NH35 Movement
- Full Lume Dial
- Bracelet with Quick Adjust Clasp
- Travel Case and Warranty Card
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- 40mm Case
- 41mm Bezel
- 50mm Lug to Lug
- 22mm Lug Width
- 126 Grams on Rubber Strap
- 232 Grams on Bracelet
- Sapphire Crystal
- 300m Water Resistant
- Ronda 515.24H Quartz Movement
- Patented Mission Timer
- Cut to Fit Rubber Strap
- Solid Bracelet with Ratchet Clasp
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40.5mm Stainless Steel Case
11.5mm Thick (Including Crystal)
48mm Lug To Lug
20mm Lug Width
100 Grams in Weight
120 Click Unidirectional Bezel
Aluminum Bezel Insert
Top Hat Domed Sapphire Crystal
BGW9 Super-LumiNova
Sellita SW200-1 Automatic Movement
Water Resistant 200m
Swiss Made
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- 44mm Case of Grade 2 Titanium
- Ultra-Hex Coating
- 13mm Thick
- 53mmLug to Lug
- 22mm Lug Width/bracelet tapers to 20mm
- 162 Grams
- Sapphire Crystal with Inner AR coating
- Solid Titanium bezels, one with DLC insert
- Titanium bracelet, Ultra-Hex coating
- 300m Water Resistant
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Zelos Swordfish
This Zelos Swordfish is the latest version of this very popular microbrand model, and there are a few recent changes and some new dial colors, but mostly this is a new run of a mainstay model from the Singapore micro. Most here are probably familiar with Zelos, even if you have never owned one, you have probably seen them in group posts, Facebook or Instagram posts, or ads or maybe even your friend owns one. Zelos has not only grown over the years immensely but they also have sustained a massive following for the last decade and they show no signs of slowing down. The Swordfish is generally one of their more affordable models and seems to be a mainstay in their collection. This latest drop of divers is in stainless steel, and has some new dial options, like this Ember Orange and a few others, a Seiko NH35 movement, along with a stainless bracelet and quick adjust clasp. This one also has a unique feature, as this orange dial is also a full lume dial, and looks quite different in the dark. Current pricing is $399.
Specifications:
Price $399 USD
https://zeloswatches.com/collections/swordfish?page=1
I reviewed the Zelos Swordfish back in 2018. I am not sure what version that was but for the most part, the watch is mostly unchanged, it just keeps getting more and more refined with each iteration. The case design and finishing, along with the flat link bracelet and case back artwork appear to be the same, and over the years this model was available with either an NH35 or a more expensive ETA 2824. These days it seems they mostly stick with the NH35, to keep it on the budget side and occasionally a Miyota 9015 or 9039. Over the years this watch has been made in steel, titanium, bronze, and a myriad of dial colors, textures, and even mother of pearl and meteorite.
The Zelos Swordfish comes in a few sizes, the latest release of the divers is available in 40 or 42mm, as a matter of fact, it says the size right on the dial, which is one of the changes from previous models. It is still a sandwich dial, still has the date at 6 o’clock, and the Ember Orange is available in two versions, this one is a full lume dial, with black hands and markers. The hands and markers seem to be unchanged as well, and the dial is still very uncluttered and extremely readable. One thing of note, this orange dial and sapphire bezel are hard to capture properly in photos. I’m not sure what hue of orange to compare it to, but it photographs with a yellow tinge to it, and in person, it is more of a bright orange.
Zelos has kept the finish all satin-brushed for 95% of the case, with some highly polished accents under the bezel edge. The bezel teeth alternate between brushed and blasted, and while I wouldn’t say this watch has a tool watch vibe, the overall finishing is pretty subdued. Obviously, with this version and a few others, the color of the dial and sapphire bezel makes the watch really stand out, and something that has stayed on the Swordfish all these years is the metal ring between the dial and bezel, which some love and some hate. I think it looks okay, but I wouldn’t mind a bigger dial and a slightly wider bezel, which could be done if that metal ring was removed.
The bracelet, again, is mostly the same. A very aesthetically pleasing flat link bracelet, with female end links that sit slightly low in the lugs, allowing you to see more of the case. Usually, this is not a design choice I am fond of, but between the thick tapered lugs and the finishing, it seems to meld altogether nicely. The flat link bracelet uses one-piece screws for sizing and like a lot of brands these days, Zelos has its own distinct clasp with a quick adjust clasp. These days, traditional dive extensions on clasps seem to be a thing of the past, and while this clasp extension does give one an extra bit of length, I am not sure if one could use this over a wetsuit, like dive watches of years past. But, if you need to get a better fit with your watch, you can easily slide the button under the clasp and move the extension in and out. I will say, it’s not the most attractive extension, but it functions very well and locks into place.
On my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, the 42mm feels perfect. The Zelos Swordfish isn’t very thick at 12mm and with a lug to lug of 48mm, and those female end links, this is an easy everyday wear piece. At almost 200 grams, it’s not lightweight, but it feels very balanced, (once sized as I had to remove 4 links), and though I initially requested the 40mm version, I am glad they sent the 42. I think it shows that numbers do not always tell the whole story. Many watch enthusiasts these days seem to be asking for 40mm and under watches, and somewhat get in a frenzy when a watch is released in 42mm. While the 40mm probably fits like a glove on a smaller wrist, I think this 42mm will fit and feel good on a wide array of wrist sizes, as it’s a well-designed and well-proportioned watch.
One unique feature of the Zelos Swordfish Ember Orange is that this orange dial is actually a full lume dial. Normally we associate lume dias with a white or off-white dial color, but either Zelos or maybe the factory has figured out how to make a bright orange dial turn a bright fluorescent yellow in the dark. Apparently, Zelos has done this color before, I believe someone said with a Hammerhead. I must have missed that one, though it is hard to keep up with every release from every brand. Regardless, in the dark, the lume certainly is funky and more importantly very bright and vibrant. Even the chapter ring glows, with a nice BGW9 blue, which contrasts nicely with the bright yellow.
The Zelos Swordfish is still a well-made, well-designed, and affordable piece. If you caught this watch at the launch price, it was actually $299. Currently, at the time of writing this review, the Ember Orange and many of the other colors are sold out, as they sold out during the launch, which I believe was 2-3 weeks. This is kind of a preorder, but more of a very short preorder, as the watches are already in ongoing production. At this time, the price is $399, which is still a great price for all the watch offers, and while this orange color may not be my favorite, I can’t deny the appeal, and of course, there are many other colors and dials available. These days, we all want as much as we can get for our money, and it’s great to see that Zelos is putting out great watches for well under $500. Even though each batch sells out relatively quickly, I imagine we will see a new, slightly upgraded Swordfish again soon, as this model seems to be a big seller, and it’s easy to see why.
Elliot Brown Beachmaster
A more than capable dive watch, a GMT, and the ability to time two different events at once. That is the Elliot Brown Beachmaster, a mission timer GMT that also happens to have a patent for how it is displayed and all works together. Late last year Elliot Brown released the automatic version of the Beachmaster and recently they dropped quartz versions. Like most EB automatic watches, they don’t come cheap, and the auto version is well over $2,000. These new Ronda 515.24H quartz versions come in under $1000, and you get pretty much everything that you get with its predecessor but now in quartz. This rugged timer is available in 3 different colors, a choice of either a bracelet or rubber strap, but at this time, it is only available in a dark grey PVD finish. Pricing starts at $727.
Specifications:
Price $727 (Rubber) $839 (Bracelet)
Website: https://elliotbrownwatches.com/en-us/products/beachmaster-quartz-nivo
Beachmaster: our apex mission timing watch. 4 years in the making and so original its design and functionality was granted a patent.
Initially imagined in response to a request at a Royal Marines event then refined into the most capable watch we have ever put our name to.
As a nod to its inception via the Royal Marines, we christened it Beachmaster: the Beachmaster is the military officer in charge of the disembarkation phase during an amphibious assault.
Above is an expert from the Elliot Brown website about how the Beachmaster came about. Taking a look at the design of the Beachmaster, it definitely follows suit of other models from the British brand, most notably kind of a mix of the Bloxworth and Canford models. That is not a knock either, as I have always found the brand’s watches to be very distinct, with a form-follows-function ethos about them.
With this being similar to other models, the Elliot Brown Beachmaster should be familiar if you are a fan of the brand or own a few of its offerings. If you don’t, well this is one hell of an introduction to the brand, as not only is this easily now their flagship model, but it is easily the most complex. This watch could be used as a dive watch with 300m of water resistance, it can time to different things at once with the outer and inner bezel and it also has a GMT hand as well, so you can track two timezones. All of this, and the way it is implanted on the dial, is what led to Elliot Brown seeking a patent for this watch. You can read more about their patent process HERE.
The timing bezels are more involved than one might assume though. Again, in the words of Elliot Brown:
Countdown to an event less than 12 hours in the future:
Align the ‘H’ on the internal rotating bezel to the time that the event starts.
The number of hours until the event starts can be read directly off the scale on the inner bezel in conjunction with the tip of the 24-hour hand.
To count up from an event:
Align the ‘H’ on the internal rotating bezel to the time that the event starts.
The number of hours since the event has started can be read directly off the scale on the inner bezel in conjunction with the tip of the 24-hour hand, to a practical resolution of 30 minutes
To countdown to an event less than 60 minutes in the future:
Align the triangle on the external rotating bezel to the minute that the event starts.
The number of minutes until the event starts can be read directly off the scale on the outer bezel in conjunction with the minutes hand.
That is quite a lot that can be done with this analog watch, but the one thing you can’t do with it is tell the date. Yes, with all the Elliot Brown Beachmaster is capable of doing, there is no date display. It’s an interesting choice and one that does make me wonder why would you leave the date off a GMT watch, even one dubbed a mission timer such as this. In military applications, I am guessing that if you are timing all of these things and tracking timezones, maybe the date just isn’t needed or practical, but for civilians buying something like this ultimate tool watch, one would think that it would include the date.
Okay, so it doesn’t have a date, but the build quality on the Elliot Brown Beachmaster certainly makes up for it. Using a steel grey PVD case, ball bearing mechanism for the bi-directional inner rotating bezel, a ceramic insert on the 120 click bezel, sapphire crystal with clear inner AR coating, a screw down crown (that really takes some force to push in and screw down), precision screwed in case back, and overall just a very solid feeling and well-built watch, just like all the EB watches I have reviewed. Also, the case has screw bars for bracelet or strap attachment and these are not ordinary screw bars, they are sizable screws with special screw heads (tool included), to which it is very easy to remove and change the straps, while also being extremely sturdy, and the star head screw bar tool pretty much makes scratching the case or marring the screw head impossible. Yes, it may take a few seconds longer than your quick-release spring bar system, but this system is far and away the better of the two, especially when it comes to durability.
The case back is beautifully engraved, and as with all EB watches, is bolted on, so everything stays straight, compressing the oversized seals for maximum water resistance. Beating inside is the Ronda 515.24H quartz movement, which uses a standard 45-month battery. That is something I was disappointed to see, as that means in less than 2 years, you will have to pay for a battery change, and with so many movements having 5 and 10-year batteries, on a watch such as this, I didn’t expect you would need to change the battery out so soon.
While the case back looks good, it could look better, particularly with this quartz version. You will see the blank plate on the bottom of the engraved area, and on the automatic versions, this is to list your limited edition number. Since these watches are virtually the same except for the movements, it makes sense to use the same case backs, and though these are not limited editions, it would have looked much better if they engraved something in this spot, instead of just leaving it blank.
You can purchase the Elliot Brown Beachmaster with either a matching (well somewhat, more on that below) PVD bracelet, or a fitted tropic rubber strap, with a dual deployant. Something I forgot to mention in the video review is that this strap needs to be cut to size, and while it is well-marked with the areas to cut, I am just not fond of straps that need to be cut. That said, this rubber strap is phenomenal. The fitted end pieces really make it flow well with the case and it is just so pliable and feels great on the wrist. I am not sure what type of rubber this is, EB does not list it on the website, but it is for sure a premium rubber compound.
The bracelet is a beast as well, adding about 100 grams of weight to the case when attached, uses screws for easy sizing (the driver is in the box as well), and has a large ratcheting extension clasp (lumed with the EB logo). The clasp may be one of the older styles, somewhat large and blocky, but functions well, and the bracelet itself is smooth against the skin, with oval style links to give it some flair over your standard 3-link bracelet. The one thing I do notice, at least in my example, is that the color of the grey PVD is not the same on the case as it is on the bracelet. This could just come down to my example, or more than likely just different finishes on the case and braelet, before it was lightly blasted. To those who are OCD about things like this, it may be an issue.
On my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, I prefer the bracelet over the rubber strap, even though this is not a lightweight watch at all with the bracelet. The rubber strap is fantastic as I said, I just prefer the bracelet for this watch. One thing to note, the lug-to-lug length is 50mm, but the end links of the bracelet curve out as do the fitted lugs on the rubber strap, so it does make this watch wear larger than a standard 50mm length. This is something to pay attention to if you have smaller wrists or don’t like watches with a length over 50mm.
Lastly, we get to the lume, and yes, this Elliot Brown Beachmaster glows like a torch when initially charged, they are using X1 SuperLuminova for both the C3 and BGW9 lume, but in my testing, the blue lume fades much quicker than the green, and that’s just due to the smaller area for lume application. I still think it looks great all lumed up, and I like how they did the green lume for timekeeping, and the blue lume for mission timing.
I think I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that while all of this is very impressive to have all of these features displayed in this configuration for the Elliot Brown Beachmaster, many of these things can be done with smartwatches or digital watches such as G-Shocks. Now, that is not me demeaning the accomplishment here, but I look at this much in the way I do analog dive watches. Many people buy dive watches, they are the most popular style of watch sold, but most divers don’t wear those watches, as they use a dive computer. Some will wear a standard dive watch as a backup, but that’s about it. With GMT and timing complications like on this watch, I think this is for the person who truly wants that analog experience of being able to track and time by the turn of a bezel and crown, vs the push of a button.
These complications are not really something I seek out personally in a watch but I love how they developed this piece to work seamlessly, and I also appreciate that they came out with a much less expensive version with the quartz models, as the autos start at $2300. While it may not be the next watch I put on the wrist, I do love the watches that Elliot Brown builds and can understand why they are so proud of this model.
Jack Mason Hydrotimer
Jack Mason may have started with what many would refer to as a “fashion brand” watch, but this Jack Mason Hydrotimer is anything but a fashion watch. With 300m of water resistance, an all-stainless steel case with a hard coating, ceramic bezel insert, gilt hands and indices, and just an overall solid feel and finish, and a Miyota 9039 Automatic movement, this watch and brand are definitely in the micro brand category, one most watch enthusiasts would own, or at the very least, take a hard look at. I reviewed 2 models just a little over 5 years ago, and while I review every watch for what it is, I certainly thought they could do better. It may have taken a while, but they have done just that with the release of this Hydrotimer and the Strat-o-timer GMT which was released late last year.
Specifications:
Case Diameter: 40mm
Case Thickness: 13mm (11.25mm excluding crystal)
Lug Width: 20mm
Lug to Lug: 47mm
Weight: 161 grams on bracelet
Depth Rating: 30ATM, 300m
Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova®
Bezel: 120-click Ceramic Insert with Lume
Crystal: Doubled-domed, Boxed Sapphire
Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova®
Price $729 (rubber straps) $799 (bracelets)
Website: https://jackmasonbrand.com/collections/the-hydrotimer-collection
As I said, the new Jack Mason Hydrotimer is a very different beast from its predecessors, and with that, I have seen brand interest renewed, mostly by the internet watch community folks. These days, forums are kind of a thing of the past, but social media such as Instagram, Facebook watch groups, and of course Reddit is where all the watch nerds talk and I have seen a lot of talk about these new pieces. For a while, I wasn’t sure if the hype was worth it, but when I got this piece in hand, I was convinced this was a new Jack Mason. Now when I say hype and all-new brand, remember I mean from where they started to where they are now, and not to downplay the Hydrotimer at all, I just always like to put things into the proper perspective. This watch is on par with watches from brands such as Raven, Traska, Boldr, and others in this $700 price range that you associate with a quality timepiece.
The Jack Mason Hydrotimer is available in 4 different colorways, the black gilt I have here for review, an all-white, a white dial with black bezel and patina lume, and a very funky one that has a blue dial with yellow surround and a white full lumed bezel. That one is unique for sure. No plain blue and silver or black and silver yet, or maybe some red, green, or orange dials that I would like to see, but who knows what they have planned for future drops? Even though the picture below shows some with a rubber strap or some with a 3-link bracelet, all of the Hydrotimers get two strap choices, and that determines the final price as well. The default strap is a black tropic style rubber strap, and you get a choice of a second strap, 2 of which are bracelets, either the 3-link or the 7-link as I have on my example, or another tropic rubber strap, in either white or blue. Both bracelets and straps have quick-release spring bars.
When it comes to the case design, this definitely reminds me of a vintage turtle case with a screw-down crown minus crown crown guards, and a lot of high polish, where only the top part of the case is satin brushed, again, much like a Seiko Turtle would be. Some may call this a copy, but the way it’s done, I think it would be much more in the homage camp, at least the true definition of the word. The word homage is so missed these days in the watch world (even by yours truly at times), and we forget that it shouldn’t be an almost exact copy of the watch it is taking inspiration from. The 300m water-resistant case has a scratch-resistant hard coating, to help protect from those minor scratches, but metal is metal, and coatings are just that, so don’t think you can drop this on some gravel or concrete and then go back to Jack Mason and say it scratched, pretty much any watch would when taking that kind of abuse. I would probably prefer drilled lugs, but with the quick-release pins, it is not needed, and while I do find them useful, I am old school, or in reality, just old, and I like what I like, but I know many prefer the quick release method these days.
The glossy black dial used here is a good look, and with the gilt hands and indices, it classes this version up a bit, I think this would probably be the only one of the four that you could wear with some nicer clothes, and dare I say even a suit, as this watch isn’t large or imposing at 40mm. I hesitate to call this an enamel dial, as that is a specific application method, but the inky black dial is a very deep black, there is no confusing this for grey or blue or anything else for that matter, even with the hint of the AR coating under the double domed sapphire. Text is kept to a minimum and the markers are large and easy to read, as well as the hands, and yes, that is a weird hour-hand design, kind of a Tudor snowflake, and a Rolex Mercedes had a baby, but I’m ok with it, though I can see some not being in love with it. As has been pointed out to me, the start logo medallion is a touch on the small side, and they could have gone up a size or two, but they were probably trying to keep everything in proportion, and overall I still find this to be a great looking dial. You will also notice there is no date, and the best part is, that this is no date movement via a Miyota 9039.
Yes, can you believe a brand has produced a watch with a no-date dial and a no-date movement? It can be done apparently, and it can be done on a watch under $1000! I thought for a while I was going to have to call up China myself and see what it took to produce a truly no-date watch! Okay, I am exaggerating a bit here, as others have done this, but it is few and far between, and it’s nice to see that there is no phantom date wheel going on with the Jack Mason Hydrotimer. And while you can’t see the Miyota 9039 on the backside of this watch, there is a nice screw-down, stamped case back to look at, and it’s comfortable against the wrist, which I think is more important than anything else.
Speaking of the wrist, let’s talk about the bracelet and straps and how everything fits. The tropic style rubber is a very good example, and the keeper tabs have a little trick with a round piece of rubber that sits prominently on the rubber strap, almost like a button, and the second keeper has a hole to receive it (yes, I know how that sounds, but this is a watch review, so get your mind out of the gutter), and keep the strap and keeper from moving. It’s a nice touch that I haven’t seen before, and hope to see it on other straps at some point.
The bracelet or more specifically the clasp has a trick as well, or maybe it’s a treat, whichever it is, you do have a quick adust clasp extension, or maybe it should be called a link extension, as that’s essentially what it does. The system works a little differently than others that are currently available as there is no button to depress under the clasp, instead, you just pull it up and towards you and this releases it from inside the clasp, and then you can slide it into position and then just snap it back down into place. In the YouTube video I give a good look at how this all works, so make sure to watch that if you already haven’t. How is it on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist? I have to say, it is a very close tie on which I prefer, the bracelet or the strap, I lean strap just because I wear more straps than bracelets these days, but the bracelet is just as good, if not better, as it is so smooth and looks great with this case design, but the rubber is what I prefer at the moment.
Lastly, we get to the lume of the Jack Mason Hydrotimer, and yes we do discuss lume here because some people do love lume and want to know if a watch is up to snuff with it. Not everyone cares about lume, but if you do, I think this watch will hold up. It’s on par with a lot of other microbrands in this price range, though I will note that the bezel lume fades before everything else.
What more can I say about this Jack Mason Hydrotimer? For me, it’s almost like night and day from the previous models, and taking the watch for what it is today in the massive microbrand watch landscape, I think this piece can hold its own. Of course, like all watches, some will quibble about this or that, I do it myself as well, and maybe I would like it even more with a different hour hand, or drilled lugs, but a lot of that is subjective. No one can deny this is a huge leap forward for Jack Mason, and I am looking forward to seeing what else they have up their sleeves, but for now, I can say they did a damn fine job with their latest watches.
Montoir MWMOD-01 Dive Watch
Hitting Kickstarter on October 11, 2023, is the Montoir MWMOD-01 Dive Watch. There truly seems to be no end to new brands emerging, and though some folks might see this as oversaturation, I see it as just more options and choices for everyone. Speaking of choices, the Montoir will be available in 5 dial color options, use the Sellita SW200-1 movement, and be marked Swiss Made. This is a great example of a skin diver-moderately sized, light, very legible, and of course, that iconic case style that is so comfortable on the wrist. The super early bird pricing will be $375 for the first 50 people, and regular KS pricing will be $435, with a retail price of $750. I have a production sample in hand, possibly an early sample, but this is the blue dial, and the owner, Anthony, put it on an orange tropic rubber for a nice pop of color. This new brand is out of Chicago, but as I said, the production pieces will be Swiss Made.
Specifications:
Retail Price $750
Super Early Bird Kickstart Price (50 pieces) $375
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montoirwatches/montoir-swiss-made-automatic-timeless-and-sleek-dive-watches
I have in hand this blue dial, but I do have some of the press photos I’ll put throughout this review, like the black dial/bezel version up top. Now again, I do want to reiterate, that this is a sample, and an early sample I believe based on a few things, but let’s talk a wall around the Montoir MWMOD-01 Dive Watch before I discuss those things. First, this is a very familiar style case, you and I have seen it from many brands over the years, one of the more popular ones right now would be Wolobrook. Now, if we are to compare, the Wolobrok is a very nice watch, but it’s also $400, with a Hesalite crystal and a Miyota 8315 movement. Yes, while the retail price of this piece will be $750, the KS price will be 40-50% off, depending on when you pledge.
The case is all very finely satin brushed, with no high polish chamfers to be found here, just a nice clean tool watch aesthetic, with a 120-click bezel and a 6.5mm screw-down crown. Unlike other skin divers, this Montoir MWMOD-01 Dive Watch has been kept very thin, coming in at only 11.5mm thick, which incuses that domed top hat sapphire crystal. With a 40.5mm case, a large crown, and a thin bezel insert, this watch doesn’t feel too large or small. It’s in that Goldilocks size for a lot of people. Even for myself, someone who prefers a 42mm, I find this to be a very wearable piece on my 7 1/2 inch wrist, so much so that I don’t know if I would want a 42mm version, not without comparing both on my wrist.
The fully indexed bezel insert does remind me a little of Unimatic Watches, but I dig the look, it’s still pretty clean and easy to read, as is the dial. These dials are pretty much standard diver layout. Printed markers in a design we are all familiar with, stick hands, and a contrast color second hand. These models have no date (unfortunately the movement does have the date, so the phantom date wheel is present) and the dial is not overrun with too much text. I will say though, that I found the bottom text slightly too small. It’s so small that you really need to get close to read it, and if that is the case, why is it on the dial at all? Otherwise, the dial has a nice texture, Montoir calls it lightly sandblasted, and it’s a nice subdued look, not too overdone to look like gravel, but not a plain matte dial either. One note on this dial color is a darker blue dial, with a blue bezel, but you will notice on the example I have, that the bezel insert is almost more of a bluish-green color and does not match like the original renderings do. I am not sure which will go into production but I do hope they can match the dial color a little more closely, because as is, it can look grey and almost black at times, and doesn’t pop as much as it should.
On the back, you have a very nice stamped case back, with the diver helmet image, something we have seen before, but I do like that it’s not an exhibition window, and the finishing on the case back is really well done, especially for a prototype. Now, one area I noticed that needs some attention would be the lug areas. Now, keep in mind, this is an early prototype, but I also don want anyone thinking I was glossing over anything either. You can see this area is a little rough and unfinished, and the tropic rubber strap also catches on this area, making the strap kind of stick or kink up. I show this better in the video, hard to show here in photos, but again, this is probably just an issue with this early example.
What were the other issues I noticed? The only other issue I found was the bezel insset is off-center, and the bezel has a little too much play. As I talked about in the video, it’s really hard to discuss quality with these prototypes or production samples, as that’s just what they are, samples, and these things are almost always fixed come production. Two other things of note, this example doesn’t say Swiss Made on the dial, but Montoir told me the watches will be Swiss-made and marked as such, and the FKM rubber straps will have the logo on the inner side of the strap as well as on the thumbnail buckle.
The lume on the Montoir MWMOD-01 Dive Watch is BGW9, and in this early example, the lume is pretty good. Keep in mind, these are printed markers, and somewhat small, so not a ton of room for lume compound, but I think it glows pretty well, and it’s nicely applied. I found it to be good for about 3 hours or so.
When Montoir reached out, I was hesitant, as I am with a lot of watches that go up for preorder or do a Kickstarter campaign these days. With so many trying to become a brand or produce a run of watches, you do have to be careful not to get scammed, and you also don’t want the same old watch that’s been done repeatedly. Yes, the Montoir MWMOD-01 Dive Watch is not a game changer in terms of design, but what watch would be at this price point? No, the design, is familiar, but I think that is the appeal, and with the clean dial, fine brush finishing, the SW200 movement, the domed sapphire, and a comfortable feel on the wrist, I think they are going to be successful with their launch, or at least I wish them well, as they have a good product from what I have seen with my limited time with this production sample.
Montoir Kickstarter
RZE Aspirare
For the past few years, there has been a trend in the watch world, specifically the microbrand watch world, with smaller diameter watches. Why? Who knows? How do these trends start anyway? Whatever the reason, many microwatches released these days are under 40mm. And that is fine, as it seems there are many who do prefer a more compact watch. But what if you don’t, what if you are begging and waiting for a watch that has a diameter of the ones from yesteryear? Well, the RZE Aspirare is a watch that is bucking the trend, with a 44mm x 53mm grade 2 titanium diver. This newest release is the largest watch the young Singaporean microbrand has made to date, and not only is it large in size, but it has a lot of great features as well, with 300m of water resistance, interchangeable titanium bezels, sapphire crystal, and a Miyota 9015 movement.
Specifications:
Price $659
https://www.rzewatches.com/pages/rze-aspirare
The RZE Aspirare comes in two dial colors currently, white, and this black one I have here, and there was a limited blue meteorite but that one is all sold out. I imagine if this model sells well, there will probably be more colorways in the future, but both dials have a grain-like texture, like black sand, or a gravel road. It’s a deep black and plays well with the applied indices, the 12 o’clock which looks like a coffin, and the steel surrounds. It’s somewhat basic, but has a nice stark contrast and makes it very easy to read. The R logo is still here, and it still reminds me of the Robin logo, but I kind of like that, and the rest of the text is kept to the bare minimum. A date at 6 o’clock finishes it off, and it’s nicely integrated and color-matched to the dial.
Beyond the 44mm size, another selling point of the RZE Aspirare is the interchangeable bezels. This model comes with 2 titanium bezels, one all-titanium with painted SuperLuminova markers, and one with a DLC black insert. As far as the look and functionality of the bezels, I love them. They definitely remind one of Sinn, and the grip is fantastic and the 120-click bezel has a great feel with just the tiniest amount of backplay. Now swapping the bezels isn’t as easy as I would have hoped. The actual process is pretty straightforward, three screws hold the bezel in place, and once you remove them, you can lift off the bezel, then line up the other one and screw back down. The issue here is the screws are so tiny, so very, very tiny, that it makes this a time-consuming project. You’ll want a magnetic screw diver if you have one, and get a good pair of watch tweezers, because even with my medium-sized hands, picking up one of these tiny screws and trying to insert it into the bezel hole is almost impossible.
Now, I probably over-exaggerated this issue in the Youtube video, as again, this is a complex operation, it’s just 3 screws. But with these screws being so tiny, the possibility of one flying out of the bezel or bouncing off your table when removing one is high. Fortunately, 3 others are included in the box, but I just wonder about the longevity of this screw system. A head getting marred by a screw diver, and the screw getting stripped, are possible, as well as scratching the bezel while removing or installing. I would have preferred if both bezels had the spring and internals in them, so you could just use a knife to pop off the bezel and switch them out that way. All that said, it is nice to have the choice of bezels, but I wouldn’t plan on swapping them out weekly.
As with all titanium models from RZE, this grade 2 titanium case of the RZE Aspirare has a hard coating, that RZE refers to as Ultra-Hex. Like any hard coating, this will help prevent light scratches, but of course, if you were to scratch it with something very hard, drop it on pavement, etc., expect scratches. The case finishing on this model is unique, with the majority of the case being bead blasted, but the sides of the case have a fine vertical brushing, which not only looks beautiful but makes it stand out from just another blasted titanium case. You’ll also notice drilled lugs, which is a little odd, only because the bracelet has quick-release pins. I assume the drilled lugs are there to either make removal with the pins easier or for if you plan on switching them out to regular pins.
Speaking of the bracelet, this is a new bracelet for the brand, and I for one love it. Instead of an H link, I would call this the upside-down U link, or maybe a horseshoe link if you will. Like the case, the bracelet is not all blasted, the U part of the links is brushed, creating a nice contrast. Screws are used to hold it all together, so sizing is fairly easy, and then we get to the clasp, another upgrade for RZE. We have seen this clasp on a few other brands, but that doesn’t take away from its function. A button underneath allows you to slide out or push in a link, so if you find yourself with the bracelet being too tight or too loose, you can adjust this on the fly with this clasp. Keep in mind, this isn’t really a divers extension, so if you plan to use this over a wetsuit, you may want to think about a rubber strap instead.
Now with this RZE Resolute being 44mm, there is going to be some pushback from the watch community, just like the guys who love the bigger watches complain when a brand comes out with a 38mm watch. All of us have to remember, that not everyone enjoys the same things or has the same-sized wrist, so it only makes sense for brands to produce multiple sizes. If you have a small wrist or don’t like big watches, well this one isn’t for you. Fortunately, there are other watches from RZE and many other brands, that are 40mm or under.
For me, on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, it fits perfectly, and I don’t fit this to be an oversized watch at all. Actually, it is very comfortable due to the lug’s shape and the fact that this is all titanium. If this watch were steel, I may find it a little cumbersome.
And then we have the lume, which as usual from RZE, is bright and long-lasting, and is also dual colored lume, again, something that RZE does on most of their watches. Both bezels are lumed as well, and though I prefer the black bezel, both look great in the dark.
I find this RZE Aspirare to be a great-looking new model, and even though the price is a little higher than past offerings, this one does up the specs as well. I think it was smart of RZE to go with a larger diver, it should definitely expand there audience to guys who have been shying away due to the smaller-sized offerings, and even though this is a larger watch, I don’t feel it is oversized, everything seems to be well proportioned, and this is not a very thick watch as well, so it is still very wearable for multiple occasions. Of course, I would like a simplified bezel exchange, but then again, I imagine most will just put one bezel on and leave it that way, if you do plan on swapping occasionally to change up the look, just be patient and take your time.
I hope they do offer more versions of this watch in the future, with some different dial colors and textures, and I would love to see some all-black variants, yes, for those who like a smaller watch, maybe they can scale it down to 40mm, as this is an attractive watch that many will probably want to wear.
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