Starting a bit backwards here, as I normally discuss the strap options towards the end of the review, but since I have already mentioned them, its a good time to elaborate. I understand Florijn wanting to give the most for your money, and many people like to see many options these days come with the watch. I, on the other hand, am of the philosophy that less is more. At least in some cases. The rubber strap is silicone and will attract a lot of lint and dirt and while there is nothing overtly wrong with the nato or leather straps, I feel that for the price, one great quality strap , like a natural rubber, or high end leather such as horween, could have been supplied, instead of 3 less expensive straps.
Moving onto the case, as I stated in the video, while the watch does have similar features to many dive watches on the market, I can not say it is a catalog case or pinpoint if I have seen it before. The finishing is well done, with the fine brushing on the case sides and lugs, high polish and laser etched logo on the screw down crown, and a glossy DLC coating for the bezel.
The crown is nice and firm, with little to no play, and the same goes for the bezel. The watch case overall is built very solid. The bezel is a little odd, in the fact that instead of a normal dive bezel, it is marked with hour and minute markers and does not include a lume pip. I am not sure if this was a design choice to just try and stand out and be different or if there was a more indepth reason for it.
One of the key standouts to me, is the stadium dial, with its large and 3D markers. It gives the dial depth, and it certainly is different than your standard arabic numbers or rectangle markers. The date is located at the 6 o’clock position, and it has a large cyclops that sits on top of the sapphire crystal. (I assume the cyclops is sapphire as well, but not 100% sure.) Many know I am not the biggest proponent of the date cyclops and this is a perfect example of why. In my testing, it just seems to distort the date instead of magnifying it, and I feel it would have been better without. As always, that is just my opinion, and others may disagree.
The screw down case back is simple, with laser etching and polished and frosted finishes, and helps to attain the 300 meters water resistance. While I am not sure if you would actually want to take this watch diving, because of the lack of a dive bezel, I am confident that the watch should hold up in any of your water activities. I wore this in the shower multiple times and there were no issues.
At 14mm thick, it sits nice on the wrist. It is not overly chunky, but not slim and gives a nice wrist presence, if that is something you are looking for. The case overall has an industrial blocky type feel to it, and feels good with the silicone strap on my 7.5 inch wrist. While I prefer natural rubber strap, the silicone is very comfortable, its just that it can cause you to sweat a lot more than natural rubber.
The lume is not overwhelmingly bright, as I was hoping for, but is still easy enough to read after a few hours in darkness. With the big 3D markers I guess I was hoping for Seiko slap you in the face lume, but it is not weak either, and should suffice for nighttime visibility for many.
The movement used is the Seiko NH35 movement. While this is not a top grade movement, I have had this in many watches over the years and have never had a problem. For a new company that seems to have funded their first model all on their own, I think the movement is a good choice for the price of $365. I would hope to see the Miyota 9015 in future offerings, or maybe even a Swiss Auto, if they are able to do so.
The Florijn Model 2 is an interesting take on a dive watch, or maybe I should say divers style watch. Either way, it is nice to have options, and in the watch world that is one thing that is not lacking these days. I like the look and feel of the case, and the full DLC bezel offsets the brushed steel nicely. As stated, there are a few changes I would make, but otherwise I feel Florijn is on the right track, and look forward to their future offerings.
Thank you to Florign for providing this model for review and you can see all the versions and more about the company HERE.
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