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Rvlvr SD-1 Red Pool
Have you ever wished you can be as cool as Deadpool? Well, now you can with the Rvlvr SD-1 Red Pool Dive watch! Okay, not really. Actually, buying the watch will not make you cool at all, unless you are already cool, but let’s face it, you’re not as cool as Deadpool. That’s just impossible.
But, if you are looking for a budget-ish microbrand watch, that has a funky style and a see-through dial,(throwing down rhymes today son!), this SD-1 from Rvlvr (pronounced Revolver), is not a bad choice. Starting price is $419, though can raise to $459 if you opt for a stainless bracelet. If red and black are not your thing, two other colors are available, (blue and aqua) and all of them represent fun in my opinion, and stand out in the sea of Submariner and Black Bay homages.
Specifications:
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43mm Stainless Steel Case
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22m Lug Width
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51mm Lug to lug
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130 Grams (case head)
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Sapphire Crystal
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Sapphire Bezel
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Seiko NH70 Automatic Movmenet
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300 Meters Water Resistant
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Price: Starts at $419
https://scylo.com/collections/rvlvr
I think the first thing most will notice about the SD-1 is the see-through dial. Now, this is not the first time a brand has done a see-through dial, where you can see the skeletonized movement, but a transparent dial, that is still marked and lumed, is a fun feature, and again, I think this watch is all about fun. It is cheap enough (I know cheap is relative, but in the world of watches, $400 or so is cheap), and even though I do not think the NH series movement (NH70 in this case) is that great to look at, nor are most base movements, but I get what they were going for here, and the dial text has been kept to an absolute minimum so you can get the best look at the movement, and the dial surround and markers are fully lumed, and add a nice aesthetic overall.
As with the front, you of course can see the movement through the case back, and again, not really a well finished for pleasant-looking movement, but for those that like to look at the movement of their watch, it is here. For whatever reason, the case back here is mineral, as opposed to sapphire on the front. I will just assume a cost-cutting measure.
Fans of older microbrands might have already noticed that the case design does look familiar. I won’t belabor this point here in the article as I cover this in the video review, but yes, it is similar to the Prometheus Piranna from about 7-8 years ago, but it is not a clone or a copy. To be honest, I am surprised more brands have not done this style of case, as it is somewhat a cushion case and has the bezel sinking into the case much like a Seiko Sumo. For some reason, the Rvlvr SD-1 has a helium release valve and 300 meters of water resistance. I consider this a fun watch, I have said that often, and no one will be saturation diving with this piece ever, so why not ditch the HRV and drop WR to 200m and reduce the overall bulk of the case?
The Rvlvr SD-1 is not a small case but at 43mm in width and 51mm in length, and due to the case shape, it fits and feels very good on my 7 1/2-inch wrist, and depending on the strap, pretty comfortable. No issue accessing the crown or bezel while on the wrist either, things that I always look for in a diver style watch.
That said, I am not in love with all of the strap options available on the SD-1. You get to choose from an isofrane style rubber, a leather strap, or a red FKM rubber strap (both rubber options both have quick release pins) for $419 or for $40 more, a stainless bracelet. Unfortuanly, I am not completely in love with any of the straps, and all for different reasons. The red FKM strap showed up at my mailbox a few weeks after the watch arrived for review, so I didn’t get any real wrist time with this strap, but except for the quick release pins, I really enjoy this strap. Reminds me of some of the Geckota offerings, and may very well be one of their straps with a different buckle.
The isofrane style is not the best isofrane knockoff you can get and again, it has quick-release pins. I like the isofrane style straps, including the original, but just feel they are very generic these days as so many offer one, much like a tropic style rubber. The leather strap is a little stiff and I don’t feel the grey color matches this watch all, and would look more appropriate on a Panerai, or Gruppo Gamma instead of this piece.
Then there is the bracelet. I’m not going to go too hard here, but I’ll just say the bracelet is a huge pass for me. It doesn’t have end links to match up to the case, it is a cheaper engineer-style bracelet, and I just wish they went a custom route or at the very least, paid to get solid end links done up, to give the watch a more cohesive look.
On a more positive note, lume is fantastic. I tested it out as usual-I wore it to bed. About 3- 4 hours after I hit the hay, I was still able to see the time with ease, and I think the lume looks great with the way it is floating above the dial.
So, who is this watch for? I have no idea, and I am not about to pretend I know what watch you should buy, that is not what I do here. I do think overall the Rvlvr SD-1 is a fun and funky piece, even if a somewhat recycled case design, they put their own spin on it, and it is a comfortable watch to wear. All that said, I wish they had spent more time coming up with just one good bracelet or one good strap. I don’t know if it is the Kickstarter influence or why every brand thinks they need to offer such an array of straps (there are countless watch strap sites and makers out there these days fellas), instead of just one damn good strap or bracelet you will never want to take off.
When should you wear it? Well, when watching Deadpool of course, which is what I am going to do right now. The first one. The second is pretty good though too.
