RZE Resolute Super Compressor
Continuing their success with the Resolute line, RZE has released a new watch, another titanium piece, this time a super compressor, the RZE Resolute Super Compressor, which is possibly the first, or maybe the second titanium super compressor in history. Or so I believe. The story there is, RZE touted this watch as the world’s first titanium super compressor when this watch went up for preorder earlier this year. Many were quick to point out that Farer, a British Microbrand has a titanium super compressor, one they released 2 years earlier. Now I have looked at that watch on their website, and they do say compressor a few times but it doesn’t seem that they market it as a Super Compressor like Christopher Ward does for example, and without talking to them or getting one in hand, I will leave that up to you readers to decide. But this one from RZE is titanium, hard-coated, is a true super compressor, and has a dual crown setup with a 12-hour internal bezel, is about half the price of the Farer, and is available in 4 colors.
Specifications:
- 40mm case width
- 12mm case thickness
- 46mm case length /lug-to-lug
- 20mm lug width tapers to 16mm at the buckle
- Weight: 100-120g (with bracelet)
- Case: Solid Grade 2 Titanium case
Bead-blasted titanium with UltraHex™ Coating
Movement: Miyota 90S5 Japan Movement
Water Resistance: 200m (660ft) / 20ATM
Luminous: Swiss Super-luminova®
Lens: Sapphire Crystal with inner-side Super-AR
Price $699 USD, $729 with Rubber Strap
RZE Website:https://www.rzewatches.com/pages/rze-resolute-supercompressor
If you are a fan of RZE or own a few, you will be pretty familiar with the style and layout of this RZE Resolute Super Compressor. It looks very similar to the RZE Endeavor Diver, it has the same dial texture and dial layout, the same H-link style bracelet, and the same water resistance but is now a dual crown Super Compressor. This can be looked at in a few different ways, but it is not uncommon, especially with microbrands, to release very similar or updated versions of their first watch, and it gives the brand a somewhat cohesive portfolio and brand identity. I do feel that way, but as great as this new model is, I was hoping it would be a little more different.
Now don’t get me wrong, this is not the exact same case as their other diver, it is modified to fit the dual screw-down crowns, and there are countless other brands that have and do release many versions of the same watch over and over, Sinn being one of them, and last I checked, they were pretty popular, so it is all in the way you look at it. So getting back to this new model, the biggest standout here is that is a Super Compressor. I talk about this in the video, and I think (or hope) that many know that having a dual crown and internal bezel is not what makes a watch a super compressor, rather it is the spring in the case with a screw-down case back, the creates more pressure the deeper you go underwater, meaning it gets more and more water resistant, the deeper you go. It was a patented system back in the late 50s by EPSA and used by countless brands until technology and materials improved and the system was more or less tossed aside. But in recent years, old is new, and many are doing Super Compressor watches RZE threw their hat in the bucket and did one as well, and it is a very attractive piece.
The case is 40mm, its slim, lightweight, and even more, lightweight on the optional rubber strap (I forgot to take more pics, see video for more info on the strap), has two screw-down crowns, a no date dial, and a no date movement (not always the case), that great dial we saw in the previous dive watch from RZE and I mean, it’s just a good looking and clean piece, not cluttered, very modern looking with the dial and case design.
The titanium is grade 2, and it has a blasted finish like most of the watches from RZE this one has a hard coating as well, which I believe is a plating of some sort and is good for 1200vh, meaning its a little more scratch resistant but don’t get dropping it on the pavement or swinging it around wildly thinking it will never get a mark on it.
One odd choice for a deep-diving Super Compressor is that the internal bezel does not have an elapsed timer as you would expect. Instead, it is a 12-hour bezel, which to be honest, I am not sure why they went this route. I didn’t really see mention of it on the website, or maybe I just missed it, but there has to be a reason, right? The dial is great though as I said and the contrast of this blue with the white bezel (which is fully lumed) is the main reason I chose this one to review, but there is a yellow dial, a black dial, and a full lume dial as well, and to be honest, each one looks great, there isn’t a bad color in the lineup.
On this wrist, as with the previous Endeavor Diver, it really is a dream to wear. A lightweight tapered bracelet, a great slim clasp with lots of micro-adjustment, and at 40mm the dual crowns don’t dig into the back of my hand, but I still think this watch could be sized up to 42mm and still be very wearable, at least for someone like me, with a 7 1/2 inch wrist, and it would probably increase the crown size a little as well, as I do find these crowns to be a touch on the small side.
And lastly, we get to the lume, and I had to go back and read my previous review of the first dive model and I gave that one, which essentially has the same dial, a really good grade and stated 7 hours of lume, which I am going to call BS on myself for that. Maybe I put a typo, or maybe this one isn’t as good as I would want, not sure which. Either way, the RZE Resolute Super Compressor has good lume, it’s just not fantastic or great or the best ever. I would give it a grade B, it will fade within about 4 hours completely, at least on my example.
If you look out in the watch world, and you are looking for a true super compressor, you will find a few options these days, but not many, as it is still rare for this technology to be used, at least in this particular application. Christopher Ward has one, which got a lot of great buzz a few years ago (3 ?), and as I mentioned in the beginning, the Farer I believe is a super compressor as well, and also titanium, but both of these watches are more expensive than this RZE Resolute Super Compressor. Design is of course subjective, but this is definitely the more affordable option and possibly, at least in the past decade or so, the cheapest true Super Compressor watch on the market, and RZE makes a damn good watch, so it feels like a bargain, at least to me. I just wish it was a tad larger at 42mm, but otherwise, another great job by the young brand.
