Udone Aquadeep
Are you in the market for a large, chunky titanium diver, and Seiko and citizen divers are not doing it for you? Maybe take a look at this Undone Aquadeep. Grade 2 titanium case with a unique case design, 500m water resistant, sapphire, and an NH35 movement for just under $395. While it doesn’t have all the customization options that some Undone watches do, it is a spec monster and while it’s not revolutionary in appearance, it does have a few distinct features to stand out a little.
Specifications:
- 43mm Case Width (without crown guards and crown)
- 22m Lug Width
- 50mm Lug to Lug
- 16.5mm Thick
- 104 Grams
- Grade II Titanium Case
- Ceramic Bezel Insert
- Screw Down Crown
- Helium Valve
- 500m Water Resistant
- Double Dome Sapphire Crystal
- Japanese TMI NH35A Automatic Movement
- Made in Hong Kong
Price $395.
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https://undone.com/collections/watches/products/aquadeep-signal-black
One of the first things you will notice about the Undone Aquadeep is the size. If you take a glance at the website, you will see it lists it at 43mm. But that does not tell the whole story. This grade II titanium case is much larger than 43mm, and the unique case shape coupled with the large crowns and crown guards, do make it hard to give proper dimensions. To me, this is a 45mm case, as 43mm is only if you measure without the crown guards from 11-5 o’clock, but if you do that, you are basically on the lugs, so, this to me is a 45mm case. Measure across those crowns and you get 50mm. Though the case is lightweight due to the titanium construction, it is also 16.5mm thick, as this is a 500M diver, so this is a large, thick watch. Those who prefer 38-40mm watches would find this watch gargantuan.
The case of the Undone Aquadeep is similar to the Qunatum Batman from Undone, but with traditional lugs instead of a hooded lug design, still has the angular case lines, and is still blasted titanium. The crowns and bezel are heavily knurled, allowing for easy grip, and both turn and operate smoothly. The bezel insert is a relief matte ceramic bezel with polished numbers and markers, and I like it, but the matte area kinda has that dirty black chalkboard look to it, and it doesn’t go away, even with a good cleaning. If you are wondering what that 10 o’clock crown is for, that is a manual helium release valve, something not seen often these days, as most use the automatic valves. Either way, unless you are a professional commercial diver, you will never use it.
The textured black dial has a gravel or people texture, and yes, this is a sandwich dial, and the dive hands, reminiscent of the Clerch Hydroscpah, match well with the overall rugged look of this piece. You will notice a blank space on the dial, under the 12 marker, and this is where a brand name or logo would normally appear. This is intentionally left blank on the Undone Aquadeep, as this is an area you can customize with text or your logo. The model name and brand name are down below. If you go custom, especially with your name or nickname, etc, it may be hard to sell in the future, and let’s face it, watch enthusiasts do sell watches often. I would make sure you want to keep this watch for the long run before personalizing the dial.
Around the back, you will see what is a rather plain case back on the Undone Aquadeep, with a window to see the NH35 automatic movement, a cheap, but widely used movement in budget watches, and for good reason, as it is a pretty reliable movement, especially for the price. I know I make the joke, as others do, no, not another NH35, but with all this watch offers, I can’t imagine it would have a Miyota 9015 or 9039, for $400. I prefer a solid case back, and while that is not an option on this model, you can customize the case back window with a picture or logo as well.
On my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, the case is large and it does take up a good portion of my wrist, especially in width, but the 50mm lug to lug keeps it from overhanging. The big issue I have is the length of the rubber strap. It is extremely short, especially for a watch of these proportions. I am legit in the second hole up on the strap, and can barely use the keepers. Considering I have a pretty average wrist size, large guys will need a longer strap option.
Another area on the Undone Aquadeep that is slightly disappointing is the lume. You can see in the photo below, the numbers and markers, as well as the lume pip, are very well-lumed, but the hands could have used another layer or two of SuperLuminova. The second has no lume at all either, which is an odd choice in my opinion. Not the end of the world and the lume is still better than most, but it could be improved.
With a few customization options, multiple rubber strap colors, and a fully lumed dial option as well the Undone Aquadeep is a lot of watch for the money, no doubt about it. The design and aesthetic are an improvement over the original Aqua and Aqua II models and less in your face than the Quantum Batman. Undone needs to start making or at the very least offering longer strap options otherwise, this is a budget titanium diver, but doesn’t look like a budget watch at all.
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