Watch Review | Borealis Sea Dragon

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An orange minute and second hand circle the dial, powered by the Sea Dragon’s Japanese 28,800 bph Miyota 9015, which is a movement that has overtaken the micro-brand industry. A black date wheel with bright white numbers is located in the 4 o’clock position, and in my particular sample, it squared up beautifully. The company name, 300 meter depth rating and movement type can also be found on the dial.

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One of the key features that sets the Sea Dragon apart from its competition, including those within its own brand, is its shrouded, two piece 44 mm stainless steel case. A small hex key can be used to remove the shroud, but I never did since there is no other shroud on the market able to be fitted on this model. The beveled lugs are turned down for maximum comfort and drilled through, which is a plus for many.

The 120 click uni-directional PVD bezel, as with the markers on the dial, are lumed with BGW9, giving the Sea Dragon a soft blue-ish green glow that remains visible throughout the night. Because the case is shrouded, the bezel can only be accessed between the 12-3 o’clock and the 6-9 o’clock positions, giving it extra protection against the inadvertent bezel bump. While operating the bezel, I found no play whatsoever, and it turned counter-clockwise only after purposeful attempts. A signed, highly polished screw down crown, found in the 4 o’clock position, along with well-placed beveling on the case, give the Sea Dragon subtle bling and the ability to traverse itself from the sea bottom to the seats of a boardroom. A flat sapphire crystal coated with anti-reflective coating on the inside completes the package nicely.

While the Sea Dragon’s screwed down case back shares the Scout Sniper’s Borealis mermaid, the similarities stop there. The Sea Dragon’s brushed case back is much thinner than that of the Scout and less wordy well. Its thinner design and turned down lugs allow for the Sea Dragon to sit lower on the wrist, making it extremely comfortable as well.

Strapped to the Sea Dragon came a high quality 22mm brown leather stitched strap with contrast stitching. It’s hard for me to give my thumbs-up for a leather strap as I much prefer the look and feel of a bracelet or a genuine ISOfrane strap. Speaking of ISOfrane, the Sea Dragon does come with a PU Rubber strap, also known as polyurethane, that looks strikingly similar to the ISOfrane. However, the feel is light years away from an ISOfrane. For the purpose of this review, I left the polyurethane strap on, but once the camera shuts off, the ISOfrane will go on. This is in no way a gripe against the watch or the brand, but instead personal preference. If you’re happy with the look and feel of the polyurethane rubber strap and/or absolutely love the leather strap provided, more power to you. Both the leather strap and the polyurethane come with signed Borealis buckles.

Being that the Sea Dragon is the second Borealis offering that I have reviewed, and at the time of this review, I have a third Borealis in-hand, I’m more confident than ever in placing my name behind this up-and-coming brand. Both Borealis watches I’ve reviewed have delivered flawlessly and have far exceeded my expectations; all while helping my wallet stay thicker – at least until Christmas. Borealis’ dedication to the production of professional, reliable, and affordable watches is apparent, and from the looks of it, they show no signs of letting their foot of the gas.