Thanks mate, very appealing proposition. Ceramic, good movement, nice crystal, perfect size and a wonderful look with matching date window. Honestly, I can’t see a single negative for the cost, but for the availability.
Thanks for the review. That is a beautiful watch. I wish they were easier to locate. I think if they put a stainless fixed bezel it would be a great alternative to a date just too!
Nice, objective review and comments. I like this piece...although it differs in some important respects (especially the dial color) it reminds me of a watch I wore for 4 years (including 3 in the Army) back in the 1960's -- a Zodiac Sea Wolf. The revived Zodiac brand was selling replicas of that watch recently for roughly $1500 with steel strap and ETA 2824-2 movement.
Thanks Ivan for a very informative review! I do really like the overall look of the this particular model, simple & classic, however I do think the price is a bit steep considering the features & brand recognition.
Thanks man... yeah it seems that there is a lot of that common sentiment coming through in the comments. For some reason this brand seems to be a bit of darling on the forums...
Love the colour and they seem great quality. Size is spot on too. Looks great on wrist. Shame no bracelet option and quite pricey for whats on offer. Thanks Ivan 👍
I think its a great looking watch but yeah i kinda feel like its a half job when no bracelet is offered. Perhaps it would push the price too high with a real quality bracelet - no point putting a cheap one on this watch. They should link up with Monta 👍 do a bracelet colab hehe
Do you mean the Ocean King? I don't think there's any comparison really, that watch seems superior in almost every aspect, but of course is also considerably more expensive.
I believe for the price it's reasonable cuz if you're looking in that's serious price range you have ETA movement you're looking at several thousands of dollars depending on who the manufacturer is and I liked it to watch itself too bad it's sold out hey who won the drawing anyways cheers did a wonderful job again
Thanks for that - the winner of the draw was announced in the community tab, but there hasn't been a response so I will have to redraw soon. Please keep an eye on the community tab for updates - if you're a subscriber it should come up in your homepage feed :)
Hello, I like the minimalistic backside. I also like the dial very well. But the bezel does not fit in color. Light orange, light yellow or a slightly darker blue would be prettier. With the blue strap I would not swim in seawater either. I think the price is a bit too high. $600 would be more appropriate.
Is it worth buying a non ISO certified dive watch and actually take it for snorkeling or free diving? Watch manufacturers don't cover warranty on water damage right? And since they don't test individual watch for ISO certification, wouldn't it be hard to prove manufacturing defect if there's any that causes water damage?
If you're snorkeling or free diving, any watch rated to 200m or above will suit you fine. In fact, if you scuba dive (open water cert - down to 60 ft) they will work too. They will all be more than able to handle that. Just make sure you screw down the crown so it's sealed. Also never wear it in a hot tub or sauna - tends to wreck the seals and cause humidity build up. The ISO cert is kind of meaningless in the watch community. Yeah, it's nice to have but it is not mandatory for a dive watch.
Also, watches that are rated with a water resistance should at least have been tested for that rating. Some manufacturers have a "safety" margin and test 25-50% over that pressure too to ensure it at least can exceed the rating. Being ISO certified takes into additional details other than water resistance too (lume, shock resistance, etc...) but if all you're worried about is water resistance no need to have an ISO certified watch at all.
@@anonypersona3189 As I understand it, non ISO watches only get tested by batch, whereas ISO rated watches are tested individually. My question pertains to manufacturing defect that passed their batch quality control for non ISO divers.
@@PT111111 I'm not 100% sure about ISO 6425 being tested on each watch individually but I'm fairly certain that's not the case. Take a look at the testing standards. That means each watch would have to undergo shock, magnetic, and chemical resistance tests - something that a watch owner would not want their watch to go through as it's fairly damaging. For example: "Shock resistance. This is tested by two shocks (one on the 9 o'clock side, and one to the crystal and perpendicular to the face). The shock is usually delivered by a hard plastic hammer mounted as a pendulum, so as to deliver a measured amount of energy, specifically, a 3 kg hammer with an impact velocity of 4.43 m/s. The change in rate allowed is ± 60 seconds/day." That would mean someone would take a hammer to the watch... causing scratches and such. I doubt they would do that to each individual watch but I could be wrong - it's a plastic hammer so it shouldn't cause too much damage...
@@PT111111 I see what you're getting at. Yeah, if a watch failed then I doubt the manufacturer would cover it - even if it was due to a defect on their side. Then again, I wouldn't worry about it. It's a rarity. I scuba dive very often and I use $200 dive watches that are not ISO certified and have never had a failure. FWIW I dive probably 30-40 times a year for fun.
I very nice watch. The vintage style crystal is cool. I don’t like the way it says “Automatic” at 6. From far away it looks like “Swiss Made”. I little expensive, especially considering no bracelet. Lots of options at this price.
Perth WAtch it’s a nice watch, looks well made. I just find there placement of Automatic deceiving. Every other watch I have seen has Automatic above the 6. Many watches will have where they are made at the bottom of the 6. Not just Swiss, German watches all have it and Seiko does it to.
Thank you for the comment - indeed the case back is almost as plain as it gets. Budget limits perhaps, but then again there are cheaper watches (although from companies with bigger production runs) that offer more...
That $wiss premium again. Definitely $2-300 too much. The dial color is not usual and may send some over the Moon. Matching date wheel color is a nice touch, and nicely at 6 o'clock, too. Still, for the same money a Steinhart Ocean One Ti has a matching bracelet, Swiss ETA decorated GMT movement, display back and 500 m WR. More accurate, too. No waiting either. Steinhart isn't really a microbrand, or are they? Helm, who definitely are a micro, is threatening to have in stock watches next month and a new model "Komodo" to boot. Spectacular bracelets, sapphire and lumed ceramic bezel, engraved caseback, 300 m WR. ~$300. The Seiko NH35 movement is the only possible reason to look down one's nose and that's really a nit. The Helm examples on hand here are quite accurate workhorses. The Kuhraburi out Monsters' Seiko and the Vanuatu might resemble a Sinn but at a Chinese price...
Yeah many others have voiced similar sentiments to that... seems like a very common feeling. Regarding Steinhart, well I reckong they're awesome but this one is original design, so that's gotta count for a few hundred bucks no? :D Personally I think Steinhart have moved beyond being a micro-brand... they have quite a large range, have own established facilities, and have ventured into original designs also. I anticipate them trying an in-house movement in the near future actually. So many others have also brought up the Helm name - happily I might be able to borrow one from a local viewer very soon! :)
ETA movements are annoying, I have four entry level swiss watches and they all run fast and by a lot (maybe just unlucky). Now the Seiko's I have with the NH35 run within 3 to 6 seconds max a day! why are we paying for swiss when Seiko are doing a better job????
Sounds like you've been rather unlucky with those ETA ones... the ones I own have all generally between within specs at -10 to +20 Spd range. On the other hand Seiko NH35 movements have wide range out of the box... sometimes as slow as -20 to as quick as +35... of course at times they have been deadly well regulated also. That's my own experience.
It does feel steep for what is on offer, however for whatever reason Halios does seem to be a bit of a darling among the independent micro-brand dive watch companies...
Agreed. While these seem to be great quality they are pretty pricey. No bracelet either which is the killer for me. Pretty nice watch though - nice colour.
Thanks Sam - I didn't realised you love bracelets as much as I do! :) Rusty - the mate who lent it to me passed it in this pouch, so my guess is that's all it is... but I'll check.
Way to much money for this watch in my opinion. ETA 2124 patent expired. They can clone it now without worry. I do think it is a decent watch, and colors. Just way overpriced for what you get.
Yeah it's true about the ETA 2824 patent however I do hear a lot about how clones are just not the same as the original. The price is indeed quite high so I think you have to like the company and design specifically to fork out for it. Not to mention having to wait!
@@PerthWAtch You are probably right about getting a real ETA movement vs a clone. I was not putting down the watch, I actually like it. I just think it needs to be a lot less. It is not a dog, it is nice. I have seen some really ugly microbrands before.
Thanks mate, very appealing proposition. Ceramic, good movement, nice crystal, perfect size and a wonderful look with matching date window. Honestly, I can’t see a single negative for the cost, but for the availability.
Thanks Jeff... that's a nice summary of the big strengths of this piece :)
Thanks for the review. That is a beautiful watch. I wish they were easier to locate. I think if they put a stainless fixed bezel it would be a great alternative to a date just too!
Thanks Chris - yeah I do wish they were more widespread but it seems that the small scale of this company is partly why they are quite well liked.
Nice, objective review and comments. I like this piece...although it differs in some important respects (especially the dial color) it reminds me of a watch I wore for 4 years (including 3 in the Army) back in the 1960's -- a Zodiac Sea Wolf. The revived Zodiac brand was selling replicas of that watch recently for roughly $1500 with steel strap and ETA 2824-2 movement.
Thanks for sharing that - that Zodiac is a very interesting piece for sure! :)
Thanks Ivan for a very informative review! I do really like the overall look of the this particular model, simple & classic, however I do think the price is a bit steep considering the features & brand recognition.
Thanks man... yeah it seems that there is a lot of that common sentiment coming through in the comments. For some reason this brand seems to be a bit of darling on the forums...
Thank you I needed cheering up, I've just had a bill from FedEx so my spinnaker bargain watch now isn't ! Lovey review and a great watch
Thanks for that - appreciate the ongoing positive support :)
@@PerthWAtch always a pleasure my friend. I really enjoy your content
Love the colour and they seem great quality. Size is spot on too. Looks great on wrist. Shame no bracelet option and quite pricey for whats on offer. Thanks Ivan 👍
Thanks Sam - yeah you're spot on with those sentiments I think... I would've loved to see a bracelet too!
I think its a great looking watch but yeah i kinda feel like its a half job when no bracelet is offered. Perhaps it would push the price too high with a real quality bracelet - no point putting a cheap one on this watch. They should link up with Monta 👍 do a bracelet colab hehe
Haha like almost all Spinnaker watches then! I think Strapcode would be good pair up too!
seems like a great piece, how do you think it compares to the Monta diver?
Do you mean the Ocean King? I don't think there's any comparison really, that watch seems superior in almost every aspect, but of course is also considerably more expensive.
I believe for the price it's reasonable cuz if you're looking in that's serious price range you have ETA movement you're looking at several thousands of dollars depending on who the manufacturer is and I liked it to watch itself too bad it's sold out hey who won the drawing anyways cheers did a wonderful job again
Thanks for that - the winner of the draw was announced in the community tab, but there hasn't been a response so I will have to redraw soon. Please keep an eye on the community tab for updates - if you're a subscriber it should come up in your homepage feed :)
Nice watch Ivan! Hopefully in February I'll have my Helm Vanuatu and for the money I think they are a better watch mate. Cheers
Thanks for that. Helm use Seiko movements though right?
I'm waiting for February stock as well) I don't know if they regulate their movements, but review items all showed amazing accuracy
They probably do regulate to some extent if that's the case... hard to consistently fluke that :)
@@PerthWAtch Yes mate but it's the case, bracelet and that amazing lume that make it standout for just $275 us
@@timur7381 It's a race to who gets them first before they sell out! Lol
Hello,
I like the minimalistic backside. I also like the dial very well. But the bezel does not fit in color. Light orange, light yellow or a slightly darker blue would be prettier. With the blue strap I would not swim in seawater either.
I think the price is a bit too high. $600 would be more appropriate.
Thank you for those thoughts - yeah a dark blue bezel would be nice I think. Orange would be cool too, but perhaps a bit garish :)
One of the most beautiful divers on the market. It's just not worth 700$ without a stainless steel bracelet.
Thanks for that... fair enough sentiment I think!
Lorier and Mercer rock my boat; this blue is awfully nice, though.
Thanks - I'll have to check out that brand!
Is it worth buying a non ISO certified dive watch and actually take it for snorkeling or free diving? Watch manufacturers don't cover warranty on water damage right? And since they don't test individual watch for ISO certification, wouldn't it be hard to prove manufacturing defect if there's any that causes water damage?
If you're snorkeling or free diving, any watch rated to 200m or above will suit you fine. In fact, if you scuba dive (open water cert - down to 60 ft) they will work too. They will all be more than able to handle that. Just make sure you screw down the crown so it's sealed. Also never wear it in a hot tub or sauna - tends to wreck the seals and cause humidity build up. The ISO cert is kind of meaningless in the watch community. Yeah, it's nice to have but it is not mandatory for a dive watch.
Also, watches that are rated with a water resistance should at least have been tested for that rating. Some manufacturers have a "safety" margin and test 25-50% over that pressure too to ensure it at least can exceed the rating. Being ISO certified takes into additional details other than water resistance too (lume, shock resistance, etc...) but if all you're worried about is water resistance no need to have an ISO certified watch at all.
@@anonypersona3189 As I understand it, non ISO watches only get tested by batch, whereas ISO rated watches are tested individually. My question pertains to manufacturing defect that passed their batch quality control for non ISO divers.
@@PT111111 I'm not 100% sure about ISO 6425 being tested on each watch individually but I'm fairly certain that's not the case. Take a look at the testing standards. That means each watch would have to undergo shock, magnetic, and chemical resistance tests - something that a watch owner would not want their watch to go through as it's fairly damaging. For example: "Shock resistance. This is tested by two shocks (one on the 9 o'clock side, and one to the crystal and perpendicular to the face). The shock is usually delivered by a hard plastic hammer mounted as a pendulum, so as to deliver a measured amount of energy, specifically, a 3 kg hammer with an impact velocity of 4.43 m/s. The change in rate allowed is ± 60 seconds/day." That would mean someone would take a hammer to the watch... causing scratches and such. I doubt they would do that to each individual watch but I could be wrong - it's a plastic hammer so it shouldn't cause too much damage...
@@PT111111 I see what you're getting at. Yeah, if a watch failed then I doubt the manufacturer would cover it - even if it was due to a defect on their side. Then again, I wouldn't worry about it. It's a rarity. I scuba dive very often and I use $200 dive watches that are not ISO certified and have never had a failure. FWIW I dive probably 30-40 times a year for fun.
I very nice watch. The vintage style crystal is cool. I don’t like the way it says “Automatic” at 6. From far away it looks like “Swiss Made”.
I little expensive, especially considering no bracelet. Lots of options at this price.
Thanks for the thoughts... hmm, I never thought about the "Auto - Matic" looking like "Swiss - Made"... that's interesting!
Perth WAtch it’s a nice watch, looks well made. I just find there placement of Automatic deceiving. Every other watch I have seen has Automatic above the 6. Many watches will have where they are made at the bottom of the 6. Not just Swiss, German watches all have it and Seiko does it to.
You're correct, all other watches I have seen tend to have "XXXX Made" in that position.
Really like the dial and case design. Case back however could be a little more decorated I think. Looks kind of plain (to me).
Thank you for the comment - indeed the case back is almost as plain as it gets. Budget limits perhaps, but then again there are cheaper watches (although from companies with bigger production runs) that offer more...
@@PerthWAtch oh yeah, look at Richard Legrand case backs, they are absolutely gorgeous and oh so classy :)
Thanks - I will check it out.
That $wiss premium again. Definitely $2-300 too much. The dial color is not usual and may send some over the Moon. Matching date wheel color is a nice touch, and nicely at 6 o'clock, too. Still, for the same money a Steinhart Ocean One Ti has a matching bracelet, Swiss ETA decorated GMT movement, display back and 500 m WR. More accurate, too. No waiting either. Steinhart isn't really a microbrand, or are they?
Helm, who definitely are a micro, is threatening to have in stock watches next month and a new model "Komodo" to boot. Spectacular bracelets, sapphire and lumed ceramic bezel, engraved caseback, 300 m WR. ~$300. The Seiko NH35 movement is the only possible reason to look down one's nose and that's really a nit. The Helm examples on hand here are quite accurate workhorses. The Kuhraburi out Monsters' Seiko and the Vanuatu might resemble a Sinn but at a Chinese price...
Yeah many others have voiced similar sentiments to that... seems like a very common feeling. Regarding Steinhart, well I reckong they're awesome but this one is original design, so that's gotta count for a few hundred bucks no? :D
Personally I think Steinhart have moved beyond being a micro-brand... they have quite a large range, have own established facilities, and have ventured into original designs also. I anticipate them trying an in-house movement in the near future actually.
So many others have also brought up the Helm name - happily I might be able to borrow one from a local viewer very soon! :)
ETA movements are annoying, I have four entry level swiss watches and they all run fast and by a lot (maybe just unlucky). Now the Seiko's I have with the NH35 run within 3 to 6 seconds max a day! why are we paying for swiss when Seiko are doing a better job????
Sounds like you've been rather unlucky with those ETA ones... the ones I own have all generally between within specs at -10 to +20 Spd range. On the other hand Seiko NH35 movements have wide range out of the box... sometimes as slow as -20 to as quick as +35... of course at times they have been deadly well regulated also. That's my own experience.
$700 is way too much for this watch. They don't even offer free shipping.
It does feel steep for what is on offer, however for whatever reason Halios does seem to be a bit of a darling among the independent micro-brand dive watch companies...
Agreed. While these seem to be great quality they are pretty pricey. No bracelet either which is the killer for me. Pretty nice watch though - nice colour.
@@PerthWAtch does it come with a box or just he leather pouch?
I tend to agree, it's a nice looking piece but over priced...
Thanks Sam - I didn't realised you love bracelets as much as I do! :)
Rusty - the mate who lent it to me passed it in this pouch, so my guess is that's all it is... but I'll check.
Way to much money for this watch in my opinion. ETA 2124 patent expired. They can clone it now without worry. I do think it is a decent watch, and colors. Just way overpriced for what you get.
Yeah it's true about the ETA 2824 patent however I do hear a lot about how clones are just not the same as the original. The price is indeed quite high so I think you have to like the company and design specifically to fork out for it. Not to mention having to wait!
@@PerthWAtch You are probably right about getting a real ETA movement vs a clone. I was not putting down the watch, I actually like it. I just think it needs to be a lot less. It is not a dog, it is nice. I have seen some really ugly microbrands before.
Nice looking watch but I could save money and buy a glycine,
Yeah maybe you could!
Too late all Sold Out!
Yeah that's right... I did mention that in the video. There may be more runs in future... otherwise it's the secondary market.
:)
;)