A double punch from Alcadus - The Dromo and the Opus 39 v2
I always get excited when a brand decides to launch a new watch but, when they do 2 completely new lines I am
just static.
The only problem with reviewing 2 watches that are so different is that you barely have time to spend with them, to get used to the features offered, but for this review, Alcadus was kind enough to not only sent us their new beauties but also to spend a good length of time with them. This is not my first time reviewing an Alcadus watch, in my review of the first version of the Opus I was so impressed with the quality that I couldn’t believe a second version was coming out so quickly, usually when brands nail a design they stick with it and try to use it as much as they can but, I can say as an introduction that the Opus 39 V2 is incredible. The second watch that we were presented with was the new developed Dromo, a vintage inspired diver which ticks all the right boxes, not only as a modern piece but also as an original design which you don’t need me to tell you that in this watch world, that is something special.
The Opus 39 V2
This pilot inspired piece is one of a kind, there are so many nice details not only on the dial but also on the case and bracelet, the sample we have is an incredible purple blue inside a box sapphire which includes not only 1 nor 2 but 5 layers of AR coating . The dimensions are spot on, with the magic number 39mm as a diameter and a 45.5 mm lug to lug distance, this is perfect by modern standards but also great for the vintage aesthetic look. One of the details I like the most about the Opus 39 is how the dial extend until the edge of the case, it has a very thin bezel making it look sophisticated and also very legible, this is a trick that also came into the first version of the Opus, I won't call it a minimalistic design but surely gets points for an elegant and simplistic face. Legibility is a must for a pilot piece, and here the Opus 39 V" doesn’t disappoint, X1 Grade Swiss Super-LumiNova® is present in all of the markers and even the crown, and then we have the same colour date, visible
when you need it and invisible when you don’t look for it. The heart of the watch is a regulated automatic Miyota 9019, very reliable and keeping the watch thin, the crown at 3 o clock is nicely finished and with a great size, making it easy to operate but also giving the watch 100 meters of water resistance. The Opus 39 V2 wears great on my 6.25 inch wrist, is not only the thinness of the piece but also the bracelet that comes with, a well-made 20mm that tapers nicely, the drilled lugs really gives you options on how the overall look with work and, you can really say that the Opus 39 V2 is a strap monster. The Alcadus comes in 3 other colours: a deep teal, a classy salmon and I think my favourite of the 4 a matte grey which looks like wet sand, really impressive and very unique. The price for the super Early Bird is $320 on Kickstarter, that’s incredible value and not to be missed.
The Dromo
Is not like we are leaving the best for the last part, but the Dromo is a really captivating watch and this is coming from a collector that owns a Tudor Black Bay 58 and also owned a Rolex Submarines, both of which are as you know icons. This is not meant to be a comparison with other divers and the reason is because the Dromo has a very unique design, there is nothing like it out there which is a real treat to a watch lover like me, like us.
The Dromo shares similar case dimensions with the Opus 39 V2, it's sharp and well executed. A diver to me always needs a great bezel and the Dromo doesn’t disappoint, our version had a brushed stainless steel one but you can also get the version with a sapphire insert, details as usual. The white dial on our sample of the Dromo is what I like the most about the watch, I am not sure you noticed but there are so many matte black divers out there, so having a white glossy dial for review is really something else, its bright and legible, perfect to take into the deep, do you need a date when you dive? Well perfect because the Dromo doesn’t have one, it’s a tool watch that looks like it should. The same AR coating treatment than the OPUS 39 V2 receives is present here on the Dromo, if legibility is necessary for a pilots watch imagine for 200 meters diver.
The Dromo has a similar Miyota but without the date function, perfection in my opinion, we lose that ghost date position that many brands are guilty off and we also get reliability with a regulated movement. Round markers and sword hands complete the look of the dial. In the dark, the hands, the markers, the crown and the bezel glow nicely by using Swiss Super-LumiNova®, It really makes a great show and specially under the macro. The Dromo comes is 4 versions including our white glossy one, there is one in classic black, another one in salmon and the last one in blue, all of them have something attractive to it but my pick would be the white one, the pieces are now live on Kickstarter and Super Early Bird is set at $320, this incudes the amazing bracelet from the Opus 30 V2, great value again from Alcadus.
Conclusion
Diving and aviation are the most popular categories in watches right now but the only issue is that brands are making copies or ''homages'' of other pieces that are out there, the difference that I could find with the Opus 39 V2 and the Dromo is that they don’t looks like anything else out there, sure they have bezels, hands and crowns but they are unique with touches made with passion and not with an excel as a marketing exercise. The sizes are spot on and do follow the trend on vintage inspired pieces and then with the colours, the offering is a perfect blend between old and new.
The Opus 39 V2 and the Dromo are live now on Kickstarter, this will be a great addition to any collection, they will go fast so make sure you don’t miss out.
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