A good looking titanium diver with a twist - the Artic from Tool Watch CO
We all know that divers are very popular, I have reviewed more than a few and it always surprises me how companies come up with different inspirations, but at the end they all feel very similar, very retro inspired.
I saw a picture of the Artic diver from Tool Watch CO. and it felt somehow different but in a good way. The case had
those vintage lines but it was mate grey, no date and then a dial which reminded me of Grand Seiko. I was scared that it was just a good picture and in real life the watch was a 45mm beast, it wasn’t, maybe it was too thick, it wasn’t either, every spec I read was spot on. I've decided to reach the Tool Watch CO. and see if I could get my hands on this intriguing piece and I was lucky, I've received the prototype for inspection and yes, there will be some changes on the final version but everything that I manage to capture was as good as I thought, let's begin.
The specifications:
The first thing I saw when I took the watch out of the box was the case, was it really grey? It was, the case titanium and really well machined, very light with well applied anti-scratch coating, it feels industrial and technical, the shape of the case is very retro inspired but still looks modern because of the material, a great combination. The dimension as I expected were perfect, 38mm and a lug to lug of under 47mm which if you are immerse into this world of watches you will know that this is the right size for a modern piece. The dial of the Artic really steals the show, is a natural meteorite which has a lovely texture visible through the boxed sapphire crystal. I am so glad that they kept the back closed and with a
polar bear motif, reminding us about the harsh environments and conditions that our world is having at the moment. Powering the watch you will find a SW200 Sellita movement which nowadays is refreshing to see because many people opt for Seiko and Miyota movements, not that there is something wrong with those movements but a good quality Swiss counterpart always wins on my book, especially if you can keep the price down which is the case with the Artic (800 USD but 50% off on launch)
On the wrist:
As you can imagine with those proportions the watch feels great, light and very tool like looking. The Saffiano leather strap gives an air of sophistication and even more lightness, the watch will be also offered with an H-link titanium bracelet, that to me is a striking combination, cannot imagine how hard would be to machine that bracelet but if it has the same quality as the case, then it would really be a one of a kind offer. The contrast that the dial has with the markers makes the watch very easy to read, the lume is also well applied and the no date dial completes the symmetrical clean look of the Artic. The dial has many small details, take the minute hand for example, it has a blue surround which differs from the black on the hour hand, like I said a small detail but a good one none the less.
Conclusions:
The Artic diver is a great example on how a good design can be done with different materials, not everything has to be steel or glossy or brushed, and this is what I like about the Tool Watch CO. offering, its different but in a good way, sure every company has their own take on a diver and I have seen several designs over the years but not all of them translate to a coherent product, we all know that a good diving tool is the most popular complication that we watch lovers like, so when is made with attention to detail and a unique twist then really makes a difference. There will be slight changes to the final production version such as removing the ''Sellita SW200'' script from the dial and other tweaks but the watch was so well made that I really forgot it was a prototype, that to me means that the quality on the final product is assured, I cannot wait to see what the brand comes with after this amazing diver.
For more information please visit https://toolwatchco.com/
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