Details, value and summer ready -The Ocean Adventure by Monro Watches

Not so long ago, when it came to watchmaking bronze was a very exclusive material, but because of the microbrand explosion, everything became more accessible and ready to be enjoyed by a larger pool of enthusiasts.

That said, when more brands gain access to bronze, the overall offer did not get better, in fact, the quality of watches made with one of the oldest alloys in the world got sloppy, lazy and even plain.

The watches suffered from dull finishing to odd non-working bezels, in other words, it lacked the refinement that big brands like Panerai and Tudor offered. That said, lately, there has been a resurgence in terms of quality from some brands, specially in the UK and Monro Watches seems to be in the right track.

The model we are having a look today is the Ocean Adventure in the Artic Bronze configuration. This watch falls into the brand diver series and it  also comes in steel with a variety of dials but today, we are here for the blue and bronze combination.

More on the watch itself, I was pleased since I opened the box. The hue of the case was pleasant and well finished while the knurling of the bezel was well defined.

One of the reasons on why this watch (to me) is one of the nicest in their line-up, it is because it brings those Yacht-Master II vibes without the size and loudness that comes with the Rolex counterpart. It is hard to resist something as vibrant.

Join me to discover the details and of this unique diver that would take you to the end of the summer, let’s begin.

The specifications

One of the best things of the Ocean Adventure is the size. The 41mm CuSn8 bronze case is spot on for my 6.25-inch wrist, this is also helped by the 48mm lug to lug which gives a more manageable and firmer stand. As previously mentioned, some bronze cases (and some steel ones) from smaller brands, tend to be executed in a questionable manner, but this is not the case here, there are plenty of details to highlight such as polished bevels on the lugs and brushed surfaces on the side of the case, everything looks complex and expensive. We will come to the price later.

The dial is another part of the watch that we must spend some time with. There is a satin texture that reacts nicely with the applied rose tone markers, I can even push to say that the white dial looks a bit pink which I really enjoy.

The ceramic blue bezel is the right shade, it is an intense blue that matches well with the writing of the dial, the tip of the seconds hand and the rubber strap which deserves its own paragraph.

Lume must be a high point in the priority list at Monro’s department; it is everywhere in the Ocean Adventure. The internal part of the rotating bezel comes to life together with the 12 o’clock triangle, dial markers and hands, they all glow nicely thanks to the Superluminova C1 blue and green, different glows for different situations.

Inside our case we have the Seiko NH38A, it a reliable companion that fits the watch quite well. Add a screw down crown plus a closed case back and the Ocean Adventure delivers 200 metres of water resistance.

On the wrist

We usually say divers are allowed to be chunky, and the Ocean Adventure is tall at 15mm but because of the short lug to lug and curved lugs, the watch hugs my wrist quite well. I can also attest to that last statement because I enjoy wearing it on the supplied rubber strap that it comes with, sure it adds thickness, but it is one of the best I’ve tried so far. From the singed keepers to the small writing details on the back, everything looks as well thought out as for a watch that would cost at least 3 times the price. Another good touch is that the watch also comes with a fine leather strap with a matching bronze buckle, I think is time that all brands offer 2 straps.

Legibility is good with a white dial and blue accents; everything works as it should. The watch surely gets attention because of the colour scheme but at the same time, in the right environment, it would look just at home as a polo shirt in a Yacht club. I wore the Ocean Adventure mostly on the weekends, outside in the sun with the barbecue on, it works so well in so many levels that is hard to take off.

I cannot wait to see how the case will start to age, with bronze as a ‘’living metal’’, it exciting to experiment all these changes. I’ve also cannot wait to take it for a dive, at the end of the day, that is what the Ocean Adventure is meant to be doing, aging and diving.

Concluding thoughts

A diver is one of the first watches that I’ve felt in love with, it is not a surprise because they are everywhere. Also, it is odd to think that you can find them at all price ranges, from entry level to high end pieces, there is one for everyone which is a good segway to the Ocean Adventure positioning.

Monroe Watches is asking for their main diver 450 GBP which is a great deal, at least in my eyes. The number of details, original design and finishing justifies the price with no issues. A small secret is that there are certain offers happening, but I would encourage to act quickly as by the time I wrote this article, there are only 3 versions from the Artic White left. There are others ones available like an orange in steel or a gradient blue also in bronze, but we just felt in love with our press sample.

The Ocean Adventure was a breath of fresh air, but it is worth mentioning that their lineup also has 2 other offerings: the Urban and Adventure. I haven’t seen them yet but if the quality is as high as our Artic Bronze 200-meter diver, then there is something to keep looking at with the guys at Monroe.

For more information please visit: https://monroadventure.com/products/moa-br3-arctic-bronze

Technical specifications

·       Case Material: Bronze CuSn8

·       Case Diameter: 41mm

·       Lug to Lug: 48mm

·       Thickness: 15mm

·       Lug Width: 20mm

·       Movement: Seiko NH38A, 24 Jewels

·       Glass: Double domed sapphire with AR coating

·       Water Resistance: 200m (20 ATM)

·       Power Reserve: 41 hours

·       Bezel: Unidirectional (120 clicks), ceramic insert

·       Dial Finish: Galvanic

·       Luminosity: SLC1 SUPERLUMINOVA GREEN, SLBC1 SUPERLUMINOVA BLUE