Everyday wearability – The Aquareef 40

There are watches that remind of you of something special but they are not necessarily a copying a style, they are their own thing. Colour waves are stuck in our head like a sticker and the main effect provided is that they make you feel you are in front of something very familiar.

I was aware of Golby as a watch brand because I’ve seen them in tradeshows but never had the chance to handle one of their watches in person, luckily that’s has change now.

Last week, I managed to received their latest release: The Aquareef 40 which is a take on their previous slightly larger model with the same name. The Aquareef line up is a very interesting one because it blends elements like dial construction, bezel materials and complications that can be found in watches costing twice the price of this Cornish inspired diver, more on this later.

The Aquareef line also includes a second time zone complication which has been executed with elegance, no extra hands but an extra crown controls the inner bezel. It is a nod to those supercompressor divers from the old days but with modern capabilities.

Join me to discover a watch that makes you question prices from big brands out there, let’s begin.

The specifications

As the name suggests, the Aquareef is 40mm in total diameter but 39mm at the case, the bezel is what provides the final measurement, it is built like this mainly for grip proposes which gives a great experience. The bezel itself has a fine knurling, and holds a sapphire lumed bezel that acts a countdown timer, it matches the inner rotating one that has a 12 hour scale, as mentioned it is quite an elegant solution and because allows you to track a second time zone, it is the perfect watch for every occasion.

We mentioned the familiar colour waves of the Aquareef. To me the watch reminds me of my 90s Tag Heuer Formula 1. The Aquareef is colourful and playful with green accents (even with the surrounds of the main handset) contrasting with the orange seconds hand. The applied markers sit on top of an oil pressed dial which provides great legibility  and avoids reflections like any other white dial I’ve experienced this year.

I also like that even if there are 3 lines of text (plus the branding), the letters are small and unobtrusive, it is a well thought out dial completed by the symmetry of the framed 6 o’clock window.

Going to the stainless steel case, it is a simple but effective design that makes the Golby feel much more compact than it really is. The all brushed case construction is nicely done and with an 11.5mm thickness with 47mm of lug to lug measurement, is a testament of the positive wearing experience.

Turn the watch over and you are greeted with see through caseback holding the Miyota 9015 movement which includes a rotor with wave motif matching the front dial. I quite like the execution but I keep on thinking that a solid caseback might gave the Aquareef an even thinner profile but again, it is not necessary here, the watch is already razor thin.

Both crowns are screwdown and equip the Aquareef 200 meters of water resistance which to me it is a perfect pair for a watch that can do it all: countdown, second time zone and dive.

On the wrist

With than thin profile that we mentioned and a short lug to lug, the Aquareef wears like a charm in my 6.25 inch wrist but then, a good case cannot provide this positive wearing experience alone, there are a few designs that we need to highlight.

First, we have the solid female end links, they attach to the case perfectly and tapper from 20mm to 18mm, all  ends up in very upscale oyster style clasp, it has a hidden a 12mm micro adjustment and fills the entirety of my under wrist, quite enjoy how everything is put together.

The lightness of the watch is quite good, perhaps my head is a bit bias because of the movement-complication ratio, it is great to think that you have all this features with a simple 3 hands-date movement.

The watch is quite legible, I am sure that the white dial has something to do with this but the antireflective coating also does a good job aided by the flat sapphire crystal, I am a sucker for a white diver.

I wore the Aquareef at the gym and at the office, it works for any occasion. To add even more versatility, the Aquareef, the White and Green version we have here,  comes with a green rubber FMK strap. This  not only brings the package up in terms of offering but also provides a more sporty vibe for aquatic use.

I also wore the Aquareef on a nylon strap, looks great and because of the thin profile, it wears quite nicely too. That said, the bracelet is too good to not use it, so I ended up switching up quite quickly.

Another point is that because the case is all brushed, scratches are not so visible, this is a good thing because even for me that I enjoy scratches, it would drive me crazy if the case was polished.

Concluding thoughts

To me, a diver is the cornerstone of any collection and it has to be a good one. The Golby Aquareef falls into this category of watches that packs quite a bit for the price. This brings us to the RRP of the Aquareef which is 599 GBP, a steal In my opinion specially looking at what delivers in terms of complication.

The looks are also a big part of the charm, it is very unique and nothing looks quite like it which in this time inside the microbrand space, is rare, nothing feels as original.

The Aquareef also comes in several options: Pink and Navy, Orange and Navy, the Aqua and their unique White-Green and Purple, a cracking colour scheme in my opinion. That said the White and Green that I manage to get my hands on, transports me to the 90’s when everything felt lighter and funnier.

This is a watch that can fir any collection, in fact I think that it can work for people who also enjoy travelling, we focus a lot on the diving capabilities but when boarding a plane, this would look just at home as it was in the sea.

For more information please visit: https://www.golbywatches.co.uk/aquareef-40

Technical specifications

·       Case: 40mm Bezel sat on a 39mm custom 316L stainless steel case, brushed finish

·       Thickness: 11.5mm | Lug-to-Lug: 47mm | Lug Width: 20mm

·       Bezel: 120-click sapphire crystal countdown bezel (anti-clockwise rotation)

·       Crystal: Flat sapphire with 5 layers of anti-reflective coating

·       Water Resistance: 20ATM (200m) — dive-ready confidence

·       Movement: Miyota 9015 automatic, 24 jewels, 42-hour reserve, 28,800 bph, hacking seconds

·       Dial: Oil-pressed wave pattern with updated Golby branding

·       Dual-Time: Internal rotating chapter ring, screw-down crown at 2 o’clock

·       Hands/Indices: Sword-style, BGW9 Super-Luminova for superior low-light visibility

·       Case Back: Exhibition sapphire crystal with custom wave design rotor

·       Bracelet: Stainless steel with brushed finish, screw pins, removable links, quick-release, and “Lift & Slide” 12mm micro-adjust clasp.