Why orange is always better- WishDoit Aqua Storm Diver

There are details that need to be done in certain ways. When you think about a diver, a professional one, the black colour is one of the first things that comes to mind but then, you start reviewing your thoughts and orange comes to the scene.

And why not? After all, orange is a lively colour, summer ready and perfect for aquatic sports, but there is more than looks, it is actually functional. In the 60’s when diving was everywhere, brands like Doxa and Seiko decided to conduct several legibility tests and orange was the one colour which provided more contrast. Sure, is not the most versatile one and perhaps that is the reason why black is so popular, but orange is not only made to show-off but to perform.

This is to me why orange is so special, it is a great nod to those vintage watches, it gives a bit of a ‘’if you know you know’’ kind of vibe. I have been in pursuit of several orange divers, but to be honest nothing has come close to what I wanted. One of the best examples is the Certina PH500 which has one of the nicest dials (with an orange shade) I’ve seen, the heritage doesn’t hurt and it is also quite affordable but (there is always one), the size is just to big at 43mm and tad thick too. So my search keeps going, and then, I was chatting with the people at WishDoit and they showed me a picture of exactly what I was looking for: a reasonable sized affordable orange diver with all the bells and whistles that we watch nerds love.

The Aqua Storm is quite a watch, about 5 years ago you couldn’t dream of the specs that it delivers today, but brands like WishDoit are having a great time by challenging more established names in the industry, and it is all done in merits of quality and pricing. This is great news for us who love the hobby, we can get more for our hard earned cash.

Back to the watch, join me to discover in detail a great orange one, I think you are going to enjoy it. Let’s begin.

The specifications

Here is where everything starts to look good, the Aqua Storm is 39mm in diameter which is already great news. The stainless-steel case is brushed and well machined, it has nice beveled lugs and also holds the impressive black ceramic bezel which is lumed to perfection. The lume is a theme that will be repeated trough out the whole review because the dial also holds luminous 3D blocks which are quite a torch, together with the handset, it is quite spectacular.

The dial also makes a great contribution to the watch itself, it goes from the black of the bezel to the center in orange, quite a transition looks great specially with the grain texture, making the whole watch more subtle. There is a date aperture at 3 o clock, I quite like it because it reminds me that this is also a watch that you can wear every day.

The well machined crown controls the reliable Miyota 8215 which is a great addition specially as the watch can be thinner with 42 hours of power reserve and 150 meters of water resistance, we are talking about a true diver.

On the wrist

The size feels right for my 6.25 inch wrist but the 12mm thinness and 42mm lug to lug are the cherry on the top. The Aqua Storm always feels compact and even if is made of stainless-steel, the watch is light with a touch of robustness, quite a piece.

The Aqua Storm also comes with a very solid stainless-steel bracelet, it looks like it should and enhances the whole package quite a bit. Because of the short lug to lug, the bracelet is easy to wear. It is a pin and sleeve system and I am glad that the guys of WishDoit include the removal tool, attention to detail is always present.

I am currently wearing it with a grey nylon strap and feels at home. The svelte case profile allows me to enjoy this way, it doesn’t become unwearable and still much thinner that other divers out there. The legibility is another part to highlight because the contrast of the lume blocks with the dial is quite good, they only need a bit of light to have that characteristic green hue, and even the seconds hands joins the party, all very tactical in a very tool way.

I wore the Aqua Strom everywhere, at the shops, gym and even to work. It is quite a conversation starter, it does bring attention but because is not a massive watch, it feels somehow subdue, less loud of what an orange diver should be. Part of this subtleness or somehow elegance is the gradient dial, it looks spectacular under macro and in real life, there is something special about it and I still cannot ping point it but it is here, and not going away.

Concluding thoughts

There is a lot to love from the Aqua Storm from WishDoit and this doesn’t end here, there are more varieties. Despite me being a complete sucker for an orange Diver, there is beautiful purple version, accompanied by blue, green and a perfect black/grey. They all have a gradient dial and provide the joy that a diver can bring.

Now to the interesting part, after seeing the specs and understanding the dimensions, the Aqua Storm cost 228 GBP which is quite outstanding for this type of watch. that said is currently on offer at only 160 GBP which is already mind blowing and not sure how long this offer will last.

The Aqua Storm even at full RRP price is something that cannot be missed, there is something special with all the line up and even if the orange is the colour for me, that purple dial also got me thinking.

For more information please follow: https://wishdoitwatches.com/products/wishdoit-aqua-storm-automatic-diver-watch-with-3d-luminous-needle-ceramic-bezel?variant=47859923353824

Technical Specifications

Case Shape: Round

DIMENSIONS: Ø39mm(1.53in), lug to lug 42mm

Case Thickness: 12mm(0.47in)

Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel

Glass Type: Sapphire Crystal

Band Width: 20mm(0.79in)

Band Length: 22cm(8.7in)

Band Material: 316L Stainless Steel

Clasp Type : Folding Clasp

Watch Weight: 143g(0.32lbs)

Movement Type: Miyota 8215 Automatic Mechanical Movement

Water Resistant: 15ATM

Power reserve: 42 hours

Frequency : 21,600 VPH (3.0 hz)