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Product Description
Small in comparison to most divers of this echelon (42mm), this Oceaneva Deep Marine Explorer is a solid option in the water or on foot. It features a dial with circular indices that are offset by different shapes at the cardinal hours Read More
the watch itself is almost perfect - nice finish - good quality - the bracelet is of good quality but lacks 1/2 size links and there is no micro adjustment in the clasp - a minor detail... otherwise great product....
MPC1Thanks for review. 1/2 links are in production and we shoudl have in hand in approx. 2-3 weeks. Please contact us through Oceaneva.com in 2-3 weeks if you need one.
So, as promised, here's the review... A lot of discussion during the drop was about this watch being superior to other microbrand watches. I own 3 other microbrands - Benarus, MKII, and MarcelloC. I consider these to all be microbrands, although some are more well known that others. Your definition may be different, I don't know, but none of these manufacturers produce a large number of pieces in a given year, for me, they fall into microbrands.
So - Is it superior, in terms of fit and finish? Complicated answer...I'd say in some areas, yes, and in others...not quite. Looking at the whole package however, the watch is quite good. Very happy with the purchase, and I don't regret it. I can't always say that about my watch purchases.
Considering that the other brands I have have been around for some time, and Oceaneva is pretty new on the scene, they've done a good job here.
High points: The bezel is absolutely amazing; extremely well finished. I'd like the knurling to be sharper, but that's my personal preference. The dial and hands are excellent as well; printing is precise, finishing is flawless. Crown - again, extremely well finished, and it has great grip, smooth action. I love the chapter ring - it's very nice, and the brushed metal really lightens the whole look of the watch, even with a black dial.
The finishing of the case body and lugs are all well done, but it's harder to make comparisons due to the finish being brushed on the Oceaneva, and polished on my other MBs. Under a 10x loupe you can see it isn't perfect, but who looks at watches with one? I only did for the purpose of this review. :-) It's a solid, well crafted case. Wish the lugs were drilled for easy band/strap changes, however.
For me, the low point - well, it's the bracelet. It's not that it's bad per se, it just isn't quite as nice as the watch itself. The finishing is probably 80% as good as the watch and there's limited adjustability based on the "Omega" style clasp. I feel it would be better served with a regular clasp with the diver's extension, and the parallel sets of holes to adjust the band length. This watch deserves a better stock bracelet, as this isn't up to the level of my other MBs watches' bracelets. I suppose keeping the overall cost down defines some parameters for microbrands, and it shows here. The included rubber strap seems really nice, but I don't like wearing rubber straps, so I can't comment about it. (My request to ALL dive watch producers - please include a well-made, signed NATO instead!)
Overall, this watch is an amazing value based on the overall quality for the price (based on Drop pricing) - it is a finely finished watch with a plethora of available combinations.