Watches that should be on your radar – part one…

I have been debating about posting something like this because it is completely subjective, but as year-end comes around with the usual shallow dives into horology, and a potential Chrono24 best of 2023 list that will no doubt feature an Omega, a Rolex, and (shock-horror) a Cartier as their highlights, maybe you want a little bit of excitement.

I was asked a while back on another platform what I would like to see, to talk about, to celebrate, to offer… and I did say, much to my own regret now, that three of the most interesting watches from the last 25 years (in my own opinion) are the Corum Bubble, the Bvlgari Ergon, and the Vero Open Water. Pushing for a fourth I would offer the Tudor NorthFlag, but that is a topic for another day as there are a number of caveats to that arguement,

My own hubris will be the downfall of me, I can already feel many of you shifting uncomfortably in your seats.

What the absolute fuck am I trying to do? One hated watch, a watch you’ve never really heard of, and a bloody American microbrand? Chris – are you ok?

I’m…

Fine…

Honestly…

I actually have the pleasure of owning all three of these watches; two were the standard purchasing affair of mooning over the watch, pining for it, and eventually being lucky enough to find one on my travels. The other was a lucky eBay snipe that was won on a technicality (and a lot of luck). Chronos looked favourably on me that day.

So… what am I going to talk about today?

I’m going to start with the Vero Open Water, the youngest of the watches of the trio, and the brands within that list overall. I do not know who put me onto the Open Water, but it landed on my radar about the time I joined a certain “watch platform” when it was in its infancy. It may even have been TER friend and alumni Erik who sparked the initial flame; Erik talks openly about his experiences in choosing and purchasing his model, and I can resonate with parts of that narrative. What I can honestly say, and maintain, is that whoever introduced me to this watch has a lot to answer for.

I had never heard of Vero; no discredit to the brand, we are in a time where every YouTuber and their production team seem to be launching watch after watch, but be it through geography or market saturation I had no prior knowledge going into this long-winded love affair, and that is actually quite shameful. Vero are a Portland-based brand whose earlier watches were essentially all-American affairs. Save a few parts, their watches were machined, assembled and regulated in the US. I have little experience with early models like the VS-SS, but they seem to have garnered interest, and for some platforms put Vero on the “ones-to-watch” list. The brand seemingly went quiet as the decade finished-up (lazy journalism here, it is just a small introduction, not a full-blown case study), and then in 2021 we see the release of the Open Water which coincides with when they appeared on my radar. It is all about me, it is my show after all.

The Open Water marked a slight change in tact for the brand, if others are to be believed. I would ask why, but again, I am talking about the watch and not “how” the watch or “who” the watch, it is slightly irrelevant. The assembly and regulation of the watch is still carried out in America, the machining and parts are now done elsewhere. Is that bad? I will let you all decide. Businesses do business in ways that work for them, so who am I to judge. I would hypothesise that it allows for lower manufacturing costs, greater production runs, and therefore more potential profit, but who knows…

Anyway, early 2021, and the brand release the Open Water. It is a dive watch, but it does not look like the majority of dive watches on the market. The specs are interesting:

• Size – 40mm
• Lug width – 20mm
• Lug to lug – 47mm
• Height – 11mm
• Weight – 157g
• Case Material – 316 Stainless Steel
• DLC Coated Bezel and crown
• Lumed bezel/indices/hands
• Flat Sapphire, Single side AR Coating
• Articulated bracelet with a dual lock clasp
• 200m WR
• Swiss Made, US Assembled
• Sellita SW-200-1 movement, regulated in house through 5 adjustments

All that for $875 RRP. That is not bad, as an opening. There are a lot of variations in terms of colourway, but all of them all bold, clean, and vibrant. Yes, I have been exceptionally critical of colourful divers of late, but this is 2023/4, in 2021 this was slightly more novel. Plus, let the fact that this is a diver sink in… it looks nothing like many divers on the market. I call this a post-modern diver because I am a wanker like that. It sounds clever – it is not, but it does not borrow from many of the typical diver tropes, and does draw cues from other sources. If this was the Apple vs PC debate this one is clearly the “Apple”, it is painfully hip and earnest, but in the beige corridors of watchdom this works in its favour.

I eventually picked up an Open Water this year. I bought it on eBay for a very, very reasonable price, mainly because I feel that Vero are not very well known outside of the US. That works to my advantage, but it does do a disservice to the brand. I purchased a Rose City model, admittedly not my favourite version, but I was not going to pass up the chance to own one for a bargain basement price. It was also 4 months old…

So, why am I throwing this into the ring as a watch of note?

The size is of interest as a diver – the 40mm diameter gradually tapers to a 39mm on the skin, which gives it a bit of a pop all whilst also keeping it “medium”. The thickness is also very telling – at 11mm it really sits flush against the wrist. When your average diver wants to take out doorframes like a turret, this one wants to slide under your cuff and caress you like it is date night. The low profile black bezel, the blasted steel, and flat sapphire crystal, enhance the feeling that this is a stealthy watch. The crown guards are the right size, and the crown does not extrude too much from the watch; the DLC and tactile grip is appropriate and the crown logo is subtly chic. The resistance is just right. The bezel is unidirectional with a clinical 60-clicks for a complete rotation, but also very easy to operate under duress. This is a very tactile watch.

This is also a very ergonomic watch. The bracelet is very well put together, and the way the end links meet the case is carefully considered. The watch seems to hug the wrist, and factoring in the size, this is what one could call “fire and forget”. I have it on a fuck-off nylon diver at present because it’s been going onto construction sites and in the pool, and it feels like a second skin. I also swap it out onto a NATO and a tropical-style black silicone strap, it is incredibly versatile. Again, what more could one ask? It is not the only watch in the world that is comfortable, but for what it is, there has been a lot of thought gone into the wear, and thus I do see this as an excellent companion for jaunts.

The visuals are also to be commended. Bold dial colours aside, even my Rose City with black dial / black bezel looks vibrant. I have used the word clean many times in this entry, and I will use it again. The Open Water presents as a lesson in considerate placement of information. Everything is in its place. The markers are simple and concise – longer quadrants and double bezel at 12 is all the flair you need. The logo and text are enough. The bezel is clear and informative without overwhelming the senses. The hands are effective – no trace of sillyness, just straight lines with lumed tips. The seconds hand offers a splash of tasteful contrast. There is nothing retro here, nothing vintage, it has its own language and identity, which is incredibly refreshing. I know some throw comparisons to Sinn, but I believe it does a disservice to the watch, as it is simply a “Vero”. As someone who gravitates towards vintage bangers, the fact this watch captivated me at first sight through the pictures is no mean feat. It is a gorgeous, unique watch – I would make a bee-line for her at the bar and try and get her number.

Under the bonnet is a Sellita SW-200-1, a decent movement, which has been adjusted 5 times. Those who have survived my vintage guide will understand why adjustments on a movement are important to look out for, and therefore with 5 this shows that Vero gives a fuck. The real cherry on top, not just for the movement but the watch in general, is the warranty. Vero offer a 10-year, fully transferable warranty… just let that sink in for a second. 10 years. No questions asked. I can also vouch for the transfer process; this is real, they really do honour it, and they are not joking. This is how microbrands stand out: offering better, being better, and doing better. This is the icing on the Open Water cake – it also means you can batter this watch and have the confidence to know the brand have got your back. This is a micro from Portland, not Oris… madness.

Do I have some quibbles – I do have a few. First one is unfair, but the crystal is a fingerprint magnet and it gets very dirty, but that is small beer. I think the main hands are not as nice, quality wise, as the dial and the seconds hand due to the texture that they have, but this is probably me being incredibly analytical. The major gripe I have is the bracelet, namely the end link and the link below it; the link under the end link rubs directly onto it leaving little marks which cannot be avoided… I tend not to wear the bracelet so I forget this, but it might be too much for some people to bear. Then again, if you batter this watch and use it as intended, you might not care.

So… in the last 25 years, name a watch I think should be on people’s radar: I think the Vero Open Water is up there. A post modern diver with its own language, excellent value for money, and a 10 year warranty – all for less than $1000? This is a watch that deserves much more praise, especially because of the effort gone into ensuring the watch is very durable, and with the warranty. It should be one of the first watches you think of when offering up a microbrand as a viable choice – this is an original design, and a brand with a clear design language and vision. If you check their catalogue since 2021, they have released some beautiful watches, and this year they launched the Smokey Bear. Only you can prevent forest fires… shut up and take my money.

Next time… well, I have already mentioned two other of my choices, so one of them, if you are brave to continue down this path.