Portugal based Prometheus Watch Company has become a favorite among those who feel the need to find a healthy balance between their insatiable appetite for dive watches, quality, performance, and most importantly, their budget.
For the purpose of this review, I was able to grab a bronze Poseidon, which is a watch that I would soon discover to be a photographer’s nightmare, but a watch lover’s dream.
- Promethues Poseidon Bronze Specs:
- Case Diameter: 43 mm
- Case Height: 15.90 mm
- Weight: 170g with strap
- Lug Width: 22 mm
- Lug to Lug: 52 mm
- Strap: Premium calf leather strap with a custom made bronze CuSn8 buckle
- Movement: Miyota 9015
- Crystal: Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the inside
- Water Resistance: 3500 m or 350 atm
- Retail Price: $750.00
The two-piece black leather hinged packaging that the Prometheus Poseidon arrived in is one I’ve seen used before, and it happens to be one of my favorites in the biz. The padded travel case is not one that you’ll throw into the nether regions of your closet, as it will come in handy during any trip you plan. Inside you’ll find two recessed pockets: one that you can drop a large watch inside of and another trap door-like slot that will hold a strap or two. The packaging is well-made, and the contrast stitching gives it a subtle touch of elegance. Since I received mine during the Poseidon’s initial release, a 22 mm Hirsch caoutchouc rubber strap was also included as an added bonus. A small instruction manual that traverses several of their models and a set of lug bar removal tools rounded out the setup.
The Poseidon’s release delivers not only the option to choose between stainless steel and bronze, but bezel options were made plentiful on both cases as well. Black/ white, black/ green, blue/ orange, and blue/ white are just some the of bezel configurations available. After looking at all of their watch renderings from day one, I chose the black/ white bezel combo as I felt it would best transform from a diver to dress watch. Looking back, I don’t feel I could have gone wrong with any of the choices I could have made.
The Poseidon’s dial texture is best described as eggshell in appearance, which juxtaposes well with the Poseidon’s high-polished markers. The brand’s logo rests neatly below the 12 o’clock marker, and below the logo, in small text, sits the brand’s mythology inspired name. Above the 6 o’clock marker you’ll find the Poseidon’s almost fathomless 3500 meter depth rating and movement type.
The Poseidon incorporates dial contrast through the effective use of sloped markers that bounce light from every angle. Despite the overall watch wearing bigger than its 43 mm size, the markers, which slope towards the center of the dial, gives the dial’s aperture a smaller, more concentrated appearance, which directs your eyes towards the Poseidon’s brushed handset. Truth be told, the handset’s brushing wasn’t immediately noticeable, but once you notice it, you’ll understand why it works so well in the Poseidon’s overall design. Consistent with the Poseidon’s sloped marker design, a highly-lumed sloped chapter ring butts up to the dial, and it’s one that can be described as nothing less than “bad-ass!” Swiss Made RC Tritec BGW9 lume is evenly applied throughout the watch, including the complete handset, its markers, chapter ring, and bezel insert. When fully charged, the lume gives you about 5 to 6 hours of soft-blue luminescence.
The case, constructed of either 316L stainless steel or bronze CuSn8, as in my example, is titan-like in appearance. Its long down-turned lugs are a strap makers dream, as they allow for thick leather and many aftermarket rubber straps. Clean lines define the Poseidon’s angular case, which I found comfortable to wear despite its imposing wrist presence. Patina has begun to set in, which gives this watch a unique look. If the patina is allowed to occur naturally, no one else can duplicate it. A large bronze, signed screw down crown sits in the Poseidon’s 3 o’clock position, and a stainless steel helium release valve can be found in the 9 o’clock position. While a bronze crown was the obvious choice for Prometheus, I would have much preferred the use of a stainless steel one, as I feel it would appear more balanced and would have worked best with the bronze/ stainless steel mashup the bronze Poseidon has going on.
The sapphire crystal is clear to the eye and doesn’t distort the dial in any way. While photographing the watch, the AR application is more apparent, and when the crystal’s slope and its anti-reflective coating team up, it becomes a nightmare to photograph. This is one timepiece that isn’t necessarily photogenic, but is amazing to look at in-person.
As with many micro-brand companies who dabble in homage timepieces, controversy seems to follow their classic-inspired designs, and the Poseidon doesn’t disappoint. From its first CAD drawings, many forum-goers labeled the Poseidon as an IWC Aquatimer 2000 homage, mostly due to their eerily similar case shape and bezel design. While this may be true, the Prometheus Poseidon stands on its own, at least to me, as its dial is unique enough to allow my mind to wander beyond the aesthetic likeness to its prestigious doppelganger.
The Poseidon’s 120 click uni-direction bezel could have a review of its own, as its construction is a work of art. Sitting high above the case, bronze gives way to a sapphire insert that has crystal clear clarity and depth.
A fairly flat, stainless steel screw down case back is used in this model, which made this watch not only more wearable, but it also cut out the possibility of the dreaded “green wrist,” which could have happened had they gone with a bronze case back instead. For those you who are scratching your head, “green wrist” occurs as the salts from your skin react with the bronze you are wearing and the environment as a whole. This is why so many companies that produce bronze watches have decided to drop the bronze case/ case back combo for a stainless steel case back instead. With the Poseidon, it’s a moot point, as a bronze case back option isn’t even offered.
The bronze Poseidon comes equipped with two straps, one of them being a brown calf leather strap with a signed bronze buckle. The other, a 22 mm Hirsch caoutchouc rubber strap, is no longer available. This is the only area where I think that Prometheus could have done a better job of sourcing, as I found the calf leather strap to feel cheap, and the oversized bronze buckle dug into the bottom side of my wrist. The Hirsch was comfortable, at least for the one day I wore it. While this may sound like a bummer to some, I was so elated with everything else Prometheus got right that I didn’t care about either strap and how they wore, as I tend to contract out specialized straps for a watch such as this. Since receiving this watch, Borealis, Prometheus’ sister company, has come out with a rubber strap many are calling “as good” as the iconic ISOfrane strap so many of us have grown to love. With that said, this watch looks amazing on an ISOfrane-esque strap or a thick canvas, so either would have been better options for the Poseidon in my opinion. Hopefully, Prometheus will partner with Borealis to include Borealis’ new strap as part of their package deal.
The Poseidon definitely delivers all of the above and more, and it’s clear to see why Prometheus continues to be a go-to watch for some many like myself.
Check out the Poseidon and more of Prometheus’s offerings at their website HERE
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