Gavox Avidiver
I have had the opportunity to look over watches from Gavox in the past. I have admired each model and thought the company did a pretty good job overall with aviation themed watches. Solid looks and solid components were a given but I was wondering when the company would release an automatic watch and maybe a dive style watch. Well now I have the opportunity to examine just such a watch model from them with the Gavox Avidiver. The Gavox Avidiver doesn’t pose the problem that some micro-brand watch companies face, tired designs and in some cases poor quality. The Gavox Avidiver might just be one of my favorite dive style watches that I have reviewed of all time. The watch model comes in two different case finishes and three dial colors so pretty much something to suit everyone. I was afforded the opportunity to look over all three versions with the standard stainless steel case. Each version has its own appeal but I will focus on the blue dial model as it caught my attention more so than the others.
Gavox Avidiver Specifications:
Surgical 316L stainless steel case
Case diameter: 43mm
Case Length (Lug to Lug): 50.8mm
Case thickness: 12.8 mm
Between lug (Strap Size): 22mm
Crystal: Double domed Sapphire with bottom antireflection layer
Luminescent hands and dial
Gavox molded silicone strap
Water resistant: 20 ATM (600 feet)
Price $690 USD
Now as I mentioned at the beginning, Gavox is best known for producing aviation style watches and at first glance one might expect the Avidiver to be another flashy colorful aviator watch. Guess what? The Gavox Avidiver is much more. I want to start off by focusing on one the most unique aspects of this watch, the bezel. While most would assume that one of the crowns would rotate an inner bezel, that is not the case exactly. Standard dive style watches are typically fitted with a unidirectional rotating bezel to track elapsed time for a dive. The Gavox Avidiver has an unique construction that allows for the orange triangle seen at the top of the dial to be rotated bidirectionally for setting a secondary time zone or to keep track of elapsed time for a dive. Only the orange triangle is rotatable by using the upper crown. The greatest advantage that I have discovered is most certainly dependability. What is one of the biggest problems with external bezels? Well, quite simply they can potentially be knocked out of place. Once the orange triangle is set and the crown locked down, failure of tracking elapsed time without error is significantly reduced. I am thoroughly impressed and sold on the rotating orange triangle! The Gavox Avidiver is so much more unique than the typical dive style watch with a world of aesthetic appeal.
So, what else do I like about the Avidiver? Just about everything. I said just about so it isn’t perfect but I will get to one little aggravating aspect later. The crystal and dial are outstanding. Sitting atop the case, regardless of the version, is a large 36mm double-domed sapphire crystal with an interior anti-reflective coating. I am very pleased with the excellent quality coating as the dial regardless of color is extremely vivid with minimal distortion. The dials are sandwich style with luminous surfaces beneath the primary markers and numerals. The lume on the black and blue models is BGW9 while the white dial version comes with C3 superluminova. While I’m not a huge lume guy, I love it when it is done right. The Avidiver lume is equal to or better than a lot of micro-brand dive watches on the market that I have had the opportunity to examine. No worries about these watches glowing for hours with an adequate charge. Overall I have to give the Gavox Avidiver a solid A on the lume.
Of course crystal, dial and luminous aspects are not going to seal the deal for many people because the case better be aesthetically appealing and comfortable. The Avidiver doesn’t have my favorite case design of all time but it is very simple, perfectly sized and comfortable on the wrist with the right strap. The dual crown setup is cool. Both crowns are screw down which unless a superior gasket system is installed, they better be. The crowns are solid and their operation has absolutely zero play or feel of flimsiness. I love the use of the orange triangle on the upper crown which corresponds perfectly with the interior orange rotating triangle. The triangle crown can be a bit tricky so just use caution when setting for elapsed time as the triangle can move ever so slightly when screwing the crown back down.
Powering the Gavox Avidiver is the Miyota 9015. Until now Gavox watches used only quartz movements I believe. So it was quite refreshing to see the company step out and use something different. The display case back shows off the movement which I have never found quite necessary with the 9015, however, at least the rotor has the Gavox aviation logo etched on it providing some appeal. Still, I would have been just as if not more so satisfied with some sort of highly stamped case back.
So what was my one issue with the Gavox Avidiver? The strap just doesn’t quite measure up with the rest of the watch. The straps that come with the Avidiver match some aspect of the dials either orange, black or blue silicon. The strap is soft but extremely uncomfortable which can be somewhat attributed to the length. On my 7 ¾ inch wrist I have to use the next to the last sizing hole. I enjoy having a good amount of tail left on any strap for tucking under the keeper or keepers. If you have a wrist my size or slightly larger you will be looking at just barely getting the tail under the first keeper. Someone with a smaller wrist may very well enjoy these straps but as you will see in the video I have opted for an Isofrane style strap to really test out the watch. I have to say the orange strap with the white dial probably pops more than the others.
If you are looking for dive style watch that is a bit more unique than every other micro-brand diver on the market you really can’t go wrong with the Gavox Avidiver. The watch is quite simply aesthetically appealing from top to bottom for the most part. The case design, great looking dial, lume, Miyota 9015 movement, and sapphire crystal will be pleasing to anyone in my humble opinion. Grab an aftermarket strap if the stock strap ends up not working for you. I consider the Avidiver to be an overall solid value. I look forward to seeing where Gavox goes next.
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