Trigalux T-Diver | Hands on Watch Review

Trigalux T-Diver

 

 

There are many watch enthusiasts out there who love watches but can just not afford to drop $500, $600 and more on a watch. That is where these “budget” microbrands come in to play. The Trigalux T-Diver is one that would fall under that banner, and for around $300-it offers a lot of value. Now, I know, budget and affordable is very subjective, but from what I read on the forums, Facebook group, etc., $300 is a good price point. And while there are many brands offering $300 watches these days, not every one is a gem. I think Trigualux is on the right path, so keep reading if you want to know more about this vintage-esque budget diver.

 

 

Trigalux T-Diver Specifications:

• 316L Polished Stainless Steel
• 42mm Case
• 49mm Lug to Lug
• 22mm Lug Width
• 112 grams
• Sapphire Crystal
• 200 Meters Water Resistant
• 24 Month Warranty
• Price-$300 USD

https://www.trigalux.com/tienda/relojes/t-diver-200m/

 

 

The Trigalux brand may be new, but the owner is not. Angelo, the man behind the former brand Luxmento, is continuing with his re-luming services and has started this new venture as well. I am not sure what happened with Luxmento exactly, but I have to say I like the Trigualux T-Diver better than any Luxmento model I have seen (and reviewed). Now that is obviously personal taste-I love a nice retro style dive watch. When I reached out to Angelo to discuss a review, I immediately asked for the orange model to be sent. I am happy with that choice, as I am a sucker for a good orange dial, and something about the case design and overall aesthetic just works with orange, not all watches can pull off the orange. In hindsight, I wish I looked at the other colors available, only because there is a blue-green dial that looks striking and different from the colors I usually see offered. There is also yellow and a standard black. Something else I did not pay attention to was the price. I did not know what the price was until the T-Diver landed and I started my due diligence on the model and brand. While you already know the the price, because I did not until it was in hand, it was quite a surprise. I know, it is very cliche to say, especially these days, but I honestly had no idea this was only a $300 watch.

 

 

Now, I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of an all polished case on a dive watch, but somehow it works here. I tried to picture it being all brushed or a bead blasted and I am not sure how it would look. That could just be I am having trouble visioning it, but regardless, the all polished has grown on me- for the T-Diver anyways. This entire watch is polished too, the bezel, the crown, the inside of the lugs, case back, you name it. Someone said to me the reason that might be is because it is easier to do than a nice brushed finish (one that looks good) at this price point. That may be. I rag on a lot of watches that have uneven or sub-par brushing, so that may be it. Or maybe Trigalux just wanted to do something a little different. Back to the bezel and crown; both operate very well with no issue, except the that it is ever so slightly misaligned. My OCD did kick in and it does still bother me a bit, but I like so much about the watch I can overlook it. I will say it could just be this example, but if you are worried about that, make sure to email before ordering and tell them you want the bezel checked prior to one being shipped out.

 

 

In the video I discuss the lume at length, so I will not harp on it too much here, but the X5 lume, which is a proprietary mix of lume from Trigalux, and optional when ordering, is fantastic for sure, I just am not sure how much better it is than C3 Superluminova. That is my take on it, but do not let that lead you to believe the lume is not good, because it is. It is is great as a matter of fact.

 

 

The Trigalux T-Diver comes on a rally style rubber strap, sort of reminiscent of a hershey style Breitling strap in construction, but with the holes. It is a natural rubber as far as I can tell and not silicone, and very comfortable on the wrist. It should also fit a 7 inch to 8 inch wrist with ease. If you want to switch out the strap to something else, you will notice the lug hole placement. The lugs on the T-Diver are very short, so the lug holes were placed as far out as possible so it can accommodate a fairly thick strap. So if you have a nice thick leather or Isofrane you think would look good on this, you should have no issues installing it.

 

 

Under the polished case back is a Seiko NH35 automatic movement which has become pretty standard fare this past year or so for microbrands in the $200-$500 range. This example in the Trigalux T-Diver is within specs as far as accuracy and I have stated many times that while it it is not a high beat super accurate movement, it is dependable and a much better option than a Miyota 8200 series if you need something on the inexpensive side.

 

 

This was a refreshing review-at least from my end, as I really am quite attached to the Trigalux T-diver and as you can see, I really do not have any issues with it. Yes, the misaligned bezel should not be, but it really is just off so slightly, that it is not some glaring issue that would make me go off on the brand. And yes, they all could be like this, or it is just my example. But I reviewed the watch as is, as I have seen much worse and did not feel that it warranted having a replacement sent. For $300, it is a hell of a watch, and while I do not like to tell anyone to buy a watch and the reality is I can not say if you would not be disappointed with it, for me, it is a winner. That is the best I can do on my end.

 

Thank you all and please leave your comments below.

 

 

 

 

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