Raven Venture | Hands-On Review

Raven Venture

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of the Raven Venture, let me just say that Raven Watches have a special place in my heart, or better yet a special meaning in the watch world for me. For those that are not aware, the current Raven Watches is run by Steve Laughlin, who was also partners in Benarus Watches for a long time as well.  My first microbrand purchase was a Benarus, way back in 2009. Fast forward to 2018, and though lots of things have changed and Steve and Ralf have parted ways as far as Benarus is concerned, Steve decided to keep Raven watches (which Benarus took over in 2011) going and we will slowly see a blend of both brands morph into the future Raven. What amazes me is with so many longtime microbrands disappearing, (Zixen Watches bit the dust just this year), Raven Watches are still putting out a darn nice watch.

Raven Venture Specifications:

• Swiss ETA 2824
• 42mm stainless steel case
• 49.5mm lug to lug
• 13mm thick
• 22mm tapering bracelet
• Expanding divers clasp
• Ceramic or steel bezel
• Double domed sapphire
• AR coated on the inside
• Screw down crown
• WR to 300M
• Ships in black case
• 1 year warranty card

Price $750 USD 

https://ravenwatches.com/pages/venture-information

In the massively crowded market, it can not be easy to still be going strong after 7 years, especially considering how much the landscape has changed. Steve keeps plugging along though and one of their latest watches, the Endeavor, which I would like to get my hands on for review, is a nice blend of Raven and Benarus styles, and it is nice to see that nod to his former brand. The Raven Venture on the other hands is all Raven. The original iterations of the Venture were clad in a bead blasted case and were a little more muted colorwise. This second round brings on only two new variations, a black dial with blue accents and this blue dial with yellow accents, both available only in brushed steel and a choice of ceramic or steel bezel insert.

While I love an all bead blasted watch, I think the move to brushed steel was a wise choice as it is much easier to refinish with a scotchbrite pad or fiberglass pen. Ceramic is much more scratch resistant material but I have to say the steel bezel insert just works on this watch, at least for me. The Raven Venture is very utilitarian, your everyday rugged companion. The 42mm size is perfect for me and should look good on most wrist sizes, though if you like a larger watch I would check out some of the other models Raven has to offer. Below is how it sits on my 7 1/2 inch wrist.

The Venture not only looks good but of course boasts the majority of the specs we look for, especially at this price in the microbrand watch world. Sapphire crystal, screw down crown, drilled lugs, steel bracelet and a solid movement, this time the ETA 2824. This Raven also included 2 claps, something rarely seen with most watches. The watch arrives with the ratcheting dive extension installed, but if it is too long or bulky for you, or you just prefer a traditional dive watch clasp, one is included in the box as well.

Bezels can really make or break a dive watch and this time Raven chose the classic coin edge bezel for the Venture. The coin edge bezel is extremely easy to grip, not only due to all the “teeth” but also how it sits off of the watch case will allow you to get a good purchase on it. This also applies to the large screw down crown; setting the time and date (notice the date is at my favorite spot, the 6 o’clock position) is simple and satisfying.

Keeping with the simple and no-frills theme is the case back. Stamped in the middle you will find the Raven logo, but that is as fancy as it gets here. The case back is still all brushed, no frosted or textured steel, no high gloss, nothing. It doesn’t need it. Powering the Venture is the workhorse, wait- that word is so overused. Let’s be real, the ETA 2824 is a basic Swiss 3 hand movement that can be found in countless watches for this price and less. While it has a decent power reserve and a nice smooth sweep, it is not a 2892. That said, people love to see this movement in a watch, especially a microbrand and it is much quieter than the often very loud Miyota 9015, which tends to have a noisy rotor.

While I love the proportions and overall design of the Raven Venture, the blue dial is what steals the show here. Even though it is a matte dial, the tone of blue is just perfect and something that not every brand gets right. To give just the slightest amount of contrast, Steve chose a bright canary yellow and it was a wise choice. All white or black against the blue would have been too mundane, the yellow compliments the blue and gives it just the right amount of pop. Most of the time I would prefer applied markers, but those would have made the Venture a little too flashy, and after all, that is not what this watch is about.

Of course, if you are making a dive watch, it should have good lume. I remember a time when only Seiko and Citizen (on the lower end of things) had great lume, but in the last 10 years, that has changed. Raven made sure the Venture could be seen in the dark without issue and put a good amount of BGW9 Superluminova on the hands and markers of the Venture.  The lume is bright and long lasting, well into the wee hours of the morning.

Yes, there is a lot of praise going on here with the Raven Venture. As I said at the beginning, I do have a soft spot for the now veteran microbrand.  Some, of course, will balk at the price of $750, but the old adage is true-you get what you pay for. The Venture is a solid, well built and in my opinion, very attractive watch. I think many would agree. Now, as someone who has a lot of watches pass through his hands and in his collection, It would be silly of me to say it is the BEST. It would also be silly of me to ignore all the competition out there. One thing I can say about Raven though, that I can’t say about all brands, there is a good chance they will still be around for the next 5 years, as after being in the business for going on 11 years (Benarus and Raven), I don’t think Steve will be throwing the towel in any time soon. The Venture might not be wildly different than what’s available on the market, but it is as well built as any other watch at this price, if not better and has Steve has a great reputation in this business, so if any problems do arise, you will be taken care of. I hope to get my hands on an Endeavor and I am looking forward to what Raven has in store for 2019 and beyond.

Be sure to check out the full gallery and please leave your comments below.

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Seiko Samurai Save The Ocean | Hands-On Review

Zelos Swordfish | Hands On Watch Review

Zelos Swordfish

If you are a frequent reader here at Watchreport, you know that I am a big fan of Zelos Watches. Every new release, including this Zelos Swordfish, always impresses me. Now, these watches are obviously not Haute Horlogerie or some luxury watch, but for the price paid, these watches really give the competition a run for the money. At $649, this Swordfish dive watch comes equipped with an ETA 2892 automatic movement and if you are on a tighter budget, there is a Seiko NH35 version as well, for considerably less. Now, if you follow Zelos, you were able to get these watches even cheaper through an introductory price but still, even at full MSRP, the Swordfish is undoubtedly a good value.

Zelos Swordfish Specifications:

• Case: Stainless Steel, 42mm Diameter
• 22mm Lug Width
• 48mm Lug to Lug Length
• 13mm thickness
• Water Resistance: 300m
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Bezel Insert: Matte Ceramic
• Movement: Seiko NH35 (No Date) Or ETA 2892 (With Date)
• Dial: Textured with C3 and BGW9 lume
• Bracelet: 316L SS with Quick Adjust Diver Extension Clasp
• Leather Watch Roll
• Waxed ‘Vintage’ effect Horween Leather strap
• Steel Warranty Card
• Wooden Gift Box

Price $649.00 USD

https://zeloswatches.com/collections/swordfish-diver

As I stated, there are two versions of the Zelos Swordfish and really the only difference is the movement, an NH35 or an ETA 2892 in the version I have. It is not marked anywhere in the packaging or the case back to signify the movement, the only way you will know is this version has a date wheel and the NH35 version is no date. If the cobalt blue seen here is not doing it for you, there are other options available, such as meteorite dials, aquamarine dials and black dials with vintage or “old radium” colored hands and markers. At the time of publishing, a lot of the NH35 variants are sold out, but looks like most of the 2892 versions are available,e and really that is only because the latter was released a few weeks after.

One thing that Zelos has really become synonymous for is their dial work, especially on their dive watches like this Swordfish or the very popular hammerhead. It is a beautiful sunray dial and something I am very fond of, a clean dial, meaning no unnecessary text. The outer chapter ring is white, giving a nice contrast and also has yellow hash marks, matching the yellow second hand. Something you may not have realized though is this is a sandwich, meaning two-piece dial, and of course, this watch is loaded with two different types of lume.

You will notice in the picture above though, that hour hand is a little on the rough side, especially when you look up close. For the most part, and I do not want to say it will be every single watch at this price on the market, but when you have a watch that has everything the Zelos Swordfish does for well under $1000, corners are going to be cut somewhere.  Now, it could also be just my example and that happens as well, but I wanted to point it out. Back to the lume, I think I will just let the picture below do all the talking…

A movement you rarely see in a microbrand, let alone most brands at this price is an ETA 2892. Usually, you will have an ETA 2824, the workhorse Swiss auto as many like to deem it and that movement at this price would be nice. The 2892 is a thinner, smoother, more stable and overall just a better movement than the 2824 and that is why it is surprising to see it in the Zelos Swordfish, with a price tag less than $700. You won’t get to see the movement though, as this is a dive watch and as with most dive watches, you get a solid case back. Fortunately, there is a very nice stamped swordfish on the back.

When it comes to wearability, the Zelos Swordfish is a little on the chunky side. The specs would have you believe otherwise as this watch only measures in at 13mm thick, but due to the case design, it sits high up on the wrist. It also is hefty for its size at 204 grams on an un-sized bracelet. Speaking of case design, take a look at that below-this is not your standard round or square dive case, Zelos wanted something more unique and I think they did that well.

Remember when I said sometimes corners need to be cut to reach a price point? Well, as fantastic as this bracelet is, the edges of the bracelet are a little sharp. This is noticeable on a lot (not all) microbrand watches and I get it, at this price, something has to give. It is still a wonderful bracelet and easy to size with single-sided screws and of course the ratchet extension clasp. On my 7 1/2 inch wrist, it wears just as I expected it to and the bracelet really does drape and feel nice against the skin.

Conclusion-

The Zelos Swordfish is another attractive and well-built diver and even at the full retail price, they present a good value. Beyond the value, this may be the best looking Zelos to date, that is until I get my hands on the soon to be available ZX Chronograph-stay tuned for that review in a month or so. It seems Zelos continues to push forward and not only are they creating a huge customer base but they are continually producing quality pieces. This one is no different. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2019.

Let me know what you think of the Swordfish in the comment section below. Be sure to watch the video as well and subscribe to Watchreport on Youtube.

 

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