Andersmann Oceanmaster II
I have admired Andersmann Watches from afar since they hit the scene, which was about 2 years ago. I could tell these were high quality watches just from the pictures on the website. Then I started to see pictures on Instagram and other blogs and I KNEW they were high quality. Andersmann is not your typical microbrand, at least not in the way some have come to think of microbrands. It is not a sub $500 watch, it is not produced in Asia and because of the size, they are not going to be for everybody’s wrist. When Raymand Chan, owner of Andersmann reached out to me about doing a review, I figured it would be for the new Classic model that was recently released. Instead he asked if I would review the Andersmann Oceanmaster II. I hesitated to say yes at first, only because of the 47mm size. The Classic model is 44mm, a little more my speed these days. Even though not my first choice in size, which let’s face it, if I only reviewed watches with those parameters, not only would it get boring, but reviews would be few and far between. Fortunately, I said yes, and I am glad I did. The Oceanmaster II is a fantastic dive watch and while it may be large, it wears well on my wrist.
Andersmann Oceanmaster II Specifications:
- 47mm Stainless Steel Bead Blasted Case
- 56mm Lug to Lug
- 26mm Lug Width
- 17.6mm Thick
- Sapphire Crystals Front and Back
- ETA 2892 Automatic Movement
- Leather and Rubber Straps
- 1000 Meters Water Resistant
Price: $1535.00 USD
http://andersmann.com/product/oceanmaster-ii-1000m-ann0854/
Andersmann has released a few models in the past two years and a few variations of each. The Oceanmaster I and II, the Deep Ocean- a titanium beast, and now the new Classic as well. Instead of going over all the differences between models and variations, I will just concentrate on the one I have in hand. There are a few different second hand color options you can choose from though, so check out the website to see which is your favorite and all the other models as well. As I listed above in the specifications, the Oceanmaster II is 47mm wide, not including the crown and 56mm lug to lug. On paper, this watch sounds absolutely massive, and almost unwearable for me. In person, it is a different story.
As you can see above, it is probably my absolute limit when it comes to both width and lug to lug length, yet I do find it comfortable. The Andersmann Oceanmaster II is listed at 17mm thick, and it is, but because of the way the case and bezel are separated, it does not wear like a chunky watch, unlike the Boschett Cave Dweller as an example. It’s funny, many years ago, I wore watches larger than this, and I thought they looked good. Ah, youth. A great aspect of all Andersmann watches are the textured dials. I am not sure exactly how to describe it; Andermsann describes it as a leather texture. I guess if you are talking pebbled leather, that would make sense. It is a nice change from the usual matte or sunburst dials that so many brands use. It is also a signature look for Andersmann, at least so far. I also love that they went with a sandwich dial. Not every watch would benefit from this, but on a watch such as this, I love it. It adds depth and also makes the dial stand out even more. For this model, Andersmann chose to go with no date, making the dial nice and clean.
I really enjoy almost every aspect of the Andersmann Oceanmaster II, in both function and aesthetic. The brushed ceramic bezel insert, the DLC coated bezel, the knurling on both the bezel and the crown, and of course that super fine bead blasted case finish. I do wish the Oceanmaster had drilled lugs, it would just make strap changes easier and while the crown is fantastic in both look and function, I wish it was placed at the 4 o’clock position like the Deep Ocean model. With such a large watch and big crown, it does dig into my wrist. I understand they needed to make this model different and having the crown in the same place on both models would have been redundant.
I know not everyone loves a bead blasted finish, mainly because it is not a finish that you can buff out. I personally love them. Especially the finer blasting as seen on the Andersmann Oceanmaster II. It is a very subdued look, and if you are diving, it will not reflect as much light as the other finishes. I have stated many times I do not dive, and as any diver will point out, these days most use dive computers and a watch is a backup, or just being worn for nostalgia. Still, the bezel action is superb and I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone to take this into the water and use it as intended. I am pretty sure it can take whatever you can dish out. This is not a poser watch, that is only a dive watch in looks. This IS a dive watch.
As one would expect with a watch such as this, the movement does not disappoint. Powering the Andersmann Oceanmaster II is the ETA 2892 automatic movement, which is a considerable upgrade from say the ETA 2824. This is where I usually say that because it is a dive watch, I just prefer a solid case back. I don’t know why to be honest, the front of all of our watches have a crystal and seals and gaskets keep water from getting in, so why would a case back be any different? Whatever my reasoning is for that, I do not mind seeing the decorated movement on the Andersmann one bit. They made sure that the movement was meant to be shown off, and it was. Take a look:
The Andersmann Oceanmaster II stays traditonal with the lume, meaning it has a lumed bezel pip, but not an entire lumed bezel as most microbrand dive watches do these days. While those can be neat to look at in the dark, they are gimmicky and serve no real purpose. And how is the lume? Pretty darn good. The dial cutouts could probably be a little bit larger to allow for a larger surface area of lume to show through, but I do not think anyone will have trouble seeing this watch in the dark.
It is pretty simple really. The Andersmann Oceanmaster II is a fantastic dive watch. Yes, it is on the larger side, and it is not inexpensive at $1500, but most of the time you do get what you pay for and the Oceanmaster delivers. It comes with 2 high quality straps, one rubber, one leather, in a Pelican Style watch box, and every bit of this watch is high quality. Some people seem to have the mentality that if a brand is new or not known, that they should price their watches accordingly. Well, just like anything else, not all watches are created equal. One of my favorite microbrands is Aegir, which is easy to see if you read my review on the CD-1. This Oceanmaster II is right on par with it in terms of quality and aesthetic. The only thing that could make me love it more would be if it was 44mm. Who knows what Andersmann will release in the future, and I still hope to get the Classic model in hand, but I do know that this one is a home run.
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