Vero Watches SW | Hands-on Review

Vero Watches SW

American watchmaking used to be very prominent but as many things do, that changed and for the most part, was a thing of the past, that is up until the past 8 years or so. Many brands, especially start-up or microbrands are assembling their watches in the USA, including brands like Nodus and Lum-tec. A few brands are actually machining the cases and even making movements in the US, most notably Weiss and RGM. Somewhere in the middle is the Vero Watches SW, one of 3 models made by the Portland, Oregon brand. The watch cases are machined in Portland, as well as the dials and hands. The crystal, movement, and strap are outsourced, but all assembly takes place in Oregon as well. While not fully made in the USA, it is a step in the right direction and a path to a full American-made watch.

Vero Watches SW Specifications:

• 41mm Machined in USA Case
• 22mm Lug  Width
• 11.5mm thick
• 46mm Lug to Lug
• Sapphire Crystal
• Sellita SW200 Automatic Movement
• 200 Meters WR
• Silicone Fitted Strap

Price $1650 USD 

https://vero-watch.com/collections/sw

At first glance, the Vero Watches SW looks like a standard sports watch, and for the most part, it is. As you turn the watch though, that is where you see its sleek curved profile. The curved case not only adds to the aesthetic but allows the watch to wrap around your wrist. The SW is thin and coming in at 41mm can be worn by most anyone, even those with small wrists. It also allows for it to be worn easily under any shirt or jacket cuff and because of the silicone strap, the entire watch is very lightweight, to the point you will forget you wearing it, much like a classic square G-Shock.

The intent behind the Vero Watches SW I believe is to be an all-around sports watch, one that could act as a field watch, your weekend watch and your casual watch all in one. While the fitted silicone strap looks good, a nice leather strap would probably look even better. More on the strap in a bit. The case machining is beautiful, especially the satin finishing on the sides, and to give a little contrast, a high polish on the top. For me, I would prefer an all brushed case or even a bead blasted case, not only would it reduce fingerprints but would also give it a more “tool” like appearance.

The dial is familiar and not very distinctive, but the is made completely in Vero’s workshop. Nickel plated brass, coated in black ceramic with a nice subtle texture. Keeping things clean and simple, the hands are white and black and a dark orange second hand gives some much-needed contrast. The website states the numbers and markers are printed 6 times, unfortunately, they are only printed in white and do not have any lume. The hour and minute hand are lumed and glow decently well, but I feel it was a missed opportunity to not at least lume the larger Arabic numerals.

Powering the Vero is the Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement, a movement we have seen in many upstart and microbrands all the way to watches brands such as Oris, Christopher Ward, and many others. This watch does not show off the movement but rather highlights their matching capabilities with a really sleek case back that reminds me of something you would see on a military airplane. Notice it is held down with screws. This is interesting to me if for nothing else than this watch is also 200 meters water resistant and it is achieving that without a screw down case back or crown. Speaking of the crown, while it does not screw into the case, it does sit mostly flush until you pop it out and the aggressive knurling allows for easy time setting.

As I stated earlier, this Vero Watches SW feels great on the wrist and has a nice comfortable profile. There is an issue with the strap though, beyond it just showing all the lint or dirt it catches. It is a pain in the ass to put back on. There is just no other way to say it. Drilled lugs or even quick change pins would have made this a lot easier, but I will caution everyone and say, if you like the silicone straps, just leave it on, or if you must switch it out to something else, do not plan on putting the silicone back on for a considerable time. You just do not want the constant aggravation.

As many know if you read or watch my reviews, I do not mince words. This is a review after all. The biggest selling point to this Vero Watch is the fact that a good portion of the watch is being made right here in the good ol’ USA. Not just a strap or a small part, but the case and dial. That is a pretty big deal in my book. Now, for some, it may not mean that much, but bringing any kind of manufacturing back to the USA is a good thing and while Vero is still a small company, who knows where this can lead to. This particular watch is not really my style and as such, not something I would regularly wear. I can tell a lot of time and money went into producing this watch and for that I commend them. That is no small feat to actually bring this to market. It is just not my style, but they all cant be and I would be lying to you if I said they were. That said, it is a cool looking watch and yes, I think some improvements can be made going forward but I appreciate what they have done and look forward to seeing many more models from them in the future.

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