Reverie Sea Spirit | Video Review

Reverie Sea Spirit | Video Review

Video review of the Reverie Sea Spirit

 

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Reverie Sea Spirit | Watch Review

Reverie Sea-Spirit (Deep Blue)

Specifications:

• 316L stainless steel case
• 41mm diameter
• 12mm height
• 22mm lug width
• lug-to-lug length of 47mm.
• 21-jewel automatic movement made in Japan (Miyota 8218).
• Sapphire crystal (dial side) with inner anti-reflective coating.
• Display case back
• 10 ATM water resistance

$420 USD

The Sea-Spirit is the first model from the brand new company Reverie. The Sea-Spirit can easily be your any occasion watch, and is offered in a black or blue dial. I will be discussing the blue dial in this review.The watch has a 41mm stainless steel case, sapphire crystal, automatic movement, 100 meters of water resistance and an absolutely stunning dial resulting in a watch with a lot to offer. At $420 USD, the watch and two straps is not inexpensive but it is not an exorbitant price either for what the consumer will receive.

The Sea-Spirit houses a Japanese automatic movement and is manufactured in Asia. The company is quite forthcoming in regards to the materials and manufacturing right on their website so anyone reading this article should be quite pleased with the high level of transparency provided by Reverie. The Sea-Spirit models are also a limited production of 125 pieces in each dial color which will grant the owner a level of exclusivity after acquiring one of these timepieces.

The cushion style case consists primarily of a high polished mirror finish, however, the flat upper surfaces are finely brushed. Multiple case finishes in my book show an extra level of detail and thought in the production of this model. Regardless of how nice the case and some of the specifications of this watch, the main event is most certainly the gorgeous guilloché dial. The dial plays to the name of the watch model as the design resembles waves or maybe even a whirlpool. The blue dial to me has to be the more intriguing of the two color choices as based on angles and lighting the shades of blue to black is quite stunning. Personally the coloring almost reminds me of the ocean at night while sitting on the deck of a cruise ship watching the waves pass along. One of the design aspects that I appreciate greatly is the standard small second sub-dial located between the 4 and 5. The sub-dial has a sun-ray finish and provide some design contrast against the guilloché dial. There is one other aspect I am thoroughly pleased with about the small second sub-dial but I will get into that a bit later. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the large 33mm sapphire crystal protecting the awesome dial. The anti-reflective coating appears to be good quality as well.

All of the hour markers are painted on and lack any luminous properties. Of course as many of you know, I consider lume a gimmick plus this is a dressy watch regardless of the model name so no need for lume. Never fear though for the lume freaks out there, the hands are slightly luminous. The lume fades rather quickly so don’t expect to tell the time in the early morning hours. The dial text is kept to a minimum and I feel the script and standard font work well with the overall theme of the watch and keeping it quite classy. The white date window at the 3 is perfectly complimentary to the white hour markers surrounding the dial. The result is an absolutely stunning dial free of any unnecessary fluff.

When it comes to quality, one thing aspect I hone in on quickly is the crown. What’s the one trait about a crown that will almost immediately sour a consumers feelings toward a watch? Wiggle or wobble possibly? I can report not a problem at all as the 7mm crown is extremely firm with absolutely no play or wiggle when engaged. My only wish for the diamond style crown is that it could have been a screw down rather than push/pull variety. Holding with the dressy theme the crown is also high polished with a script “R” on the face.

The glass exhibition case back shows off the Miyota 8218 automatic movement. I know many like to see the movement, especially on dress watches. However, why display budget movements? At least we are not looking at the completely dull 8215 as the 8218 at least has some striping. Do you want to know the one thing the 8218 has going for it? Sure you do. Quite simply put you do not have to deal with the choppy central second hand found with any watch housing the 8215. Small second hand equals lack of noticeable choppiness. The case back is nicely finished and has the typical watch specifications, etc. etched around the perimeter.

The Deep Blue Sea-Spirit is finished off with a nice 22mm brown leather strap with a branded dual deploy clasp. The clasp is high polished keeping in line with the overall dressy nature of the watch model. The brown leather is perfect for dressy occasions, however, Reverie includes a black sailcloth strap for dressing down the Sea-Spirit. The sailcloth strap includes a high polished thumbnail style buckle that is also branded.

In conclusion, I know I haven’t expressed much negativity to this point about the Sea-Spirit quite simply because there isn’t much I don’t like about the model. With that being said here we go. First, while the watch wears nicely on the wrist, the strap may be a tad short for many with an 8 inch plus wrist size. Also, the price may be a little on the high side, considering the Miyota 8218 automatic. A Miyota 9015 would put this watch model over the top in my book. I still enjoy wearing it and can easily say it looks great, has a high end feel due to the beautiful guilloché dial. I’m not sure finding a guilloché dial at this price point is even possible? I can’t find another that’s for sure. I can’t wait to see what Reverie comes up with next.

7 3/4 inch wrist for reference

You can check out the companies website here: Reverie

Thank you for reading, please leave your comments below.

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Tactico TC3.3 | Video Review

Tactico TC3.3 | Video Review

Tactico

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Tactico TC3.3 | Watch Review

Tactico TC3.3

All too often, watch enthusiast vehemently demand that companies produce watches that depart from the beaten path. It’s a demand that seems to have become somewhat of a standard within our niche hobby. Spanish born CREPAS, also known as “Compañía Relojera Especializada para Actividades Subacuáticas,” or “Specialized Watchmaking Company for Underwater Activities” for the Español impaired, seems to have answered our prayers with their TACTICO Watches Division. While CREPAS Watches and their immensely successful diver line needs no introduction, little is known about their TACTICO line, which set out to create classic-inspired timepieces that fit neatly into three separate genres: diver (TC1-line), military (TC2-line) and pilot (TC3-line). As a shameless supporter of CREPAS Watches and their entire dive watch collection, I was quite thrilled when TACTICO Watches sent me one of their newest aeronautical models, the TC3.3, to review.

Specs:

• Case Diameter: 43mm
• Case Height: 13.7mm
• Lug Width: 22mm
• Lug to Lug: 48mm
• Straps: High quality NATO with sewn-in hardware and composite with nylon thread
• Movement: Swiss made ETA 2824-2 movement
• Crystal: Sapphire with anti-reflective coating
• Water Resistance: 200m

Retail Price: $670 (approximate USD)

The TACTICO TC3.3 arrived in a hand-crafted folding leather kit that is nothing less than phenomenal; reminiscent of a luxurious set of travel luggage. This level of quality is something that I’ve come to expect from CREPAS and anything the brand touches. When closed, the TACTICO branded folder doubles as a fancy-schmancy travel case that is held securely shut by two high-quality gold colored snaps. Once the folder has been opened, you’ll find an assortment of useful goodies that include a second strap, a warranty card, a 3 x 5 inch brochure, a cleaning cloth, a strap changing tool, and extra spring bars held inside of a miniature glass bottle with cork top. Since the inside is padded suede, this would be an excellent accessory to use not only for transport to your favorite local watch get-together, but also as a posh presentation pad once you’ve arrived. A zippered area also provides added protection for your most treasured timepieces or any documents that may accompany them.

The TC3.3’s dial is its most noticeable link to its aerospace lineage, as it closely resembles an airplane’s instrument panel. The skeletonized hour hand is bright white against the dial’s deep black tarmac-like background. Its elongated minute hand prominently stands out, ensuring that the person who wears this piece can easily decipher the exact time at a glance, as a pilot would want when looking at his instrumentation.

Crisp, white, and bold numerals adorn the dial’s perimeter as the uniquely fashioned ‘airplane’ seconds hand tip flies above. Pay special attention to the 10 o’clock marker, as I’m quite certain you’ve never seen it before. That is unless your studies have traversed the Greek alphabet, where the symbol represents the Cyrillic letter – Ef. While it’s mysteriously exciting to ponder why TACTICO Watches chose this specific symbol versus a run-of-the-mill ten, a spokesperson for the company stated they simply liked the way it looked. I’ll admit, I was hoping for an explanation more adventurous than that! White minute increment markers intermingle with larger, yet very subtle, blue ten minute markers, both of which are hand painted onto the TC3.3’s rotating inner bezel that is operated by an offset crown in the 8 o’clock position. The brand’s name, written in what is commonly known as “ghost striping” in my police profession, is found to the right of the 9 o’clock marker and TC3.3, written in a muted red, sits right above the six. The square date window, framed by a larger round, blue circle, is perfectly centered and placed in the 3 o’clock position. This is perhaps my only gripe regarding the TC3.3, as I feel that TACTICO Watches should have used the same round date aperture window used in the flagship TC3. BGW9 lume lights up the TC3.3’s dial, hands and bezel pip: all reminders that this watch is just as comfortable below the waves as it is above the clouds.

The entire TC3 family of watches can be ordered in either a matte grey sandblasted case or in a PVD finish, as all three models share the same anti-magnetic case. The 316L stainless steel case, which measures 43mm in diameter and 48mm in length, makes it an extremely wearable watch, even for those with smaller wrists. Its 13.7mm height also makes it a versatile watch, as it slips comfortably underneath a business man’s sleeve. The TC3.3’s saucer-shaped case, with its down-turned lugs, is so well-balanced that even when I wore it loosely on the supplied NATO strap, it remained evenly positioned towards the top of my wrist.

Ten layers of anti-reflective coating have been applied to the underside of the domed sapphire crystal, which seems to be in line with TACTICO’S over-the-top approach and its belief that more of something great is, well, better! Dial distortion was found to be non-existent from any angle.

There’s a lot of diving technology built into the TC3 line of watches, but most of it is hidden from the flash of a photographer’s camera. Closely resembling super compressor watches of yester years, with their push in, pressure sealed crowns, the crown set on board the TC3.3 is protected against water intrusion by O-ring and I-ring gaskets made of Tefzel and Viton. Tefzel and Viton are two of the industry’s best materials that offer excellent resistance to chemicals, natural weathering and extreme temperature changes. While the bezel rotates in both directions, the manipulation force needed to operate the 8 o’clock crown makes it nearly impossible for it to be inadvertently knocked out of place once set. Both crowns are signed, with the 8 o’clock crown bearing the TC3 designation and the 3 o’clock crown bearing TACTICO’S logo.

A high-quality NATO strap, with stitched in hardware, is attached to the watch upon arrival, but a quick strap change using the conveniently supplied tool changes the look of the TC3.3 instantly and with little effort. The second strap, found within the leather presentation folder, is best described as a tapering leather-backed composite with nylon thread. Some forum goers may also call this a “Kevlar Strap.”

The heavily textured case back is screw down and flat, which aids in keeping the watch in place, no matter which strap you choose for the watch.

Rounding out the TC3.3’s impressive package is its high-beat, 25 jewel, Swiss-made ETA 2824-2, which micro-flutters around the dial at 28,800 bph. When fully wound, this movement delivers over 40 hours of power reserve.

As with many of CREPAS’ pieces, the TC3.3 is limited to a run of only 100 pieces, and like the TC3.2, it may soon join its not-so-distant cousins on the SOLD OUT walk of fame.

For availability, please visit TACTICO’S website at www.tacticowatches.com.

Thank you for reading, please leave your comments in the field below.

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