Luminox Pacific Diver

As soon as I saw this model, the Luminox Pacific Diver, I knew I wanted to review it. The Pacific Diver line is unique for Luminox, as it’s not only stainless steel and an automatic, but it also has a lumed ceramic bezel insert, and Super-LumiNova on the dial, and this one, the Midnight Mariner, does so with a full lume dial. Tritium tubes are still used as well, on the hands and with tubes around the chapter ring, so this has the most lume of any Luminox so far. The dial has a wave pattern, sapphire front and back, and 200m water resistance, as it is a dive watch. There are 3 automatic Pacifid Diver models, the others being blue or black dial, and both of those lack the lumed ceramic bezel. A bracelet version is available as well (blue dial), but this one comes on a cut-to-fit rubber strap, and pricing starts at $1745.

Specifications

42mm Stainless Steel Case

47.3mm 9-3 (including crown)

48mm Lug to Lug

13.2mm Thick

24mm Lug Width

123.5 Grams

Sapphire Crystal 

Lumed Ceramic Bezel

Full Lume Dial 

200m Water Resistant

Screw Down Crown

Sellita SW2001-1 Automatic Movement

Cut to fit Black Rubber strap with clasp 

MSRP $1825 
https://luminox.com/products/pacific-diver-automatic-midnight-mariner

Recently, I reviewed another Luminox, the Navy Seals 3001 Heritage, a very different watch than this one, and if nothing else, it does show the range of models from Luminox these days. The 3001 Heritage was a 43mm Carbonox case, and while it does contain a piece of carbon, most would refer to it as a plastic case, and I still think that’s what many think of when they think of Luminox watches, even though they have been making stainless steel watches for probably over 20 years now. This Pacific Diver is not only stainless steel, but it’s an automatic, and coupled with the ceramic bezel and this dial, it somewhat gives me Ball vibes, as this is not what I think of when I think Luminox.

Now Ball is very well known for Trititum tubes, as is Ball, but it’s the higher-end materials here, the sculpted case design, this is an upscale Luminox, no other way to put it. This is not your typical tactical piece, and there’s no plastic bezel, no Carbonox in sight, and unlike many, this is an SW200-1 automatic, not a quartz, which a quick look on the Luminox website shows that the quartz is mainly what Luminox makes, and automatics are used in only a few pieces, 3 models to be exact. This one is shown off through the sapphire case back, and if you’ve seen an SW200-1, you’ve seen them all. I am disappointed, though, that it doesn’t have a black rotor as depicted on the Luminox website.

The case is a familiar bumper case, or at least that’s what I call it, as the 9 o’clock side of the case has a bump similar to the crown guards at 3 o’clock, so it’s a very symmetrical case, and it’s a very sculpted-looking case as well. To create those bumpers, Luminox has these large cutouts on the side of the case, and these are pretty deep cutouts, and the design reminds me of a bottle opener. Again, this is not the type of case when you think of Luminox; even the top of the case has a polished chamfer, and the bezel edge is polished as well, to break up the sea of brushed steel. The crown is not massive at 6.9mm, but I still found it easy to use the screw-down crown, even with those large crown guards.

Moving back around to the dial, and all of the Luminox Pacific Diver models have a wave pattern on the dial, and if you look closely, you’ll see this wave pattern does go through the date window surround, odd, but it doesn’t impede your reading of the date. All colorways have applied indices and numerals; this Midnight Mariner full lume version has them filled with a black paint or enamel instead of the Super-LumiNova, as the dial itself is lume-coated. The dial text is kept to a minimum, and the Luminox logo looks good, applied as well, and all around the chapter ring, you find those tritium tubes.

The hour, minute, and second hands are brushed steel or nickel, and I really don’t love the look here. I feel they should have just gone with black-coated hands against this white dial, and the brushed finish contrasts too much with the polished surrounds of the applied indices.

The bezel and bezel inset are beautiful. The bezel has a great coin-edge grip, easy to grasp even with medium to large-sized hands, and it’s a 120 click bezel, and it’s just one of those bezels that are very satisfying to turn, with a good ratcheting feel. The insert is polished black ceramic, and possibly for the first time, the bezel is lumed, all the numbers and lines are filled with Super-Luminova, and the 12 o’clock space is occupied by a tritium tube in a round chamber.

And yes, the dial of this Luminox Pacific Diver Midnight Mariner has a lot of lume, possibly the most lume ever produced by Luminox, but there are a few things to note here. These are smaller tubes, and like all tritium tubes, they glow best in full darkness. Super-LumiNova, on the other hand, if it’s been charged through the day or was just in a bright lit area, will glow in dim as well as complete darkness. So, if you are outside, for example, and walk into a dimly lit area of your house, you’ll see that full lume dial and that lumed bezel. 5 hours later, that lumed dial probably won’t be glowing, at least not anywhere near as strong, but those tubes will be. What you are getting here is the best of both worlds: a watch that will glow in both dim lighting and complete darkness.

There are 3 colors of the Luminox Pacific Diver, and as I said, this is the only one with the lumed dial and bezel, and there’s another big difference between the 3 as well; only the blue dial comes on a bracelet. This Midnight Mariner and the black dial are sold with a rubber strap, and it’s a candy bar style natural rubber strap, molded with the Luminox name and branded underneath as well, and has a simple stamped dive clasp, though the deployment is milled. I quite like the look of the strap, but the big issue I have is that you need to size it, and that means get out that razor blade, measure twice, and cut once. It’s a large strap, much larger than my 7 1/2 inch or. 19.05cm wrist, but I wish they had gone with a standard hole strap and clasp, or possibly designed a new no-cut strap.

I do love how it looks on my wrist; it’s a 42mm case, and the lugs and strap width are 24mm, which is again, not normal for a 42mm watch, but at least to me, this does not feel like a very large or wide watch. I know that will be different for everyone, and the trend is smaller watches for a lot of brands and a lot of customers, but I love this 42mm case for my wrist. The case does have the faux end piece lugs though, which I don’t mind with a rubber strap, but the 24mm bracelet does not have solid fitted end links, and at least from the photos Ive seen, I’m not a fan. The bracelet also costs $216, as you can not get a bracelet or a strap.

I’m definitely glad I got to review this Luminox Pacific Diver, as this really is a departure for the brand, and for the most part, in a very good way. If you have always thought of quartz plastic case watches when you think of Luminox, this one shows you that’s not all the brand does these days. As I mentioned in my last review, Luminox prices have sure gone up, but so has everything else. At $1825, my only grip is that cut-to-fit strap; if this Midnight Mariner came with a bracelet for the $1825, it would be very much in line with any other watch at this price.

All of them combine Tritium with Super-LumiNova, which is not common for Luminox or any other brand, for that matter, and this one, having the full lume dial with the lumed ceramic bezel, does put it over the edge. It may not be the most tactical piece, but it is sure an attractive piece from Lumionx, and I hope to see more diversity in their model lineup in the future.

Luminox

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]]> https://www.watchreport.com/hands-on-with-the-luminox-pacific-diver/feed/ 0 https://www.watchreport.com/hands-on-with-the-nivada-grenchen-autochron-mecaquartz/ https://www.watchreport.com/hands-on-with-the-nivada-grenchen-autochron-mecaquartz/#respond Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:05:32 +0000 https://www.watchreport.com/?p=40137

Nivada Grenchen Autochron MecaQuartz

Nivada Grenchen, since its rebirth, has been known for producing watches that are heavily inspired, if not a direct remake of the brand’s massive back catalog. This Nivada Grenchen Autochron MecaQuartz is a little different in that while it is based on an NG watch from the past, it’s a prototype from the late 70s that never hit full production (they say less than 20 were made). This version is also one that wouldn’t have existed in the 70s, a Mecaquartz version, which is a quartz chronograph that mimics an automatic with how it resets the chronograph. The big deal here, though, is really the price. The automatic versions are much more expensive at $2500 (on bracelet), while this version starts at $530 (on strap) or $730 on the bracelet. Both use the same 38mm unique cushion case shape, have 200m water resistance, a screw-down crown, and a sapphire crystal.

Specifications

Diameter -38mm 

Thickness-10.8 without crystal

Case Material-316L Stainless Steel 

Dial-Matt Black Small texture 

Movement-VK67 MecaQuartz with date

Glass-Double domed Sapphire Glass

Lug to lug-46.5mm

Lug Width-20mm (flares to 24mm)

Weight-166.3 grams

Water Resistance 20ATM

Battery Life-Approx. 3 years

Accuracy-± 20 seconds per month

Retail Price- Strap- $530  Bracelet-$730

  https://nivadagrenchenofficial.com/collections/automatic    

As mentioned above, the Nivada Grenchen Autochron is based on a prototype from the late 70s, but I think it needs to be pointed out that the Autochron name goes back further, at least to the beginning of the aforementioned decade, with the model name Taravana. I found a few examples of the Taravana models online, all chronographs, but more pilot style, especially the ones I saw, as the long second hand had an airplane as the counterbalance piece. Some of the case designs looked similar to the prototype and this recreation, but others had more of a Sinn-style case design.

The prototype and this new model have a very distinctive case, though, one I am very impressed by. Interesting side note, while this model is called the Autochron on the Nivada website, neither the automatic nor this MecaQuartz actually says Autochron anywhere on the watch; in fact, the case back says Chronosport.

The case shape of the Nivada Grenchen Autochron MecaQuartz is pretty unique. It definitely looks straight out of the 70s, and Nivada even has a pic of the original prototype on their website, and you can see how closely they recreated the case. It’s a square-ish cushion case that kind of barrels out towards the lugs and is all satin brushed with a large polished chamfer on top, showcasing the lines of the case. It measures in right at 38mm, but with adding in the screw-down crown and pushers, I measured just about 42mm in width. More about the sizing in a bit.

Another interesting thing about this case is how it sinks in below the bezel, and the bezel sits in this sunken area at 9 and 3. As I stated in the video review, I am not sure if it adds any functionality to the bezel. As a matter of fact, it makes it so you can really only grip the bezel at 12 and 6, as you really can’t grip it otherwise. It doesn’t matter much as it’s a bi-directional bezel, with seemingly no spring or any real feedback, but it doesn’t feel loose either. I do like the look of the bezel, though, both the edges, and it’s a matte black coated aluminum bezel, but it definitely has a vintage look about it.

The original prototype, I believe, used a Lemania movement, and the new automatic version of the Autochron uses the 7750, and both are two-eye or two-subdial chronos. This Nivada Grenchen Autochron MecaQuartz is a 3-eye chronograph, and it uses the Seiko VK67 movement, which is great in the sense that you do get a running seconds subdial, instead of a 24-hour one, and still get the 60-minute and 12-hour counters. And as many MecaQuartz do, the chronograph second hand will reset instantly, mimicking an automatic chronograph.

The dial is matte black with a micro pebble texture; it matches well with the matte black bezel, and looks good against the tan subdials. This is currently the only color available for the MecaQuartz. There was a salmon dial as well as a Panda dial version, but both were limited editions, I believe. The hour and minute hands are steel, with all white chronograph hands, and the hands have dual lume to match the indices and dots, which have different shades of lume as well, and the tan or old radium lume adds to the cohesive look of these dial colors. The date is simple, located at 3, and there is a tachymeter scale as well, but it’s pretty hard to read most of the time due to the distortion of the massive double-dome sapphire crystal.

The lume may be dual colors, but the lume is probably one of my only disappointments with this watch. It looks good for a few minutes, but don’t expect to be seeing this in the dark 4 hours later. Again, it looks good, and I like the way they lumed the hands, but either they needed more surface area or a stronger lume compound.

The Nivada Grenchen Autochron MecaQuartz has a bevy of options when it comes to straps, quite a few leather straps and a tropic rubber, and I show a brown leather they sent me in the video review above, but for me, this rectangle and square link bracelet is the way to go. Now the bracelet does add another $200 to the price, so it’s not as budget-friendly a watch anymore, but I feel it’s totally worth it, as it not only looks fantastic on the bracelet, but for someone like me who finds 38mm watches too small, the bracelet helps this watch look bigger. How, you ask? The bracelet lug width is 20mm, but it flares out underneath to almost 24mm. It does taper down to 18mm, but that initial flare in width, along with the chronograph pushers, just helps this watch look more like a 40mm on my wrist.

A few more notes about the bracelet. The face of the bracelet is all brushed, but the sides are highly polished, which admittedly is not my favorite, but it does match the polished chamfer on the case, and I admit it does look nice. The links are small, and sizing is very easy via screws, and the clasp is dual finished as well, with a nice polish and the NG logo.

Something I recently learned, though, is that at least the LE versions of the Nivada Grenchen Autochron MecaQuartz had a different clasp and an on-the-fly adjustment clasp. The version I have here is a more traditional clasp, and while it doesn’t have a sliding microadjustment, it does give quite a few sizing holes, and I know some will think this is the wrong take, but I like how it looks and feel it lends to the vintage styling, over a newer style clasp. Everything is subjective, of course.

On my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, it will come as no surprise to you that I find it very comfortable, and I love the look of it on this bracelet. The fat end links, the rectangle and square links, the beautiful clasp, not to mention the unique cushion case, make this just a very attractive watch. The bracelet is pretty large as well, rare for a 38mm, and it should easily fit an 8-inch (20.32cm) wrist. I still wish it were 40mm at least. I just have a hard time going below 40mm, with very few exceptions, but I will say the combo of this case, the chronograph pushers and crown, and this bracelet all unite to help this be the first 38mm watch I have enjoyed wearing.

I have read some of the comments from my video review, from overpriced to folks who think this looks great on my wrist, and just think I prefer “hockey puck” watches. Well, overpriced is subjective and as many should know by now, I am not here to convice anyone to buy a watch, but there is a crazy amount of detial to this watch and while the bracelet does not make it as affordable as the strap options, its still a lot less than $2500 and if you are soemone who doesnt need an automatic, this is a really beautiful watch with a lot of unique details.

As far as hockey puck, well, I do prefer 40-42mm watches, not sure if that’s now considered a hockey puck these days, but yes, I do not gravitate towards 38mm watches personally. That said, as mentioned above, it wears slightly larger than its stated specs, and while I think it looks great, I still would love a 40mm, and I make no apologies for that.

Nivada Grenchen 

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Hanhart Aquasphere Ocean Fade

The Hanhart Aquasphere Ocean Fade is the Aquasphere with a glow up, if you will. When I reviewed the original, I couldn’t the fact that a brand that was mainly known for military style pilot and field watches had finally made a true dive watch, as I unabashedly love dive watches. The Aquasphere was a big leap for the brand. I mean, let’s face it, not only is there no shortage of dive watches available, but Hanhart, while a popular niche brand, was stepping outside its niche. The good news is, many others and I agreed that they pulled it off, and made a somewhat unique dive watch while still being distinctly Hanhart. The Ocean Fade model takes it a bit further, with a gradient blue to black dial, adding the option of a black bezel, and the lume has been upgraded as well. The movement has been changed to the Soprod P024, and the one I have in hand has the newer fitted rubber strap.

Specifications

42mm Stainless Steel Case

12.95mm Thick

49mm Lug to Lug

20mm Lug Width

130 Grams in Weight

300m Water Resistant

60-Click Unidirectional Bezel 

Ceramic Bezel Insert

Sapphire Crystal with AR coating

Soprod P024 Automatic Movement

Rubber, Bracelet, or Hook Fabric Strap

Price as shown- $2,060 (From Watchbuys)

https://www.watchbuys.com/store/pc/Hanhart-Aquasphere-Ocean-Fade-Black-Bezel-on-Rubber-Strap-188p8275.htm

https://www.hanhart.com/en/product-category/watches/aquasphere-en/?v=15fc885b9ab6

The Hanhart Aquasphere Ocean Fade isn’t a new model, but it’s not just a dial and bezel color change that I assumed it was. The case is identical to the Free Fall Blue version I reviewed in 2024, and the dial layout does remain the same, but the lume has been upgraded, and the movement is now the Soprod P024. Hanhart didn’t tell me prior to sending the watch that the movement was changed, nor the reasoning, but I am going to guess it was one or the other: cost or supply issues. It’s still a 300m dive watch, still has a helium release valve, and a 60 click unidirectional rotating bezel, and the case design is quirky but not over-designed.

Beyond the movement, the gradient dial of the Hanhart Aqausphere Ocean Fade is the other big change. It’s a very well-done gradient dial, and Ocean Fade is an appropriate name, as that’s exactly what it looks like. The paint has a finish that I can’t seem to accurately describe. It’s not a texture, but there are little speckles throughout the dial, and it very much mimics murky ocean waters. The dial isn’t gimmicked either, no silhouettes of fish or sharks (they saved the fish for the case back), no wave patterns or bubbles, just a well-executed gradient. The massive indices and number 12 stand out from the dial, as do the unique tipped sword hand design, and it’s extremely easy to read as a dive watch should be. Like the previous version, it’s still a no-date dial (and movement).

The bezel and crown have not changed, but you can get it as shown with the black ceramic insert (blue is also available), which I do think really adds to the look of this gradient dial. While I haven’t seen the blue bezel version in person, I think the black bezel gives the watch a different vibe, and it also clearly distinguishes it from the all-blue Free Fall model. Both the bezel and crown still have that great tactile feel to them, both are easy to grip and turn, and while the bezel is only 60 clicks, it really is one of the most satisfying bezels I think I have ever turned, and there is zero play in any direction.

The lume has been upgraded as well. It’s still C1 green lume, but now it’s X2 GL Super-LumiNova, one of the most powerful lume compounds available currently. It shows as well, and the lume on the dial and hands is fantastic, but I find the bezel stencil lume to be a little sloppy. I love the look of the stencil numbers and markers, but feel they could be engraved deeper, allowing for better lume application. Still, it is improved over the original Free Fall Blue model I reviewed.

When the Aquasphere debuted, you could order it with a bracelet (a very solid and attractive bracelet that was just lacking an on-the-fly adjustable clasp) or a textile hook strap. Now it’s available with a fitted FKM rubber strap (as is the Fly Navy) in either blue or black. The strap is branded, with the Hanhart logo split between the two straps, and while I don’t always care for over-branding, I will say I like the way this was done, and it’s not overly noticeable when wearing it. It fits perfectly in the case, uses two quick-release prongs to easily attach and remove the strap, and has a wonderful deployant buckle that uses prongs to attach to the strap, and the strap slides in and under. The clasp is beautiful as well, more ornate than I was expecting, and has the red marker that matches the red on the bezel pip.

On the wrist, the Hanhart Aquasphere Ocean Fade looks and feels great and while it is a 42mm case and that is large for some these days, I find it perfect on my 7 1/2 inch or 19.05cm wrist and while I have been wearing a lot of 40 and 41mm watches this past year, it does not feel large or chunky at all. As a matter of fact, I love how it’s barely 13mm thick, while still being 300m water resistant, and it sits flat on my wrist,  while the curved lugs hug it as well.

If you go with the rubber strap, make sure you give it some time to conform to your wrist. This sounds a little odd, but once I dialed in where to put the buckle prongs for my wrist size, so it wouldn’t be too loose or tight, I still felt the strap itself was a little too thin, with such a big case and a heavy buckle. But after a few hours of wearing it, it conformed to my wrist, and at just 130 grams on the wrist, it really lightens it up compared to the bracelet.

One thing of note I found odd is that you can’t get the black bezel Ocean Fade with a blue rubber strap. You can get it with a blue Hook strap (as I believe it’s the only color they make that strap in currently, at least that will fit this Aquasphere), but if you want a blue rubber strap with the black bezel, that option is not readily available. I am not sure if you messaged or requested in notes when ordering if they could swap it out, and while I think it looks perfect with the black strap and bezel, it’s odd that the option isn’t there.

The Hanhart Aquasphere Ocean Fade is essentially a new dial color and bezel option, but I personally like this gradient dial with the black bezel over the original Free Fall blue. Of course, the movement has changed, and I am sure that will anger some, but I haven’t experienced any issues with this Soprod P024 (nor the many other watches I have reviewed with this movement). The lume has been upgraded, and if you are a fan of rubber straps on dive watches like I am, you’ll probably like this on the new fitted rubber.

I’m still a big fan of the Aquasphere. I love the case shape and overall design, and I hope they continue to produce these dive watches (and tweak them here and there) for years to come. I do wonder, though, when we will see other dial colors. While the blues and the gradient blue to black colors are nice, I would love to see a solid black dial, an orange dial, and think this would look amazing with an olive green dial, with a black bezel and black strap. What dial colors would you like to see Hanhart produce?

Overall, it’s another solid option in the sea of dive watches available, and I like it even more now with the rubber strap. It’s nice to see they are starting to upgrade this model so recently after its debut.

See more at Hanhart. 

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Marathon OSAR-D

I have always been enamored with the Marathon SAR watches, and this Marathon OSAR-D checks a lot of boxes for me. I remember a time, probably 15 years or so ago, when the Marathon JSAR was a grail for me, and when I did get one, it didn’t disappoint. These days, 46mm with a 16-17mm thickness is just too big, and I have always wondered why they didn’t make a 41 or 42mm version of the JSAR. While this OSAR-D isn’t exactly that, it is a 41mm SAR with MaraGlo lume instead of the tritium used on the majority of Marathon watches. It’s also available in two other sizes, 36 and 46mm, and with an Arctic white dial. It’s powered by a top-grade Sellita Sw200-1, and starts at $1800 with the new FKM rubber straps.

Specifications 
41mm Stainless Steel Case
(39.5mm case, 41mm Bezel)
20mm Lug Width
48mm Lug to Lug
14mm Thick
120 Grams
Sellita SW200-1 Top Movement
300M Water Resistant
Sapphire Crystal
Aluminum Bezel Insert
Screw Down Crown
Screw Down Case Back
MaraGlo Lume
Rubber Strap (As Reviewed)
Swiss Made

MSRP $1800

https://www.marathonwatch.com/collections/41mm-sar/products/41mm-original-sar-w-date-osar-d

As I said, these days, I just really can’t pull off a 46mm case, especially with a thick and chunky tool watch such as this. I mean, I guess I can, but I just prefer something a little smaller, more in that 41-42mm range, and that’s where this Marathon OSAR-D comes in. It’s the same iconic case, bezel, and crown as the JSAR, but it’s actually a recreation of the original SAR from 2001/2002 (not sure on exact date) with an even cleaner dial, and the massive applied indices with MaraGlo (Marathon’s version of Super-LumiNova).

At 41mm, while it is a recreation of the original SAR, it’s also basically the same as the 41mm GSAR, with the same case, crown, bezel, and movement, but with a different dial, a dial without tritium. Oddly enough, while many enthusiasts of the brand are complaining about the pricing of Marathon watches, this Marathon OSAR-D starts at $200 less than the current GSAR ($1800 vs $2000). I’ll get back to pricing more in a bit, but for me, I had been wanting a 41mm JSAR for years, and while I would still probably like to see that, I think I like this OSAR-D even more, as it’s a much simpler dial.

I am not, nor have I ever been, in the military, nor have I ever been on a search and rescue mission, so I can’t speak to what the requirements are for a watch in those situations, and while I can Google that, I would just be reguritating third party info. The JSAR may be better suited for the military and SAR teams, with the larger hands, orange accents, and the 24-hour time. While I loved that dial when I was younger, I do tend to gravitate towards a simpler dial these days.

And this OSAR-D is just that, a much cleaner and simpler dial, with the massive oversized white painted indices filled with MaraGLO, very minimal text, the ladder style hands, also painted white, for maximum readability against the matte, slightly tettued black dial, and of course, there’s the giant cyclops on the sapphire crystal to magnify the date 1.5 times. The dial is even less adorned than the original, as it doesn’t have the H3 and radiation logo on the dial (though there were a few different variations of the original through the years, some without the date magnifier as well). And none of them had the maxi-style applied indices either, something else that truly separates it from the original SAR.

The glow of the MaraGlo, pun intended, is nothing short of fantastic. When the watch first arrived, I wasn’t sure how well it would glow and how bright it would be, as it doesn’t appear like there is much in the way of lume coating applied, but I was dead wrong. While many prefer tritium as it never needs a light source, I absolutely love good old-fashioned lume, and this is a lume junkies dream come true.

Now, the case of the Marathon OSAR-D is pretty much like every other SAR they produce; it’s a large block of 316L steel, it’s got that massive chunky bezel with the amazing grip, an almost 8mm knurled crown with large crown guards, and a basic spec sheet case back. The lugs do curve ever so slightly, and they are drilled lugs for easy strap or bracelet removal (note the pins that come with the watch are shoulderless spring bars, so you’ll want to use the drilled lugs for removal). The entire case, crown, bezel, everywhere you look, that there is steel, is completely fine satin brushed, as this is a rough and tough tool watch, and there is no need for polished chamfers.

The bezel of the Marathon OSAR-D, like all others in the SAR lineup, is massive. It’s got an exaggerated bottlecap design, is extremely easy to grip even with thick gloves or when wet, and the insert is aluminum, fully indexed, with a textured finish, almost seems like a spray texture, but I am not sure what is used for the coating. And that is where many, including myself, wonder why they don’t use a more premium insert, such as ceramic, or a steel DLC-coated insert, or, as one YouTube commenter mentioned, tungsten, though this watch is nowhere in the same price range as a Hublot. If you do want ceramic, Gnomon Watches does sell ceramic inserts for this and other SAR models, for $70. So it seems like there are customers who want a different bezel insert.

I have gone back and forth on it myself, as I do like the look, and honestly, beyond scratches, I don’t have an issue with aluminum bezels, and I like that this has that textured coating over a standard brushed and anodized aluminum bezel. What I do have a problem with, or I guess I should say I question the ease with which the bezel rotates. In this example and one other I tried, it’s very easy to turn. It’s not loose in a sloppy way and doesn’t have back play, but in the video I show how easy it is rotate, even with just my thumb. I have to believe this is intentional, but I wish it were a little tighter.

Nothing to really note on the case back, pretty standard fare for a Marathon watch, but unlike the JSAR, which is the only other SAR watch to currently use MaraGlo over tritium, this is not a high accuracy quartz movmenet, rather they went with the same Top Grade SW200-1 automatic movement that they use in the GSAR and many other of their 3 hand automatic watches. The top grade version not only uses the Incabloc Shock protection, which gives better shock resistance to the movement, but also has better accuracy+/-4 sec/day up to +/- 15 sec/day, compared to the standard grade,+/-12 sec/day up to +/- 30 sec/day. So while many will moan and say it’s just an SW200-1, it is a higher grade of movement than used in a lot of watches, such as those in the $1000 and under price range.

It did get me wondering, though, could they have just gone all they way and made it a chronometer? The watches are Swiss Made, so they could have gone this route. On the other hand, for a rough and tough tool watch, would many prefer the quartz movement? Should they make a quartz version of this new OSAR-D?

Marathon offers either a strap or a bracelet (for $400 extra) for this OSAR-D, and I chose the 3-piece rubber strap as I had not seen these in hand yet, and have reviewed many with the bracelet over the years, and quite frankly, I’m not a big fan of the Marathon bracelet, especially the basic and outdated stamped clasp. I quickly, however, became a fan of these new FKM straps, and if you read any of my reviews, you know I am an FKM convert. I always loved natural rubber straps, but FKM is even more pliable, while still being very strong and not floppy like silicone.

The 3-piece strap system is just your standard two-piece strap, but you get an extra buckle side in a longer length. The standard or default is 120mm by 70mm, but if you switch out to the other strap, it’s now 120mm by 90mm. It’s a custom molded strap with a slightly different look than you see on most FKM dive watch straps. I won’t call it unique, but I like it, I think it looks premium, and the back is all stamped with the Marathon logo. The strap also has two keepers with the rubber tabs to hold them in place.

And because of that new FKM strap (I have it on the longer piece for my 7 1/2 inch or 19.05cm wrist, if you are wondering) and the 41x48mm case, this wears like a dream on my wrist. It feels better than I expected, as I wondered if the 41mm diameter with such a thick case would feel a little too bulky on my wrist or sit weirdly, and that maybe they should have bumped it up to 42mm, but I was wrong. It sits relatively flat on the wrist due to the case back, and even though that crown will dig into the back of your hand at times, I have really enjoyed wearing this Marathon OSAR-D.

As a reviewer, I always look at a way to justify or not justify a price by breaking it all down to the materials, movement, etc. There is no denying that Marathon prices have drastically increased; this OSAR-D was $1380 when released in late 2024. Now it starts at $1800. That’s a $420 price hike. And if you want the bracelet, add another $400. Obviously, we know why many things have increased over the last year: tariffs. Marathon is not the only brand that has increased its prices.

As always, you need to look at what you are buying, why you want it, and if you can afford it. Marathon certainly has a good reputation and has been around a long time, and many swear by these watches and do much more with them than the desk diving I do.

There is only one Marathon SAR, though, or in this case, the OSAR-D, and I did find some lower prices for it; such as Long Island Watch, where you can get it for $1680 on rubber, and while not the Marathon bracelet, they do give a free Islander bracelet with a quick adjustment clasp extension. It’s also available in 36 and 46mm if 41mm isn’t right for you.

I still love the design, I love the new dial with maxi indices, and the 41mm is the perfect fit for my wrist. 

Marathon website for more.

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Yema Superman Skin Diver

The Yema Superman model lineup continues to grow, and one of the latest versions is the Yema Superman Skin Diver, their vintage-inspired take on a non-crown guard dive watch. Similar to a lot of watches from the 50s and 60s and many vintage-inspired pieces today, it has applied trapezoid and triangle indices, with the familiar 12,3, 6, and 9 numerals, and it lacks a date to keep dial symmetry. The bezel and dial are burgundy, a beautiful, deep red hue, with a vertical brushing, and of course, it has a domed sapphire crystal. It’s 300m water resistant, high for a watch labeled a skin diver, and it has a new push-to-turn bezel lock system. Perhaps the biggest highlight is the Yema manufacture CMM.20 micro-rotor movement, which you can see through the display case back, and a new slim scales bracelet that gives it even. more of that retro vibe.

Specifications

39.5mm Stainless Steel Case

47mm Lug to Lug

20mm Lug Width

11.5mm Thick (13.7mm w/Crystal)

136 Grams in weight

20mm Bracelet, tapers to 16mm

18mm Clasp Width

Double Domed Sapphire Crystal

Sapphire bezel insert

Push to Unlock Bezel

300m Water Resistant

CMM.20 Manufacture Micro-Rotor Movement

Slim Scales Bracelet

Manufactured and Assembled in Switzerland and France

MSRP: $2,790

https://yema.us/products/yema-skin-diver-cmm-20-12-25-20-66-sn-m3

There is quite a lot I like about this watch, and I am glad I chose this model to review, as this is, in fact, the first Yema I have reviewed, and probably the first Yema I have seen in hand in well over a decade. Yema is a resurrected brand, starting in 1948 and in the late 80s and 90s was owned by Seiko, and in 2009, the brand really started up again, with watches being designed and assembled in France, and eventually having their own manufacture movements made, like the CMM.20 micro-rotor that’s used in this Skin Diver, among others. I fell in love with the look of this watch, specifically the burgundy color and that brushed dial, and I have always had a fondness for this style of bracelet.

The case is rather slim at only 11.5mm thick, partly due to the micro-rotor movement being thinner, but not much thinner than Yema’s CMM.10 central rotor movement, as the Yema Dato that uses it, is 11.85mm thick. Still, without including the double-domed sapphire its well under 12mm, and if you include the sapphire, 13.7mm, though the crystal doesn’t make this watch look or feel thick.

The case is all finely brushed with a polished top chamfer, with a coin-edge bezel and crown, and the lugs are curved but not as prominent as, say, a Tudor Black Bay.

The crown of the Yema Superman Skin Diver screws down; it’s not a massive crown, but proportionate to the case size, and I didn’t have any issues with it with my medium/large size hands. The crown action is smooth on this example, but it is important to note that this movement does not hack, so the second hand will continue to sweep when you pull the crown to the time setting position.

If you own or are familiar with the Yema Superman, you would know that many models come with a locking bezel mechanism, a metal clamp that sits between the crown and the case, and it is used to lock the bezel, so that it can’t accidentally be moved where you set it, while on a dive. It’s been in use for quite a long time, going back to the original Superman model.

The Yema Superman Skin Diver has a new push to rotate bezel system that does away with the metal clamp. Instead, the 120 click bezel is locked by default, and by pushing downwards on the bezel, you can now turn it. I found it to work really well, in fact, the amount of pressure needed to push down on the bezel isn’t much different than how I do it with non-locking bezels, so it felt pretty natural to me. I believe there is a spring underneath, and the bezel pushes down into the case, hence the space between the bezel and the midcase. The insert is sapphire with that beautiful burgundy color, matching the dial.

But my favorite aspect of the Yema Superman Skin Diver is the dial. It’s a no-date dial, with trapezoid shaped 12,3 6, and 9 indices with the numerals in them, which are very similar to the original 1963 Superman. The rest of the indices are triangles, and while Zodiac and others used triangles, Oris used square-ish-looking indices (which I do admit are close, especially at a glance).

I absolutely love the color of this dial, a deep burgundy color, and while it is available with a cream color or a black dial, the burgundy spoke to me. The dial has a subtle vertical brushing, a feature I am always fond of. I feel it just gives an elegance to the watch, compared to a standard matte or gloss dial. The hands, again, are pretty much the same as your standard Superman, a stick or pencil-shaped hour hand with the minute hand having the large arrow.

The Yema Superman Skin Diver is powered by Yema’s own CMM-20 micro-rotor movement. A micro-rotor is just that, a movement with a micro-rotor instead of a large central rotor. It is a pleasing movement to look at through the sapphire crystal, with galvanized metal, the rotor being made of tungsten and 33 jewels.

While it is nice to see that Yema manufactures a movement such as this, something different from the norm these days, there isn’t much benefit to it beyond the central rotor movement. Yes, it is slightly thinner, but the CMM.10 movement still has slightly better accuracy (-3+5 seconds per day over -3 +7), and still has a 70-hour power reserve.

Micro-rotor movements historically did not hack, though they were made before non-military watches hacked, so it wasn’t looked at as a missing feature. The hacking lever could make the movement thicker and more complex as well, and Yema does tout the thinness of this movement (3.7mm), probably the reason it lacks a date complication. While I do understand it, it is odd to see a modern watch that doesn’t hack.

Currently, the Yema Superman Skin Diver only comes with one bracelet, a familiar bracelet that is used on a few models, the Slim Scales bracelet. There’s no denying that it adds to the retro look of this piece, and it’s a well-finished bracelet as well, with screws for the links and a micro-adjust clasp, though this is an older style, dive extension type of clasp, extremely similar to what Citizen uses on their dive watches. It functions just as it should, and if you are using it to help obtain a better fit on your wrist after sizing, it will work, though it feels inelegant on a $2800 watch with a manufacture movement and such attention to detail everywhere else.

I can’t help but love the look of this bracelet, though, it’s much better to me than a BOR bracelet, and it really feels wonderful on my 7 1/2 inch or 19.05cm wrist. It lies well on my flat wrist, and made the watch very comfortable, though it is a small bracelet, with no extra links included, it fit my wrist only with having to let out the dive extension a little. I know it’s a 39.5mm watch, and that many with small wrists probably gravitate towards this size, but there are quite a lot of men with a bigger wrist than mine, and more links should be included with this watch. Again, it is a $2800 watch after all. It also does not fully articulate or bend from the end links, and as such, has somewhat of a bangle effect, which could make it harder for those with smaller wrists to wear, but it fits my wrist like a glove.

The Yema Superman Skin Diver uses Grade A C3 Super-LumiNova, and it’s beautiful in the dark. The indices and hands glow way brighter than I assumed they would and last a good 5 hours, and I love how those indices look all lumed up in the dark.

I am really quite fond of this Yema Superman Skin Diver, especially the burgundy color and the slim scales bracelet. I love a good vintage or retro style watch, and even though there are a lot of them these days, I do think this Yema stands out. It’s a gorgeous piece, no doubt, but there are a few things that would make it better for me.

I would love to see this in a 41mm size, as the Yema Superman Dato uses the same case and bracelet as this Skin Diver, but is available in 41mm. That watch also uses the CMM.10 movement and, as such, is about $700 cheaper. It does not have the gorgeous brushed dial with the trapezoid indices, though, so if maybe they could make the Skin Diver in 41mm, using the same dial, but with central rotor movement, it would be a better fit for me.

I will take it one step further, and I think it’s fantastic that Yema is making these movements for their watches, even assembling them in-house, which is quite the accomplishment. But I don’t see the benefit of the micro-rotor movement, at least not in this Skin Diver model. One would really have to love the novelty of the micro-rotor and this dial, to grab this watch over the Dato. But as always, that’s my opinion, and I’m just a man who writes about watches on the internet.

SEE MORE AT YEMA

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