It is a fashion staple to own a dive watch, at least for men. Straying off from their true purpose-that of for diving-it has become more of a versatile time piece that one can dress up or down. It is worn in offices, in schools and, even outdoors. Surely, an investment in one comes in handy for any kind of situation.
This is my own, a Swiss Military Hanowa Flagship 06-5161.2.04.003. A gift I got from my father when I graduated college 4 years ago. Since then, I have worn it on more occasions than I can remember and it has become an essential part of my wardrobe. I have worn it on multiple settings: at work, at events, or even when just running errands.
In my blog post this week, I'll let you know about this sapphire beauty more. This is my Swiss Military Hanowa Flagship 06-5161.2.04.003 watch review.
* * *
The Look
The Hanowa line's dial and fixed bezel sports a blue hue along with a stainless steel bracelet. The watch is 42 mm in width and 9.2 mm thick. I didn't really know about this watch prior to receiving it but once I laid my eyes upon it, it was an instant approval for me.
The first thing that got my attention was its dial. The blue color perfectly suited the feel of the watch. It gives off a marine vibe and the color reflected the sea in my mind. At the top of the dial comes the Swiss military logo, with the famous cross on a red banner icon that is common to Swiss made watches.
It features a thin second hand and an arrow shaped minute and hour hand. In place of numbers, the watch has minimal white bar lines to indicate hours. And for a complementing touch, the dial is enclosed in sapphire crystal, making it virtually resistant to scratches.
Movement and Functions
The Swiss Military Hanowa functions in quartz movement (Ronda 585). It looks sharp in observation and requires only minimal adjustments in a year, and only in cases when the battery is close to running off.
At the dial's right side there is a date window, adjustable by pulling the crown once. Twice, and you get the adjustment function for the hour and minute hand. Both the hands and the hour bar lines has luminescence feature, with the date window as an exclusion. The watch is locked unto the wrist through the steel bracelet's folding clasp.
As for the watch's water resistance, it can be plunged into a depth of 100 meters.
Wrist feel and fit
The watch though made entirely of stainless steel, doesn't feel heavy. Weighing 140 grams, it sits comfortably on my wrist. It is indeed thinner than most dive watches, and is a good option for people with small wrists.
The fit can be adjusted by either removing or adding the steel links. There are extra ones that came with the packaging. In my case, I got the links reduced. And since then, I had no problem on it slipping down or being too tight on my wrist.
The blue color of the watch do stand out, and for me, it helps in making the dial visible when telling the time. As sanguine as its dial color is, it isn't hard to complement it with outfits.
When and where I am wearing it
In the last 4 years, I wore this watch the most at work. Together with a polo shirt, slacks, and black loafers. It certainly can be a one watch collection because I can also dress it down and pair it with just t-shirt, jeans and canvass shoes when attending to casual errands. Recently, I paired it with a button up polo to attend my sister's graduation and it complemented my outfit well.
The blue dial color isn't as versatile as a black or white but it doesn't require much effort to choose clothes that pair well with it either. The only caveat, I would say, is to avoid pairing it with bright colored outfits like yellow, green, or orange as it makes the watch look less valuable because it would be enmeshed with too much color. I find that it looks best when paired with neutral colored outfits such as white, black, or gray. Doing so, allows the color of the watch to stand out.
I haven't tried putting it into the test by wearing it underwater and I don't really plan to do so. I will maintain it as a "desk diver", worn only in the occasions I previously mentioned.
Wear and Tear
In my 4 years of maintaining the watch, the only wear that it got were the visible but minor scratches in the bracelet and lugs. Which is inevitable because I am wearing it at work and outdoors. The sapphire crystal case on the other hand, remains scratch-free.
The battery lasts for two years and replacements for it are also cheap, costing only P250 in watch kiosks. For cleaning, a use of microfiber towel and cotton swabs dipped in a small mixed amount of water and alcohol easily removes finger marks, oil, and dirt. On most situations, a simple cloth rub will make it spotless and clean.
Watch price and where to buy it
My father bought the watch at a merchant store abroad. He doesn't remember the exact amount but estimated that he paid $250 to $280 (P13, 750 to P15, 400 in today's peso conversion.) Locally, Swiss military watches has kiosks on malls (the last time I came across one was in duty free Parañaque) and recently, the brand is now available on watch republic.
The watch can also be found online, I found one on Zalora and it is priced at P13, 800.
Internationally, options remain ordering through amazon, ebay, and other watch selling platforms where it can be bought in the same price range plus the shipping cost.
Watch pros and cons
Pros
- Beautiful bezel and dial in Sapphire crystal cover
- Precise quartz movement with low cost battery replacement
- Stainless steel case
- Thin and slender on the wrist
- Versatile in complementing outfits
Cons
- Scratch prone steel bracelet
- Automatic dive watches alternatives are available in the same price range
* * *
In Summary
Overall, the Swiss Military Hanowa Flagship 06-5161.2.04.003 is a great and versatile dive watch. A quartz time piece that complements outfits well and can be worn in many settings. Worn right, it looks elegant in it's blue colored bezel and dial. It may not be as popular as other alternative dive watches such as the Seiko SKX or the Casio duro but it's functionality and design speaks well for itself and deserves recognition. For the casual watch user, it will be a worthwhile piece. For collectors, it will be a refreshening and valuable addition.
I'm giving it a rating of 8/10.
* * *
Shop link:
Swiss military Hanowa website - https://swissmilitary.ch/
Comments
Post a Comment