Is this the most controversial watch I’ve reviewed so far? Probably yes!
I remember a photo posted by Bartek on a social networking site, this photo showed a prototype of the model. You didn’t have to wait long for reactions, and these were extreme – from delight to the wave of hate. One didn’t like the fact that minute indices were missing, others were delighted with this idea. How many people, so many ideas for change. Others, in turn, clung to the inscription Made in Poland, which in my opinion is mere clinging and a lack of awareness where Swiss Made watches are produced, which they wear proudly on their wrists 🙂
(photo of the prototype shown last year)


I had Star Dust before and the watch was really well made, although the movement was, to put it mildly, budget one. Another watch from this manufacturer was the Star Dust version with an automatic chronograph, limited to thirty pieces, dedicated to the Czasoholicy group. Here the movement was really very good and I enjoyed this watch for quite a long time. Since the life of a watch maniac hates a emptiness, a watch wears a friend from Łódź today, and I returned to JeanRichard, whom I described in a previous review.
To be honest, I have been following the evolution of this model from the very beginning. I was curious how Bartek would deal with the creation of the first purebred diver. The basic element of this evolution was the addition of minute indices print and a change in the concept of fastening clasp, which was originally butterfly. Several weeks have passed since the premiere, which is why I was curious how this model will be presented live. The watch has been with me for several days, so I can share my observations with you.

Box:

Inside the cardboard box you will find a blue, laminated case, padded with delicate material. The box has a watch, two straps and a warranty card. The case is heavy, made very well and qualitatively does not differ from the case in which we receive premium brand watches.

Case:

Something that makes this model stand out is its barrel-shaped case. Since I can remember I like this type of case. It gives character and I like it much more than the super-round case of, for example, Oris Aquis. The obvious thing is that everything is a matter of taste, especially in the watches. In any case, I am glad that this model uses this kind of case. The width of the case without a crown is only 42 mm, which makes this watch a medium when it comes to the size of this type of watch, although due to the shape of the case I would say (without looking at the technical data) that its width is more 44 mm. This is another example where the shape gives the watch additional value 🙂

A nod to customers with smaller wrists will be fairly short lugs, which means that the length of the case is only 47mm. Thanks to this, the lugs of the case will not protrude beyond the wrist of the poorly endowed by nature in this part of the body. The case is almost completely brushed … almost because the eye-pleasing break is cut at 45 degrees, the narrow edges have been polished. There is a minimal step between the lugs and the right part of the case, which causes the bracelet to blend in with it, which visually reduces the length of the lugs. To be honest, I have not encountered this type of solution so far.

The thickness of the watch is 14 mm, which on paper seems like a considerable value. Yes, on paper! In fact, the case looks like 11 mm. I really thought it was its real dimension … until I looked at the manufacturer’s specification;) This is due to the small thickness of the proper part, which is actually 10 mm, the rest of the dimension is bezel.
At 4 o’clock there is a screwed crown. Although it has been quite heavily integrated into the case, its operation is trouble-free. After unscrewing it, I could not feel slack, which I was afraid of, because there are such in really good watches from famous brands.

Let’s get to the bezel. In the model I chose for review, the bezel insert is steel. Steel has a different shade than its outer part, and its shade is similar to the color of the dial, which is gray. Initially, I thought it was ceramic, which I witnessed in white Eterna Kontiki Diver, which had almost the same shade and texture of the insert. After consulting with Bartek, it turned out that it would be difficult for them to get such a shade and structure in ceramics, so they decided to make a steel insert. On the brushed bezel we find a scale, the first part of which has been divided into 20 minutes – every minute; usually we are dealing with a division of up to 15 minutes, here we have another nuance that makes this watch stand out. Then the division for every minute disappears and subsequent values ​​increase every 5 minutes, ending with the triangle at 12 o’clock. The scale of the bezel is filled with Superlumin Light Blue. It shines quite intensely and for a long time.

An important element that I always pay attention to is the work of bezel. In the case of Deep Water, we have nothing to worry about. The bezel’s work is excellent, similar to that in Breitling Steelfish. There is no slack, and clicking is very precise.
The case is closed from the bottom with a transparent case back with sapphire glass, covered from the inside with AR. On the perimeter of the case back we find information about the model, limitation, water resistance, the movement used and the material from which the watch was made.

Dial:

The dial is gray. We look at it through slightly convex, thick glass, covered with an inner layer of anti-reflection. One might think that if it is gray, it must be boring. Nothing could be more wrong. Although it has no cut and is uniform in its structure, it contrasts nicely with high-gloss polished, superimposed indices. Indics are simple and therefore well readable. They were filled with the same mass as the bezel scale. At twelve o’clock there is a double index, which are two symbols of the oxygen cylinder, referring to the nature of the watch. Under them you will find the manufacturer’s name, and below the axis of directions is the model name and a water resistance value of 300M. At 3 o’clock there is a date window with a polished frame.

The hands are simple, spicy and filled with luminescent mass shining in the same shade as the bezel and indices.
As I mentioned in the introduction, there were originally no printed minute indices in the design. I think that it’s good they have appeared. Although the dial doesn’t seem monotonous, I would like to see what a model with a sun-cut dial would look like … who knows, maybe someday …

Movement:

The movement used in this watch is the popular Miyota 9015. It is a grateful werk that could also be installed in Star Dust. As if hearing my internal call, Bartek decided to release a new version of GP soon with this movement and in a bit smaller and thinner case, which in my opinion is a bull’s-eye.
Returning to the movement, it is one of the best Japanese automatic movement that are used in mass production. High work culture, smooth second hand operation, minimal time deviations, small thickness – these are the most important advantages of this movement. In addition, the manufacturer made sure that his logo was on the rotor. However, we are not dealing with any decorations here. Through the glass we see the raw Miyota and the engraved rotor. I am an esthete, like most of you, which is why I lack some additional decorations, since the transparent case back was used. I will not write more about this movement because you will find a lot of information about 9015 on the web 🙂

Bracelet:

The bracelet is 5 rows. Its spacing in the lugs  is 24 mm and slightly narrows to 22 mm with a two-stage fastener. The links are screwed, so you just need an ordinary small screwdriver to be able to shorten it. In addition, it has micro-regulation at fastening. It’s very comfortable to wear and well composed with an case. Though I’d love to see Deep Water on a 3-row bracelet, the 5-row gives a little vintage look to the whole. A small minus for the lack of an additional foam fastener, which almost no one uses, but nevertheless it’s great when the bracelet has it  in a diving watch;)
The set also includes two straps: one material, the other is a very pleasant to the touch rubber. I think the straps will definitely appeal to those who prefer this type of watch attachment on the wrist.

Summary:

Deep Water is a purebred diver, which in my opinion Balticus has reached a slightly higher level.
A considerable price, for a Polish producer, is justified in this case. The watch is really very well made, and the bezel works better than my Tag Heuer Aquaracer;) Importantly, the watch doesn’t pretend to look like any other model, which is an extremely difficult task if we consider the fantasy of watch designers since the 1960s. It’s also worth mentioning about lume. I think it is currently the best luminous watch of a Polish company and can easily compete with the watches of larger companies. I am curious how the continuation of Bartek’s watch adventure will unfold. Balticus is the first Polish watch manufacturer in which we can invest in person by buying their shares (this can be done on the akcjebalticus.pl website), and a well-thought-out marketing strategy and new models are turbocharging to make the brand recognizable also abroad. Probably every collector dreams of ever creating his own watch. Bartek managed to do it and I’m happy every time he releases a new model. I hope that one day I will see my original watch 🙂

Tomek

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