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And again, the diver …
Fortunately, we run a blog in two, and apart from my reviews there are also Tomek’s reviews, because nobody would read these monothematic entries anymore if there were no Tomek’s entries about ugly watches for diversity J
For some time I have been followed by the desire to buy a diver with a white dial – just for a change, because I kept buying watches in dark colors. The problem with such a watch is that most of it looks to me like a mute and expressionless so due to my usual high requirements, the choice was not too big. There were 3 watches on my radar (exactly in that order of having):
Fortis B-42
Doxa Ceramica
NTH Santa Cruz
(photos borrowed from the internet)
Fortis took over my mind, but this watch is no longer produced and in order to buy it, one has to search for it for a long time and intensely , hoping that it will eventually appear somewhere. So, I’m waiting…
Because just a colleague from KMZiZ put up NTH for sale, I took advantage of the opportunity to check at least one watch from this list.
NTH – American microbrand taking handfuls from ready-made designs
NTH and Lew & Huey are a brand owned by Janis Trading Company (it’s a bit complicated, Janis Trading Company sells NTH and Lew & Huey watches but does not make watches itself). While Lew & Huey produces watches with his own design, NTH is not a revelation in the watch world. The way in which they create their watches does not really appeal to me – they largely copy the design of watches from well-known brands like Rolex, Tudor or Sinn . The fact is, however, that NTH already enjoys quite a strong position on the market of watch microbirds and the recognition of its customers mainly due to solid performance and a wide sales network with decent service. For me, the watch is definitely temporary, no matter how well made wouldit be I always have in my mind the thought, “what if I meet someone with real Rolex at the same time having such homage on my wrist.”
Have you ever thought about it this way?
The Box
From the outside, white, cardboard cover and inside this cover a made of PU leather flat, sliding case. It’s a cool thing … it protects your watch well and does not take up much space in the closet. The inside of the case has a soft, delicate padding for the watch. In addition to the watch, there is also a white NTH warranty card . Such solutions I like 🙂
The case
Stainless steel case with a width of 40mm and 48mm lenght lug-to-lug is nicely polished – the sides and the top is brushed and the transitions between the planes are polished. But the most important dimension in this watch is the thickness of the case, which is only 11.5mm … 11,5mm in the watch with WR300m and applied indices. I am impressed !
Impressed was was also my wife that when she saw the watch on my hand she said, “and what a woman’s watch?” (Okay she didn’t say a women watch, but she used a word which for political correctness I will not write here 😉 ) and when I asked “because what? Because white? “She replied – ” no, so thin some, is quartz? ” The case is really thin, this wristwatch looks even thinner than what dimensions would indicate. It’s great on the wrist, the watch is very comfortable in everyday use , thanks to its height it hooks less on the sleeves of clothes.
The lugs are drilled through to facilitate the removal of the bracelet and the possible change of the straps.
The screw down, signed crown is large and is pleasant to use. The case does not have a crown guard so it is strongly exposed. The NTH logo on the crown is filled with luminescent mass – this treatment is increasingly used by microbrames.
Movement
The watch drives the Japanese Miyota 9015 movement. Of all the most popular Japanese movements that are mounted in microbrand watches, I like this werk the most. This movement is durable, reliable, quite accurate and most importantly … thin. If the Seiko NH35 was sitting in this watch, it would definitely have been higher by at least 2mm. Because it is an automatic movement with a one-way winding, it can make the rotor speed up to high speed, it can make noise if you move the watch more quickly .. I’ve mentioned it before, it does not bother me. The Miyota 9015 has a 42h power reserve, a stop second and you can wind it by hand from the crown. The frequency of beating of this mechanism is 8 beats per second. It’s a really solid Japanese werk. The movement does + 10s a day.
Bezel
The steel bezel has an steel insert in blue. The indexes on the bezel are filled with a yellow luma. I really like the color of the bezel and the way it reflects light. The steel bezel has its drawbacks – it can get scratches, although my piece (I bought a used watch) has scratches on the case and the bezel looks like new … I don’t know if it’s a matter of luck or bezel is somehow protected against scratches. But as is usually in the case in life – something for something, such a color bezel can not be obtained either from ceramics or sapphire. From the profile bezel also looks quite nice, the cuts are classic and the bezel is not too big and not too small, the height is well suited to the case. Bezel works very well, he does not have any clearances and the resistance put up by him is perfect – not too big, not too small.
The dial
The white dial has a waffle pattern on its surface , besides it has no additional effect in the style of sunburst or something similar, just an ordinary white mat, the light reflects in a similar way as a sheet of paper. Generally, the dial reminds me of decorative paper from which wedding cards are sometimes made, etc. It’s a nice effect, like a simple dial, but it has something more.
The steel indices inside are filled with a color lume … well, what is the color? My masculine mind can not find a proper name for it, it is the color of an old luma in English called “old radium” . This color fits well with the blue bezel and blue minute markings. The layout and shape of indices need not be explained to anyone – it is a system known from the Rolex Submariner. The hands also taken out of the Rolex are well made, they reflect the light just like the indices – I have nothing to cling to (apart from the copied design of course) .
I am wondering about the date window … after 1 is a strange place – between the index of 4 and 5 hours.
After 2 is small and round, and finally after 3 it is just a notch in the target without any frame – because the datestamp’s circle is white, but in a different shade than the dial, it intensifies the effect I wrote earlier , i.e. the shield looks like a piece of ornate paper and the date window is a hole in this piece of paper J
On the one hand, I do not know who came up with the idea of placing the date window and on the other looking at the system on the dial and how the ring with numbers should run under the dial, I don’t know where else to find it. Let’s say it would be acceptable if not the fact that the date window is not perfectly in the middle between the indices and is located closer to 5 o’clock – it looks as if someone took a needle, closed his eyes and hit it in a dial design with words at random “And the date window will be made here”. Fortunately, the date is so small that you can not even see it at first glance.
From the top the dial is covered with sapphire glass with an internal anti-reflective coating. The glass is slightly doomed, which positively affects the way the light plays with indicess and hands in this watch. The end result is very nice, I like the combination of colors in this watch and that the changes in lighting do not work on the dial but only on indices, hands and bezel.
The case back
Here, basically, I have nothing to write. The case back is very simple – on the case back you will find only the manufacturer’s logo and standard information about the watch.
Bracelet
This is probably the weakest point of this watch. The bracelet is made of full links but is thin and gives the impression of a tin. The quality of the polishing does not do crazy either.
The bracelet is screwed with screws, the clasp is is just simplest latch with micro-adjustment. It removes and fastens them easily , but I do not like this type of fasteners – they require more attention when putting on and because in addition to just slamming it is necessary to press the plate which covers the latch. This place in practice, in addition to extending the process of putting on and taking off the watch, does not give anything because I can easily open the clasp without first pulling it away – just by pressing the buttons on the sides. The plate will then be picked up by itself with a clasp and will scratch the clasp…
However, the watch on this bracelet is very comfortable .
Summary
On the Janis Trading Company’s website, the new NTH Santa Cruz could be bought for about PLN 2,400 (I do not know what the price was, for example in pre-sale) and for this price it is simply a well made watch that stands out from the mass of other watches based on the Rolex style just (and even) by the thickness of the case and the colors. If the watch pleases someone visually it certainly will not fail on the quality of its performance and the overall impression it does. The watch has its own vintage atmosphere with a hint of modernity and if only they would add to it even a bit moore from themselves, it would stay with me longer because I really like to look at it 🙂
Konrad
