Today we are going to take a look at a great micro brand that I have had much experience with over the past year or so. The brand Phoibos produces many dive watches and they do it pretty well for an outstanding pricepoint going from what I have seen and experienced so far with the brand. While many micro brands are charging double the price for the same quality and movement, Phoibos pricepoint is substantially lower and even offers better quality in many of their models. The watch being reviewed today is the all new “Wavemaster” watch that was released a week ago. Let’s dive into it!

Case
The 42MM case on this watch in housed in completely 316L stainless steel and features brushed and polished surfaces. The case thickness on the Wavemaster is 14MM thick which some may see as a bit of a thicker watch but I do enjoy that thicker case as I can really feel the watch on my wrist. The lug to lug distance is proportioned very nicely at 48.4MM and really makes the watch fit more like a 40 or 41MM watch. The crown is located at the 3 position and does not have any crown guards. The sides of the case are done in a very fine high polish which really came out great and that is one thing that stood out to me immediately upon examining this watch. The lugs are not too big and curve downwards with brushing on the top. Overall it is a very proportionate case and kudos to Phoibos for that.

Movement
Housed in this 42MM steel case lies the reliable and trusty Seiko NH35 automatic movement. This movement is used widely in the watch industry for many reasons. First, it is super reliable, robust, and keeps fairly good time. This movement has 24 jewels, a 40-42 hour power reserve, hacking seconds, and the ability to hand wind the watch if you want. There is really nothing bad to say about this movement as I have had it in about 60 other watches I have reviewed over the past year and I never once had a problem with one. In terms of accuracy for this exact model I am gaining around 5-6 seconds a day which is really good. Let me remind you that COSC certified chronometers run about 5 seconds fast a day.

Dial
The black dial contains a beautiful wave pattern hence the name “Wavemaster” and really adds a touch of visual excitement to the user. You might have seen this iconic wave design on a watch such as the Omega Seamaster “James Bond” dive watch. The dial also has applied round luminous markers filled with SuperLuminova which is quite good for reading the time at night ( See Pics Below ). The long rectangle shaped hands with small pointers at the end definitely play along with the playful theme of this 300M diver from Phoibos. Another nice edition is the date at 6 O clock which really helps keep things symmetrical as the new Phoibos octopus logo is placed under the 12 position. The seconds hand is orange and has a circular lumed pip on the counter balance , which is different from lets say a Rolex Submariner where that would be flipped around. The chapter ring gives this dial some depth and features 0-60 printed very neatly and legibile in a red color. Overall its a very no nonsense easy to read watch with a very clear date cutout at 6 o clock which does not seem cluttered at all. The crystal featured on this watch is a Genuine Sapphire crystal with a layer of Anti-Reflective coating for easy legibility in high light conditions.

​Bracelet
The bracelet is a new addition to Phoibos lineup of dive watches. They added a new style 22MM non-tapering Engineer brushed bracelet which features screw links, solid construction, solid end links, and excellent fluidity on the wrist. We do get a flip open 2 button milled clasp featuring 3 micro adjustments and solid closure. Once again, at $229 for this exact model a Milled clasp is an excellent feature and you will not see this with many other watch brands.

Caseback
The caseback on the WaveMaster is screwed down for that 300M of water resistance we do get and is printed on the front of the dial in white as well. A large octopus which is brushed surrounded by a matte finish, and then brushed on the outer portion where the notches are to unscrew the caseback. The Octopus features some detail such as a crown and three stars. We also do get to see some specifications printed such as “Sapphire Crystal” , “Phoibos Automatic”, “Water Resistant 300M”. Overall its a nice design and I really love the crown on the head with the three stars.

Bezel
The 120 click uni-directional rotating bezel does have BGW9 lume which is a different color than the hands ( see video ). A huge plus in my book is the beautiful
black ceramic insert. While testing the bezel action in and of the water I have found zero backplay and no alignment issues. The bezel action is quite good and I do not have any problems with it!

Conclusion
While in the market for an affordable automatic diving watch there can be many obstacles. One being some brands simply charge more than others with the same set of specifications and even lesser quality
build. Heres what Phoibos does and has been doing very well, they provide excellent quality build, bezel action, quality control, fit and finish, and they do this all for under $300 USD! It is very hard to find a watch with this set of specifications for $229 USD. If you are in the market for a new tough and robust diver that will last you
many years without problems and is super affordable at the same time, check this watch out.

​https://PhoibosWatch.com
Find other Phoibos Models on Amazon Below
http://amzn.to/2CTq5wW


Official Specifications
REF.: PY010BDial: Blue
Caliber No.: SII NH35A
Case:316L Stainless steel 42mmX 48.5mm
Band:316L Stainless steel 22mm width engineer bracelet
Clasp:Three-fold clasp with push button release
Glass:Sapphire crystal with anti reflective under coating
Water resistance:300M(1000ft)
Case size: Diameter 42.0mm Thickness 14.0mm
Bezel:120-click unidirectional ceramic bezel
Crown:Screw-Down crown
Lume:Super-LumiNova Dark Blue and BGW9 on hands, indices, and bezel marking
Warranty: 2 year
European Customer please turn to http://phoiboswatcheurope.com/

Today we are going to talk about a brand I have featured a few months ago on the Watch Addict channel, James McCabe. They recently released a vintage styled chronograph watch on a skull embossed leather strap and it really appealed to me in many ways. First off, James McCabe themes their brand after the iconic watchmaker whose roots originated in Ireland and later in London. Some famous faces who have worn Mccabe watches were Lord Horatio Nelson, and George Washington. George Washingtons pocket watch was actually sold at auction for a staggering ammount a few years back. Now let’s get on to the watch, shall we?

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Case
The 39.5MM case is comprised of 316L stainless steep in a very fine brushed finish and has some nice vintage aesthetics to the overall shape and look of the watch. For a chronograph being 14MM thick I do not see it as being oversized or too thick in my opinion and it fits the wrist just fine in these dimensions. They really did a good job mimicking the circular bulb shape of older vintage chronographs and it definitely shows.

Movement
This is a chronograph so to state the obvious the JM-1030-04 is equipped with a fully functional chronograph measuring up to 60 minutes. I believe it is using a Japanese Quartz Miyota chronograph which is not too bad especially for the pricepoint of this watch. The movement also displays a 24 hour subdial over at the 3 O clock position which does come in handy for daily use. I would expect this movement which is powered by a battery to gain around 2 seconds a month which is very good.

Dial
The model I have for review is their white or off white variation and it gets the job done proving that they can display a vintage aesthetic quite well in these modern times with modern machinery. We do get 12 and 6 applied arabic numerals as well as small applied circles to tell the time. They are raised a bit and definitely legibile at a glance, although some might prefer complete arabic numerals around the dial. I myself would of liked to see maybe a 3 and 9 marking, but as the subdials are quite large I dont think it would of been possible. Another nice touch is the railroad going around the outer portion of the dial with Tachymeter readings. The printing is very fine and neat down to the McCabe logo under the 12 position and “Chronograph” which is written anove the 6 position. The subdials are recessed a bit and are super legibile. The 3 o clock subdial measures 24 hours while the subdial over at 9 measures your 60 minute chronograph countdown. This dial is topped off with a domed mineral crystal.

Hands
Initially I assumed the hands were black from the stock ohotos I saw of the watch prior to release. When I received the watch I was amazed to see they are actually BLUE! These are not heat treated blue hands like you would see in luxury higher end brands but they do look quite elegant and go along with the vintage theme here. In terms of styling these are Breguet styled hands and hands that I do personally adore.

Strap
The 20MM strap which tapers down to 18MM at its smallest is a genuine leather brown 2 piece strap
of really good quality. I was expecting this because the other James McCabe watches I have reviewed in the past always had very high quality and supple straps. This one is a little different as there is Skulls embossed on the backside of the strap which give the watch a bit of a more modern aesthetic. Now keep in mind nobody but you will be able to see this because it is on the underside. The strap will need a couple of wears to get it broken in , but once broken in it certainly conforms to the wrist. The buckle is brushed and signed with the McCabe logo in a medium size. Another thing to take note of is the quick-release pins installed on the strap. This makes it very easy for the wearer to change out straps within seconds. Well done McCabe, well done.

Caseback
The caseback is screwed down and allows for 5ATM of water resistance which is definitely not something you want to submerge underwater but do not be frightened washing your hands while wearing it. We do get a beautiful design displayed on the caseback featuring the words “Assembled in the UK” which is good to hear.

Conclusion

Furthermore, I think if you are in the market for a reliable quartz chronograph with style, vintage aesthetics, a well built and finished case, and a beautifully designed leather strap that will not break the bank at 150 GBP ( 30% off with code WA30 ) you can not really go wrong. They are not asking an insane ammount of money like some other companies are really giving you a hint of the past for a decent bargain. I have left their website below and my special discount code ( WA30 ) to enter at checkout to save 30 percent on any McCabe watch. Check the full specifications and pictures below.

​COLLECTION : HERITAGE CHRONO MODEL : JM-1030-04
MOVEMENT : Japan Quartz Chronograph with 24 hours
CASE MATERIAL : Stainless Steel
CASE DIAMETER (mm) : 39.5
CASE THICKNESS (mm) : 14
CASE SHAPE : Round
CASE COLOR :Stainless Steel
DIAL COLOR :White
BAND : Genuine Leather Strap
BAND COLOR :Brown
BUCKLE : Strap Buckle
BAND WIDTH (mm) : 20-18
WATER RESISTANCE : 5 ATM
WATCH WEIGHT (g) : 70
WARRANTY : 2 Years International

Today we are going to review ANOTHER new acquisition to my collection of affordable timepieces. It is the New Year and I hope all of my readers had a great holiday and can enjoy a fresh start to a wonderful new year. The piece being talked about today is one from an originally American brand turned Swiss brand over the years now owned by the Swatch group. It is none other than Hamilton, a brand that provides great quality for the price and gives watch enthusiasts a great value proposition as many of their watches are equipped with decent ETA and Valjoux swiss automatic movements. I would also like to pinpoint a timeline of some of Hamilton’s achievements in watchmaking and history which is listed below.

History Timeline of Hamilton Watch Company ( Courtesy of HamiltonWatch.com ) 

1892
Foundation of Hamilton in Lancaster, Pennsylvania/US

1912
The first series of pocket watches earned the title of "The watch of Railroad accuracy". During that period accidents were all too common due to the fact that various railroads worked with over 50 different "times" – so Hamilton set out to deliver accurate watches to the railroad community.

1914
Hamilton gained the prestigious rank of supplier to the US Armed Forces.

1918
In 1918 a Hamilton aeronautical watch accompanies the very first American airmail postal service between Washington and New York.
1928
The introduction of the Piping Rock and Yankee watch confirmed the Hamilton leadership in American style.

1942
During World War II, Hamilton stopped production of watches for consumers to concentrate on the huge task of providing the forces with a total of one million timepieces.
The Hamilton marine chronometers developed in the 1940s were the first to be created by modern manufacturing. Chronometers were vital naval equipment for calculating longitude and plotting location and direction and were used by the US Navy as an alternative to radio to find position. They represented vital military equipment, since radio time signals could be intercepted and falsified by the enemy.
During the course of the war Hamilton produced 10,902 marine chronometers that met the toughest demands for accuracy and reliability, as the only company with the capability to provide this support, managing to develop and produce these in a little over a year. The company’s efforts were rewarded in 1943 with a US Army-Navy “E” Award, presented for excellence in production of military equipment.

1951
First movie appearance in the Oscar-nominated movie “The Frogmen”.
A true story, this film portrayed heroic US naval divers during World War II as they prepared safe landings for supplies and troops on hostile shores.

1957
Hamilton introduces the world’s first electric watch: the VENTURA, revolutionary technology in a revolutionary design.

1961
In 1961 Elvis Presley wore his Ventura in the film “Blue Hawaii”.
Hot on Presley’s footsteps was Stanley Kubrick who approached the American brand in 1966 to make unique timepieces for his new, futuristic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Hamilton design team provided him with a wristwatch and a desk clock that fit the bill perfectly. 
 1970
The world’s first LED digital watch started measuring time - made by Hamilton.


1971
Hamilton launches one of the first automatic chronographs: The PAN EUROP.

1974
The Hamilton brand is sold to SSIH (the previous name of Swatch Group) on May 16, 1974

1980
A revival in the 80s saw the reintroduction of classic Hamilton designs from the 1920s through to the 1960s. Old favourites like the Boulton, Ardmore, Wilshire and Ventura fuelled and led an industry-wide trend of classic watches. 

1990
The intensive Hamilton/Hollywood relationship continues with roles in movies such as Men in Black, Lethal Weapon 4, Independence Day, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Die Hard. 


2003
Transfer of the Hamilton production as well as of the headquarter from U.S. to Biel in Switzerland.

2005
Hamilton joins leading aerobatic pilot Nicolas Ivanoff in the cockpit. Since then Hamilton is strongly involved in aerobatics and key airshows: Red Bull Air Races and Swiss Aerobatic Association. As an official Hamilton ambassador Nicolas Ivanoff is taking to the skies in a Hamilton-branded Edge 540.


2006
Hamilton hosts the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards in Hollywood to highlight special behind-the-scenes artists for their individual impact on the film industry. Celebrities and film stars attending the red carpet event gladly give up the spotlight to cinematographers, prop masters, costume designers and screenwriters. The recognition of the off-screen talent is underlined with the presentation of the awards by the leading stars of the movie industry.

2009
Hamilton is the official timekeeper of EAA AirVenture. For one week each summer, more than 500,000 EAA members and aviation enthusiasts from more than 60 countries come together at this event at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

2011
Hamilton has developed a new pilot watch, the Khaki Flight Timer, in close collaboration with Air Zermatt, the prestigious transport and rescue helicopter company. The watch integrates a dedicated pilots’ logbook to record details of up to 20 flights. Its launch marks the signing of an official partnership between the two aviation pioneers.
Cooperation with various squadrons in South Africa, Canada, Korea, Spain and in Russia also contribute to securing Hamilton’s status as the favorite watch of pilots.


2012
Expanding its close involvement with the film industry, the brand decided to launch the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards in China, paying tribute to the Chinese off-screen talent who help make the medium so enjoyable.

2014
Hamilton works with the production team of the movie Interstellar to design a unique watch for the character Murph (Mackenzie Foy and Jessica Chastain) and provides Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) with a Khaki Pilot Day Date.

2015
Hamilton watches return to the big screen in Ridley Scott’s epic adventure, “The Martian”. The Khaki BeLOWZERO helps defining the strong character of Mark Watney (Matt Damon), when he is left behind on Mars.

Today


Known for its innovative designs, Hamilton watches combine American spirit with Swiss precision. The brand’s rich heritage includes railroad, aviation and military roots, as well as strong American designs. A true pioneer, Hamilton has been a key player in the watch industry by introducing new technologies: the world’s first electric watch – the Ventura, in 1957 – and the world’s first LED digital watch – the Pulsar, in 1970. Today Hamilton owns its collection of Swiss Made personalized movements integrated in the watches.
Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 450 films, increasing the brand’s legitimacy in the movie industry. The brand also boasts a strong aviation heritage dating back to 1918 and continued today by the strong partnership as official timekeeper of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

Case
The case on the Hamilton Khaki Automatic is 38MM in diameter and 10MM thick. It is comprised of complete 316L stainless steel and for the most part is finely brushed besides the highly polished smooth bezel. It is a rather thin watch and one might not expect that prior to purchasing one but if your in the market for a smaller profile field watch this could be just for you. The lug width is 20MM and does suit the 38MM case well. I did take note of the fine brushing which really blew my mind on the case because it does resemble the finishing of a much more luxurious watch, it looks great and feels great as well. The crown is located at the 3 o clock position and is a rather large crown I must say but it definitely adds to the traditional field watch look Hamilton was going for when designing this watch I assume. Another nice touch is the signed "H" for Hamilton on the crown which is raised and polished. The grip on the crown is pretty good as it is larger so you should have no problem actually winding the watch manually and pulling and pushing it out to change the date and set the time.  Now lets "move" on to the movement.

Movement
The movement featured inside of this timepiece is the caliber H-10 automatic. Let's forget the fancy name and get down to the basics. It is an ETA 3 handed date movement which has had some work done to it and now can hold a power reserve of an incredible 80 hours which is outstanding. There is one downfall to this longer power reserve as we do not get that normal 28,800 BPH but instead it is lowered to 21,600 BPH. I myself do not have a problem with the choppier sweeping seconds hand but some enthusiasts might only prefer the 28,800  BPH which is quite smooth as seen from the naked eye. This movement also features 24 jewels, hacking, hand-wind, and an accuracy of around +5 seconds a day when fully broken in. I do not think Hamilton actually regulates these watches in 5 positions but they are quite on point when comparing them to some other not so mainstream brands who throw ETA 2824 movements in their watches without regulation. For the most part I am happy with the accuracy of myne and the 80 hour power reserve which is excellent and definitely innovative as this didn't exist a few years ago for Hamilton. There are other brands such as Tissot who are competing with this new increased power reserve as well. Finishing on the movement is really non-existent besides the engraved logo and cut outs on the rotor.


Dial
The dial on the Khaki auto is a straight black dial with white Arabic numerals. The date cutout is located at 3 and is nicely done. The date is 100% visible through the window and looks fine in my opinion. The Hamilton logo is printed finely in white below the 12 position which is surrounded by the 24 hour numerals which go around the inner portion of the dial. We can use this to tell a second time zone or military time. This is very useful especially for a field watch in real life situations. There are two textures on the dial if you look very close..the outer portion has very small circular lines which go around and the inner portion is a straight black. The farthest out portion of the dial is covered in 60 minutes markings and is very finely printed and looks superb. I have found the dial to be quite close to the genuine Sapphire crystal with AR coating and this does help in a way to read the time as it literally jumps at your eyes when you glance at the watch to read the time. All of the arabic numerals as well as the hands and small pips above each numeral are filled with lume which is decent but not something as strong as say Seiko lumibrite. ( See Video for Lumeshot Below ) If there is one thing I would change it would be to add another layer of Anti-Reflective coating to the crystal as it does give off some glare in conditions where a generous ammount of light is involved. Although this glare problem is obvious I can still read the time.

Hands
The long Plonguer hands this watch uses look very good with the overall aesthetic of the field watch theme. They do reach out pretty far and that is something I am fond of. I do not like when watch companies use really short hands on a watch , it really turns me off. The minutes hand literally reaches into the 60 minute markings near the chapter ring which makes it very easy to read and set the exact time. These hands are filled with lume and the lume does shine brighter on the hands than the numerals.

Bracelet
The bracelet used on this piece is a comfortable one. It has pins instead of screws which is a love/hate type of thing but I honestly have no problem. The bracelet is comprised of 316L stainless steel and is solid. It features a two button mechanism and a milled clasp which is super secure and I don't see the need for an extra safety tab. It has a super clean look when closed and looks sharp with the Hamilton branding. The brushing on the bracelet is good but not as good as the actual watch case itself. It does mesh well with the case and one can not really tell the difference.  ( I am just super picky ). Solid end links are also provided on this 20MM bracelet which is a good look for hamilton. One thing you may notice is that each link has two inner links instead of one....this does leave a line going down each side of the bracelet but some other bloggers have said this is to add a more vintage aesthetic to the watch. I have found that this design does help the bracelet fit nicer and conform nicer on the wrist which is a plus.

Crystal
We do get a genuine Sapphire crystal which is slightly domed if you look really closely. The crystal does have one layer of Anti-Reflective coating for a better view in the sunlight or high light conditions but in all honesty this watch really needed 2-3 layers or a thicker coating.
( See Video )

Caseback
We do get a sapphire exhibition caseback for a nice glimpse of the Hamilton H-10 caliber. The caseback is also screwed down for that 100M of water resistance which is marked on the caseback as well. This was another big reason for me picking the automatic model over the larger manual model. I am one who likes to get my watches wet and this model allows me to with no worries. The movement is rather boring to look at but we do get a nice glimpse of the movement and it looks okay for this price point. If this was a $5000 watch I would be dissapointed.
​
Conclusion
In conclusion, I think all around this is a win. We do get a nice Swiss Made watch with a Swiss ETA custom modded movement by Hamilton with 80 hours of power reserve. The finishing is superb and as is the construction of the overall watch. I am really surprised by this one and I should of picked one up way before this year! The bracelet is not super luxurious but it gets the job done with comfort. I would of loved if hamilton used screws instead of pins though. Furthermore, for around $400 USD ( Link Below for Best Price where I bought it )  I dont think you can really find a better field watch. There are other companies such as Victorinox who produce field watches with ETA movements who are competitors I shall say but for some reason this watch just really speaks to me. It is slim, slender, lightweight and well built. I cannot ask for more and I think I got a great watch for the money, so I do highly recommend this watch if you are in the market for a reliable swiss made automatic timepiece with a field aesthetic. Thanks for reading and check out the detailed pictures and video review below.


OFFICIAL SPECIFICATIONS

​

• SERIES :Khaki Field
• MODEL :H70455133
• GENDER :Men's
• WATCH LABEL :Swiss Made
• MOVEMENT :Automatic
• ENGINE :Hamilton Calibre H-10
• POWER RESERVE :80 hours

• CASE SIZE :38 mm
• CASE THICKNESS :10 mm
• CASE MATERIAL :Stainless Steel
• CASE SHAPE :Round
• CASE BACK :Transparent

• DIAL TYPE :Analog
• DIAL COLOR :Black
• CRYSTAL :Sapphire
• HANDS :Luminous
• SECOND MARKERS :24 Hour (GMT) markers around an inner ring. Minute Markers Around The Outer Rim
• DIAL MARKERS :Arabic Numeral
• BEZEL :Fixed
• CROWN :Pull / Push

• BAND TYPE :Bracelet
• BAND MATERIAL :Stainless Steel
• BAND COLOR(S) :Silver Tone
• BAND WIDTH :20 mm
• CLASP :Deployment

• WATER RESISTANCE :100 meters / 330 feet
• CALENDAR :Date display at the 3 o'clock position

​