Zelos Mako Diver Bronze Watch Review - A very good set of specifications for the money

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Zelos is a microbrand based in Singapore and has been in the spotlight for some time now in this niche sector. Their most recent release, the Zelos Mako is now being offered in a CUSN8 Bronze case which we are going to take a look at today. The watch came in some very nice packaging including a wood outerbox and a leather roll with an extra strap, warranty card, and spring bar tool. The current price is $429 for this Anthracite dial Mako, increasing to $799 after June 15th.

Packaging

Included with your Zelos Mako Bronze is a wood cigar style box, metal warranty card, spring bar remover, leather roll, and a leather spare strap.

Case

The case on the Zelos Mako measures 40MM in diameter and has a thickness of 13.5MM. These dimensions are doable , atleast on my 6.5 inch wrist as we have a nice and rational 46MM lug to lug distance. The watch features blocked off lugs so it really helps the Mako wear like a true 40MM watch, unlike something like a ceramic Submariner. Now to the good stuff, the case is comprised of CUSN8 Bronze which really came out great in my eyes. It has an almost light rose gold look which is really eye catching and looks superb. This case WILL patina over time as any bronze case will and that is just awesome. The lugs feature polished edges on each side which give a little substance to the brushed bronze case and crown.The crown itself is extremely hard to grip and screw in and out which is a huge letdown and probably the only negative thing about this watch besides the oddly cluttered dial. On top of this beautiful Anthracite dial lays a boxed Sapphire crystal with Anti-Reflective coating and is slightly domed as well, giving the watch a semi-vintage look. In terms of water resistance the Mako is a serious contendor with a 500 Meter rating, definitely suitable for swimming, diving, and pretty much any water activity you can imagine. To accompany the high WR rating they added a lumed screw down crown with the Zelos logo which is a first for me in hand. Whats a dive watch without a dive bezel? This watch has a beautiful 120 Click uni directional lumed bronze bezel which lines up perfectly to 12:00 and features zero backplay. Its one of those bezels you can fidget with and feel good about yourself.

The caseback is fairly simple and done in all stainless steel with a mako shark which is raised which I am fine with. Your personal edition number is also inscribed on the screw down caseback.

​Dial

The dial on the Zelos Mako is definitely a unique one as it truly is its’ own thing. Large applied circular lumed markers surround the dial with an extra marker at 12:00-3:00-9:00 which are lumed as well. I assume this was done as a reference point to tell the time easier or to just take up space. The Anthracite color definitely plays well with the bronze and has a beautiful wave design. A black date aperture located at 6:00 with white numerals allows for easy legibility as well, and the size is nicely proportioned with the markers. Heading to the chapter ring there are fine minute and second markings with lumed circles. Lastly, the simple Z for zelos logo is applied in a bronze color beneath 12:00 allowing the dial to peak through.

Movement

For the pricepoint, I can definitely say kudos to Zelos for equipping this watch with a swiss made Selitta SW-200 automatic movement. I have a lot of experience with these movements and they are true workhorses keeping consistent time and honestly functions identical to its friend, the ETA-2824. The movement has a 38 hour power reserve, holds 26 jewels, and beats at a smooth 4 hertz or 28,800 BPH. I have been getting around +5 seconds a day for a week or so which is good in my book! If you are not familiar with this movement, it is also widely used in most ORIS models.

Strap Options

Now on a $430 watch with alot of kit for the money I was quite surprised by the quality of the supplied straps. I really was not expecting two great quality straps, One Tropic style rubber strap with a signed Zelos bronze buckle and a leather strap without a buckle which you will need to swap out with the rubber if you intend to use it.

​Lume - What we have all been waiting for!

There are two types of strong lume on this model in a Multi Color scheme as you can see pictured below. We get a C3 SuperLuminova filled on all the applied markers and bezel along with a blue BGW9 on the chapter ring and dots surrounding. All in all, the lume is certainly bright and really gives the famed Seiko Lumibrite a run for its money. On a side note this is the first time I have experienced an actual Lumed crown, and it is freakin awesome. ( see video below )

Conclusion

Being my first experience with an actual Bronze watch it has so far been an excellent one. Prior to receiving the Mako I had no idea what to expect in terms of quality and function. In all honesty I am quite surprised they can put together such a value packed watch for such a low price. The movement is great, the casework is decent, and the lume is extraordinary. I really have no gripes about this model and that is quite rare. I do reccomend if your interested in grabbing one of these to do it quick before the price jumps on June 15th ( Link Below ). I look forward to what Zelos has to offer us watch enthusiasts jn the future.