Melbourne Watch Company Sorrento Dive Watch Review

MWC OFFICIAL SHOP

Case

The Melbourne Assembled Australian Sorrento diver is quite a classy and dressy piece. However, I believe it combines both a diver, dress watch, and functional everyday tool watch all in one 42MM package. It features reasonable dimensions such as the 50MM lug to lug distance and 13.5MM case thickness. The 200M rated case is suitable for diving and really finely cut and brushed out of 316L stainless steel. I really did take notice of the brushing work on the case flanks, it is quite good for this pricepoint of 950 AUD. Some other nice details include the raised vintage dive helmet on the screw down caseback which I found charming.

Dial

Now, the dial is where it gets exciting...It is a multi-layer ceramic dial which is usually only seen in luxury watchmaking. It also features planks flowing horizontally which mimic the decl of a classic boat. The brushed hands play nicely and are extremely legible
under the genuine sapphire AR coated crystal. The markers themselves are lumed of course, with blue BGW9 lume and I found it to be quite responsive and long lasting. Another interesting component is the Aluminum 120 Click bezel. OK - Bezel action. The bezel action is solid, with minimal backplay nor alignment issues. The actual ceramic insert features a wave pattern which really caught my eyes and almost reminded me slightly of the Omega Seamaster 300 wave dial models. A lot of thought has gone into making this dial, and it certainly shows in the results.

Movement

At this pricepoint we are either expecting an ETA2824 or a SW200..Melbourne chose the SW200 Swiss automatic calibre which is essentially the same movement as a 2824. It beats at 28,800 BPH and features 26 jewels along with a quickset date located at 3:00. In terms of power reserve you can expect around 38 hours...Accuracy wise....+4 Seconds per day on my exact example. Who needs chronometer rated movements when brands regulate the same movement themselves?

Quick Release Bracelet

The solid oyster style 316L steel bracelet features screw in links, a milled clasp, and solid end links which contain quick-release pins. Now, usually we only see quick release pins on various nato, leather, and canvas straps. However, MWC has somehow
incorporated it into their steel bracelet. It really
is quite effortless to switch to a nice nato or rubber band if you are looking for a lighter option. The comfort is decent and the bracelet does not pull my hair, which is the first thing I look for. It can also accommodate larger wrists.

Conclusion

Furthermore, the Sorrento diver offers a rare classic
blend between dress/dive styling for a reasonable price. It checks all the boxes I look for when looking to add a new piece to my growing collection of watches. I feel that this brand saw a niche to fill, and they did quite well.