Revelot is relatively young brand that started out in 2017 with some past successful Kickstarters under its belt. I was not aware of this brand until they came out with the Hexmariner which caught my eye on their recent Kickstarter campaign. Ont heir website they seem to offer some really cool designs while being on the lower end of the cost spectrum. The Hexmariner is suppose to be an affordable sub homage with a distinctive facelift according to Revelot. I decided to purchase a few to try out and see what this interesting take on a dress styled dive watch was all about.
To start things off I will mention that the regular Hexmariner pictured above is the Crystal Star version which was about $240 at the Early Bird Kickstarter price, and you can choose between a bronze or steel case. The Meteorite dial was $330, with both watches eventually retailing for $340 and $440 after funding.
Now that we know price lets see what we get for $240. The price is an absolute bargain if you are just looking at the specs and the amount of design that went into the watch. The dial, hands, indices all play into the hexagon theme of the watch. To me I really like the pattern and layout they designed.
Diving in closer to the indices we can see they are decently cut however the finish is severely lacking which isn't all that surprising on a watch at this price level. The Dial itself has notable strands of fibers and debris as well. The minute track is actually done well up close. The positives are that the dial pattern is consistent, the lume applied to the hands is done exceptionally well.
The Text on the dial was done quite well for its price point. The red and gold do match the flow of and design language of the watch which is nice to see. I always appreciate that the wording done directly on the dial pattern and not a flat surface which I think takes away from the dial.
The markers around the dial seem to be laser etched which for me always makes things look a bit off even from far away. I would have loved to see a deeper etching but still for this price is acceptable.
The date window flows with the hexagon theme and I think was really well thought out.
The bezel is done rather nicely with a ceramic insert and filled with lume. The red Diamond shaped outline is lumed but could be better, while the rest of the markers are done really well. The bezel is off a hair which may drice some people crazy but for me its a rather easy fix If its worth my time. The bezes somehwat easy to grip too. A bronze version I had did have some really bad issue with the spring inside making it rather difficult to turn.
I did notice that on some of the pieces I had received that the crown is not fully centered between the the crown guards. The crown itself is easy to grip and engages rather well. The engraving on the crown is rather sharp but does look nice. The brushing on the sides of the case were decent too.
The caseback is all brushed with a window showing the hex and star pattern covering the Seiko Nh35 movement. The engravings are done well and the pattern is nice touch since the NH35 isn’t all that great to look at it. What’s nice to see is the quick release springs for the bracelet which is always welcomed to see.
The bracelet is has a great design again fitting into the design language of the watch. The brushing is decent and forms well to the wrist. The downside to the bracelet is it’s really light which may be good or bad depending on your preference. The clasp is rather light and cheap and gets the job done but something. The pushers though is where the jingling of the clasp makes the most noise and wouldn’t mind then being a bit more solid. The logo engraved is a bit sharp but again acceptable for the price.
To Hexmariner to me has its ups and downs. I do love the design language and elements they had pieced together. This is a very flashy watch that’s draws your eye in without being to overbearing. I honestly think if they scaled a bit back on the design elements and focused more on the quality, and the bracelet with a Swiss movement it would be even better at a higher price point. The watch at its current price is still a bargain for what you are getting while the cost is spread rather thin among all aspects of the watch it still looks like a much higher priced piece. I would like to see what comes next from Revelot in the future and see if they can’t improve on the Hexmariner.