Melt down some copper, throw in a little tin, add a dash of some other metals such as zinc, nickel, manganese, etc, and you get bronze. What a cool-looking alloy. Using this alloy, Zoretto has made the Indy Bronze Automatic. Made of marine grade bronze, this is a watch that will develop a nice patina over time; since it is a marine-grade bronze, it will be more resistant to corrosion and can actually be used as a dive watch. Claus from Zoretto was kind enough to send me a watch to review so lets check it out.
The Dial
This is a three-hand watch with date window sitting close to 5 o’clock. They come in 3 dial colors: black, vertical brushed blue, and vertical brushed green. In the sun that vertical brushing pops out and looks great. The hands are polished brass and really compliment the bronze case. The indexes, number, and hands are painted in a vintage color and put out a pretty good lume.
The Case
This is a goodly-sized case measuring in at 43mm wide, 52mm lug to lug, and 16.5mm thick. The case, bezel, and crown are all made of marine grade bronze and will all get that nice patina. The crown guard is large and protect almost the entire crown. Water resistance is good to 200 meters or approx. 600 feet which is fine for recreational diving. The caseback is made from 316L stainless steel, and has a Sapphire crystal displaying the movement. Total weight for this watch is 148mm.
The Movement
Showing through the Sapphire crystal case back is the Miyota 9015 Automatic with 24 jewels, hacking seconds, and approx. 42h power reserve. This is a partially decorated movement with Geneva stripes and a simple rotor.
The Bezel and Domed Sapphire Crystal
Of the 16.5mm overall thickness of this case, 4mm comes from the Sapphire crystal which has been AR-coated on the inside surface. For having such a thick crystal, the visibility is quite good at any angle. Surrounding the crystal is a bronze Panerai Bronzo-style bezel. Diameter of the 120-click unidirectional bezel is 42mm, which is 2mm larger then the case itself. It’s worth noting that the bezel is very solid, and has no play at all.
The Strap
This comes with a 24mm strap which is pretty thick at about 4mm. After about a day of wearing this the strap softened up and has been pretty comfortable wearing it all day long. One nice touch is the “Z” stitching on the strap for Zoretto. They use a pre-v Panerai style pin and buckle clasp which is very large, but does not get in the way.
Overall Impression
I think one of the best things about having a bronze watch is not having to keep polishing it. I have many polished stainless steel watches, and I polish them constantly – almost obsessively. With bronze you just let it do its thing.
This watch has a whole lot going for it. With the vintage diver look, automatic movement, and usage of bronze, this watch checks off a lot of boxes for me. The best part, though, is the price. This is selling on their site for $499 plus $40 for shipping. This also comes with a leather watch roll that can hold 5 watches. You can check them out at zoretto.com
Review Summary
- Brand and model: Zoretto Indy Broze Diver
- Price: $499 plus $40 for shipping
- Who’s it for: Divers who love vintage bronze
- Would I wear it: All the time, wearing it now.
- What I’d change: Nothing
- The best thing about it: Its bronze.
Tech Specs from Zoretto
- Materials: Marine grade bronze
- Crystal: 4mm domed Sapphire crystal
- Dial: Vertical brushed blue, vertical brushed green, or black
- Measurements: 43mm wide, 52mm lug to lug, and 16.5mm thick(including crystal)
- Water Resistance: 200 meters or 600 feet
