While we can’t claim to have been watching Scotland-based Marloe since they started out, they’ve very firmly landed on our radar for their clean designs. You may be rowing the same boat, and wondering how these watches are in person. Well, we just spent some time with a loaner of the Marloe Solent, so we can give you some insight.
While the product page for the Marloe Solent calls out the matte finish on the case (which is quite nice), I found the star of the show to really be the dial. This is helped by the AR coating on the crystal, but for being a flat black finish, it’s got a level of depth I’m not used to seeing on “plain” dials. This makes the yellow compass points really pop, and the white indices jump out a bit more. And whoa, the white-filled skyscraper handset is just so crisp, legibility is of zero concern here.
Now, what might concern you at first with the Marloe Solent is the fact that those hands are not lumed at all. I asked the brand about that. Turns out, it was a very conscious design decision. For lume to be effective, it needs to be applied in a fairly thick layer, which then dictates what things look like. Well, Marloe didn’t like that constraint, and went and built the design that they liked. No sense in trying to slap lume in there after the fact, so things stayed as they are here (of note, they do have other models with luminous paint).
While the spec sheet lists the Marloe Solent at 42mm, the angled sides of the case, as well as the relatively thin 10.5mm height meant it wore quite comfortably. Then again, paired as it was to the silicone strap (our loaner was in a lovely shade of yellow that matched Tweety Bird – and the dial accents), comfort was the top order of the day here.
Inside that case (and visible through the caseback) is the Miyota 9039, an automatic that you shouldn’t have trouble getting serviced (provided you can find a local watchmaker, that is). It makes for an overall very competent design, and one that will be giving trusty performance day in, day out.
So, who is the Marloe Solent for? On one hand, it’s sort of a no-nonsense watch, being “just” a three-hander, so you don’t have the other fuss and frills. And being thinner, it’s easy to slip on the wrist and go about the day. But then you get the brighter accents on the dial and on the straps, and this is a watch that can garner you some attention.
So, in our book, the person going for the Marloe Solent is someone who wants a simple timekeeper that has details that differ from the norm (see: the case finish and profile, as well as the dial), while giving some big splashes of color to let you grab some attention if you want. The Marloe Solent is available in two dial colors (black, as we reviewed, or white) for $405 directly from marloewatchcompany.com
Tech Specs from Marloe
- 42mm diameter, 10.5mm depth
- 22mm lug distance
- Bead-blasted bespoke case
- Sapphire domed crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Three-piece dial with signature yellow coloured ring
- Nautical divider hands, hairline running seconds hand
- Exhibition case-back
- Custom crown with concave cap
- 79.7g
- 10 ATM
- 1-year warranty
- Movement
- Miyota 9039 automatic mechanical movement
- 28,800bph
- 24jewels
- Automatic (with hand-winding capability)
- 40+ hour power reserve
- -10 ~ + 30 sec/day
- Japanese Made
- Hours, minutes, sweep second, hacking function, parashock anti-shock
