Yesterday, we started to take a look at the Magellan diver watch from the folks over at Irreantum. Today, we’ll go over my experience with the watch, and give you our recommendation.
To start with, I found the bracelet to be quite comfortable. I didn’t encounter any issues with the deployant digging into my skin, and I found the diver extension to be useful. For me, I tend to size bracelets on the snug side, which can lead to it feeling too tight as the day wears on. The ratcheting extension can be used quite quickly to adjust some extra size in (or to fit over a wetsuit, of course). I also liked the milanese-style bracelet. The links are actually all solid, but you do get the chain-link style, as well as the nice contrast between brushed and polished.
With the dial design, and lume application, I found the watch to be very readable, whether it was light or dark. And, as with other carbon fiber dials I’ve seen, I liked it on the Magellan. It adds an additional bit of texture that you wouldn’t otherwise have, and it allows anything that’s been painted onto the dial almost seem like it’s floating. I also very much liked the black date display window, as it blended in nicely. Finally, the ratcheting uni-directional bezel has a very solid feel to it, and I did not notice any excessive play. So, it should work quite well for you to time your dives, or how long your drink was cooling in the fridge.
Frankly, there’s a lot to like about this watch. While the retro dive case design isn’t among my favorites (just a personal preference), there’s really no reason for you to not consider this watch if you’re in the market for a dive model. It offers a great complement of functionality and style, and at only $545 (remember, there’s an ETA 2824-2 in there) its a bargain to boot.
