The last time we had Nite on these pages (here), I was bringing your attention to one of their discontinued models, the Icon IC4. That one featured unconventional styling (for a tritium model), and today’s review sample manages to break from the norm a bit as well.
The watch in question is the VS2, which is part of their Vision lineup. With that line, they’re shooting for, in their words, a more business-oriented GTLS watch (FYI, GLTS = gaseuous tritium lighting system). While it’s not the dressiest watch to ever cross my desk, it is certainly more suitable to an office environment than some tactical models you’d more commonly see.
While the stainless steel case measures in at 44mm, it really wears a bit smaller than that would suggest, perhaps due to the thinner bezel surrounding the dial. The 14mm thickness is in alignment with the diameter, and doesn’t feel like an overly large piece. Tucked in the top of that case you’ve got an AR-coated sapphire crystal; around the back you have a screw-in caseback.
Lock the screw-down crown in place, and you’ve got a water resistance rating of 200 meters. All in all, you’ve got some nice protection for the Ronda 5040D movement, which is of course driving the time, chronograph, and date functions. And that protection is good, as the battery they install is rated to last for 54 months.
Last but not least, you have a rather interesting strap. The blue polymer mimics the blue in the dial, and wears quite comfortably. I was surprised to see a double-tang buckle on the strap, but it gave it a nice styling twist (and some breathability to the strap). They also have a nice set of keeper “keepers” on the long end of the strap – basically, two ridges that hold the strap keeper in place.
All in all, there’s a lot to like about this watch. Unfortunately, the exchange rate is going to get you. At today’s rates, the asking price is just shy of $555, once you take VAT out of the price listed on the site. Perhaps higher than you might expect for a quartz chrono, but you are getting some interesting style – not to mention the ever-cool (and ever-glowing) tritium tubes.
