Back when John first took a chance on me writing articles and reviews here at WWR, Benarus Watch was one of the first ones I went hands-on with. Since then, I’ve kept in touch with Steve Laughlin (the fellow behind Benarus and Raven), and have followed his watches with interest. In fact, it was not that long ago we reviewed one. Well, Laughlin is back with a new watch – the Raven Endeavor – and it looks to be another winner.
First up, as with most of Laughlin’s watches, is the dive capability. With a 500m WR rating, the Raven Endeavour is a watch that is ready for any amount of water most of us will be throwing at it. Add in the steel case and bracelet and clean legibility of the dial, you’ve got a watch that’s itching for some adventure. Or, if you will, some outdoor endeavors. When we’re talking legibility, that’s of course going to be the most evident on the black dialed variant, with the crisp contrast from the indices and handset against it.
For me, though, the more interesting Raven Endeavour is the one with the celadon-colored dial (aka, teal or Tiffany blue). It’s an unexpected shade on a masculine sports watch such as we have here, and I like it. Sure, a bright orange or earthy green would look tight as well, but the celadon takes things in a different direction. Almost gives it a bit of refinement, if you will.
Which is not to say the Raven Endeavour is not a refined watch. Everything I’ve handled from Raven (and Benarus) is well built and the attention to design detail is evident. Shoot, even the spec sheet tells you what you’re getting is something different from other micro/independents. Swiss ETA 2824-2? Sapphire crystal? All that can be yours, here. In some ways, those carry forward with what I have on my Sea Snake of over 6 years ago.
Of course, the Raven Endeavour is a totally different animal, but I still like it. After the dial, one of my favorite features is the handset. This is surprising, as I’ve generally not been a fan of the “Mercedes” handsets, which this one is obviously similar too. Here, though, the sizing has been adjusted, and the hour hand just has a simple circle, which is a change that clicks for me (quick history lesson – that hour hand design was done so you could still see it when the minute hand overlaid it).
The Raven Endeavour is currently up for pre-order, with pricing right now sitting at $650 (it goes up to $750 tomorrow, June 1st). As with everything I’ve seen from Raven and Benarus, this is a good value for all you get. The only difficult decision you have is which of the eight variants speak to you. Of course, once any loaners are available, we’ll work to bring you a hands-on review. ravenwatches.com
-
Brand & Model: Raven Endeavour
-
Price: $650 (for one more day!)
-
Who we think it might be for: Want a steel sport watch that can dive, but isn’t a classic diver design? Have a look!
-
Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? I could see that, yes
-
If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Particularly with the celadon dial, a plain steel bezel might be interesting (though, the brown insert puts me in mind of mint chocolate chip)
-
What spoke to me the most about this watch: The dial color and handset
- Case
-
45mm, with a 49.5mm lug to lug.
-
Medical grade 316L stainless steel and will feature a brushed finish.
-
-
Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic.
-
Water Resistance: 500 meters with screw down crown and case back.
-
Crystal: sapphire; raised flat across the top with chamfered edges.
-
Dial: raised (applied) polished hour marks and a raised (applied) Raven logo.
-
Hands: polished and lumed.
-
Lume: On the dial, hands, and bezel pip; Superluminova that glows a blue-green all night long.
-
Bracelet: 22mm with an adjustable divers clasp.
-
Drilled lugs
-
Comes with additional rubber strap and extra spring bars
