Zealandic Iceborne
Microbrands have been killing the textured dial game recently, inspired (one assumes) by the nature-obsessed success of certain Japanese watchmakers but on a much smaller and less artisan scale. Case in point, Zealandic. This isn’t their first attempt at the Iceborne; their previous Kickstarter didn’t quite make it to their goal.
But after revisiting the design (and changing supplier) they’re back and the new Iceborne with its absolutely gorgeous light blue dial looks like a winner. It’s every bit the field watch, 39mm of stainless steel with the workhorse Miyota 9039 automatic movement, crowned with a glacial dial inspired by New Zealand’s Lake Pukaki. Yes, it’s a fun name to say. Priced just shy of $500 for now, it’s a tool watch yes, but one with some serious style.
Price and Specs:
More details at Zealandic.
Nuun Official Bora Bora Mai Tai
The long days of summer are pretty much over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reminisce about those sun-drenched, poolside times, especially when it comes in the form of Nuun Official’s cocktail-laced new colour. The lightweight White Resin Carbon X case still opts for the brand’s Nautilus homage case shape, but that orange gradient, going light at the top to dark at the bottom, is something that Patek Philippe would never touch.
It’s far too fun. It’s also built for the poolside, with 100m water resistance and a chunky, dial- matched rubber strap for cooling off in the heat – though Scuba diving might be beyond it. Backed by a quartz Miyota Cal.0S21 chronograph, it might be the perfect watch for a bit of upcoming winter sun.
Price and Specs:
More details at NUUN.
MECEXP MS1001
Where to start with this one? More an engineering project than a mainstream timepiece, MECEXP’s debut is a CNC driven, lithium battery powered watch the likes of which Urwerk fans will salivate over. Self- described as a ‘linear flyback’ (retrograde may be closer to the mark), the two indicators move up the precisely engineered columns then flick right back down to the start.
It’s inventive, dynamic and a little bit nuts. Hell, even the crown isn’t a crown in the traditional sense as it uses a sensor and chip to detect the inputs so that there’s no physical interaction with the, for want of a better word, movement. Oh, and the whole thing is lit by LEDS because by this point, why not?
Price and Specs:
More details at MECEXP.
Oceaneva OceanTrek GMT
After plumbing the depths (quite literally) of what an accessible dive watch can do with the kind of value that puts the rest of the industry to shame, Oceaneva are testing new waters. The OceanTrek is a whole timezone away from what the brand has done before, a lovely, pared-back, semi-dress watch pairing Roman numerals with a 24-hour GMT indicator towards the middle.
At 42mm it’s still not small, but it’s slimmer and much more elegant than a diver, especially with the host of new, sunray-brushed dial colours. The OceanTrek still lives up to its name with 200m water resistance and a slight tool watch flavour, but between the gorgeous green shown here and the Seiko movement, there’s a lot to love. And that legendary value for money? Yeah, the OceanTrek GMT will set you back £149. Try finding that anywhere else.
Price and Specs:
More details at Oceaneva.
