Karen Howard
With a collection of over a hundred watches now, I certainly have some experience in what is out there to buy, and, while obviously a lot of money can be spent for a watch, what is most satisfying is getting quality watch ownership at reasonable prices. Victorinox is a solid brand that accomplishes this, providing features that much, MUCH more expensive watches have (and, in many cases, do NOT have, despite a much bigger price tag) without needing to break the bank. This is my fifth Victorinox buy, and I'd say, at the price here of $375, it's easily my best purchase from the brand, and certainly among the top buys of watches I own.Now, if you don't like a chunky diver, be prepared not to be impressed, but, if you like a solid, very masculine watch that feels like it will last to the end of time, this is your pick. I've long been looking for a streamlined black dial diver and have also been wanting an INOX, but they only had the small case size, but this one comes in the perfect size of 43mm to 45mm, just enough to give wrist presence, but not over the top. It has a pleasing heft to it, comfy on the wrist but a sure sense of a robust build.The specs are a big win. ISO 6245 Dive watch certification and the only Swiss watch to undergo 130 extreme endurance tests (which gives it the INOX specification), and you can read up on how extreme some of those tests are, mean this is an impressively built piece. For watch geeks, a lot to like here, but for the average buyer it just means this is a very durable watch that will outperform anything you're doing. So, wear it to the Board Room, or on your next adrenalin stunt, and it's at home in either setting.Outstanding bracelet, phenomenal screw-in crown, solid-clicking (and very beautifully faceted) bezel, good lume, inset triple AR coated sapphire crystal, Swiss quartz movement, anti-magnetic, 200m WR, diver's extension on the clasp, excellent fit and finish. Really, just nothing not to love here, as a versatile and classic diver watch.Now, it retails at $695 and, ouch, that's a lot, considering what else is out there in that price range, and, because I like to feel I'm getting everything of what I've paid, that big price has kept on the fence, because even the fancy INOX standing isn't (to me) worth several hundred dollars more than similarly reliable watches out there. But, when I saw it here for $375 (black dial color only, for whatever reason, and fortunately that's the color I wanted), I couldn't pass it up. It's a ridiculously great amount of watch for that price.If price was no object, I'd certainly say it's worth full retail, as much as any other over-priced brand, but I'm pretty picky about price versus value. Victorinox usually doesn't have such elevated prices beyond watch worth, and despite the bragging rights of the INOX bit, I think $700 is a bit high, and they'd likely move a lot more of these keeping it around $550, where it would be on par or better than what's in that price range.It's easily a $500 or so watch, easily, so, at under $400, passing on it would have been a loss, so I was fortunate here, and I've had nothing but the best luck on grey market deals like this, many of which I've bought here on Amazon.So, an outstanding watch, at grey market pricing. At full price, you'd need to be a pretty huge INOX fan to pay $700, since it's a much broader field of options around that range, (especially from Deep Blue, for example, or other micro brands, in the dive watch world) but, if you can find this at a low price, like I did, don't miss out.And, even at full price, I still think it's a better value than brands that want $1000 plus, for watches that don't do more than this one, and, given the INOX elements, actually do less. So, versus a $2000 Oris, for example, I'd get this one instead. In terms of the INOX side, again, real life, you likely don't need a watch that can survive a tank running over it, but, even so, the rigorous testing it has passed is pretty impressive and it is reflected in the confidence you feel in the build of this.I'd consider it at full price, but consider it a steal at the price here.Thanks for reading!
