Richard LeGrand Atlanticus Compressor Style Dive Watch
Looking down at the
Atlanticus
in the sun
I've always had a compressor style watch on my 'to buy' list, but until the Atlanticus came along they were always too costly, had a date window, exhibition back and so on. As soon as I got the email from RLG announcing the Atlanticus I thought it looked great, in fact exactly the watch I wanted to scratch the Vintage Style Compressor itch! However, the only online review at that time pointed out a rather disturbing issue with the inner rotating bezel with its rather loose and sloppy action, so disappointingly I put it out of my mind. However today (09/09/19) I got another email from RLG stating that there was going to be a Flash Sale of:
"...Our restocked Atlanticus Diver with all new improved bezels (no more wobbly bezels!)..."
Not only that, but the model I would have gone for - the monochrome version was now $99 off - probably the least popular colourway, but I like its 'plain Jane' looks. Now added to this UK Parliament had just passed a law ruling out a No-Deal Brexit and the pound was rallying against the dollar so the exchange rate was better than it’s been for weeks so an order was placed with Richard LeGrand Watches.
Really looking forward to this one arriving soon, and ticking another watch style off my to buy list, so look out for a review and some pictures after a few weeks of wrist time as they say. N.B;The monochrome version shown here is currently $138.90 + shipping
Well I’ve had the Atlanticus ‘on wrist’ for the last 5 days, I really like the looks and the way it wears and it has been absolutely reliable – but that tends to be what you’d expect from the ubiquitous Seiko NH35 – this does have a ghost date function, so unscrew to the winding position, pulling out once would be for date setting, so another pull is required for setting the hands (does have hacking). Certainly it wears smaller than its 42mm diameter would suggest, partly due to the crown(s) not being at the 3 o’clock position and having the inner rotating bezel visually reducing the size of the dial. When you add in the short and down swept lugs giving a lug-to-lug length only 6mm longer than the diameter you get a very compact looking watch. I opted for the black or as listed ‘Monochrome’ option, which is supposed to be a sunburst, but this is absolutely minimal and mostly appears as a flat black finish, but then again this is what actually attracted me to this colourway. It has an understated classy look from my perspective, especially with the highly polished and bevelled surrounds to the hour markers and batons which catch the light so well and of course with no date window it has a clean and symmetrical look. Lume has a nice blue colour and whilst looking quite pale initially does actually last for hours which was a bit of a surprise! On the subject of the hands, I really like the way they mimic the design of the main batons at 12, 3, 6 and 9, they are extremely legible at all angles and in all lighting, in fact far more legible than I anticipated which is great – I hate having to alter the angle of the watch because the hands have disappeared. Their length is perfect for the dial, but perhaps it would have been nice to have a point on the end of the minute hand for OCD time setters! The second sweep hand is very slim and delicate looking with the lollipop matching the width of the main hands, a really nice hand set overall.
As for the case itself, I adore the way the curve edge of the crystal flows into the brush finished bezel with just the smallest lip at the seam. It should also be pointed out that that curved edge to the crystal (again giving a nod to it's vintage routes where it would probably have been a domed acrylic) is beautifully designed as it in no way impedes the clarity of the inner rotating bezel, but still manages to add some reflected interest from surrounding light sources and you only get a sense of distortion on the dial when view at extreme angles – superb design. As you move to the edge of the outer bezel there is a thin and finely polished band where it meets the side of the case which is in a horizontally brushed finished – oddly it is vertically brushed in a slightly courser finish between the lugs, but this isn’t really noticeable except under close scrutiny. The crowns are nicely finished with a hatched design on the tops and vertical knurling around the circumference – personally I would have liked these to have been a bit larger, especially as you’d want to adjust the inner bezel without removing the watch, but then they’d also need to be moved a bit further in from the lugs as they already feel a bit too close with my pudgy fingers. So to that inner bezel and the reported ‘wobble’ well it still has some, but it’s really is minimal & only visible when you rotate the adjusting crown back and forth otherwise you’d probably never be aware of it – just hoping it stay that way over the coming years. I will however also mention that looking at some video reviews of another compressor style watch, that one did exactly this same thing, but even worse. I have to say I have some reservations about the 200mtr water resistance rating when only the winding/time adjust crown is screw down, but then the most water my watches have ever seen is in a swimming pool. Onto the case back and this is really nice, well finished and I really like the Viking ship emblem, at least there is no dreaded exhibition back!
"...Our restocked Atlanticus Diver with all new improved bezels (no more wobbly bezels!)..."
Not only that, but the model I would have gone for - the monochrome version was now $99 off - probably the least popular colourway, but I like its 'plain Jane' looks. Now added to this UK Parliament had just passed a law ruling out a No-Deal Brexit and the pound was rallying against the dollar so the exchange rate was better than it’s been for weeks so an order was placed with Richard LeGrand Watches.
Really looking forward to this one arriving soon, and ticking another watch style off my to buy list, so look out for a review and some pictures after a few weeks of wrist time as they say. N.B;The monochrome version shown here is currently $138.90 + shipping
Well I’ve had the Atlanticus ‘on wrist’ for the last 5 days, I really like the looks and the way it wears and it has been absolutely reliable – but that tends to be what you’d expect from the ubiquitous Seiko NH35 – this does have a ghost date function, so unscrew to the winding position, pulling out once would be for date setting, so another pull is required for setting the hands (does have hacking). Certainly it wears smaller than its 42mm diameter would suggest, partly due to the crown(s) not being at the 3 o’clock position and having the inner rotating bezel visually reducing the size of the dial. When you add in the short and down swept lugs giving a lug-to-lug length only 6mm longer than the diameter you get a very compact looking watch. I opted for the black or as listed ‘Monochrome’ option, which is supposed to be a sunburst, but this is absolutely minimal and mostly appears as a flat black finish, but then again this is what actually attracted me to this colourway. It has an understated classy look from my perspective, especially with the highly polished and bevelled surrounds to the hour markers and batons which catch the light so well and of course with no date window it has a clean and symmetrical look. Lume has a nice blue colour and whilst looking quite pale initially does actually last for hours which was a bit of a surprise! On the subject of the hands, I really like the way they mimic the design of the main batons at 12, 3, 6 and 9, they are extremely legible at all angles and in all lighting, in fact far more legible than I anticipated which is great – I hate having to alter the angle of the watch because the hands have disappeared. Their length is perfect for the dial, but perhaps it would have been nice to have a point on the end of the minute hand for OCD time setters! The second sweep hand is very slim and delicate looking with the lollipop matching the width of the main hands, a really nice hand set overall.
As for the case itself, I adore the way the curve edge of the crystal flows into the brush finished bezel with just the smallest lip at the seam. It should also be pointed out that that curved edge to the crystal (again giving a nod to it's vintage routes where it would probably have been a domed acrylic) is beautifully designed as it in no way impedes the clarity of the inner rotating bezel, but still manages to add some reflected interest from surrounding light sources and you only get a sense of distortion on the dial when view at extreme angles – superb design. As you move to the edge of the outer bezel there is a thin and finely polished band where it meets the side of the case which is in a horizontally brushed finished – oddly it is vertically brushed in a slightly courser finish between the lugs, but this isn’t really noticeable except under close scrutiny. The crowns are nicely finished with a hatched design on the tops and vertical knurling around the circumference – personally I would have liked these to have been a bit larger, especially as you’d want to adjust the inner bezel without removing the watch, but then they’d also need to be moved a bit further in from the lugs as they already feel a bit too close with my pudgy fingers. So to that inner bezel and the reported ‘wobble’ well it still has some, but it’s really is minimal & only visible when you rotate the adjusting crown back and forth otherwise you’d probably never be aware of it – just hoping it stay that way over the coming years. I will however also mention that looking at some video reviews of another compressor style watch, that one did exactly this same thing, but even worse. I have to say I have some reservations about the 200mtr water resistance rating when only the winding/time adjust crown is screw down, but then the most water my watches have ever seen is in a swimming pool. Onto the case back and this is really nice, well finished and I really like the Viking ship emblem, at least there is no dreaded exhibition back!
Leather 'Racing' strap by Geckota
The supplied strap has come under some criticism in some reviews for being leather and not really suited to a dive watch, but give me a decent leather strap any day over a rubber/silicon/PVC et.al strap. This one really looks the part on the watch and has quick release pins so you can pop it off in no time, pop on something like this QR Zuludiver Sailcloth and you’re good to go on your under water adventures – I expect only a few percent of the Compressor style watches on the market will ever see serious emersion time! One thing I will mention about the strap is it’s quite short and on my 7 ¼ inch wrist I’m on the third hole on the strap so those of you with brawny wrists 8 inches or so will want to budget for a longer strap & it does have buckle that looks a bit too large. On the positive side, I usually change out the OEM strap within a few days for something I feel looks better or feels more comfortable, this won’t be the case here, initially feeling a bit stiff, but melds well to the wrist quite quickly and absolutely looks right on the watch. Then again I’m a bit of a strap junkie and feel this would look great with a red racing style strap!
So on the whole I’m well please with my RLG Atlanticus, but there are somethings I’d change;
Now having lived with it for a while now – when I get a new watch I tend to use it exclusively for a week non-stop, then it goes into rotation with my others and only comes out to play perhaps once every few weeks – I have to say it is a joy to wear and I would be happy to wear it for most occasions.
Finally I have to say I wonder if I would have preferred the Black/Orange version to add just a bit more drama to the dial, but still wouldn’t have gone for either the Pastel or Ocean Blue colour ways, even though these will probably prove to be the most popular sellers overall.
More pictures of my Atlanticus can be found in the Watch Picture Gallery along with some of my other watches.
So on the whole I’m well please with my RLG Atlanticus, but there are somethings I’d change;
- I’d liked to have had a lume dot on the inner rotating bezel, seems a bit silly not to have had one added.
- Slightly bigger crowns as mentioned earlier.
- Packaging, really don’t want another big box to store.
- Sapphire crystal, I don’t know how well the Sapphire coated boxed mineral will stand up over time, but it is quite exposed standing as it does a couple of mil above the bezel, only time will tell.
Now having lived with it for a while now – when I get a new watch I tend to use it exclusively for a week non-stop, then it goes into rotation with my others and only comes out to play perhaps once every few weeks – I have to say it is a joy to wear and I would be happy to wear it for most occasions.
Finally I have to say I wonder if I would have preferred the Black/Orange version to add just a bit more drama to the dial, but still wouldn’t have gone for either the Pastel or Ocean Blue colour ways, even though these will probably prove to be the most popular sellers overall.
More pictures of my Atlanticus can be found in the Watch Picture Gallery along with some of my other watches.
