Watch Evaluation: Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III Dive Watch
Though it’s our job proper right here at aBlogtoWatch to put in writing down about watches, sometimes a written description merely doesn’t do justice to the watch at hand. The Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III is a perfect working instance: a dive watch with a purple (very, very purple) dial, gilt palms and indices, and hour markers in teal, orange, and a pair shades of blue. Learning that description, it’s understandable if some fairly terrifying photos come to ideas. I’m nonetheless not pretty optimistic how Henry Archer (or, fairly, Henrik Schødt, the mad Dane behind the semi-eponymous mannequin) turned this on-paper outlandish combination of elements into such a stylish and charming watch, nevertheless the Nordsø NEON III is solely that.
First, a little bit little bit of background on the mannequin. Henry Archer (an anglicized translation of Henrik Schødt’s determine) launched shortly after a positive coronavirus flooring the world to a sudden halt. Though that timing might want to have been utterly terrifying for Henrik and his partner — the one proprietors of the mannequin — the timing couldn’t have been further fortuitous. The watch commerce rapidly boomed, taking Henry Archer alongside for the journey. The mannequin shortly expanded out of Denmark and went world with its attain. Though the determine on the dial has been simplified for the North American market, the watches are as utterly Danish as Schødt himself.
Assume “Danish design,” and minimalism will practically truly come to ideas, along with a great deal of lust-worthy mid-century trendy design. If you won’t contemplate a multi-hued, purple-dialed dive watch as minimalist, Schødt explains it this fashion: “Minimalism is simply not boring, it’s about mastering complexity. [It’s about] retaining points concentrated design-wise into its most raw sort with out being boring, nevertheless fairly timeless.” Positive, the watch is vibrant, nevertheless at its core, the design itself is restrained — there’s no superfluous textual content material or totally different elements to detract from the design.
In reviewing a watch like this, there’s no degree in beginning anyplace else nevertheless the dial. Proper right here, the purple dial is radially brushed in concentric circles. It’s dynamic, nevertheless not as strongly shifting (and sometimes illegible) as a typical sunburst. Within the occasion you’re a fan of purple nevertheless want one factor rather more eye-catching, the Nordsø (Danish for North Sea) will also be accessible in a purple meteorite dial. There’s no method spherical it, the purple stands out. Though my typical sort is further casual and subdued (assume flannels and sweaters), it solely took a pair events sporting the watch to remember the oft-repeated comment amongst watch collectors: No individual notices your watch, even a vivid, shiny purple one. Nevertheless you’ll truly uncover it in your wrist.
The hue chosen for the NEON III is a royal purple, which is turning into considering it’s complemented by gilt palms and utilized indices. That’s probably the element that I would be most skeptical of on paper. However, it’s unbelievable. As on a regular basis, pictures exaggerate the influence of these elements. On the wrist, the gold tone is delicate nevertheless provides a warmth that wouldn’t have been achieved with silver palms. In distinction, the sky-blue seconds hand stands out in opposition to the purple and unifies the design, tying into every the bezel and the minutes markers. The palms, hour marker, and bezel indices are all stuffed with Swiss Large-LumiNova BGW9, which shines good and white all through the day and lightweight blue at evening time with a great deal of depth.
Purple, gilt, and sky-blue are hardly the one colors you’ll uncover on the NEON III. The minutes palms moreover alternate with teal, orange, and darkish blue. In my ideas, this truly mustn’t work, however proper right here we’re, and I adore it. It’s merely the correct quantity of funky for my model. In the event you want to comply with a purple dial, nevertheless tone points down a tad, the Nordsø Cosmic Purple restricts the color accents to the sky-blue. Remember that there are lots of totally different colorways throughout the lineup, along with pink, black, white, ice blue, and meteorite, for individuals who’re not feeling so adventurous.
I requested Schødt regarding the design inspiration for the Nordsø, and why he chosen to lean so carefully into purple. As a result of it appears, Schødt spent virtually 20 years in 3D animation (he actually purchased his animation studio to launch Henry Archer), and much of the color thought for what works in 3D animation immediately translated to his design sensibility in watches. Purple pops in 3D animation and is extraordinarily dynamic and versatile, having fun with successfully all through the color wheel. Merely take a look at the minute markers for proof. Schødt outlined that the NEON III represents his design model all packed into one watch and reflecting a cyberpunk aesthetic.
There’s nothing truly groundbreaking regarding the design of the dial or bezel of the Nordsø (or the watch, normally). It’s a conventional skin-diver design that we’ve seen many events. Nevertheless the colors and complete execution of all of the climate collectively flip it into one factor that feels latest and new. The bezel is unidirectional and 120-click, though one gripe is that the grip on the knurling is slippery and by no means easy to realize purchase. It’s a little bit little bit of a shame as a result of the crown has the an identical knurling design, nevertheless is good and grippy. Hopefully, that’s one factor which may be remedied in future iterations. With no numerals on the shiny ceramic bezel, it’s not going to be most likely probably the most legible, each. That said, it’s laborious to consider anyone shopping for this sit up for crucial diving, though it does sport 200m of water resistance.
Given the wild coloration choices, retaining the case design conservative and acquainted makes it actually really feel like a crucial watch, albeit one with a further adventurous sort. At 40mm in diameter and 47mm lug-to-lug, the Nordsø fits correct throughout the Goldilocks zone for sizing, and the slim 10.5mm case high maintain it sporting delicate and comfortable (for reference, my wrist is 6.75″). Given the watch’s sub-$500 price tag, the ending on the case is robust. No, the sharpness of the chamfers and the fineness of the brushing acquired’t compete with one factor from Tudor or Omega, nevertheless the ending does actually really feel a decrease above most selections at this price degree. Plus, you get a present caseback for viewing the Miyota 9039 automated movement. This Japanese movement beats at 28.8kbph with a 42-hour vitality reserve. Though some might select a Swiss movement like a Sellita SW200, retaining the price down with a Miyota movement was a clever choice, as staying under the $500 price degree makes the acquisition of a wild purple-dial watch further of a consideration than it’d in another case be. The one draw again to the Miyota movement (and one factor that can seemingly be acquainted to people who’ve owned one) is that the rotor is further audible than one other actions. Give your arm a swing and you may hear and actually really feel the rotor. It’s not horrible by any means, but it surely certainly’s worth mentioning.
The Nordsø comes with two selections for a bracelet: an atypical three-link oyster-style bracelet or a beads-of-rice bracelet. Look, for individuals who’re going to buy a vivid purple watch, you might as successfully go all in and resolve the beads-of-rice. I’m a sucker for a beads-of-rice bracelet, and this one is solely as comfortable as you’d anticipate. Good articulation, slim ample to not overwhelm the watch, a little bit little bit of taper from the 20mm on the lugs, tool-free quick launch, and a correctly machined on-the-fly micro-adjust clasp. What further can you ask for? In truth, it’s watches like this that get us, as reviewers, so irritated with watch producers that offer low-cost folding clasps on watches 5-10x the price. The micro-adjust isn’t as refined as one factor like Tudor’s T-Match clasp, but it surely certainly positively does the trick.
For $499 USDthe Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III is an absolute blast. The colors are the star, truly, nevertheless the assemble prime quality of the entire watch is bigger than aggressive. Whereas the NEON III might not evoke the early 90s in pretty the an identical method as a result of the Zodiac x Worn & Wound Large Sea Wolf Laser Tag, it nonetheless supplies that neon pop that outlined the interval, along with a palpable cyberpunk aesthetic. Though the NEON III is a protracted bus journey away from the Bauhaus school that impressed a whole lot of Twentieth-century Danish design, there’s one factor tangibly Scandinavian in Henry Archer’s restrained technique. Maybe it’s merely the “ø” in Nordsø. Each method, the Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III is a satisfying, moderately priced watch that offers fantastic price in a vibrant bundle. For further data, please go to the Henry Archer site.
Wanted Data
>Mannequin: Henry Archer
>Model: Norsø NEON III
> Worth: $499 USD
>Measurement: 40mm diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, 10.5mm thickness, 20mm lug width
>When reviewer would personally placed on it: I found myself sporting this further sometimes, and in further settings, than I anticipated. That said, it’s an unbelievable watch to put on down on the town or as a dialog starter.
>Buddy we’d advocate it to first: Someone making an attempt to mix up their assortment of black-dialed watches with one factor totally utterly totally different at an moderately priced price.
>Best attribute of watch: Gilt palms and indices in opposition to the purple dial.
>Worst attribute of watch: Lack of grip on the bezel, comparatively loud rotor.
