Aquatico and I got off to a rocky start. I reviewed two of the brand’s models in May 2019, and while both could have been promising watches for the price, they were sadly lacking in both execution and finish. Still, I kept seeing the brand popping up on other blogs with very different results and had to wonder if perhaps they were producing better quality watches than the ones I had sampled. In the spirit of second chances, I agreed to review a Sea Star V.2 you see here, and I’m glad I did. This watch is exactly what I had hoped the first two would be: sharp-looking, cleanly executed, at just $299, an excellent bang for the buck.
The Sea Star is a traditional diving watch in the popular 42mm size. It is 14.5mm thick and 50mm long, which made for a sporty, yet not oversized, fit on my 6.75″ wrist. There are few surprises in the overall case shape, but I do appreciate the way the undercuts below the case and bezel slim it out a tad.
Dive watches have got to be able to dive, so the Sea Star serves up all the right specs. It is rated for 300m water resistance, has a screw-down crown and case back, and a domed and AR-coated sapphire crystal. It wears a brushed finish all around and comes on a brushed, 22mm, Oyster-style, 3-link bracelet, with solid end links that tapers to a signed, 20mm, flip-lock clasp. Also included with this watch was a 22mm blue rubber strap in a 1970s Isofranesque style.
So far, so good. This is a familiar formula, and Aquatico has delivered it exactly as it should. The bushing on all parts matches in both direction and grain, and the edges are clean. The crown and bezel have fine, polished, coin edges that provide more than ample grip and a touch of shine. I have only one nit to pick and that is the rather shallow dolphin etching on the head. A deep engraving would be nice, but I’m reaching here. There is nothing to fault. Aquatico has established a solid baseline and things only go up from here.
The bezel insert is a glossy, deep blue ceramic with engraved markers filled with vintage lume save for the red triangle which sports a vintage lume pip. Action is ideal; firm and precise with nary a hint of play. The crystal, while not the grand dome I usually look for, exhibits the kind of off-axis distortion I love, making it appear rounder and taller than it really is.
Turning to the dial, Aquatico brings us gold brushed and applied baton markers, long sword hands, and a healthy application of vintage lume. Like the bezel, the dial is a rich shade of dark blue (bluer than Navy) that allows the tan, white, and red/orange accents to pop. I was pleased to see that they did not go crazy with the text, printing only two lines at the top and two at the bottom, all in an attractive serif typeface.
I love the color combination on this one, but if you are looking for something different, Aquatico offers the same layout in black and green, as well as a snowflake hands variant with BGW9 in green, black, blue, or brown.
Flip it over and you will be greeted with either a Swiss Sellita SW200 or a Japanese Seiko NH35. Outwardly, the watches are the same regardless of which unit you choose. Those who want the Swiss unit and the smooth 28.8k sweep will pay $499 for the privilege, which is not bad at all, but nearly as cheap as one with the $299 Seiko inside. I like the Sellita as much as the next guy, but being the Bum, I’d likely opt for the thrifty, sturdy (and did I mention thrifty?) NH35.
The Aquatico Sea Star V2 is a stylish, enjoyable watch that will happily knock around at the beach all weekend and still look smart when you need to dress up. And with prices starting at $299, what’s not to like? This one was a clear winner in my book. Aquatico is redeemed. Check them out at AquaticoWatch.com and don’t forget to sign up for their list to get 10% off and free shipping.
