INTRODUCTION:
Another benefit of attempting to build the Canada Watch Guild was the connection I made with Adam from Héron Watches, a Montreal based micro-brand. Seeing as they were local, I did my best to promote the launch of their first watch on Instagram, the Gladiateur. A somewhat dressy sports watch with 12-hour bezel embossed with Roman Numerals. It was a very impressive watch for its price point, but what was even more impressive was their advert on YouTube:
It is no secret that I am a fan of good advertising and that
video, in my opinion, is a masterclass in good marketing. So, when Adam reached
out a couple of months ago to discuss their next watch, I was quite excited to
get involved. However, how do you top the first one? Would there be a sophomore
slump? Adam went on to list off the specs and I got excited. He then sent me
pic after pic of all variations and then I started to get a little worried.
Then a few weeks ago, he sent me a message and said, “would you
like a week, hands-on with this one?” The minute I pulled it out of its box, my
worries vanished. I still think there are too many color and finish options (21
of them), but most are only offered at the initial launch. I just hope it does
not keep anyone from deciding on the one they want, because if you thought their
first offering was great value, you are in for a real treat!
CASE:
The case for the Marinor is made of 316L stainless steel, measures 39mm in diameter, 47mm from lug to lug and is an impressively slim 12.9mm from the top of the box crystal to the back. It wears extremely svelte on wrist and definitely will not impede any cuffs. The case itself is nearly entirely brushed, except for a delicate chamfer on its edges, which is polished, which is not something you usually see at this price point.
The case back is screwed down and has a very cool engraving of an old-timey sailor. This particularly hits home for me, as my uncle was first mate on a trans-Atlantic grain ship. He would leave for his travels clean shaven, but when he arrived back home with a thick beard. He also wore a hat very similar to the one in the engraving and believe it or not, he smoked a pipe! Funny thing about my uncle is that he hated the food on the ship, so he would drench everything in ketchup. Unfortunately, this spilled over, or rather frustratingly poured over and smacked the bottom into his home life.
operations and despite the watch’s overall slender size, it is water-resistance rated to 300m. I have saved one of its more impressive party tricks for last. All the stainless steel used in this watch is coated and hardened to 1200HV. This is significantly harder than standard steel, which should help keep it looking factory fresh for a very long time.
BEZEL, CRYSTAL & DIAL:
The large, domed sapphire crystal has 3 layers of AR coating on the underside, which helps with glare and gives off those cool blue hues at angles. The 120 slick bezel is also topped with a sapphire crystal and gives off that Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms look. The action is quite clicky and precise, with barely any back play. One thing I do not like is the color of the lume paint on the bezel does not match the aged lume color on the dial and hands. If this bothers you too, fear not, as there are multiple other variants that do not have this issue.
The dials are mostly gradient style, very tasteful, with applied indices all around. I particularly like the north-star marker at twelve, lending itself well to the nautical theme, without being over the top. Despite looking familiar, the hands are quite original and faceted, yet another feature you do not see on watches at this price point. You can tell a lot of attention to detail has been put into this one. It is also evident in the lack of superfluous text on the dial. Just the logo, brand name, model name and 300m. Metric, as it should be from Montreal.
The movement in the Marinor is the Miyota 9039, which is the same as the venerable 9015 sans date feature. I have owned multiple watches with these movements and of all the Japanese movements, the 9 series Miyotas are my favorite. In my experience, they always overachieve, are robust and for some reason, I have found them easier to line up the hands than any other movement. I am unsure why that is, but it definitely is the case.
This movement features 24 jewels, 28,800 beats per hour, 42 hours of power-reserve and it is only 3.9mm thick, which is why the Marinor can achieve its thinness. The specifications from Miyota say that the accuracy standards are -10~+30 sec/day. However, this one kept +3 sec/day the entire time I wore it, which is well within COSC standards.
Way too many people are hung-up over the use of SWISS movements and that is very unfortunate. It does not help that some of them, like the NH series from Seiko and 8 series from Miyota perform very poorly, though they cannot be faulted for toughness. These 9 series can stand toe to toe with anything from ETA or Sellita on performance and help keep the micro-brand prices reasonable.
Another place where the Marinor shines is the bracelet. Just like the case, the bracelet is made of 316L stainless steel, which is hardened to 1200HV. It tapers from 20mm between the lugs, down to 16mm at the clasp and also features quick release lug pins for easy strap changes. Though I wonder why anyone would want to remove this bracelet. It is very comfortable, easy to size with traditional one-sided screw pins and it features a very nifty micro-adjust system, which is similar to the one Christopher Ward uses.
The flat linked bracelet is fully brushed, though the clasp has polished chamfers on its sides, to mimic the ones on the case. What a wonderful design touch, along with a tasteful Héron logo. The twin triggers engage fully, and it feels very secure when shut. That said, there is a bit of a larger gap than I would have liked between the clasp shell and the bracelet protruding the back. This is a very minor knit I just had to pick, but nothing too egregious.
The overall comfort could not be any better. They have totally nailed the proportions, the tapering and the weight. It is easy to wear, you almost forget it is there, which is rare for a full steel dive watch, never mind one that is water-resistant to 300m.
CONCLUSION:
The terms “great value proposition” and “bang for your buck” are synonymous in the micro-brand watch world, but if there has ever been a better value proposition, I cannot think of one. You get everything I have mentioned above for the retail price of 620$, but wait there’s more! I just sounded like one of those infomercial TV guys, however I am serious! If you get in on the early bird Kickstarter special, you can pick one up for as little as 435$. The next Kickstarter special is 465$, which is still an outstanding value.
So, if you are in the market for a vintage inspired dive watch, with all the goodies of a modern piece, you have to seriously consider the Héron Marinor. And with all of the options available, you should be able to find one that works for you. I just hope the multiple options do not make it too difficult to decide. Mind you, at this price, you can easily get more than one!
To take part of their Kickstarter, follow the link below – all the fun starts on October 24th, 2023.
