Daniel Oliver 
Perfectly, this is uncomfortable.
A 12 months back, I experienced the enjoyment of reviewing the Lorier Neptune Series III, and 1 of my final thoughts was “if the Ortegas ever launch a 38mm Neptune with a day window, my Omega Seamaster will be in major trouble”. The most recent Sequence IV Neptune isn’t 38mm, but a total millimeter has been shaved off the lug-to-lug length, and a date window has been additional as an optional complication. Goodness me.
1st issues initially. Why the rush to promote the SMP, or for that make any difference, pretty much all of my very carefully sought-just after watches? This may audio like a weary cliché by now but the past pair of decades have left an affect on me and my technique to particular possessions. As the lockdown progressed, I felt the increasing will need to throw plenty of things in the trash bin, perhaps as a immediate consequence of getting some time off to reevaluate what is truly critical in life. On top of that, I commenced questioning the insanely large selling prices some of us are eager to pay out for a look at. Does it make feeling for a timepiece to command $3000, $6000, or even $10000 and over and above? We can wax poetic all working day about the very best intricacies of the free of charge current market, but in my intellect the remedy is distinct. Some individuals would even argue that any enjoy in excess of fifty bucks is just not value it, and I fully respect that! The appreciate of horology shouldn’t occur from the quantity of dollars expended, but alternatively, from a celebration of time and its overarching impact on us all.
Seem, to be properly clear, I’m not indicating you really should hardly ever purchase an highly-priced look at, and I assure I will fawn in excess of a rare timepiece as significantly as the following watch aficionado. If you have the disposable earnings to splurge on regardless of what design you extravagant, by all indicates do. All I’m stating is that often a sensible selection is welcome, much too.
So, right after many years of lusting more than each individual look at fashion readily available in the market, I have lastly made a decision that I want to preserve a diver look at for every day use, and a costume enjoy for specific occasions. In that regard, I think a typical diver watch is just great for the part, and this is the place the Neptune IV will come in.
Here’s a rapid look at the specs:
- Circumstance materials: 316L stainless steel
- Situation diameter: 39 mm
- Lug width: 20 mm (tapers to 16mm at the clasp)
- Lug-to-lug duration: 46 mm
- Thickness: 12.7 mm
- Drinking water resistance: 200 m
- Movement: Miyota 9015
- Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 bph)
Redesigned Aesthetics
The Neptune IV is, in my viewpoint, the definitive edition of the collection. Whilst Series III accomplished aesthetic maturity, Sequence IV adds refinement and operation to the equation. The bezel is a lot easier to grip now thanks to a slight reshaping of the case. The lugs have luckily been shortened by a millimeter, which might not seem like a ton, but truly make the observe glimpse and wear better now. The dial indexes have thicker surroundings, addressing a person of the nitpicks I experienced about Sequence III, particularly the deficiency of distinction of the gilt accents towards the black background. The hour hand seems to be much more confident than right before and has been mostly stripped of lume, which aids in differentiating it from the moment hand in the dim. And lastly, to my utter delight, an optional day window has been added at 6 o’clock (purists can decide the no-day Neptune). To leading it all off, the day version provides a much needed splash of colour in the Neptune brand name, which matches handsomely with the even dates in the roulette datewheel.
A further welcome up grade comes in the bezel, which is now created of acrylic and is taken care of with BGW9 SuperLuminova. Owning handled dozens of watches prior to, I have grown accustomed to the smaller apparent diameter of most dials in the dim. A luminous bezel expands the obvious dimensions of the look at and makes it look magnificent, futuristic even.
The bracelet has been significantly improved, also. It is now more rounded, and it feels a lot less “machine-made”, if that will make sense at all. The Lorier bracelet has been satisfied with common acclaim considering the fact that the commence, and now it rests even a lot more easily on the wrist.
As for the negatives, not a great deal has adjusted given that the past generation, which is to say, it’s tricky to obtain anything to complain about. The acrylic crystal looks as charming as at any time, rendering pretty distortions when seemed from virtually each individual angle. Having said that, it builds static charge like nuts, which means that 90% of the time the crystal will be included in smaller dust particles (this is additional evident in sunlight). As lengthy as you really do not brain wiping it usually, however, it will look gorgeous. Just keep in mind to have your Polywatch tube at the ready.
Selection Deserving
So… what now? Is there seriously only one slot in my collection for a diver check out? Can timeless and stylish coexist on my check out box?
Initial a minimal tale, if I might. Keep in mind when the first Iron Guy movie arrived out? Fantastic movie and all, but do you precisely recall RDJ’s leather jacket? I imagined it seemed incredibly great, with the off-center zipper and whatnot. As before long as I bought out of the film theater I decided I ought to have it. At the time, I was even now residing with my mothers and fathers, and my mom explained to me that, although the certain jacket in the film seemed wonderful, it would quickly seem dated, as manner trends inevitably do. In her belief, it was substantially extra smart to discover a classic design and style jacket. I reluctantly agreed, but as time has handed, I concede she was correct. The SMP is every little thing but basic. It might be considered “vintage” now, but it is surely not timeless thinking about how loudly it screams ‘90s.
For now, I believe I will retain my SMP for a minor lengthier as the Neptune IV is not out there at the moment. The subsequent batch is scheduled for shipping and delivery in March 2023, with pre-orders accessible right now. If you are in the industry for a critical dive look at that punches very well above its excess weight, I cannot recommend the Neptune plenty of. It screams class, but at the identical time it’s difficult at its main. It is really practical, especially if you decide for the date edition. Lastly, and possibly just as crucial, it is nicely-crafted and timeless, which signifies it will look excellent on your wrist for a long time to arrive.
For much more details stop by the official Lorier Watches internet site in this article.
