kestrel131
3T WIS
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So my Father-in-law wrote up the ordeal with FeEx, and how great Jason at Halios has been about making things right, but the reason we read these reviews...the watch.
To put it simply...this watch is Impressive; from the packaging down to the details.
The watch came in a Pacific Alder wooden box, with just the Halios Logo branded/burned into the lid. The lid and body have recessed magnets and the hinges are recessed into a V-groove cut in the back, so when the lid is closed, there is no gap between lid and box. The craftsmanship is impressive, and apparently it comes from a local (to Halios) woodworker.
Inside, you have the watch on a metal bracelet, an genuine Isofrane strap with spring bars, a spring bar tool, and a small screw driver. All neatly set in cut foam.
Starting with the watch face, it is a matte or satin finish black, so from some angles it looks a little greyish. The Indices are painted with a generous amount of lume. The Halios name, and the 500m water rating are printed in white, and the name Laguna is printed in a red or orange-red color.
Halios Laguna by W Simon, on Flickr
The Halios Logo, the date window at 3 o'clock and the hands are a bright polished chrome, and they look great against the matte dial. The hands are a nice broad sword hand that have a crease down the middle, giving them a little more depth. the hands are lumed to match the indices.
Rather than a chapter ring and bezel outside, this watch has an internal rotating bezel. The pip, indices, and numbers are all lumed to match. The crown at 2 o'clock spins the bezel, in both directions. The feel of this crown is very firm but smooth. the only thing I question, is this is NOT a screw down crown...but this watch claims a 500 meter depth rating. The 4 o'clock crown to set the time is a screw down crown. While this is a little confusing to me, it is also one area where the quality and attention to detail come in...
despite one crown screwing down, and the other just rotating...the gaps and heights are dead on. with the crown at 4:00 screwed in they are visually identical.
Untitled by W Simon, on Flickr
the watch is topped with a flat sapphire crystal, and with the internal bezel...its a big piece of sapphire at 36 mm across. This gives it a nice large open face.
Untitled by W Simon, on Flickr
The case may be what impresses me the most. Design wise it has a nice mix of gentile curves, and creases and facets. the lugs flow from the case shape, and curve to wrap around the wrist nicely. the machined solid end links fit in the case so tightly the seam matches the creases of the case, and don't disturb the monolithic feel. the case has a beautiful brushed finish.
Inside the case beats a ETA 2824. a solid movement, that I think we all know well enough.
the bracelet is also substantial, and easily adjustable with the included screw driver, because the links are connected by 1 screw, that goes the width of the bracelet and threads into the link. There is a diver's extension that is also a solid machined piece, rather than the folded metal on my Seiko Spork/Kamikaze. I don't really like diver's extensions, it gives too much extra room over my 3 mm wet suit, and not enough room if I'm wearing gloves, or wearing a 7 mm suit... for that you have the included Isofrane, with a beautiful custom buckle. the buckle is again a cast or machined piece, rather than folded metal. the buckle shape matches the case shape nicely, and is signed with the halios name on the underside. sorry no picture of that...I'll snap one when I get home...
Untitled by W Simon, on Flickr
This watch and Halios have really impressed me. They have put out an exceptional product, and the attention to details shows from the box, down to the single screw bracelet links. I wish them the best, and look forward to buying their next watch...
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