REVIEW: Advisor beefs up with the Supa Diver
It seems there are (at least) two types of dive watch enthusiasts: Those who take a liking to the 40mm and under vintage-inspired and those who opt for beefier wrist appeal with larger tough-looking pieces. With an eye for the latter, Singaporean brand Advisor will return to Kickstarter this week with the Supa Diver, a robust, Swiss-powered bronze beast that’s sure to turn a few heads.
The Supa Diver is the brand’s third release and follows down the path of some other Singapore-based brands in the chunky dive watch department. This piece will offer some of the best specifications to date, utilizing the Sellita SW200 movement. Previous releases have used the low beat Seiko NH35.
The case:
The Supa Diver feels familiar yet original, thanks to it’s unique bezel layout. A ceramic insert is cut around decorative hex screws, providing a tough utilitarian aesthetic. At 44 mm diameter, the heavy CuSn8 bronze case will appeal to fans of this style and harkens to other heavy dive hitters like fellow Singapore brand Zelos and German brand VDB. A think stainless embossed caseback finishes the look and provides protection from direct skin exposure to the bronze material.
Another fine touch: the domed sapphire crystal features an underside anti-reflective coating – this is an extra step that certainly adds value.
The dial:
Advisor made some interesting choices with the dial of the Supa Diver. They took a layered approach, with applied markers, a matte dial and a nice deep date cutout with matching date disc. These are very nice touchesindeed and it’s nice to see so many microbrands paying attention to these closer details. The thick stick hands are easily legible and a healthy application of Superluminova guides the way when the sun goes down.
Specs:
• Case Material: Marine-Grade CUSN8 Bronze • Case Back: Screwed In Embossed • Diameter: 44mm • Height: 14.5mm • Lug Width: 22mm • Lug to Lug: 51mm • Bezel: Marine-Grade CUSN8 Bronze with 120 Clicks Uni-directional Matt-Black Ceramic Insert • Dial: Double-Layered Dial • Date: Date Function at 6 • Index & Hands: Applied Index • Luminous: Swiss Super-LumiNova (BGW9 or C3) • Crystal: Domed Scratch Resistant Sapphire with Triple Layer of Anti-Reflective & Anti-Finger Print Coating • Crown: Screwed Down • Movement: Swiss-Made Sellita, SW200-1 Automatic, 28,800 vibrations per hour (VPH) • Water Resistance: 300m / 1000ft • Straps: Quality Rubber Straps
Final thoughts:
Advisor is maturing after three releases, focusing more on details and better specifications. At its starting Kickstarter price point of $429, the Supa Diver is an attractive proposition for those into this sort of watch. Fans of dainty divers beware: this timepiece is far from pretty. This beast eats demure watches for breakfast.
For more on the Feb. 19 kickstarter launch, visit Advisor’s site here.