Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve

Jamie Weiss

It all the time amazes me how Switzerland, a famously landlocked nation that’s residence to only some deep lakes, produces so many dive watches. Each Swiss watchmaker value their salt makes a range of divers – however some manufacturers are extra dive-focused than others. Edox is one in all them. Based in 1884 in Bienne and having remained in steady manufacturing since its basis, Edox kinds itself as “The Water Champion since 1961”, a reference to the introduction of the Edox Delfin, a traditionally vital early dive watch that was the primary to make use of a double o-ring system along with a double caseback. Quick-forward to 2023, and Edox’s vary stays dominated by dive watches, with the brand new Neptunian Grande Réserve being the most recent piece to hitch the Edox household. In comparison with earlier Neptunian fashions, the Neptunian Grande Réserve trades off out-and-out water resistance for a smaller case measurement and a superior energy reserve, making it a extra versatile day by day wearer.

The case

As alluded to above, the earlier entry within the Edox Neptunian story, the SkyDiver Neptunian, encompasses a 44mm extensive and 15.6mm thick case. Compared, the brand new Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve encompasses a 42mm extensive and 12.3mm thick case. That’s an enormous weight reduction regime and makes the Neptunian Grande Réserve really feel far much less chunky on the wrist – the truth is, the Neptunian Grande Réserve is even thinner than the SkyDiver Limited Editions that came out last year.

Certainly, as dive watches go, it’s eminently wearable: I’ve fairly massive wrists however even these with much less gorilla-like mitts than mine will discover the Neptunian Grande Réserve much less imposing than most dive watches of this measurement and kind. The upshot of this smaller kind issue is that the Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve is ‘solely’ water resistant to 300m in comparison with the SkyDiver Neptunian’s 1,000m score. That mentioned, 300m is of course greater than sufficient for many aquatic conditions, and we doubt too many potential consumers will likely be delay by that distinction in water resistance.

The Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve’s case is very typical – however that’s not a criticism. Quite the opposite, it’s a properly executed, inoffensively designed fashionable chrome steel dive watch, with a pleasing array of brushed and polished surfaces, a outstanding and barely pointy crown guard, a unidirectional, ceramic diving bezel, and a stable caseback with a stylised depiction of Neptune, the Roman god of the ocean.

The dial

Like its case, the Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve’s dial can be extremely typical (and once more, that’s no unhealthy factor). The black and darkish blue references function a barely matte, uniform dial end, whereas the sunshine blue and inexperienced references function a delicate dégradé end… These latter two colors are my favorite (I’d get the inexperienced for myself), however the mild blue is a bit uncommon, which is cool. Arrow fingers and Tremendous-LumiNova X1-filled indices plus a date window at 3 o’clock full the package deal.

One notable function of the Neptunian Grande Réserve’s face is its deeply angled, anodised rehaut which proudly proclaims its 300m water resistance. It’s considerably evocative of the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea… Fortunately, the Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve isn’t fairly as chunky as that hefty watch.

The bracelet

The Neptunian Grande Réserve comes mounted on a pleasing three-link bracelet with a deployant clasp. The clasp is quite minimal, that includes a brushed end and the Edox hourglass brand. This bracelet is thinner than most of its type, and options comparatively extensive, polished centre hyperlinks. These is likely to be a little bit of a magnet for scratches, however scratches look good on a software watch anyway.

The motion

The motion is without doubt one of the Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve’s larger promoting factors. The SkyDiver Neptunian may need a formidable 1,000m water-resistance score nevertheless it’s powered by the Edox Calibre 80, their variant of the Sellita SW200-1, which solely has a 38-hour energy reserve – fairly paltry by fashionable requirements. Compared, the Neptunian Grande Réserve is powered by the Edox calibre 808, Edox’s model of the La Joux-Perret G100, which isn’t solely a extra sturdy motion, however crucially boasts a 68-hour energy reserve – that’s why the watch is named the ‘Grande Réserve’.

Look, to be trustworthy, making such an enormous deal about 68 hours appears a bit of unusual. 68 hours is sweet, however once you’ve received related watches just like the Longines HydroConquest or the Certina DS Action Diver boasting superior energy reserves (at an much more reasonably priced value level besides), it comes off as a bit self-important. Nonetheless, 68 hours makes the Neptunian Grande Réserve ‘weekend-proof’, which is extra that may be mentioned of different Edox Neptunian fashions or a majority of dive watches on this class.

The decision

Dive watches of this kind and at this value level are a dime a dozen, so why get the Edox? Easy. The Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve ticks all of the packing containers and encompasses a delightfully skinny case profile that makes it a much more versatile day by day wearer than a majority of 300m water resistant metal dive watches.

Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve pricing and availability

The Edox Neptunian Grande Réserve is obtainable now. Value: from €1,890.