It demolished the Kickstarter campaign, and Ross sold around 1750 watches in total. To put that into context, microbrands often only get models in batches of 300-500; and even then they’ll take months to sell.

The Kraken H2 also came with a bit of criticism: it went months past the scheduled release date. It was about a 4-5 month wait for people (me included) to finally get their grubby mitts on those delicious timepieces. Was it worth the wait? Hell yeah. Did Ross learn a lot from the process? Boy did he.

But anyway, let’s not get bogged down with the negatives. The vast success of the Kraken H2 would have provided anybody issues, even the most experienced business owners out there. To go from 0 to 1750 orders in a matter of weeks? And to have to arrange all the comms that go with them? That’s some serious work.

On to the “H3”. If you were to order the same watch, it would be the same as the H2. Unless you go for the white dial: the dial is now full lume. Epic. Of course, there’s also a little cheeky piece known as the GMT version – due to popular demand.

Standard price is the same; starting at £239. However, the entry-level movement is even better: the PT5000. It has a higher spec than the NH35, so you’re getting better value for money.

The GMT comes in at £499 and is powered by one of the following (whichever is available): ETA 2893-2, Sellita SW330-1 or the Soprod C125.

So really, what’s the down-low? Just like the H2: awesome looks, cool-looking matte scratch-resistant titanium (thanks to a clear PVD coating), ceramic bezel insert (for non-GMT version there’s a titanium option). Sapphire crystal, reliable movements, 200m water resistance, good selection of movements.

What’s different about the H3 campaign from the H2?

Well, there are much fewer options. The plethora of options with the H2 catered for much of the delays. Therefore, the orders for the H3 campaign should be easier for Ross to complete and get sent out quicker. Stretch goals are extra colour options only.

If you’re going for the standard version, you know what you’re getting. There are loads of positive reviews out there, and the H3 promises to be even more refined (although no different in terms of looks). Check out my review here.

Finally, let’s discuss the brand new GMT option. Please note; the model I was sent is very much a prototype.

The design of the Hamtun Kraken is just so refreshingly modern, and I am impressed by the addition of the GMT model to the lineup. It’s effortlessly cool, and slots right in alongside the other sublime options.

The second timezone hand has a stylised hand with a bold, eye-catching orange arrow tip. It doesn’t seem like an after-thought (after all, that’s what it is). It’s as if it was part of the original design; the essence of the Kraken oozing through.

The bezel insert is also lumed, with the 24-hour markers engraved within. The titanium insert is a light counter to the dark ceramic. Coupled with the variety of dial colour options, there’s a choice for everyone.

Many were disappointed to have missed out on the original H2 Kraken. If you were one of them, be disappointed no more.

The Hamtun Kraken H2 is without doubt one of the best value-for-money titanium divers available today.

In turn, that also makes the Hamtun Kraken H3 GMT one of the best value-for-money GMT titanium divers available.

View the Hamtun H3 Kraken Kickstarter campaign here.

The post Hamtun H3 GMT Watch Review / Introduction appeared first on 12&60.

Let’s check it out (this is the first review), and see how it fares.

The video review

The specs

• Dimensions: 41mm diameter x 13.9mm height x 47.8mm lug to lug
• Weight: 128g
• Water resistance rating: 20ATM / 200m
• Movement: Seiko NH35 (this one) or Sellita SW200-1
• Accuracy: +5.9 sec/day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: pledges start at £199
• Buy / pledge here: https://kck.st/2SjwGne

The case

One if the most impressive selling points of the Hamtun H2 Kraken starting at £199 is that the case and bracelet are constructed with what Ross describes as scratch-resistant “tough” titanium. This means it has an extra, transparent coating on it, much like DLC on steel. Click here to read more on that. This means that the hardness rating goes up to around 1000HV, from 225HV (steel) or 350HV (usual titanium) – and results in a new looking watch for longer.

I love the matte finish to it – it diffuses the light so well.

It’s a perfect size at 41mm diameter – fits on my 7.25″ wrist very well, and looks like it belongs.

Sitting on top of the case is a flat sapphire crystal, with multiple layers of anti-reflective coating on the underside. Let me tell you, it’s one of the best AR coatings I’ve seen on a watch of this value – the crystal is so incredibly clear, with a beautiful flash of blue at certain angles.

The crown at 4 is comfortable as it does not jab your wrist, and personally, I like the jaunty angle as it keeps things a bit different visually. The screw thread is solid and easy to use, thanks to the thick toothing. There is the Hamtun logo embossed on the end in a neat fashion.

The bezel has a comfortable curved outer edge to it, which is gentle to the touch but still easy to grip. Within the bezel is a matte ceramic insert, with Super-LumiNova filled markings – which is all very neatly executed; whilst the finish matches the case perfectly.

Drilled through lugs are always a plus as it makes life easy changing straps if you need to. 22mm is a standard size so you’ll be able to fit quite the selection of straps.

The caseback will be changed, so I can’t really pass any comment on it. Here’s the new design:

The dial

The stark, arctic white is crisp against the grey of the titanium, providing excellent visibility. The white is incredibly eye-catching – I’m not usually the largest fan of white, but this dial is truly captivating.

The raised rehaut and the double inset date window provide decent depth to the dial, the latter being positioned at 4 (a turn off for some). It merged well into the dial design as a whole and actually lines up perfectly with the crown, creating a very strong line visually.

I am impressed with the design of the hour markers; their rounded edges are very modern and they are all excellently made. On top of that, they have great depth and the polished border.

The printing on the dial is crisp and clear – the blue colour used for the “Kraken” text and on the second hand provides a splendid splash of colour too.

The Swiss made Super-LumiNova BGW9 is impressively strong, some of the best I’ve seen on an affordable watch that’s not a Seiko. It charges quickly, glows bright, and lasts a good while.

The hands are a unique shape which is most welcome; bold and very easy to read. The thick borders work so well with the white dial base – as does the white coloured lume.

The bracelet

Being titanium, the bracelet is light, soft to the touch, and comfortable to wear.

The links are 3.8mm thick and are secured in place by screw pins. They’re a simple design; I certainly feel it’s an improvement from the H1.

The buckle is 20mm wide, with the Hamtun logo lightly engraved on top. Perhaps it would be nicer if this was embossed or engraved deeper, plus I think I would have preferred the folding inner workings to be slightly thicker / better constructed. But I’m really nitpicking here – and anyhow, it may even end up being upgraded anyway if the stretch goal is reached.

Here’s the design of the potential new buckle:

The movement

The Hamtun H2 Kraken has two movement options: either a Seiko NH35 or you pay an extra £100 for a Swiss Made Sellita SW200-1. The Sellita grade used is the superior elaboré – so whilst you can’t see it, you know it’s good looking behind the caseback.

Either option is excellent; the Seiko NH35 is so widely used it seems to be in every microbrand watch going (with good reason), the Sellita is a reliable alternative to the ETA 2824-2 (highly regarded as the best Swiss automatic going).

Final comments

I think Ross has done a brilliant job in creating a modern, solidly-built, high specced diver for a very affordable price. Taking the first pledges into consideration – this is a whole lot of watch for £199. In fact, I’d go for it and say I’m struggling to find a better alternative at that price.

I love the stark white dial, the hour markers are very cool, and the hands are different yet bold. What’s really impressed me, however, is firstly the “tough” titanium – which is very impressive considering the cost – and also the stunning anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal.

All these things make a great proposition. I’m really happy to see another British brand making great watches, and I’m convinced the H2 Kraken will be a success long into the future.

The post Hamtun H2 Kraken Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

Now, Ross has set his sights on doing an even better job with his next release: the Neon. Coming to Kickstarter on January 30th, early birds can get one for a pretty intriguing £259. I’ve two version to show you (although it comes in many options): the DLC full-time dial, and the steel / yellow. Let’s take a closer look to see how it fares.

The specs

• Dimensions: 42mm diameter x 13mm height x 51.5mm lug to lug
• Weight: 193g (178g with 4 links removed)
• Water resistance rating: 10ATM / 100m
• Movement: STP 1-11
• Accuracy: SS / Yellow: +5.4 sec/day; DLC: +8.4 sec/day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: KickStarter pledges starting from £259 ($365); RRP approx £370 ($520)
• Available from: https://hamtun.co/collections/everyday-watches/products/neon-brushed-yellow

The case

The Neon is a lovely size at 42mm (I would say that as I was the one who recommended 42mm rather than 43mm). With a 13mm height it is also reasonably slender and fits under a cuff well.

The case is a standard barrel shape; completely brushed on the steel version which should prove to be quite hard wearing. The DLC version has an even, smooth coating. The case features good machining and finishing all over – nice sharp lines and an even finish.

Sitting on top of the case is a ceramic bezel with screws securing it in place – high-quality material you wouldn’t expect at this price point.

The double domed sapphire crystal provides great visibility at even the tightest angle, and has an effective anti-reflective coating on the underside. I always say a decent AR coating really makes an impression when you see a watch in the metal – and that’s exactly the case with the Neon.

The case has drilled-through lugs, which makes changing straps easy and you are much less likely to damage them whilst doing so. I think the lug-to-lug length is a bit on the long side – I’ve got an approx 7.25” wrist and it’s right on the edge of hanging over… if you have a smaller wrist, just be aware.

The screw-in crown has decent engineered grip, with the H logo embossed on the end. Large crown guards provide decent protection.

The caseback has an exhibition window and is secured in place by 6 screws. It’s brushed to match the case – but even so on the DLC version. Now, usually that would be cause for complaint – but this is where the design is a bit clever. The steel ring at the base of the bezel works well with it, creating a “steel sandwich” – so the steel caseback on the DLC case no longer looks out of place. There’s a cheeky spelling mistake on the detailing which is engraved – “Britis” rather than “British”; but that will be rectified on the production run.

The dial

I find the dial simple, but friendly; with rounded assets which are pleasing to the eye. It’s not a traditional style at all – I can’t quite put my finger on it: not obviously a diver, but also not really taking many cues from field, tool, or any other category. This is good; it makes the Neon extremely unique.

There’s a wide array of options available – 12 to be precise; with variations based upon steel and DLC cases coupled with white, yellow, blue, green and orange accents. The cool feature is how the colour of the dial matches the steel ring below the bezel.

There are no applied elements, all markings are printed – either lumed on the black dial, or black on the full lume dial to create a “shadow”. It’s easy to read thanks to bold, legible font.

The hands are rounded batons – simple, no-nonsense stuff, and the seconds hand has a disc two thirds down which tracks the inner index line.

The bracelet

What a beauty of a chunky bracelet. The H links are thick, very smooth and super comfortable.

The bracelet on the steel is completely brushed to match the rest of the case. The DLC bracelet is where I have a minor concern: the coating is applied after it is constructed (it’s much more expensive to coat it before putting it all together). Therefore, there’s a few places where you can see the coating hasn’t quite reached – mainly in-between the links. This isn’t visible whilst wearing the watch, but if you put it down on the table you can see a difference between the black DLC and the steel poking through.

The buckle is a delight to behold and use. Super chunky and admirably engineered, it has everything you need in a unique design: 3 point micro adjustment, ratcheting extension, welded logo (which is splendidly crafted) and solid, dependable function.

The movement

The movement in the Hamtun Neon is the STP 1-11, which I’ve seen before in the Nodus Trieste and Nth Azores. It has a good reputation as being an easier-to-source alternative to the unequivocal ETA 2824. In fact, it’s more or less the Fossil Group’s direct competitor to the 2824: a replica with a few tweaks here and there (1 more jewel with 26, 6 more hours power reserve on average with 44), but in reality the same.

It has all the usual specs you’d expect, such as hacking seconds hand, hand winding, automatic, date. They’re also supposedly well regulated out of the factory.

The finishing is a much higher grade than the stock ETA, plus we have an added plus of a custom rotor. I personally would have thought that putting the Hamtun logo on the rotor would have made more sense than Neon, as then it would be able to be used constantly on all rotors moving forward. But a custom rotor is good nonetheless.

Using my Lepsi Watch Scope, the steel / yellow is coming in at +5.4 sec/day; the DLC at +8.4 sec/day. Both are well regulated – I usually hope for under 10 seconds a day out.

Final comments

When you take all things into consideration, the Hamtun Neon is surely going to be a hit. Not only is the design unique and well thought out; the build quality is sensational. Yes there’s a couple of things here and there I’d want to alter – no timepiece is truly faultless – such as the long lug to lug length, and the DLC coating missing places in the bracelet, but the overall impression is excellent.

The fact that it’s going to be available on Kickstarter from January 30th for a starting pledge of a mere £259 is an extremely good proposition. The build quality is much better than the price tag suggests – in the metal, it just looks and feels like such a superior timepiece.

The post Hamtun Neon Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

I’ve been able to get my hands on his new Hamtun H1 for a week (it’s doing the rounds) so here are my brief thoughts on the watch. It’s available on Kickstarter until October 27th 2016.

The specs

• Case dimensions: 41mm x 48mm x 13mm
• Case material: grade-5 titanium
• Bezel: Matte ceramic
• Movement: NH35A
• Strap: Choice of bracelet (grade-5 titanium) or silicone (very dark grey matte)
• Crystal: Double domed sapphire with AR coating on inside and outside
• Lug width: 22mm
• WR: 200m
• Price: From $199 / £150 for early backers
• Available from: https://hamtun.co/collections/dive-watches

The case

The case is constructed of grade-5 titanium, with a pleasant matte finish. It’s well shaped and finished. It’s designed in a tool style with the crown located at 4, with the logo engraved at the end.

The case features a highly toothed bezel, with really great grip. It has a little bit of give and not the smoothest action. The ceramic insert is very nice indeed with all markings filled with lume.

The screw-in caseback has some nice detailing to it to match the general feel of thew watch.

Sitting on top of the case is a double-domed sapphire crystal, which offers excellent clarity thanks to the anti-reflective coating on the top and bottom – something you don’t see often at all on affordable watches.

The dial

The dial is simple and bold – just what a tool watch should be. It’s a sandwich dial – the hour markers are cut out and filled with lume on a lower level.

The date window located at 4 is neatly executed. It lines up with the crown so it fits in place. There is a black date wheel to match the dial, which is not necessarily something you’d expect on a watch costing this much.

We have very simple and bold hour and minute hands: straight batons with a small pointed tip. The seconds hand is plain blue point that provides a dash of colour along with the blue on the minute track located on the rehaut.

The bracelet / strap

The bracelet is made of the same matte titanium as the case, so they work together seamlessly. I’m personally not too keen on the sizing of the links, with them all the same width. I think a wider centre link would make the bracelet look a little more modern – but that really is just my personal thought. The links are secured with very impressive, smooth and easy to use screw-in pins.

The silicone strap is really lovely and soft, and I think it looks fantastic. It’s my favoured option, and it fits the watch around the lugs snugly and accurately. The strap has the logo subtly moulded on the top of both ends which looks pretty sharp.

The movement

The movement found in the Hamtun H1 is the Seiko NH35A. I’ve seen this a good few times now – it’s quite a popular choice for affordable watches as it’s well known to be solid and dependable, yet well priced. It can be found in the G. Gerlach Submarine and Orzel, the Gruppo Gamma A-41, Helm Vanuatu, Melbourne Watch Co Parkville, and the Invicta Pro Diver just to name a few.

It’s pretty accurate straight out from the factory, and has a hacking seconds hand and hand winding capabilities. It runs at 21.6k bph (6 ticks per second) and has 24 jewels and a 41 hour power reserve. A good choice of movement.

Final comments

The Kickstarter pledges are ridiculously priced. £150 is extremely good value, the next available pledge at £200 is still great, and even for the the RRP of £250 you’re getting a lot of watch for the money. Titanium case and bracelet, double coating AR, NH35A movement, ceramic bezel insert are all specs that result in a very impressive timepiece. There’s a few little bits here and there that aren’t quite as well finished as I would like, but this is a sample so I hope that the final batch are spotless.

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