BYOP Navtimer Testimonial

“If you’re reading reviews, it’s probably because you already like the design. What you will want to know is whether the reality matches up to photographs. The short answer is ‘yes’.

​

After removing the packing, you’re presented with a grey, rectangular, cardboard box with the BYOP logo  embossed on the top. It’s a bit of  fluff, but it looks classy. It’s furnishes a pleasant unboxing experience. The watch is within, packed inside a leather wallet, of about the size and shape of a spectacle case. The first thing you notice is that it has a bit of heft. It’s not exactly heavy, but you can tell that the manufacturers haven’t economisedon ‘stuff’. It’s solid. Quality. Real. The impression of quality is reinforced by the finish of the case. The brushed steel looks smart and ‘well turned out’. Under-stated, but substantial. The curved lugs are wide and buttressy and elongate the wrist profile, giving a slight impression of a cushion shape. It’s just a bit different.

​

I am replacing a Vostok Amphibia automatic. It’s a serious piece of kit, waterproof to over 1,000 feet, sturdy, reliable and rather stylish in its way. Next to the Navtimer it looks flimsy and cheap. It doesn’t weigh appreciably less, it didn’t cost appreciably less, it just isn’t finished to the same standard. A small example of what I mean by finish is the winding crown. The Vostok’s crown has the same finish as the stock crowns that come with replacement mechanisms. It’s the cheapest possible solution. The BYOP crowns have a far nicer finger feel and look. They’re knurled and chunky and do the job well.

​

Another example is the time-elapsed bezel. The one on the Amphibia is rather stiff and ugly. After 15 mins the graduations are at 5 minute intervals. The Navtimer bezel is detailed and beautiful. It is internally mounted and turns smoothly using the extra crown. It’s a lovely touch. More important is the finish of the face. I’m long-sighted and legibility is paramount. The Navtimer is probably unbeatable for this in terms of design (There’s a watch made by Sinn which comes close but costs a good deal more), but the crispness of the execution also far surpasses that on the Amphibia.

​

I have never been a fan of Superluminova. My first watch had a radium dial, so it’s disappointing to me that Superluminova fades so quickly. But the generous application of it on the Navtimer make it make sense. You notice it when you move from a sunlit field into woodland shade, or from the garden to the outhouse. The whole dial lights up in a situation where I would normally struggle to read the watch. If I have one criticism, it’s that the hands remain lit up for a shorter time than the dial. In total darkness, the Amphibia performs better as the hands stay visible for several minutes longer, even though the dial has disappeared. The second hand on the Amphibia is also lit up by a Superluminova dot, whereas the Navtimer’s second hand is invisible in the dark. That said, the yellow second hand on the Navtimer is one of my favourite features. Shape and colour are both little works of art.

​

I guess the most important part of a watch is the mechanism. Herein lies a big question. If you want split second accuracy and maintenance-free time-telling, you should probably be looking at quartz. Quartz mechanisms are very accurate and allegedly very durable. All you have to do is change a battery every now and again. But they’re so incredibly cheap to buy that I feel ripped off paying more than GBP 50 for a quartz watch which doesn’t feature gold or diamonds. Mechanical mechanisms are little wonders and I don’t mind paying for extra those. They’re living things with a cheerful, ticking pulse. The Navtimer and Amphibia are powered by quite similar mechanisms. Both have the same accuracy rating of -20 to +40 second/day, but the Seiko NH35A inside the Navtimer has the ability to stop (hack) the second hand which Vostok doesn’t.

​

If the accuracy figure seems alarming, it shouldn’t. These are maximum figures and depend on how well the mechanism has been tuned. After 48 hours my Navtimer still agrees with the internet and my Amphibia typically gained no more than 2 minutes in a week. Swiss-made ETA movements such as the 2824-2 narrow the gap to + or – 12 seconds/day but cost at least 5 times more. This translates to GBP 100’s more in retail price and explains the gap between affordable and luxury watches. The main cost of manufacturing a watch mechanism is setting up the machinery to make the parts. This has long since been paid for with the NH35A. Should anything go wrong with an NH35A, it shouldn’t cost more than GBP 50 to replace the entire mechanism.

​

A word about the strap. My Amphibia has a rubber strap which is perfectly sensible for a dive watch and works well at fastening the watch to my wrist, but I do prefer leather. The fact is, the leather straps which come with affordable watches are notoriously awful. Not so here. The strap is actually superior to those with which I would normally replace the ones supplied with affordable watches. The buckle is substantial and the leather flexible. I really like it. Over all, the watch is well worth the money. The design is innovative and practical and the finish is simple but very high class. Personally, I can’t stop admiring it.

​

Finally a mention for the buying experience. These watches are a labour of love and that extends to the friendly and helpful service available through the website. I can’t speak highly enough”.

“If you’re reading reviews, it’s probably because you already like the design. What you will want to know is whether the reality matches up to photographs. The short answer is ‘yes’.

​

After removing the packing, you’re presented with a grey, rectangular, cardboard box with the BYOP logo  embossed on the top. It’s a bit of  fluff, but it looks classy. It’s furnishes a pleasant unboxing experience. The watch is within, packed inside a leather wallet, of about the size and shape of a spectacle case. The first thing you notice is that it has a bit of heft. It’s not exactly heavy, but you can tell that the manufacturers haven’t economisedon ‘stuff’. It’s solid. Quality. Real. The impression of quality is reinforced by the finish of the case. The brushed steel looks smart and ‘well turned out’. Under-stated, but substantial. The curved lugs are wide and buttressy and elongate the wrist profile, giving a slight impression of a cushion shape. It’s just a bit different.

​

I am replacing a Vostok Amphibia automatic. It’s a serious piece of kit, waterproof to over 1,000 feet, sturdy, reliable and rather stylish in its way. Next to the Navtimer it looks flimsy and cheap. It doesn’t weigh appreciably less, it didn’t cost appreciably less, it just isn’t finished to the same standard. A small example of what I mean by finish is the winding crown. The Vostok’s crown has the same finish as the stock crowns that come with replacement mechanisms. It’s the cheapest possible solution. The BYOP crowns have a far nicer finger feel and look. They’re knurled and chunky and do the job well.

​

Another example is the time-elapsed bezel. The one on the Amphibia is rather stiff and ugly. After 15 mins the graduations are at 5 minute intervals. The Navtimer bezel is detailed and beautiful. It is internally mounted and turns smoothly using the extra crown. It’s a lovely touch. More important is the finish of the face. I’m long-sighted and legibility is paramount. The Navtimer is probably unbeatable for this in terms of design (There’s a watch made by Sinn which comes close but costs a good deal more), but the crispness of the execution also far surpasses that on the Amphibia.

​

I have never been a fan of Superluminova. My first watch had a radium dial, so it’s disappointing to me that Superluminova fades so quickly. But the generous application of it on the Navtimer make it make sense. You notice it when you move from a sunlit field into woodland shade, or from the garden to the outhouse. The whole dial lights up in a situation where I would normally struggle to read the watch. If I have one criticism, it’s that the hands remain lit up for a shorter time than the dial. In total darkness, the Amphibia performs better as the hands stay visible for several minutes longer, even though the dial has disappeared. The second hand on the Amphibia is also lit up by a Superluminova dot, whereas the Navtimer’s second hand is invisible in the dark. That said, the yellow second hand on the Navtimer is one of my favourite features. Shape and colour are both little works of art.

​

I guess the most important part of a watch is the mechanism. Herein lies a big question. If you want split second accuracy and maintenance-free time-telling, you should probably be looking at quartz. Quartz mechanisms are very accurate and allegedly very durable. All you have to do is change a battery every now and again. But they’re so incredibly cheap to buy that I feel ripped off paying more than GBP 50 for a quartz watch which doesn’t feature gold or diamonds. Mechanical mechanisms are little wonders and I don’t mind paying for extra those. They’re living things with a cheerful, ticking pulse. The Navtimer and Amphibia are powered by quite similar mechanisms. Both have the same accuracy rating of -20 to +40 second/day, but the Seiko NH35A inside the Navtimer has the ability to stop (hack) the second hand which Vostok doesn’t.

​

If the accuracy figure seems alarming, it shouldn’t. These are maximum figures and depend on how well the mechanism has been tuned. After 48 hours my Navtimer still agrees with the internet and my Amphibia typically gained no more than 2 minutes in a week. Swiss-made ETA movements such as the 2824-2 narrow the gap to + or – 12 seconds/day but cost at least 5 times more. This translates to GBP 100’s more in retail price and explains the gap between affordable and luxury watches. The main cost of manufacturing a watch mechanism is setting up the machinery to make the parts. This has long since been paid for with the NH35A. Should anything go wrong with an NH35A, it shouldn’t cost more than GBP 50 to replace the entire mechanism.

​

A word about the strap. My Amphibia has a rubber strap which is perfectly sensible for a dive watch and works well at fastening the watch to my wrist, but I do prefer leather. The fact is, the leather straps which come with affordable watches are notoriously awful. Not so here. The strap is actually superior to those with which I would normally replace the ones supplied with affordable watches. The buckle is substantial and the leather flexible. I really like it. Over all, the watch is well worth the money. The design is innovative and practical and the finish is simple but very high class. Personally, I can’t stop admiring it.

​

Finally a mention for the buying experience. These watches are a labour of love and that extends to the friendly and helpful service available through the website. I can’t speak highly enough”.

​

-Martin