In the affordable end of the market, truly new or unique ideas are hard to find. It is much safer to produce tried and true models that don’t take too many risks. So when a $70 watch comes around that brings something that hasn’t been seen before, it’s pretty exciting. Addiesdive have pulled just that off with the dial on their AD2030 model.
The textured, 3D dial has such a refreshing idea. It has dunes and peaks that mimic an endless desert landscape (in this brown color). With a seemingly split personality between its diving inspiration, and its sort-of-dressy, sort-of-sporty case and lack of lume, is it convincing at either?
Brand
Addiesdive is, as its name suggests, focused mostly on homage dive watches at the lower end of the market. Known for their faithful homages of famous diving models, the brand often delivers a product with insane value. With specs that sometimes exceed their inspirations, and prices that are usually under $100, it’s easy to see why the brand is popular. It is a winning formula. As with most brands in its category, don’t expect much in the way of customer service or warranty with your purchase. The platform on which it is purchased may have one though, so make sure to check.
The Addiesdive AD2030’s packaging.
The Packaging isn’t anything to phone home about- it keeps the watch very safe from scratches and dents, and contains a couple goodies. Everything you need and nothing more- exactly what you want with a budget watch.
Value
At $70, let’s compare this watch to a popular big-brand model- the Citizen BF0580-57. For materials, the Citizen doesn’t name its used steel, whereas the Addiesdive uses the industry standard 316L stainless steel, plus it has a better clasp. For features, the Addiesdive has more water resistance, and a screw-down crown. The Addiesdive movement is a significant upgrade, as well! While looks are subjective, I’d say it even looks better. So, what else is there to say? The only competition for value are other models out of Chinese microbrands, including Addiesdive itself. And, as stated earlier, coming up with a completely new idea such as the dial here takes R&D, which makes this even more impressive.
Case
Encasing everything here is a classic, oyster-style case. It has a polished bezel and sides, and brushed lugs. The finishing is clean with crisp separation, and looks great. Over the dial is a piece of heavily domed mineral glass crystal with a blue AR coating. The crystal actually makes up a significant chunk of the watch’s thickness, which is a fun, retro look. Mineral glass is not for the clumsy: it will scratch. It really would have been great to see sapphire here, especially since it protrudes substantially, but the mineral undoubtedly kept the cost down.
The crown is screw-down with a coin-edge, and is signed with an Addiesdive logo on the side. The crown is small, but the coin-edge is grippy and easy to operate. Screwing down the crown is smooth, and switching between adjustment modes is as well. The caseback is adorned with specs and a large example of the logo in the center. The movement is a Seiko mecha-quartz, so the caseback is rightly a solid one. To get into the movement, it is easy with a tool to simply screw off the caseback.
Dial and Hands
The dial is, without a doubt, the star of today’s show. Not only is it a stunning design, but the execution is superb. Let’s start with the design. The dial is heavily textured with a gritty and almost sparkling surface, complete with valleys and peaks that are reminiscent of a desert, or a sea floor. The exact pattern of these “dunes” are fixed- every dial appears to have the same topography, for a lack of a better word. From photos, it isn’t apparent, but the design is very 3-dimensional. The dial casts shadows on itself, which change as the light hits it. It is a very convincing effect, and one that really hasn’t been seen. It is a refreshing idea, and I hope Addiesdive continue with this sort of thinking- and the success of this model may lead to just that.
The Addiesdive AD2030’s dial.
The dial of the AD2030 is truly fantastic. From head-on, you may not even realize that every component is applied.
The “sandy” backdrop isn’t the only thing this dial has going for itself, though. Every element of this dial is applied. The logo, the hour markers, the writing at 6 O'clock, and even the minute track is entirely applied. Every part applied correctly and aligned properly. It really is surprising to see this, especially at the price. The chosen font is clean, and the black coloring on the text is legible. While we are on the text, we need to mention the watch’s biggest fault. The Addiesdive logo doesn’t fit well. The watch is elegant and interesting, and has nothing to do with diving. So why, then, is there a giant logo of diving equipment front and center? It’s not a deal-breaker, but it doesn’t work. On a similar note, don’t call this watch the “DEEP SEA HUNTER,” and don’t put it on the dial. This is written much smaller than the logo, and is much less noticeable, but still shouldn’t be written there.
The Dauphine handset is done well- they are finished well and are all the correct length. The hour markers are applied and chamfered, and catch the light in a fun way. The dial, hands, and minute track are all clean, cohesive, and exude elegance.
Lume
This watch has no lume. This is fine for a dress watch, but this watch isn’t fully a dress watch. Being somewhere in between dressy and sporty, the lack of lume is a bit of a bummer, but really just pushes this model towards the dressy end of its split-persona. This, of course, makes the dive watch styling found elsewhere stand out even more.
Movement
Inside is a Seiko VH31. Often referred to as a “mecha-quartz,” the movement attempts to offer the best of both a mechanical and quartz movement. The movement is essentially a standard quartz movement that ticks 4 times a second, giving it the visuals of a smooth-sweeping mechanical movement. The small downside, of course, is that you still need to change the battery every 2-3 years or so. For the price point, the VH31 is a great option, and is from Seiko, a reliable and trusted movement manufacturer.
Bracelet or Strap
The usual downside of affordable watches is bracelet quality. The bracelet here is better than some, but still not great. Making the comparison to similarly priced Citizen or Seiko watches, this bracelet is significantly better. Composed of solid links, a pin-system, and a signed, partially-milled clasp, it is pretty good on paper. Additionally, it is nicely tapered, and has a total of 10 removable links, and 5 micro-adjust spots on the clasp. I removed 4 links for my 7 inch wrist, so it should fit you no matter what. On the wrist, it is a bit of a hair-puller, and definitely has a jangle that doesn’t exude quality. In total, it isn’t the best bracelet, but it is also better than what you’d expect for the price. The lug-width is 19mm, so you probably don’t have a strap laying around for it either.
Fit
The watch has smaller dimensions, which only makes it more versatile. As a watch that is supposed to work in both casual and dress environments, being small is a good thing. If you have a large wrist, perhaps stay away, but it fits my average 7-inch wrist very well. The bracelet is lightweight, and has a ton of adjustment options, so it is easy to get a comfortable fit. Now the bracelet does pull hairs, so it isn’t the most comfortable of all time, but it has a lot going for it.
The watch is very light, and super thin, partially due to the choice of movement. Don’t be surprised if you forget you’re wearing it occasionally.
This watch easily slides under a cuff, and is at home there. With no sharp edges, and a very thin profile, you can forget it’s on.
Versatility
The use of mineral glass and lack of any lume limit this watch from being worn in rough environments, so don’t throw out your G-Shock beaters. Besides that, this watch fits almost anywhere. It is dressy enough for the board room, casual enough for a night out, and has the water resistance for you to not worry about it. Plus, there are white and blue dial colorways available, if brown isn’t your thing. My pick of the bunch is the brown dial shown here, but the white is a close second, and may even fit more outfits.
Originality
To do something truly new, at this price, is rare. Addiesdive have pulled it off with this model, though. I honestly won’t be surprised if we see a watch in the next year or two come out from a big brand that steals the sand-dune inspired dial and charges a thousand bucks for it. The case is a traditional oyster-style. Being one of the most popular case styles, that isn’t a big detractor to its originality.
Diameter: 36 mm
Lug-to-Lug: 46 mm
Lug width: 19 mm
Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel
Strap: Bracelet
Crystal Material: Mineral Glass
Movement: Seiko VH31
Water Resistance: 100 m
Lume: No
Crown: Screw-down
Color Options: Tan, Blue, White
Brand: 2/10
Value: 7/10
Case: 4/10
Dial and Hands: 8/10
Lume: 0/10
Movement: 5/10
Bracelet or Strap: 5/10
Fit: 8/10
Versatility: 7/10
Originality: 8/10
WatchScore: 54/100
So what’s the verdict? The AD2030 model (affiliate link here) is pretty, and its looks are very hard to beat at its price of $70. What have you seen that looks like this? There isn’t anything like it, and I mean that in the best way possible. I encourage you to try to see past that oversized dial logo, because what you’ll get is such a great watch. If you are interested in having a unique and inspiring landscape on your wrist, check out this model.
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