Introduction
You may not have heard of Portuguese micro-brand Borealis, but they're making waves (sorry couldn't resist!) when it comes to affordable dive watches. They primarily offer dive watches which combine classic design elements with contemporary twists, to produce something that looks familiar yet unique.
Their newest release is the Estoril 300, a homage to the classic Omega Seamaster 300 of the 60's and 70's that the Royal Navy used. Aesthetically it is a pretty close match to the Omega, with only minor differences, such as a different font for the numerals and wording, which I believe were changed mostly for copyright reasons.
It is available in either blue or black, with the option for a date window, and a choice between either a "big triangle" at the twelve o'clock position or an Arabic numeral. That's a choice of eight models altogether, which isn't bad. I opted for the blue Arabic date version in the end.
I chose the express delivery option, and the watch arrived in the UK within a couple of days. It was well packaged and came in a simple box labled "Borealis" on a cushion with a guarantee card. Whilst this is not the most elaborate or luxurious packaging, personally I'd rather $30 (or however much a nice box costs) went towards improving the watch itself than into its packing.
Anyway, without further ado, here is my review of the watch itself…
The Looks
As a standalone piece it's a pretty smart looking watch. The case has those classic omega curved lugs, but they aren't as sharp as the original, so they look neat but not aggressive. The bezel and dial are crisp and clean and easy to read, and the sword hands are likewise very legible. I opted for the blue version and was rewarded with hues of petroleum blue on the dial and a midnight blue coloured bezel. The white markers on both the dial and bezel are applied with BGW9 lume and after exposure to light the watch glows so goddamn bright you'd think it was a lamp!
Overall the Estoril perhaps isn't the most contemporary dive watch, but if, like me, you enjoy the classics then this modern interpretation will hit all the right spots aesthetically.
The Size
The Estoril sits pretty comfortably on my fairly small wrists at 41.5x47mm, with the bold bezel meaning it wears slightly smaller on the wrist, and looks closer to a 40mm case. For me this is the sweet spot but it depends upon wrist size and personal taste. Something that will please fans of the soon to be released NTH Submariners is the Estoril's thickness. It's not quite as thin as the NTHs' 11.5mm, but at 12.5mm it still wears impressively close to the wrist.
The Guts
The watch is powered by the well-regarded Miyota 9015 automatic movement, a firm favourite amongst watch enthusiasts and micro-brands alike. It's not hard to see why. The twenty-four jewelled movement is slim, thus keeping the case thickness down, has hand winding and hacking seconds features and has a beat rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour which gives the seconds hand a very smooth sweep. Coupled with Miyota's trusted reputation for quality it's a winner of a movement.
For those interested mine is running at about +3 seconds per day, which isn't too bad for an unregulated movement.
The Quality
With such a good movement inside you'd hope that the rest of the Estoril is up to scratch, and thankfully it is! The case is made from 316L grade stainless steel and perfectly mixes brushed and polished finishes, which are combined with sharp, crisp edges that makes the Estoril stand out on the wrist. The screw down crown feels smooth and solid, as does the bezel, which has no play whatsoever. The lume and markings are all perfectly applied, bar a couple of miniscule spots on two of the indices you'd need a loupe to see. The crystal is double domed sapphire with an internal anti-reflective coating and the bezel insert is sapphire too, so the Estoril can take some rough and tumble. Long story short, unless you want to be really, really nitpicky the Estoril's quality is pretty damn high.
Whilst many would like the option of a steel bracelet, to keep costs down the Estoril comes with a five-striped black/blue and grey NATO strap. I believe Maria who runs Borealis explained on their forum that this was a decision made to keep costs down, as it would have meant designing a new bracelet to fit. For those who really want a bracelet however many owners of the Estoril have found good aftermarket bracelets that fit online. That said the NATO supplied is of very good quality. The nylon is nice and thick and doesn't move or slip so the watch is nice and secure, and the brushed metal keepers and buckle are nice and thick with one engraved "Borealis." Personally I like NATO straps, and the one thing that lets this one down is that, if anything, it is too thick. The weave isn't tight enough, so the edges of the strap aren't clean lines. And the strap is so thick that it is actually a struggle to undo it from the keepers. On the flip side it means if you're using it as a tool watch, it's not going anywhere! Plus the lugs are drilled (a nice touch) for those who want to change the strap over.
The Cost
The Estoril costs between $419-499 depending on which version you choose, plus shipping and tax. That makes this a bargain when it comes to bang for your buck, but it's a little jarring when you come to the checkout to find (in my case as a Brit) 20% VAT has been added to your bill.
The Competition
It seems only fair when reviewing a homage to the Seamaster 300 to mention the other homage that is being made. That "other" is of course MKii's Project 300, of which the prototypes are currently being produced. It will retail at $1795 according to their website, and it has a lot in common with Borealis' take on the SM300, not just aesthetically, but also when it comes to specs. The MKii will be slightly bigger, have a 60 click (as opposed to the Estoril's 120 click) bezel, come with a metal bracelet, and have an ETA 2824-2 movement. Apart from that, the crystal, lume type (SuperLumiNova BGW9) and water resistance rating (300m) are the same. The decision as to which of these two watches will prove superior when the MKii is released will ultimately be down to the individual, and what they personally value when looking for a watch.
Final Thoughts
Personally, I'm a big fan of the Borealis Estoril 300. Taking into account the quality of the craftsmanship, the materials used, and the overall look and specs of the watch, I think it represents excellent value for money. For a 300m WR automatic diver that's under $500USD you simply can't ask for more, and I think Borealis have done well to produce watch that in my opinion can stand up against competition that costs several hundred dollars more.
