A great colourway can transform a product entirely. Don’t believe me? Maybe the NOMOS Glashütte Tangente Super 31 series can illustrate my point succinctly. That’s the same watch, 31 times over, with the only difference in the colours and their application.
Similarly, the deft handling of textures can define not just a watch, nor even a collection, but potentially an entire brand. If that sounds like hyperbole, consider the transformative effect the Grand Seiko Snowflake had on the way Seiko’s bigger and fancier brother was received in Western markets.
If you’re able to combine both a knockout colour with a stunning texture, you might find yourself on to a winner. Surprisingly, one such brand that dropped just such a piece is the up-and-coming upstart, Mitch Mason.
I’ve been following MM since the brand launched its Chronicle series on Kickstarter in 2020. In my first analysis of the brand, I was both positive and optimistic for Mitch Mason’s future and am pleased to see several nice pieces either released or in the pipeline. What I hadn’t expected, however, was an addition to the Maelstrom diver line that would upend my entire perception of the brand.
What I’d enjoyed about MM’s original release was the attempt at novelty. For me, brand founder Benedict Ong boldly invested in a novel case shape and an eye-catching handset that went so far around the goofy scale it somehow ended up registering as serious again.
That “iconic” knot-inspired arrow-headed hour hand returns again on this updated version of the Maelstrom diver but, astoundingly, it is no longer the first thing that draws the eye. That accolade goes to the velvety perfection of the electric teal dial.
Note: Benedict doesn’t describe it as “electric teal”. That’s just me trying to be funny with oblique marine references so please, if you’re going to vent at anyone about ridiculous colour names, vent at me.
The original Maelstrom line had been perfectly serviceable. Strong specs, a memorable enough design, and an excellent price (ballpark £500) meant Mitch Mason’s second effort was a real contender in a crowded microbrand space.
What it lacked, however, was pizzazz. It was smart enough, but perhaps a little demure. Of course, nobody mentioned that at the time because dive watches, despite their association with outdoor activities and extreme sports are rarely as colourful as they could be. But now we have this example, the brand new, soon-to-be-released teal “tales of the sea” version, we see not only the vast potential of the Maelstrom line, but all dive watches!
Honestly, imagine this subtle, serene, almost soothing wave pattern in this soft metallic teal applied to a Seamaster 300M Pro or a Rolex Sub. How much more interested would they be then? Then again, their housings, as timeless and revered as they are, are probably not quite edgy enough to get away with such a fresh colour and flowing texture.
The twin-crowned Maelstrom has a bit of grunt to it. The strong, decisive knurling on the crowns and clean, no-nonsense curvature of the case band, as it runs directly into the lugs without any dallying or deviation, makes for a nice, low-profile wearing experience. The depth of the dial aperture is enhanced by a broad, sloping rotating internal bezel, which has been well-lumed to match the sandwich construction of the centre dial. Flipping the watch over, we find Mitch — the company’s boyish mascot — riding what must be a very small humpback whale.
Mitch is an interesting chap. Human or anthropomorphic mascots aren’t to everyone’s liking when it comes to their association with luxury watch brands (as you may or may not know, I have a long-running feud with the Oris Bear, despite liking Oris watches very much). However, when they do strike a chord, they tend to strike it hard. Just think of the Kermit watch (from Oris), the Popeye editions by Reservoir, or any time Mickey Mouse goes near anything that ticks. I spent years of my life lusting over the Bremont Alt1tude special edition because of the Felix the cat printing on the dial. Mitch may not have reached that status yet, but if he keeps taming whales at this pace, there’s a chance he’ll get there soon.
While the inviting shade of green/blue is the star of the show here, the specifications list reads like a microbrand masterclass. The 316l hypoallergenic stainless steel watch case measures 40 mm across, 12.5 mm high (including the crystal (because why would you want to wear a watch without a crystal?)), and a pleasingly compact 47 mm from lug-to-lug. Beating away behind the 3D stamped case back is the Japanese-made Miyota 9015. That movement and the beautiful aesthetic elements of the watch are protected from water ingress down to depths of 300 meters. Holding the watch head to the wrist is a proprietary stainless steel H-link bracelet with finishing that belies this price point and a deeply satisfying taper from 20 mm between the lugs to 16 mm at the clasp. The double domed sapphire is treated with five layers of “super AR” anti-reflective coating on the underside to enhance legibility from all angles.
And the pattern effect on the dial — that achingly beautiful dial — is achieved via stamping before it is coloured in that arresting shade of teal. With such a popping dial, it’s hard not to think of the recently re-released IWC Ingenieur that too made this particular colour family a talking point of the industry. Given it is, in all honesty, my favourite colour (and I would imagine it to be a pretty popular one worldwide), I could well imagine vivid teals taking over from the more muted greens we’ve seen become as commonplace as boring blue dials over the past few years. If the Maelstrom is at the centre of that storm, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
This piece is released on February 14th (Valentine’s Day) and will retail for around £500.
Mitch Mason Maelstrom Tales of The Sea
Technical Specifications -
- Variant: Teal (Tales of the sea)
- Case and bracelet material: 316L stainless steel
- Case diameter: 40mm
- Lug to lug length: 47mm
- Lug width: 20mm
- Thickness: 12mm (+0.5mm with crystal)
- Movement: Miyota 9015
- Water resistance: 300m
- Bracelet taper: 20mm to 16mm
- Crystal material: Sapphire
- Crystal profile: Double domed
- Crystal AR coating: 5 layers on underside (super AR)
- Dial layout/format: Improved with bezel markings up to 20 minutes
- Dial texture: Wave motif via stamping
- Lume: BGW9 Super-LumiNova®
- Hands: Signature Mitch Mason design
- Case finishing: Brushed and polished
- Crown: Embossed logo to milled design
- Caseback: 3D stamped caseback artwork
