Ball Engineer Grasp II Diver Chronometer Fingers-On Assessment

Ball Engineer Grasp II Diver Chronometer

Ball’s first iteration of this dive watch dates all the best way again to 2006, so 16 years in the past, and now their newest model, the Ball Engineer Grasp II Diver Chronometer (get used to that lengthy title being plastered by this text), is hitting the scenes. As regular, you should have a whole lot of tritium tubes on the dial, together with some that you wouldn’t count on, 300m of water resistance, antimagnetic safety, an inside rotating bezel and a alternative of two dial colours and even two colour decisions of tritium tubes . Pricing begins at nearly $2,500 for the rubber strap model on this overview and on a full stainless-steel bracelet for $2600. A number of twin crown divers in the marketplace, so let’s check out what Ball brings to the desk with this one.

Specs:

• 42mm Stainless Metal Case

• 13.5mm Thick

• 21mm Lug Width

• Lug to Lug 50mm

• 121 Grams

• Sapphire Crystal

• 300 Meters Water Resistant

• Computerized caliber BALL RR1101-C

• COSC licensed chronometer

• Restricted to 1000 Items

• 36 Tritium Tubes

Value $2,499 (As Reviewed)

https://store.ballwatch.ch/en/emiidivercosc

I’ve to say, and I believe it caught me just a little off guard seeing this watch in particular person, I used to be not anticipating this a lot excessive polish. Now let me be clear, that is purely subjective, and a few individuals will completely love this, however for a watch that’s marketed as a do-it dive watch, it’s a little odd that the outer bezel, case sides, and crowns are all excessive mirror polished. The one a part of this watch that’s satin brushed is the highest of the case, and the case again has a number of completely different finishes, however for all intent and functions, that is an all-high polished piece, and for those who get the bracelet, which I’ll present in a inventory photograph under, it turns into very flashy.

Blue dial on bracelet (Inventory Picture)

I’m certain the bracelet may be very good, however it is among the major causes I had Ball ship me this Ball Engineer Grasp II Diver Chronometer on the rubber strap, however I’ve to say, this nonetheless does put this watch within the no go classes. I want little chamfers of excessive polish or little accents right here or there, however for a dive watch like this, and if one have been to really use this watch as a backup to their dive pc, I simply see this getting very scratched up. And also you completely can use this as a backup or as a leisure piece for those who would need to go old fashioned, as the interior bezel not solely turns by way of the 2 o’clock crown, however it does so very exactly and audibly with a clicking sound and really feel, and can be utilized underwater, as it is advisable to push down to show this crown.

All that out of the best way, it is a stunning dive watch, and although I’ve seen a number of say it is a little generic trying, I want the time period basic. I really like a twin crown, inside rotating bezel dive watch, principally, something that resembles the EPSA compression dive watch is normally up my alley, whether or not it’s a real compression case or not does not actually matter to me. Clearly, others really feel the identical as there are such a lot of of this type of watch on the market and in any respect completely different value factors. I would not say this piece jogs my memory of anybody classic piece particularly, however sure it does have that fundamental structure, and at 42mm by 50mm, it’s sized like many others as properly, which once more, will not be a nasty factor for my part and I’m glad to see it’s over 40mm and never underneath.

The dial of the Ball Engineer Grasp II Chronometer Diver (What a reputation proper?), is fairly much like a whole lot of different Ball watches, particularly the diver, and I’ll admit the emblem and textual content beneath and the completely different fonts used, can get just a little busy, particularly with the signature RR (Rail Highway) second hand, however its form of Ball’s factor, so it really works, although I might love if they may give you a special and fewer wordy emblem in some unspecified time in the future.

Tritium tubes are throughout right here and I did say there have been some distinctive ones, and there are. You might have already observed that the inside bezel is lumed, however that isn’t lume paint underneath these stencil numbers and markers, no that may be a ring of tritium throughout the inside bezel, principally sandwiched between 2 completely different layers, to present you long- lasting bezel lume. I consider Ball is the one firm that has ever completed this with a watch, and I for one do suppose that’s fairly cool.

What I do not actually love although is the cyclops, and it appears Ball actually loves these date magnifies today, and all I’ll say is for individuals who like them, nice. However for people who do not, and for these of us the place a cyclops is a deal breaker, perhaps Ball ought to look into providing the date magnifier as an choice and never commonplace. Only a thought.

Ball presents a whole lot of watches which have COSC actions, and this one isn’t any completely different, with the ETA 2892-A2 as the bottom second used right here, and whereas it’s a nice motion and my instance has been retaining time properly inside spec, Ball did do one thing I get pleasure from very a lot, and that is coated up that motion! I do know, I do know, most folk like to see a motion by a show case again, and I do myself when it’s a actually particular motion, however particularly with a dive watch, I count on a strong case again, and right here they didn’t disappoint. Would you actually want to see the motion as an alternative of this superior reduction art work of the dive helmet and seahorses? Actually?

As I said beforehand, 42mm is a good measurement, as I really feel that even for people who want a a lot bigger watch 42mm works, and it is not so massive that it really works off those that want one thing just a little smaller usually. Now you may be on both aspect of the coin and studying this proper now and saying, “No, I’ll by no means put on a 42mm watch!”, and that’s high-quality, all of us have our causes and at $2,500 you rattling properly higher like the dimensions of your watch, however I’ve all the time discovered 42mm by 50mm to be my candy spot, not less than for the previous decade or so anyhow and on my 7 1/2 inch wrist, that is very snug watch and with the case again making this watch journey just a little excessive, I do not really feel these crowns using into the again of my hand both.

The rubber strap is just a little plain, however it does work and the customized buckle form of jogs my memory of a roller-style buckle and seems like one on the wrist, so all good there, however I do must say, this strap stinks of vanilla to a degree that it’s nearly sickening. This isn’t the primary rubber strap I’ve encountered that wreaks of vanilla, I’ve discovered some may have a lightweight scent, after all, some under no circumstances, and others, like this one, like I by chance dropped a bottle of vanilla extract on my arm. A lot so, that the lady on the put up workplace requested me if I had cookies or cupcakes on me. No jokes. In case you are overly delicate to smells, you could need to let this one air out a bit.

Then we get to the tritium of the Ball Engineer Grasp II Diver Chronometer (thank goodness I’m copy/pasting this and never typing the title again and again) and like all watch with tritium, it reveals up in full darkness, so you’ll not be getting any day lume with this one. For these that aren’t acquainted, these are tritium vials encased in glass tubes that want no gentle supply to cost, however they aren’t as vivid and also you do must be in just about full darkness for them to glow. The tradeoff is, that they may glow this vivid for not less than 10 years, even for those who caught it in a drawer for a strong yr, it might not matter. No focus stacking right here, I did my finest to present you an correct take a look at this yellowish orange and inexperienced tritium lume.

What would I wish to see completely different on this Ball Engineer Grasp II Diver Chronometer? Nicely, I believe it is fairly apparent, however I would like a way more satin end, both brushed or blasted and even brushed titanium. The date magnifier would want to go as properly, and I believe the dial textual content, properly let’s simply say much less is extra. I really like the general design and case form, the dimensions is nice and the coolness issue, in addition to the performance of the best way the inside bezel operates and the ring of tritium underneath the bezel, are massive excessive factors, however presumably not sufficient for this to turn into a day by day put on piece. What say you? Is it excellent as is? Let me know what your ideas are down under or on Youtube.

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