I promised a short while ago that I’d post a review of the Boderry Landmaster and SeaTurtle.Ocean watches once I’d received them. It was a bit of a wait before they arrived and then the power went out in Tasmania, so my apology it’s taken this long but other events conspired against me. I’d planned on making them fairly short but once I started taking photos and jotting down notes I figured I may as well have a stab at doing a proper review - let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Boderry Landmaster Titanium Automatic Field Watch
THE STYLING
Boderry are no strangers to titanium field watches having had their Voyager range for some time now, and which has been a mainstay of their stable of Ali Express offerings. The Landmaster is new model that “…boasts a unique design language distinct from the VOYAGER, featuring elements like glass tube lume, high-quality domed sapphire crystal, and a crown-style crown.” It’s also made in a smaller case of 38mm and has a choice of either nylon NATO strap or full titanium bracelet, both of which can be added as optional accessories later. The caseback is solid with an engraving of a mountain, the name LANDMASTER, and a non-descript 4WD vehicle, plus a spec sheet around the outside edge.
THE FACTS
- RRP: USD $189
- Case width: 38.2mm
- Case material: Titanium, drilled lugs
- Thickness: 13mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 47.7mm
- Strap width: 20mm
- Weight: 92g (101g)
- Crystal: Double domed sapphire
- Movement: Seiko NH35 automatic, with date
- Caseback: Solid engraved
- Crown: RH onion, signed, screw-down
- Strap: Titanium bracelet or NATO nylon
- Strap width: 20mm
- Clasp: Milled deployant w/ 2 holes micro-adjust or pin & buckle
PHOTOS
WHAT I LIKE
I confess that I have a penchant for titanium watches, having three in my collection already. I enjoy the lighter weight and that’s exactly what the Landmaster delivers, even when on the bracelet, and the 38mm sizing lends itself well to keeping it down. It’s only 101 grams with the full bracelet, however I took out 4 links to fit my 7 1/4” wrist to bring it down to only 92 grams, so I barely notice it on my wrist through the day. In the summer I may need to add another link but that will hardly make a difference. When swapping to the NATO strap it’s even lighter, although I found the holes were not perfectly aligned and it was either ever-so-slightly too loose or too tight - YMMV. I was initially concerned about the onion-style crown but Boderry have thankfully kept it from being too large, and have added some nice, deep, grippy grooves that make it very easy to operate.
This is also a super-legible watch, with the dark green dial nicely contrasting the bright white syringe hands to the point that in near darkness I can still make out the time, even without my glasses on. Surprisingly on a watch this small, the size of the date is easy to see and doesn’t disappear quickly as I move my wrist further away. Minimal printing on the dial helps to keep the clutter down so it’s not intruding on the time. The crystal is very clear and feels solid, and the rounded sides are really smooth so it slips very easily under even a tight cuff. I don’t believe there’s any anti-reflective coating on it as there’s no characteristic blue tinge to the glass. The lume is nice & bright when charged up, and holds on for a fairly long time so the hands can be seen well into the night. I was curious what the ‘glass lume tubes’ would be like and can categorically confirm they are not tritium filled as they fade along with the rest of the lume, although at the same relatively slow rate.
I bought this watch at a pre-launch price plus I had discount voucher courtesy of the Just One More Watch channel on YouTube so I only paid USD $103.70 (~A$155) delivered for the pack with both the strap and bracelet options. So, the price was very attractive for what I paid.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE
It has nothing to do with the watch itself but the ordering process was not…satisfactory. Navigating the web site and going through checkout was fine, and I promptly received a confirmation email promising delivery within 10-12 days, so I settled in to wait for it to be shipped. And waited. And waited some more. Finally, after a fortnight, I sent Boderry an email asking for an update and promptly received a friendly reply apologising for the delay with an assurance the order would be shipped in a few days. Sure enough, another email arrived in a couple of hours with a tracking number - happy days! So, I waited again. In the end, it was nearly 7 weeks before the order was sent despite multiple followup emails with the same empty promise of ‘soon’. After the order arrived I did receive an email with an admission from Boderry that they’d been overzealous with their stock and shipping estimates, and a heartfelt apology to learn from the mistake and do better next time.
Apart from that there isn’t a lot to complain about this watch. The worst is probably the word ‘LANDMASTER’ printed in red onto the dial is a bit indistinct and lost in the green, but because you’d need to look for it that doesn’t detract from the overall appearance or performance in any way. I also find screwing the crown down can be a tad fiddly as it feels like it would be easy to cross-thread it; all it means is I need to be mindful and not hurry the operation. The lack of anti-reflective coating on the crystal is disappointing as I have other watches around this price point with it, though considering the dial is still so legible without it I’m prepared to forgive Boderry for this one. The articulation of the bracelet felt quite stiff at first, and I was worried it would be a terrible hair-nipper, however the links have already started loosening up with only a couple of arm hairs lost in the meantime. While drilled lugs does make changing spring bars easier it would’ve been nicer if they’d used quick-release instead.
WAS IT WORTH IT?
I like this watch. I really like this watch. It’s comfortable, it looks great, the NH35 movement should keep powering it for years to come, and the price would be very hard to beat. The titanium is a darker hue than other titanium watches I own and it doesn’t have a scratch-resistant coating so it’s going to attract scuffs, but considering this is a tool watch that’s not such a bad thing as it’ll add character and story to it.
I would gladly recommend it to someone who’s looking for a titanium field watch but I’d suggest always checking for the best price possible, and learn to be patient while Boderry sorts out its logistics chain. It’s unlikely the RRP will ever remain the selling price as I suspect it will be perpetually ‘on sale’ or some online reviewer will have a discount code, and it will very likely appear on Ali Express for possibly less (with a coupon!). Additionally, if it becomes a Choice item at Ali Express you’ll have the benefit of improved shipping times as well.
Looks a bit dark for titanium.