Can I just start with the dome? Good. Because I’m going to start with the dome. The Alcadus Opus 39 that I am reviewing today has a towering 2mm sapphire box crystal with five layers of anti-reflective coating inside and it is gorgeous. There. Now, I can get back to the regular order of things.
The Opus 39 is the first watch from Malaysia’s Alcadus Watches. I sampled the Jet Black and Argent White lacquered dials. A full-lume Phantom Gray is also offered. As indicated by the name, it measures 39mm wide. Modest width usually means short length and that is also true here; 45.5mm to be precise. From case back to crystal, it is just over 13mm and as I have mentioned, 2mm of that is dome, so we are looking at comfortably mid-sized proportions and a perfect fit on my 6.75″ wrist.
Taking a tour around the dial reveals sheer sides pinching into tightly tapered lugs with clipped ends. They roll down to meet your wrist but it’s all clean edges and crisp corners here, in marked contrast to the generously curved crystal. An angled, polished bezel bridges the two.
Alcadus describes the Opus as a dressy tool watch with pilot’s watch influences and that sounds about right. Its 100m water resistance rating is more than enough for most adventures and the hardened, scratch-resistant coating on the case and bracelet will keep it looking good. I like the way the brand has incorporated traditional pilot’s watch features and updated all of them for a clean, modern look.
Traditional Flieger fans will quickly identify the way the Alcadus arrowhead logo plays the role of navigation triangle. The same shape forms the second hand’s head. Where a traditional pilot’s watch might have an onion or diamond crown, the Opus’s is diamond-ish in that it has a similarly flared shape, but with a more aggressive, gear-toothed grip. It is also engraved and filled with lume – always a nice touch.
All three hands are properly sized, and match the applied bar markers. They are black and white on the Jet Black dial, and fabulously flame-blued on the Argent White. Extra points awarded for the blue printing on the white version. Both the handset and the markers are filled with Swiss SuperLuminova and burn brightly when the lights go down.
I found the dials to be deceptively simple. At first glance, I noticed the abundance of uncluttered space, the pleasant balance between the hands and markers, and the refreshing restraint in the amount of text printed upon it. Upon closer inspection, I was able to appreciate the quality of those lacquered surfaces. Both colors seem somehow smoother, deeper, and more inviting than more common black or white dials. I love the way the crystal’s crazy edge distortion plays a trippy sort of havoc with the index and yet, at nearly every angle, those tiny markings are still readable. Dates are at 6 o’clock, above the marker, and are color-matched to the dials. It is all remarkably well thought out.
On the underside, you will find a sapphire exhibition window full of ETA 2824 elaboré with a custom skeletonized rotor, decorated with gold, perlage, and blued screws. It is a top-quality movement and about ten times prettier than the more common, undecorated units. Of course, you will pay for it…
The review samples arrived with straps of top-grain leather and Nubuck suede, as well as a 20mm Oyster-style bracelet that tapers to 16mm at the signed, flip-lock clasp. The Opus has drilled lugs, but given the quick release pins on both the bracelet and straps, you won’t need them. All looked great, but I much preferred the businesslike combination of the white dial on the bracelet while the black dial mellowed nicely when paired with the textured light brown leather. I have no complaints here – all are of high quality – although I will point out that the three sections of the links are one solid unit, not three separately articulated links.
The Opus 39 is tremendously satisfying and proof that an eye-catching watch doesn’t necessarily need an overly complex design. Rather, Alcadus took a fresh look at traditional elements, executed them well, and then added the signature feature of a tall dome. The result is a handsome watch that will handle your weekend roughhousing, show up looking dapper on Monday morning, and attract the right sort of attention in either environment. I have only two quibbles. The first is price. The Opus 39 sells for $897, which while affordable, is not exactly peanuts. Why so steep? I’m betting it’s that snazzy Swiss movement. The current sale price of $627 is far closer to what I would want to pay. The second quibble is availability. Aldacus reports that only two Jet Black and three Argent White remain in stock. The full-lume Phantom Gray is gone.
“Really?” You say. “You spent the whole review telling us how cool this is only to end by saying they are pricy and almost totally sold out?” Well, yes. That is what I did, but I’m not done quite yet. You see, Aldacus has an Opus 39 V2 just waiting in the wings. It will be very similar to the first edition but slightly improved all around and offered in four new colors: sunray Blue, Salmon, Mint Green, and sandblasted Gray. It will be fitted with an excellent and more economical Miyota 9019 under a solid case back and not coincidentally, it will be significantly more affordable. We can expect early bird rewards to start in the $400s when it launches on Kickstarter this summer. That is what I would consider The Bum’s choice.
If you really want the pretty Swiss ETA, then snap up one of the last of the originals. If you want a different color, lower price, or both, then look out for the Kickstarter launch. Ether way, you would do well to head over to Alcadus.com soon.
