Today, I’m going to review the HVD Spectre Diver, a hand-wound vintage diver set to launch on Kickstarter next month, but first, I want to tell you a little about Travis Tan.
Travis is a commercial airline pilot and watch fan who jumped into the microbrand arena in 2015 with a mid-century-inspired dress watch, the Travisleon Heirloom. The “leon” part of that name was Leon Leong, with whom Travis founded BOLDR, whose excellent dive and field watches have graced these virtual pages on several occasions. Travis later departed BOLDR and founded RZE; a brand focused on titanium tool watches that I have reviewed with great enthusiasm. All of this is to say that Travis knows his stuff and has yet to issue a dud. From our correspondence, I also came to discover that he is a rather affable fellow to boot.
So, I had pretty high expectations when he told me he had launched a new venture with his wife Vivian Ko, although I’ll confess, I was a tad disappointed when he told me the HVD was a Submariner-style diver. Let’s face it, we’ve seen a lot of those, and it takes a savvy designer with a keen eye for detail to make one stand apart from the crowd. Lucky for us, Travis and Vivian were more than up to the task, and they have created a perfectly lovely watch in the Spectre Diver.
A quick glance will tell you that the new watch is quite unlike any of the RZE offerings. HVD stands for “hand-wound vintage design,” which is very different than RZE’s mission to deliver “tough titanium goods.” It’s not that the Spectre Diver is a delicate hothouse flower – its 200m water resistance rating, screw-down crown, crisp 120-click diver’s bezel, and potent C3 lume make it a formidable tool watch. Where the HVD diverges from RZE’s offerings is in the presentation. Where RZEs are matte gray titanium, the HVD is brushed and polished stainless steel. RZEs are buff and angular, while the HVD is elegant and refined.
The Spectre Diver measures 40mm wide, 48mm long, and a trim 10mm thick, which rises to 12.5mm once you include the magnificent plexiglass dome. You all know how much I love acrylic. Frankly, nothing says “vintage” to me, like the warm light and crazy edge distortion of a tall plastic lens. I even like the patina it develops as you buff out the inevitable bumps and scratches over its lifetime.
The most striking aspect of the case is the pronounced polished bevel that runs along the upper edges. Plenty of watches employ a chamfer to add some visual interest, but this one is broad, starting at the mid-point of the lug and extending about one-third of the way into the side of the case. It doesn’t define an edge so much as it shapes the case, making the whole unit appear flatter and smaller. The polished finish is echoed in the bezel’s edge and the high points of the signed crown. In profile, the bright bevel works in tandem with a similarly polished undercut, blurring the edges and highlighting the brushed center section, making the watch appear even slimmer.
That crown, by the way, is ideal: sufficiently broad, not too tall, nicely textured, and easy to operate. Very well done.
Completing the leaner, slimmer, sleeker theme is the Spectre Diver’s bracelet: 20mm tapering to 16mm at the signed, push-button clasp. It’s a three-link style, although not three independent links. It wears a brushed finish highlighted by a raised and polished bead on the outer edges. Those of you who invariably have to try all your watches on different attachments (like me) will doubtless be pleased to see the drilled lugs.
On my 6.75″ wrist, the HVD looked and felt fabulous. As mentioned above, it’s pretty svelte, even for a 40mm watch. Buttoned shirt cuff? No problem.
It’s a good thing because the Spectre Diver is far too pretty to be relegated to weekend duty. HVD will offer three dials: black, green, and the white version you see here. All display a fumé effect, none more pronounced than the white dial, which turns smokey gray at the edges. Look more closely, and you will discover that the surface is covered with a network of fine scratches. This effect is done by hand and unique to each watch. It is a subtle effect on this white dial, creating variation in color without jumping out as obvious distressing. Of course, it would be far more apparent in the dark colors.
The gold markers and hands are a treat. Their polished finish catches your attention, then the flicker of the faceting holds it there. Clipped ends on the minute and hour hands and the flared wedge of the cardinal markers lend an impression of weight and substance while the threadlike, red-tipped second hand glides breezily over them. It’s a pleasing contrast.
The randomized texture and variations in color, reflection, and height, along with the plexi’s warm lens and trippy edge distortion, and you get tremendous dimension. It’s a fun dial. My only gripe is that the bold HVD logo appears a shade too modern for the brand’s vintage aspirations. The flowing script of the model name is more in line with the theme.
Flipping the watch over, we get a good view of the engraved Sellita SW210-1 movement, a quality hand-wound with 19 jewels, a 42-hour power reserve, and a smooth 28.8k bph sweep. The vast majority of watches that come through Time Bum Headquarters are automatics, but there is something to be said for an old-school cranker. The absence of the rotor makes it both thinner and quieter, and once your watch collection reaches a certain size, you are probably setting and winding your choice of the day anyway, even if it’s an automatic. Retro charm doesn’t hurt either.
The HVD Spectre Diver will debut on Kickstarter in July for the attractive price of $399. I highly recommend jumping on that deal when you can. The Spectre Diver is a charming watch, crafted with Travis’s usual eye for detail. Head over to HVDwatches.com for more information and to sign up for alerts.
