Magrette Moana Pacific Waterman Kaitiaki – a review in two parts.
For some, the purchase of a watch is a purely practical matter, while for others it is a convenient shorthand to show wealth, taste, or class. For yet another group it is a deeply personal matter, one of personal expression or even identity. Chances are, if you frequent this site, you fall into the last group.
Whether you’re a collector of microbrand watches, vintage pieces from established or extinct brands, or a hunter of limited editions, you likely look for watches that “speak to you.” Maybe it’s the movement inside, maybe it’s the aesthetic of the case and dial, maybe it’s the story behind it, maybe it’s a combination of all those elements, and more.
Once in a while, a watch comes along that resonates in a singular way, perhaps in such a singular way that you throw out your personal rules about budget. For me, the Kaitiaki by Magrette out of New Zealand is just such a watch.
To stay true to the spirit of this site’s name, I’ve decided to split this review in two: the first part is dedicated to the reasonably priced base model, the Moana Pacific Waterman. Further on I’ll highlight its extremely limited edition Kaitiaki guise. The Kaitiaki is a hand-engraved work of art that turns the watch itself into a canvas for something greater.
First a little background: Magrette was founded in 2007 by New Zealander Dion McAsey to create yachting-inspired watches with a New Zealand flair. They have certainly achieved that. Although hardly a new microbrand, Magrette is not as well known as they should be despite turning out a large and growing number of high-quality watches with a distinctive identity.
The Moana Pacific Waterman is a three-hander dive watch, gorgeous in its simplicity. (Moana means “ocean” in Maori and other Polynesian languages, lest you think this is some kind of Disney tie-in). At 42 mm it’s at the outside edge of what looks good on my 6.5” wrist, but the lugs tuck in tight, making it a watch with a presence that doesn’t overwhelm. The lug width is 22 mm, which to my taste is on the large side, but the broader straps work well here. The 316L stainless steel cushion case has some serious heft, but visually its size is kept in check by the matte black 12-hour bezel. That bezel is unidirectional, operating smoothly through its 120 clicks with no backplay or wiggle. Short this watch ain’t: at 13 mm it isn’t ungainly, but it’s a little large to tuck beneath a shirt cuff.
The dial is a delightfully simple affair as well. Beneath a sapphire dome, the black sandwich dial is backed by rounded bar cutouts for the hours filled with Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 Old Radium lume. Old Radium also adorns the handset and the bezel’s 12 o’clock pip, while the numerals on the bezel are in a clean blue lume that contrasts with the green of the dial. The brand name is tucked between 11 and 1, while Moana Pacific is picked out in red script below the handset, along with Waterman in smaller white typeface below that. The minute track is printed in white along the outer edge. The red and white text on a black background may recall old Rolex Submariners but the watch itself is not trying to imitate any other. The hour and minute hands are broad dauphine-style, while the stoplight seconds hand provides a touch of fun to the otherwise straightforward look.
The decent-sized screw-down crown is easy to operate with its rounded, gear-toothed sides, and it is embossed with the Magrette logo, a shield, and unfurling koru fern. That screw-down crown and hefty case make the watch good to 500 meters (!) which is plenty robust for all the diving I don’t do.
Around back, is another embossed Magrette shield, as well as the company name and the delightful motto “Mechanical Heart, New Zealand Soul” which I confess makes me want to run off to Auckland right away. Flanking the logo are some mercifully sparse specifications, and at the outer edge of the caseback are two blink-and-you’ll-miss-them engravings: another shield logo opposite a warrior mask. They are small and subtle enough that I didn’t notice them for a day or two.
Under the hood is the ETA 2824-2 automatic movement, with 25 jewels and beating at 28,800 bph, also good for 38 hours of power reserve. It features hacking and hand-winding, and it’s reliable and easy to service. It’s a good Swiss workhorse but I’m glad Magrette didn’t try to make it seem exotic through an unnecessary display caseback.
The Moana Pacific Waterman is also available in bronze and comes with a blue or black rubber strap. At $665 USD it’s a reasonably priced and distinctive watch that’s off the beaten path enough to appeal to enthusiasts like me who like something a little different. This is a watch that feels special as soon as you strap it on, and that’s before you even get to the Kaitiaki edition. So let’s get to that.
Deep breath.
The Magrette Moana Pacific Waterman Kaitiaki (say that five times fast!) takes the base Waterman’s welcome simplicity and obliterates it in the best possible way. Limited to 10 pieces (I have number 6) the Kaitiaki is an absolute stunner. Kaitiaki means “Guardian” in Maori, and that theme certainly informs the artwork and the spirit of this piece.
Sure, the standard Waterman serves as the starting point for this work of art, but this special edition transcends the timepiece itself to become a whole other beast. The sides of the case, as well as the lugs, are hand-engraved by Christchurch master engraver Andrew Biggs, who just absolutely goes to town on this thing. Floral motifs encircle albatrosses and red-billed gulls, while mythical manaia guard the endangered birds. Opposite the crown is a gloriously rendered manta ray upon which is the face of Tangaroa, the Maori god of sea and water. This watch is just dripping with beauty. There is a feeling of otherworldliness imparted by the artwork, making strapping on this watch something special. There’s a marketing strategy known as “surprise and delight” that makes me roll my eyes, but I keep thinking of it while I stare at the Kaitiaki. I am continually surprised and delighted by all the little details. Wearing this watch is an occasion.
The Kaitiaki isn’t the first engraved special edition offered by Magrette, but unlike some of their others, they resisted the urge to engrave the top of the case apart from the lugs. In fact, from straight on the only giveaway to the masterpiece are the engraved tops of the lugs. While more is more and I wouldn’t turn down yet more of Andrew Biggs’s art, I admit this was a wise choice as it allows the engraved sides and lugs to truly stand out against the watch’s otherwise clean lines.
I cannot say enough about the detail and quality of the engraving. Every angle of the watch offers something new to appreciate, and the way light plays across it makes photographing it, especially with a macro lens, a delightful way to spend an afternoon. For someone who is at best an amateur photographer – and that’s being generous – this watch makes me want to be better at it so I can convey its beauty. Are there imperfections? Sure, as with any other hand-made work of art, but they add to its charm – this is an old-world way of case decoration. It wasn’t stamped or laser-etched. It was done by hand and is all the more beautiful for it.
Even the packaging it comes in was a pleasant surprise. I normally prefer watches that eschew fancy display boxes and would love to see more companies adopt recyclable or biodegradable materials, but I admit it would have felt like a bit of a letdown if this watch didn’t come in a pretty box. Here Magrette has once again created something practical and a little special. The zippered black leather travel case is stamped with the Magrette name and shield logo, opening to reveal a beautiful brown leather interior that includes a removable document/strap pouch, a spring bar removal tool, some glossy documentation and warranty information, and padded slots for two watches. The Kaitiaki also ships with two spare straps, which I’ll get to in a moment.
The Kaitiaki trades the base watch’s rubber strap for a supple brown leather strap with a striped and polished buckle large enough to be used as a bulldozer blade. Protruding from its outer edge is yet another embossed shield logo. Magrette really went all-in on the shield logo; luckily for them, it’s quite fetching. I typically roll my eyes at big buckles, but this one most definitely suits the ornate watch it’s paired with. The leather strap features quick-release spring bars so you can swap it with one of the other two included straps: another leather strap in black with red contrast stitching as well as a Tropic strap with a branded buckle in case you want to pair the watch with something more diver-appropriate.
Here we come to the Kaitiaki’s idiosyncrasies. It’s a highly capable dive watch that I, at least, wouldn’t dream of using in its intended environment. An expensive dive watch is just that, but it is at heart still a tool watch. This watch has become something else, and its 500m water resistance notwithstanding, it deserves a bit more pampering to preserve that jaw-dropping exterior. I also firmly believe watches are made to be worn and used, and a few dings or scratches are just part of the story adding to the patina, but here I can already tell that any scratches I incur will feel like I’ve betrayed Dion McAsey and Andrew Biggs personally. I worry they will fly the 20+ hours to Vermont to take my baby away from me. I don’t want that.
So if I wouldn’t go boating or diving with it, what would I do with it? We’ve already established that it’s a bit large for dressier occasions, and it’s a little too ornate for casual wear, so … what to pair it with? Frankly, I will wear it whenever I damn well please, with whatever else I have on because I just love this watch.
Lastly, let’s talk about the price of this (very) special edition watch. As I said, the base watch is $665 USD, which I think is right on the money. The trip to Christchurch and the resulting artisanal transformation add on a not-insignificant $2500.
How to justify such a premium for a three-hand time-only watch with a fairly unremarkable ETA movement hidden beneath all that beautiful artwork? You can’t, and I don’t intend to. This is the part where I deftly return to my first point, that sometimes a watch speaks to you on a level that isn’t objective and defies explanation. This is art, and art is subjective. Either the Kaitiaki speaks to you or it doesn’t, and you’re either nodding in agreement that it’s worth every penny or you’re scratching your head.
Frankly, whether you are willing to shell out for one of their elaborate limited editions (of which there are several varieties) or are just looking for a solid, distinctive watch with some serious water resistance, I highly recommend you give Magrette a look, and possibly your credit card information. You can learn more about the Kaitiaki or their other products at www.magrette.com, and you can see Andrew Biggs’s other work at www.andrewbiggsengraving.com.
