After great success with its debut SeaBorne 500 diver—a watch with true wrist presence—Audric Watches is back with a more reserved but no less excellent model, the Audric Strider. Just like its sibling, the Strider has a beautiful textured dial, angular case, and great specs. Unlike the SeaBorne, it’s not enormous and it’s not built to survive a dive to the bottom of the ocean. The Strider gives us the same aesthetics with a style that lends itself more to a clifftop oceanside jaunt than a deep-sea expedition.
N.B.: While you’ll see “Stroller” on the dial, the watch is called the Strider and will be identified as such on production models, which is good, because Stroller is a bit of a silly name.
The standouts on the Audric Strider are the dial texture and the angles of the case. Everything else is secondary, but as you’ll see, nothing is second-rate.
Audric Strider Specs | |||
Case Diameter: | 42mm | Crystal: | Sapphire |
Case Thickness: | 11.6mm | Lume: | Super-LumiNova BGW9 |
Lug-to-Lug: | 48mm | Strap/Bracelet: | Bracelet |
Lug Width: | 22mm | Movement: | ETA 2824-2 |
Water Resistance: | 200m | Price: | $849 ($549 on Kickstarter) |
As is plain to see, the finishing on the Audric Strider is exceptional. Crisp edges and perfect polishing make for excellent contrast across the multiple facets. The crown is perfectly sized and easy to operate. The flat crystal gives the watch a modern look congruent with the rest of its design.
Don’t let the angles deceive you: this case has a nice shape that allows it to sit easily on the wrist. I really like the talon-like shape of the lugs and the scalloped bezel.
Just wanted to show off how the case plays with the light. The transition between case and bracelet is near perfect, especially for a non-integrated bracelet.
The Audric Strider sits well on the wrist and offers excellent legibility. That said, the grey dial offers the least contrast, so I’d go with one of the others. To say nothing of the fact that the other colors are more exciting.
The sharp corners of the applied markers, both batons and numerals, match well the texture of the dial, and give add a great depth.
Here more than any other photo, you get the full effect of the dial’s texture, with each square’s four facets playing with light. The sharpness of the markers is continued with the big, bold beveled sword hands with cutouts in them. While the date window cuts into the 3 o’clock marker, it’s inoffensive, and the polished frame helps to incorporate it into the dial.
Again, it’s Strider, not Stroller. Not important, but it would’ve been cool if the chapter ring triangles were lumed.
Audric goes big with its lume. It was true for the Seaborne and it’s just as true for the Strider. Super-LumiNova® C3 X1 fills the hands, and markers (I especially like the lume of the numbers), and everything shines equally and exceptionally bright.
Through the display caseback, a Swiss movement is on display: either a Sellita SW200 or ETA 2824, depending on availability. You can’t go wrong with either option, so I wouldn’t be too concerned that this isn’t finalized. I could do without the caseback text telling me what kind of steel and glass is used, but here we are. As we have a glimpse of the bracelet connection, I would’ve preferred quick-release tabs, especially considering the lack of drilled lugs. Too, I found the spring bar access points slightly narrow, so they may not accommodate all tools.
The bracelet continues the angularity of the case, with sharply finished links with beveled edges all around. It features one of my favorite microbrand clasps, with polished beveled edges with push buttons. It’s secure and spot-on for a watch of this style. There’s no need for ratcheting, and it has several micro adjustment holes for fine-tuned sizing. Despite the lack of drilled lugs or quick-release tabs, The Strider paired well with a number of straps, including NATOs (I just didn’t take any photos of them).
The Audric Strider builds on the aesthetic established by the brand’s debut SeaBorne: high spec, angular, lots of texture, and great build quality. For those who were daunted by the enormity of the SeaBorne, the Strider offers a similar if less colorful alternative in a smaller package. Again, I’d recommend getting one of the more colorful dials, for legibility’s sake, but other than that, you’re good to go. If you’re keen, you can check out the Audric Watches website and sign up for updates to be notified when the Strider Kickstarter goes live in April.
