It is hard to believe that it has been three years since Australia’s Second Hour Watches launched their debut model, the Gin Clear. Since then, the brand has turned out the Mandala, Giant Stride, and Sattleberg Beacon. All of them are fine watches, each with their own distinct character. But now, Second Hour has returned to its roots, revisiting the Gin Clear to bring us the Gin Clear MkII I have in for review today.
Like the original, the MkII is a purpose-built diving watch. It has the requisite screw-down crown, a 120-click unidirectional timing bezel, Swiss BGW9 Super-LumiNova, a flat sapphire crystal with six layers of anti-reflective coating, and a 300m water resistance rating, up from the original’s “mere” 200m. Add to this a 1200Hv surface hardening treatment, and it is apparent that the Gin Clear MkII is one tough cookie.
While the specs are all well and good, the original Gin Clear was no slouch, either. What makes the new model better than the old is not necessarily its capability but its refinement. Just about every element was reexamined and redesigned to create a cleaner, sleeker, and more satisfying watch.
Let’s start with the brushed and polished stainless steel case. The size is similar but smaller, shedding a millimeter or two all around to bring the new case dimensions to 40mm wide (41mm across the bezel), 47mm long, and 12.25mm thick, including the crystal. I noted the original’s slab sides and heavy appearance in my earlier review. For this version, Second Hour drew upon the design language established by the Mandala. It is vastly improved, featuring a gentle arch to better meet your wrist. Slim, polished bevels on the upper edges, inside the lugs, and a deep undercut (also polished) on the bottom make the new case seem half as thick and twice as pretty as the old one.
The Gin Clear’s crown now wears a knurled texture and an accent band in addition to its signed head. It is both attractive and easy to operate. So, too, is the 120-click bezel, which provides firm action and the bonus of 0.5mm of overhang. That sounds like nothing, but it feels huge at your fingertips, offering a significant advantage in grip. Its glossy ceramic insert is engraved and lumed.
Second Hour did not stray far from the old layout, but they have improved every aspect, from the simplified logo to the dynamic typeface to the ever-so-slightly broader faceted handset. The black dial looks miles deep, and I love how the red accents pop. You still get Second Hour’s signature markers on 12/4/8, now redesigned with bands of polish and lume. Also, note how the beveled date window at 6 o’clock retains a marker and echoes the shape of the others. Oh, and the disk is color-matched, of course. Very nicely done.
Color options include Ocean Sunset (orange), Pastel Blue, Arctic White, and the Sunburst Black shown here.
At night, it all lights up thanks to the two-tone Swiss BGW9 Super-LumiNova.
On the flip side, you’ll find an oil-pressed relief of a Hawksbill sea turtle. Behind it hums an ETA 2824 automatic, a Swiss workhorse movement with which we are all familiar. You really can’t go wrong there.
The brand went all-out on the 20mm bracelet, giving us all the modern conveniences and top-notch finishing. The two small segments in its four-link design are polished, as are the sides of the beveled outer links. We get screw pins, quick-release bars, and a milled and signed clasp with push-button micro-adjustments.
On my 6.75″ wrist, the Gin Clear MkII looks and feels fabulous. Where the original was strictly a tool, the second-generation watch will happily suit up and play nicely for professional or dress-casual occasions.
Between the updated case and the new bracelet, the Gin Clear MkII is a tremendous evolution of Second Hour’s original idea. I’d say I am shocked that they accomplished this in just three years, but I’m not. When I reviewed the Mandala in 2021, I could see the brand had already made a great step forward. The best watch designers listen to their customers, process feedback, and explore new ideas to improve their products. Second Hour has clearly done so — gin clearly, if you will.
The Second Hour Gin Clear MkII is available now at secondhour.com.au for $1,200 AU. American buyers can also order from their Pennsylvania-based authorized dealer, Virage, for $795 US. If you happen to be in Washington, D.C., on March 2nd or 3rd, 2024, you can see it in person when Virage brings the Second Hour collection to the District Time watch show.
