Audaz is Latin for bold, and they try their best to showcase that attitude through their timepieces. It’s worth noting that all of their watches are custom developed from scratch, with all moulds and parts uniquely designed and made for them. This model, the Bronzmatic, is supposedly inspired by the ruggedness and functionality of submarines. Let’s check it out to see if that’s truly the case.
The specs
- Dimensions: 42mm diameter x 15mm height x 51mm lug to lug
- Weight: 123g
- Water resistance rating: 20ATM / 200m
- Movement: Seiko NH35A
- Accuracy: +7.4 sec/day
- Lug width: 22mm
- Warranty: 2 years
- Price: $575 / ~£450, use code WIAA30 for 30% off: $402.50 / ~£325
- Buy here: https://www.audazwatches.com/collections/new/products/adz-2065-01
The video review
The case
The case is where the Bronzmatic excels. However, it also features its biggest drawback.
Constructed of solid CuSn8 bronze, it’s been gradually developing a beautiful patina over the last few months. The size is a measured 42mm in diameter, but the weight of 123g is significant considering it’s on a silicon / leather strap.
The crown is a thing of beauty. Superb grip, simple yet rugged design, and the logo deeply and accurately engraved. The thread is lovely and smooth to use to boot.
On to the only negative of the watch: the sapphire crystal is insanely domed. I get that domed crystals are more legible underwater, and it is a dive watch. But, the dome is so extreme it even negatively affects legibility – it’s so reflective it’s an absolute pain to photograph. The watch is still readable, but it’s much more reflective than I’d like to see.
Back on to the good stuff: the 120-click unidirectional bezel. The ceramic insert is glossy in an eye-catching manner; the lume filled markers are neat and accurate. The action is smooth, lines up well and firm. There’s good grip too, to match the crown.
Another impressive aspect is the caseback. The Bronzmatic is inspired by the ruggedness and functionality of submarines, hence why one appears on the rear of the watch. It’s rather majestic: deep-stamped and finitely detailed.
The dial
Let’s face it – genuine diver watches are all about legibility. And the dial itself is excellent in that department despite the crystal. Large, bold hour markers and obvious hands make it extremely easy to read, even with the reflective domed crystal above it.
There’s a sneaky sunburst backdrop which is very gentle; only visible at certain angles / lights.
I love seeing thick hour markers and the Bronzmatic features these very well. Deep-set markers always portray good manufacturing, and they’re all also very neatly finished in a bronze colour.
The hands also feature this same bronze colour to match the case and are a prominent feature of the dial. The style may not be for everyone – I think visually the hour hand is a little bit small and unbalanced compared to the minute hand.
The hands and hour markers are all lathered with green Swiss Super Luminova lume, which is of good strength. The date window features a very neat bronze border which demonstrates close attention to detail. The white date wheel fits in well amongst the large hour markers.
The strap
It’s quite an unusual strap to behold – silicon construction with leather stitched on top. Whilst it caught me off-guard the first time I wore it, I’ve grown to like it.
The Bronzmatic wants to be taken as a serious diver, as this is the best of both worlds: the longevity of silicon, but the appearance of genuine leather. It does it subtly and cleverly too: at an initial glance, you would have no idea that it’s primarily a silicon strap.
It’s surprisingly supple and comfortable, and I like the grey stitching rather than plain black.
The strap is endowed with a large, solid pre-V style buckle. The logo is lightly engraved on the top bar – I would have preferred deeper engraving to match the excellent crown.
The movement
It seems that 95% of the watches I review nowadays contain the Seiko NH35A. What more can be said apart from the fact that it’s solid, reliable, cheap, and is highly regarded?
Specs include a low beat rate of 21.6k bph, 24 jewels, ~41h power reserve, and hacking plus hand-wind capabilities. I feel like a broken record.
Final comments
The RRP of $575 / ~£450 is a bit steep if you ask me. However, if you use code WIAA30 for 30% off to make it $402.50 / ~£325, it’s a much more attractive proposition. You’d certainly be getting your monies worth: with a bronze case that’s no doubt of top quality; showcasing a ceramic bezel, lovely crown and impressive caseback. The dial too is admirable, despite sitting behind an overly-reflective domed crystal.
Whilst the reflectiveness of the dial is no doubt a negative, it’s still a worthwhile watch for your consideration.
