Long Term Assessment: Victorinox Dive Master 500 “Black Ice” Mechanical

Introduction 

Over years of observing, wearing, and occasionally field‑testing the Victorinox Dive Master 500 “Black Ice” Mechanical, I have come to appreciate its particular blend of durability, refinement, and utilitarian discipline. The watch, built from 316L stainless steel with a gunmetal PVD coating and powered by the ETA 2892‑A2, presents itself as a piece engineered not only to survive harsh environments but also to age with understated dignity. 

Case Construction and Wear Characteristics

The 43 mm case—excluding the screw‑down crown—sits securely and comfortably on a 7.5‑inch wrist, thanks largely to the well‑designed crown guards and overall weight distribution. The gunmetal “Black Ice” PVD coating has shown itself to age gracefully, developing soft highlights along contact edges rather than the harsh wear typical of gloss‑black finishes. This muted evolution suits the watch’s tool‑forward design philosophy.

Head-To-Head: Omega Speedmaster Mark II vs. Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional

Omega Speedmaster Mark II

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional

The Omega Speedmaster Mark II and Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional are two watches represent two distinct philosophies within the Omega Speedmaster lineage: the Mark II is a bold, modern, and technically advanced reinterpretation of a 1969 design, while the Moonwatch Professional is the direct, historically faithful descendant of the watch that went to the moon.

Long Term Assessment: Living with the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller

When I first strapped the Deepsea onto my wrist, I knew immediately this wasn’t just another Rolex. It felt like a block of steel and sapphire engineered for survival in places I’ll probably never go. The specs are impressive—3,900 metres of water resistance, the Ring Lock System, the helium escape valve—but living with the watch day in and day out tells a different story.

The Weight

The Deepsea is heavy. There’s no escaping that. At first, the heft was almost distracting, like carrying a small anchor on my wrist. I remember thinking: “The wearing experience is all about being able to carry the weight. The watch is a heavyweight and the weight is obvious to wearers.” Over time, though, my wrist adjusted. The mass became familiar, almost reassuring, like a reminder that I was wearing something built to withstand the ocean’s crushing depths. Still, compared to my other watches, the Deepsea always feels like the brute of the collection.

Grand Seiko Sport Collection Mechanical Hi-Beat Diver Watch SBGH289 - A Statement Piece that Balances Toughness with Elegance, A Review (plus Video)

The Grand Seiko dealership in Mid Valley Megamall is having a clearance sale. Many GS watches are available with deep discounts from MSRP. I went to visit to peruse what's available and see if I could find a bargain.

 

To be honest, I do not have a burning desire to get one. Nonetheless, the choices available is still rather extensive. After going through the examples available, my eyes started to drift towards a genre that was my first love when I started my watch collection journey - the dive watch. What is available in the offerings is the SBGH289, with a hi-beat automatic movement.

 

I do have something similar in the form of the SBGA229, powered by a Spring Drive movement. One would immediately assumed the the SBGH289 (launched in 2021) is the same as the SBGA229 (launched in 2017) except for the different caliber movements used. However, there are more subtle changes that can only be noticed on closer scrutiny. 

 

The special price quoted for the SBGH289 is really good and difficult to get anywhere else. After weighing in the options, I proceeded with the purchase of the SBGH289.

Casio Edifice EFK100D-7A Automatic (similar to EFK-100CD-1A, EFK-100D-2A, EFK-100D-3A & EFK-100XPB-1A) - The Brand’s First Mechanical Watch, A Review (plus Video)

I finally got my hands on Casio's first automatic timepiece. The EFK100 series in under the Edifice line and it was launched in 2025 with much surprise and jubilation from the watch community. For purist, disappointment, as Casio decide against making their own in-house movement, opting to use Seiko's NH35A instead. For me and the vast majority of watch enthusiasts, the fact that Casio has finally embraced the mechanical movement as part of their repertoire of technologies for their watch designs says a lot. The choice of affordable mechanical watches from established brands are shrinking year-by-year as watchmakers goes up the value chain leaving the cheaper alternatives to alternative brands.

I wanted to get it when it was launched in 2025. Then, my choice was either the green or the blue dial version. However, after seeing them for the first time, it was the white dial that really stands out. The texturing on the dial makes it feel like a Grand Seiko 'Snowflake' but at a fraction of the cost. Unfortunately, that particular white dial has already been allocated to another buyer. After waiting for a number of months, finally, one of the branches of AWG got an allocation and a day later, it was on my wrist!

Longines HydroConquest Chronograph Automatic Blue Dial Reference L3.883.4.96.6 - Sporty Diver, A Review (plus Video)

I finally got a Longines watch for my collection.

I was on a trip to the UK to attend my daughter's graduation ceremony. It has been my tradition to buy myself a watch to commemorate such events. A few days before the ceremony, I visited the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet to see what watch shops were there and what brands and models they carried.

The only interesting shop I found was Hour Passion, which carries a number of Swiss brands. The Longines section was prominent, but it did not carry the most recent models. I later found out that by accepting this limitation, the shop is free to offer deep discounts that other Authorized Dealers (ADs) may not be allowed to give. For this shop, the standard discount is 30% off the MSRP.

My eyes fell on the blue HydroConquest Chronograph on a bracelet. I knew this model had been phased out in 2023. After further negotiation with the dealer, I received an additional 10% off the already discounted price.

Before making the purchase, I contacted a dealer friend in Malaysia to find out if it was a good deal. While the MSRP would be cheaper in Malaysia due to different tax structures, the discounts offered in the UK were so deep that the deal was very palatable. Sweet!

Timex Expedition Capstone Automatic Reference TW2Y39800 (similar to TW2Y39600) - A "Sweet Spot" Watch, A Review (plus Video)

I got my second Timex for the collection.  

 

I just found out that Solar Time is the brand's AD for Malaysia. I was so happy as it was difficult to source the brand using other channels. It least now I can visit and see the watch firsthand before I make any decision.

 

The model I am interested in is the Expedition series, specifically, the ones with automatic movements. I didn't have my hopes up as the automatic movement sub-series was only launched a few months ago. In fact, Solar Time was promoting the Q Timex line as this is the call-to-fame for the brand.

 

However, in between all the Q Timex models, there sits a pair of the Timex Expedition Capstone Automatics. I quickly asked the AD to take it out of the display cabinet for me to view. 

 

As a policy, I usually take the model with the bracelet option. However, in this case, the bracelet looks rather pathetic when compared to the fabric strap. Due to this, I decided to get the black Capstone with the fabric strap for the collection. 

 

The Grouping of Watch Brands in the Collection (as at July 2025)

Based on brands of watches (and other merchandise that are watch related) that are part of the collection and their corporate ownership, here's the clustered grouping as at July 2025:

1. Citizen Group (Citizen Watch Co.):

   • Citizen
   • Bulova 
   • Independent 
   • Alpina  

2. Seiko Group:

   • Seiko
   • Grand Seiko
   • Alba
   • Orient
   • Orient Star

3. Casio Computer Co., Ltd.:

   • Casio

       

4. Swatch Group Ltd.:

   • Omega
   • Tissot
   • Hamilton
   • Rado

5. Rolex SA:

   • Rolex
   • Tudor

6. Compagnie Financière Richemont SA:

   • Cartier
   • IWC
   • JLC (Jaeger-LeCoultre)
   • Montblanc

7. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH Horlogerie):

   • Zenith

8. Fossil Group, Inc. (License Holder):

   • Disney Parks Authentics (Fossil holds the license)

9. Invicta Watch Group:

   • Invicta
   • Glycine (Owned by Invicta Watch Group)

10. Victorinox AG:

    • Victorinox Swiss Army 

11. Timex Group:

    • Timex

12. Independent Brands / Microbrands / Other:

    • Likely Independent: 

      • Arbutus
      • Athaya Vintage
      • Ball
      • Bell & Ross
      • Damasko
      • Deep Blue
      • Evant
      • Gruppo Gamma
      • Ingersoll 1892
      • Laco 1925
      • LumTec
      • Maranez
      • Marathon
      • Oris
      • Parnis (not a company but a collection of factories using the same label)
      • Revelot
      • Squale
      • Steinhart
      • Vulcain
      • Yema
      • AVI-8
      • Arctos Elite/GPW Military
      • Aristo
      • Buran (owned by Volmax Company, a Russian watch manufacturer)
      • Leatherman
      • Ocean7
      • Schroeder
      • Seagull (Tianjin Seagull, Chinese manufacturer) 
      • Zeppelin

    • Retailer:

      • Daiso (Retailer, not a watch manufacturer brand)
      • SeiyaJapan (Retailer)

    • Tech: 

      • Apple
      • Suunto (Owned by Amer Sports).

    • Fashion/Licensed: 

      • Solvil Titus
      • PierCarlo d'Alessio 
        
      
      
      
      Below are flags of Switzerland, Japan, USA, Germany, France, UK, Russia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Luxembourg, Singapore & Finland