In Review: Valimor Caliburnus II

Last month, we introduced you to the Valimor Caliburnus II, as it was going through it’s crowd-funding cycle. Well, that campaign successfully closed out, and backers are awaiting their watches. If you missed out, you can pre-order one (without the KS discounts), so do not despair. We’ve also been spending time with one lately, so we can give you a a hands-on take on this interesting watch.

Frankly, I think any buyer is going to have the difficult decision of what dial style to go for on the Valimor Caliburnus II. While I found the full-lume MOP dials intriguing – especially in the dark – the one I asked to have sent over is the blue/green lake opal dial. Now, this is a polymer infused with lab-created opal, but in my book, that doesn’t make it any less beautiful to look at (and honestly, we’re not talking fine jewelry here, so again, it’s just fine). I mean, as soon as it arrived, it paired so nicely with my Finch Knives Cimarron that I just had to get a shot:

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And yes, I know – there’s a lot of King Arthur theme going on with the overall design of the Valimor Caliburnus II, complete with the sword blade hands, dragon scale bezel, and details on the rubber strap and the bezel. That said, I didn’t even notice those all that much when I was wearing the watch. For me, it was all about that dial, easily making it the star of the show. The way it catches the light (particularly if it comes in at a sharp angle, the dial can appear almost cobalt blue, just never ceased to amaze me.

From a technical perspective, we certainly can’t underestimate the new Miyota 8315 movement tucked into the 42mm case. Bringing that Miyota reliability to your wrist along with a 60-hour power reserve, that’s just something anyone is going to appreciate. Just bear in mind – the Valimor Caliburnus II only carries a 50m WR rating, so you’re not going to be wanting to hit any deep waters with this on your wrist.

While you could opt for a basic three-hander-plus-date, why would you when you’ve got a dial like the ones on the Valimor Caliburnus II on offer? Sure, maybe the dragon scaling and patina on the case aren’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. So, maybe we’ll see a new “smoothed out” version in the future, with a brushed case and simple bezel bringing those dials to the world (and no, I don’t have any inside information, just some blue sky dreaming). For myself, though, those case details are secondary and all-but ignored when I check the time and look at the dial. If you find yourself similarly entranced, you can order one for €439 / $529 (as tested on rubber) or €499 / $600 on the patinated steel bracelet. valimor.com