Bathys is the little watch company that could. Founded by John Patterson, this tiny Hawaiian company sources their watches in Switzerland and offers the surfer – and landlubber – alike a little taste of that Ahola feeling.
Almost a year after the launch of their first watch, the 100 Fathoms Big Date, Patterson has topped himself. The automatic version of the Bathys 100 Fathoms is a testament to Patterson’s hard work and eye for detail.
First, the good stuff. The face and case are beautiful and quite legible. Patterson knows his lume and there is plenty of it on this watch. In the dark, the 100 Fathoms shines like a torch. The caseback is quite striking with a tiny map of Hawaii engraved on a sea of brushed steel. It is water resistant up to 200M. It has a sapphire crystal and is 41.1 mm in diameter.
Now, for the bad stuff. The deployant leather clasp included with the watch – while handsome, was painful to wear. All of the edges are hard and sharp and after a while I swapped the beautiful black rubber band and was considerably happier. Thankfully, the Auto comes with both bands.
Second, the crown is too small by half. Even with my small meathooks couldn’t grab the crown without fumbling. Once I had it unscrewed, things were fine, but screwing it back into the case was a chore. I did it a few times and each time was difficult, so it really wasn’t a matter of getting used to the size. Minor issue, not a dealbreaker.
That said, the 100 Fathoms Auto was a joy to wear. It’s quite striking and actually very light, especially with the rubber band. The bold numerals and beautiful materials really stand out and it is eminently readable and noticeable.
It’s hard not to recommend a watch by John Patterson. The $775 is quite reasonable for a small-batch, US-designed watch by a very small manufacturer and it’s a great investment if you want a little of John’s Mahalo-tastic. My wife put it on and won’t take it off, so perhaps you have this year’s Valentine’s Day gift?
Quality: 3.5/5
Style: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
gorgeous piece
very fine!
i got one of these as well, and initially had similar feelings about the comfort about the leather band (and i have fairly small wrists so i am wearing it on the smallest hole, the clasp definitely dug in), but i really like the leather much more than the rubber one, so i thought i would give it a few days. after wearing it for a week (and the first few days wearing it in the shower) the leather band softened up a lot and the very lovely complicated clasp made a dent in the leather band, and now its not uncomfortable at all, so maybe give it a try again??
and as far as the crown, it is tiny but i haven’t had any serious issues, although after initial setting i haven’t had to change it. may have different thoughts after i travel and have to change the time a lot?
otherwise, its really really amazingly designed, i love it. i had been looking for a watch that was not overdesigned, and has a classic / new feel to it, and this watch is completly perfect. so happy!
So glad I discovered this site.
At last, a reviewer who doesn’t play favorites:
A watch that looks like what my classmates used to wear in grade school, with a painful clasp and subpar crown, all for less than a grand. Clearly deserving of your 4/5 rating. Touting American products as competitive as this is surely the greatest service a fair-minded expert can offer.
Aloha,
Thanks for the nice review. Clasp and crown designs are being updated for our new models.
We’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like dealing with a company that actually cares about their customers – then check us out.
Mahalo!
Pretty cool looking watch, not original by any means.
You seems to not like “homage” watches, as if all divers aren’t a Blancpain 50 Fathoms homage to some degree.
This one looks a lot like the Blancpain, and that’s a good thing. But, even the submariner originally looked a lot like the original Blancpain, it just took the ball and ran with it making changes as they went, and the rest is history.
Just received my new watch. Very nice looking and feels well made. I went for the UV colour, this sounds unusual but everyone who has seen the watch really likes it. The only problem has been the leather strap, the buckle is terrible. It digs into your skin. Its a great shame as I prefer it to the plastic strap.
I love this watch…gotta get me one lol 🙂