Oh, sure. I could have led with some awful “release the Kraken” comment. I could have resorted to that sophomoric sort of humor, or I could have referenced the epic film of my youth, Clash of the Titans. “The Kraken is the end of us. A colossal, elemental beast. Even the gods fear it.”
And it’s true. The Kraken’s gaping maw of teeth, and the ability to destroy whole cities, lives on in that madman’s mind, Hamtun’s creator Ross Davis, and the H2 dive watch named humbly, The Kraken.
If you were waiting to back the H2 for a more convenient time, if you thought you’d hold out just a little bit longer, stop. Don’t. There is no better time.
For your support, you will be handsomely rewarded with a titanium dive watch powered either by the competent and affordable Seiko NH35 movement, or for the truly handsome, best-dressed, and well-manicured among you, the Swiss Sellita SW-200 movement will drive the hands around the dial.
As for dials, there’s a black dial with white indices, a white dial with white indices, and thanks to other backers who came before you, a meteorite dial has been unlocked, where Ross Davis (not personally, mind you; he wouldn’t want to break a sweat) slices a piece of rock that has fallen from the far reaches of outer space into a thin wafer, just for your watch. Each one is unique, and special, just like I thought I was when I was in high school.
The clasp is signed with Hamtun’s logo. Forgive the scratches, this watch has been passed around reviewers a bit. It’s well-traveled.
Here are some sentence fragments describing what you get: Titanium case, with a hardened coating to keep it scratch-resistant and looking good. Titanium bezel with easy to turn, grippy bezel teeth. Sapphire crystals with multiple layers of anti-reflective coating under the crystals. These watches aren’t cheap. They’re affordable, and they’re worth it. For £239 or about $315 USD, you can get the Kraken with the NH35 movement. For £100 more (132 USD), you get the Swiss Sellita. You even get to choose the dial color at this price point. You’ve got 7 days. kickstarter.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Hamtun H2 Kraken
- Price: Earlybird pricing starts at $315
- Who we think it might be for: You like want a titanium dive watch that’s reliable and affordable.
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: That date window. That blue on white dial. You bet I would.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: not today. I enjoyed the details here, and I’m not even that big a fan of crowns are 4 o’clock. Okay, okay, I wish the bezel teeth were more tightly spaced together. That’s my preference.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: It’s all there. The easy to turn bezel with not a lot of backplay, the date window recess, and tasteful color choices. I like this dial much more than I did the H1 indices.
Tech Specs from Hamtun
- Case size: 41mm, 48 lug to lug
- Height: 13.9mm
- Case material: Titanium with a hardened coating to prevent scratches
- Crystal: sapphire
- Strap: Titanium bracelet
- Movement: Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 or Seiko NH35
