While it may be considered overkill, the Haldor Abissi is water resistant to 1,000m. I certainly didn’t test this, but I’m sure it’s more than enough for most recreational divers looking for a solid watch. What I did find surprising was the inclusion of a Helium escape valve in a watch coming in at well under $1,000. In some ways, this can be seen as useless tech, but I can appreciate that Haldor went the extra mile to cram in the extra feature.
Legibility is excellent thanks to the big, straightforward dial design. It’s black with minimal text and features bold baton-shaped hour markers along with Arabic numerals at the 12, 6, and 9 positions. I found the hands to be an interesting choice. They have a kind large sword aviation look to them, but they work well with the overall dial combination. The minute and second hands are both painted orange, and there is a generous application of Super-LumiNova found throughout all of the markers as well as the hands. In addition to the “Abissi, Automatic, 1000m/3300ft” text just above 6 o’clock, we also find a raised Haldor logo in chrome that almost seems to disappear at times depending on the light.
My favorite feature by far was the bezel on the Haldor Abissi 1000m. It’s a pleasure to operate and everything about it reminds me of something I’d find on watches that are way more expensive. It’s a zirconia ceramic bezel with deep grooves along the edge for easy operation. It’s high-contrast, crisp, and the engraved numerals just pop thanks the the clean look of the ceramic. There’s a lumed pip at 12 o’clock, and the hash marks are finished in a bright orange up until the 15-minute indication. At 120 clicks, it just feels great and has very little play. The bezel surrounds the Haldor Abissi’s flat sapphire crystal which also features internal AR coating for reduced dial reflections.
The Haldor Abissi 1000m comes with a top-grade adjusted ETA-2824 – an industry staple and a movement that’s slowly becoming harder to find in micro-brand watches. The top-grade adjustment is about as good as it gets without opting for a COSC chronometer grade ETA and, once again, this is a surprising inclusion considering the watch’s price point. For those unfamiliar with the movement, it features hand-winding, hacking, a 40-hour power reserve, and a quick-set date that’s indicated at the 3 o’clock position. During my time with the Haldor Abissi 1000m, I found it to operate accurately, and it tested out to about +4 seconds per day when I placed it on the timegrapher. Everything is operated via the embossed screw-down crown that works smoothly and has little to no play whatsoever.
Considering all of these factors, it’s easy to see how the Haldor Abissi 1000m can be considered a watch that is worth far more than the sum of its parts. Besides the issue I had with the bracelet’s size, everything about the watch actually flowed seamlessly, and over time I eventually found that I got used to the weight. When considering this kind of design and size, versatility is also going to be somewhat of an issue. I found that trying to pair it with business casual attire at the office was a bit out of place, to say the least, but it was always great to get the Haldor on wrist anytime I wanted the feeling of a massive, substantial watch.
The Haldor Abissi 1000m is one of my favorites out of the micro-brand divers that I’ve been able to handle. Maybe it’s the fact that it goes against my usual preferences in a diver, or perhaps I just admire how much the brand packed into the watch at its price point. The bottom line? Some people just genuinely enjoy large watches, and I can certainly see the Haldor Abissi 1000m serving as a viable choice for a great deal of budget-conscious buyers. With a price of €598 (that’s €730 when factoring in VAT) the Haldor Abissi 1000m shines in the sub-$1,000 range that micro-brand watches usually thrive in. haldorwatches.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Haldor
>Model: Abissi 1000m
>Price: €598
>Size: 45.5mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone that wants a huge, no-nonsense dive watch with an aggressive look and rugged features that moves beyond typical dive watch design language.
>Best characteristic of watch: The zirconia ceramic bezel.
>Worst characteristic of watch: The wide, heavy bracelet and its lack of a tapered design.
