Aren’t you just a tad bit surprised that you haven’t seem more watches like this before? People LOVE diver watches, they LOVE aviator watches: couldn’t they just combine the two affections into one uber watch? Well Locman tried to do just that with the new Locman Marina Militare Automatic. There is also a chronograph version, but it is a quartz movement.
Locman, being Italian of course had to give the watch an Italian name. But did they have to just take something right from Panerai? I know Marina Militare is just Italian for Navy, but most people don’t know that. All I am saying is that people are gonna get a bit confused as to what this watch is all about. At least it doesn’t look like a Panerai. Really, the only thing “Navy” about this watch is the emblem from a Italian Naval Academy in Livorno. Thank you Locman, because we all know your Italian “bling” watch designer heritage started in the Navy. Whatever, I happen to like emblems on stuff, especially when they don’t apply to anything I am, or ever have been affiliate with. It is my hope that I can further employ this sense of style into all manners of clothing and accessories that I wear.
The watch face is what is most important here. They literally combine the classic aviator watch look with diving watches. Though I can’t really be sure where the double sided seconds hand came from. These always look cool, but they are probably just a bit distracting. The style of the numerals (especially the hours on the inside with a smaller concentric ring) is all aviator watch. The hour hand follows this arc and is also an aviator style hours hand. The minutes hand could go either way, and while it doesn’t mesh perfectly with the look of the hours hand, it still looks appropriate to me. Even though there is some heavy use of text and images on the watch dial, it is still pretty legible, so that is good.
As for the diver watch part, well pretty much the rest of the watch is all diver watch. From the numbered bezel (which doesn’t look like it rotates sadly), to the rubber strap, to the shape of the case, and location of the crown. The watch is overall attractive is not futuristic with a hint of minimalism, despite the face. Size is noticeable at 44mm wide. It very much feels like a fashion watch to me, but they again, it is a Locman. Overall, it is a nice and new type of watch from Locman, who are typically known for, well other more “colorful” designs. I’d say it is a nice watch for under $500, but I am sure the price for the automatic will hover around $1000. Expect the quartz version to be less, I hope.
See Locman watches on eBay here.
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