German watchmaker Limes has announced a new addition to their Endurance sport watch range. Featuring a 44.5 mm stainless steel case, the Leviathan offers a chance for buyers to up size their order compared to the 41mm Limes Neptune 2 diver. The Leviathan’s Ickler-made case is 13.5mm thick and features a sapphire crystal and a unidirectional dive PVD-plated black bezel. The dial design is simple, legible and one that I really like.
Limes is part of the Ickler family of brands which is also home to Archimedes, Autran & Viala, and Defacto. Ickler is a case manufacturer that is based in Germany and makes some very nice cases in a wide range of styles. Not only does the Endurance Leviathan offer a larger alternative for the Limes brand, the Leviathan is also larger than what Archimedes features in their lovely 41.5mm SportTaucher 300m diver. So if you really wanted a big diver with an Ickler case, the Leviathan looks like a good choice
The Leviathan is powered by a Sellita SW 200 automatic movement that is essentially a direct response to the ETA 2824 and can be found used by other notable brands like Tag Heuer. It is worth noting that Limes describes the Leviathan’s bezel as being black PVD plated. I’ve never had much luck with the durability of PVD coating with past watches often quickly showing scuffs, marks and scratches. I understand treating an entire case to a PVD finish, but a bezel? While they don’t specifically say that an insert is not used, why not just use a conventional aluminum or ceramic bezel insert for such a tough looking diver? Limes sells the Endurance Leviathan for €995 (~$1290 USD) on a rubber strap or €1195 (~$1550 USD) on a stainless steel bracelet with matched satin finish. While cheaper than some other watches featuring the SW 200, the Leviathan is still a fairly expensive option from the highly competitive world of the micro or indie brands. The Limes Endurance Leviathan is a very nice looking and undoubtedly well made diver, but the PVD bezel treatment and comparatively spendy pricing may scare off a few would-be buyers.
Written by James Stacey