Though it’s our job here at aBlogtoWatch to write about watches, sometimes a written description simply doesn’t do justice to the watch at hand. The Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III is a perfect case in point: a dive watch with a purple (very, very purple) dial, gilt hands and indices, and hour markers in teal, orange, and a couple shades of blue. Reading that description, it’s understandable if some rather terrifying images come to mind. I’m still not quite sure how Henry Archer (or, rather, Henrik Schødt, the mad Dane behind the semi-eponymous brand) turned this on-paper outlandish mix of elements into such a stylish and charming watch, but the Nordsø NEON III is just that.

First, a bit of background on the brand. Henry Archer (an anglicized translation of Henrik Schødt’s name) launched shortly after a certain coronavirus ground the world to a sudden halt. Though that timing must have been utterly terrifying for Henrik and his wife — the sole proprietors of the brand — the timing couldn’t have been more fortuitous.  The watch industry soon boomed, taking Henry Archer along for the ride. The brand quickly expanded out of Denmark and went global with its reach. Though the name on the dial has been simplified for the North American market, the watches are as thoroughly Danish as Schødt himself.

Think “Danish design,” and minimalism will almost certainly come to mind, along with plenty of lust-worthy mid-century modern design. While you may not think of a multi-hued, purple-dialed dive watch as minimalist, Schødt explains it this way: “Minimalism is not boring, it’s about mastering complexity. [It’s about] keeping things concentrated design-wise into its most raw form without being boring, but rather timeless.” Yes, the watch is colorful, but at its core, the design itself is restrained — there’s no superfluous text or other elements to detract from the design.

In reviewing a watch like this, there’s no point in beginning anywhere else but the dial. Here, the purple dial is radially brushed in concentric circles. It’s dynamic, but not as strongly shifting (and sometimes illegible) as a typical sunburst. If you’re a fan of purple but want something even more eye-catching, the Nordsø (Danish for North Sea) is also available in a purple meteorite dial. There’s no way around it, the purple stands out. Though my typical style is more casual and subdued (think flannels and sweaters), it only took a couple times wearing the watch to remember the oft-repeated observation among watch collectors: Nobody notices your watch, even a bright, shiny purple one. But you’ll certainly notice it on your wrist.

The hue chosen for the NEON III is a royal purple, which is fitting considering it’s complemented by gilt hands and applied indices. This is probably the element that I would be most skeptical of on paper. Yet, it’s fantastic. As always, photos exaggerate the effect of these elements. On the wrist, the gold tone is subtle but provides a warmth that wouldn’t have been achieved with silver hands. In contrast, the sky-blue seconds hand stands out against the purple and unifies the design, tying into both the bezel and the minutes markers. The hands, hour marker, and bezel indices are all filled with Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9, which shines nice and white during the day and light blue at night with plenty of intensity.

Purple, gilt, and sky-blue are hardly the only colors you’ll find on the NEON III. The minutes hands also alternate with teal, orange, and dark blue. In my mind, this really should not work, yet here we are, and I love it. It’s just the right amount of funky for my taste. If you want to stick with a purple dial, but tone things down a tad, the Nordsø Cosmic Purple restricts the color accents to the sky-blue. Note that there are plenty of other colorways in the lineup, including pink, black, white, ice blue, and meteorite, if you’re not feeling so adventurous.

I asked Schødt about the design inspiration for the Nordsø, and why he chose to lean so heavily into purple. As it turns out, Schødt spent nearly two decades in 3D animation (he actually sold his animation studio to launch Henry Archer), and much of the color theory for what works in 3D animation immediately translated to his design sensibility in watches. Purple pops in 3D animation and is incredibly dynamic and versatile, playing well across the color wheel. Just take a look at the minute markers for evidence. Schødt explained that the NEON III represents his design taste all packed into one watch and reflecting a cyberpunk aesthetic.

There’s nothing really groundbreaking about the design of the dial or bezel of the Nordsø (or the watch, in general). It’s a classic skin-diver design that we’ve seen many times. But the colors and overall execution of all the elements together turn it into something that feels fresh and new. The bezel is unidirectional and 120-click, though one gripe is that the grip on the knurling is slippery and not easy to gain purchase. It’s a bit of a shame as the crown has the same knurling design, but is nice and grippy. Hopefully, that’s something that can be remedied in future iterations. With no numerals on the shiny ceramic bezel, it’s not going to be the most legible, either. That said, it’s hard to imagine anyone purchasing this watch for serious diving, even though it does sport 200m of water resistance.

Given the wild color choices, keeping the case design conservative and familiar makes it feel like a serious watch, albeit one with a more adventurous style. At 40mm in diameter and 47mm lug-to-lug, the Nordsø fits right in the Goldilocks zone for sizing, and the slim 10.5mm case height keep it wearing light and comfy (for reference, my wrist is 6.75″). Given the watch’s sub-$500 price tag, the finishing on the case is solid. No, the sharpness of the chamfers and the fineness of the brushing won’t compete with something from Tudor or Omega, but the finishing does feel a cut above most offerings at this price point. Plus, you get a display caseback for viewing the Miyota 9039 automatic movement. This Japanese movement beats at 28.8kbph with a 42-hour power reserve. Though some might prefer a Swiss movement like a Sellita SW200, keeping the price down with a Miyota movement was a smart choice, as staying under the $500 price point makes the purchase of a wild purple-dial watch more of a consideration than it might otherwise be. The only downside to the Miyota movement (and something that will be familiar to those who’ve owned one) is that the rotor is more audible than some other movements. Give your arm a swing and you can hear and feel the rotor. It’s not terrible by any means, but it’s worth mentioning.

The Nordsø comes with two options for a bracelet: a standard three-link oyster-style bracelet or a beads-of-rice bracelet. Look, if you’re going to buy a bright purple watch, you might as well go all in and pick the beads-of-rice. I’m a sucker for a beads-of-rice bracelet, and this one is just as comfortable as you’d expect. Nice articulation, slim enough to not overwhelm the watch, a bit of taper from the 20mm at the lugs, tool-free quick release, and a nicely machined on-the-fly micro-adjust clasp. What more can you ask for? Honestly, it’s watches like this that get us, as reviewers, so frustrated with watch brands that offer cheap folding clasps on watches 5-10x the price. The micro-adjust isn’t as refined as something like Tudor’s T-Fit clasp, but it definitely does the trick.

For $499 USD, the Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III is an absolute blast. The colors are the star, certainly, but the build quality of the entire watch is more than competitive. While the NEON III might not evoke the early 90s in quite the same way as the Zodiac x Worn & Wound Super Sea Wolf Laser Tag, it still gives that neon pop that defined the era, along with a palpable cyberpunk aesthetic. Though the NEON III is a long bus ride away from the Bauhaus school that inspired much of 20th-century Danish design, there’s something tangibly Scandinavian in Henry Archer’s restrained approach. Maybe it’s just the “ø” in Nordsø. Either way, the Henry Archer Nordsø NEON III is a fun, affordable watch that offers excellent value in a colorful package. For more information, please visit the Henry Archer website.

Necessary Data
>Brand: Henry Archer
>Model: Norsø NEON III
> Price: $499 USD
>Size: 40mm diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, 10.5mm thickness, 20mm lug width
>When reviewer would personally wear it: I found myself wearing this more often, and in more settings, than I expected. That said, it’s a great watch to wear out on the town or as a conversation starter.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone looking to mix up their collection of black-dialed watches with something completely different at an affordable price.
>Best characteristic of watch: Gilt hands and indices against the purple dial.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Lack of grip on the bezel, relatively loud rotor.