The watch world seems to have an inherent fascination with dive watches as purpose-built tools. From the Tudor Pelagos FXD, to the Sinn U1, to the Omega Seamaster Ultra Deep, there’s no shortage of watches built for missions upon which most of us mere mortals will never embark. While it’s nice to envision ourselves as elite underwater demolition experts or extreme freedivers, the fact is that most of us simply like the look and practicality of dive watches. They’re tough, sporty, and water-resistant, making for great everyday watches. Yet, it seems almost a rarity for a brand to go the other way. That is, leaning not into the extreme tool watch narrative, but rather producing an unabashedly dressy and horologically interesting dive watch built to be a truly versatile watch for everyday wear. The Horage Supersede Date has the specs to keep dive watch purists happy, but the integrated bracelet, in-house micro-rotor movement, and modern design make this a standout offering in an overcrowded sea of tool-divers.
The Horage Supersede Date was released shortly after the first model in the Supersede lineup, the Supersede, a watch the brand describes as an all-terrain GMT. With 200m of water resistance, a dive bezel, GMT functionality, and a day-night indicator, that was an apt description. With the Supersede Date, Horage takes the same blueprint from the Supersede but strips it down to the basics with the only complication being an oversized date function at 3 o’clock.
The 904L stainless-steel case of the Supersede Date measures 39.5mm in diameter, with a lug-to-lug distance of 46.29mm and a thickness of 10.28mm. While those dimensions may appear modest on paper, the slim bezel results in a watch that is visually larger on the wrist. To be clear, the fit is excellent and comfortable on my 6.75” wrist; it’s simply that. like a pilot’s watch, the relatively large dial results in a watch that looks larger than it is.
The lines on the case are sharp, the brushing is fine, and the overall finishing is superb. When combined with the bezel, with its sloped and polished knurling and engraved markers, the Supersede Date presents as exactly what it is: a dressy diver. One of the things I appreciate about Horage is that it doesn’t try to market the Supersede Date as a hardcore dive watch. It isn’t one and it doesn’t need to be. At a time when every brand seems to try to out-tool the competition, it’s refreshing to see a watch that leans into formal and dressy. Sure, you still get 200m of water resistance and it’s a watch that’s more than capable of accompanying you on a dive, but the bezel isn’t particularly legible or grippy, and there are plenty of watches out there that would be a better pick for hard use. However, for day-to-day wear and versatility, the Supersede Date would be an excellent choice.
For the Supersede Date, Horage opted to take the integrated bracelet route. This is a choice that’s undoubtedly going to divide consumers but is a consistent design choice for the brand and one that works extremely well with the lines of the case and the overall aesthetic of the watch, tapering from 22mm to 16mm at the clasp. The downside, of course, is the limited strap options, though Horage does offer a line of custom rubber straps if you’re looking to switch things up.
All too often bracelets feel like an afterthought, but that’s certainly not the case here. When integrated bracelets are done right, the integration goes well beyond the case/bracelet interface, creating a seamless look that, well, integrates the entire piece (think Audemars Piguet Royal Oak). Horage nailed the brief here. While I’d personally pick up an additional orange rubber strap to switch things up a bit from time to time, this is a watch that really belongs on the bracelet. The clasp is also a highlight, with an on-the-fly micro-adjust with a soft push on the inside of the clasp and a simple push-button release. Overall, the clasp and bracelet are at the top of their class, making it one of the most comfortable and easy-wearing watches on bracelet I’ve worn in some time.
Horage offers the Supersede Date in two classic dial colors, Black Coral and Cenote Blue. The blue is a bright sunburst, with a hue that’s summery and vibrant. Add to that the pumpkin orange seconds hand, and the Supersede Date creates a lovely mix of fun and dressy. Text on the dial isn’t minimal, but it’s not overbearing. One interesting note is the Biel/Bienne text at 6 o’clock in lieu of Swiss Made. It’s an understandable switch given the watering down of the Swiss Made appellation and the amount of work taking place on this watch at Horage HQ.
One welcome addition, made possible by the K2 micro-rotor movement (more on that in a moment), is the oversized date. For those of us with aging eyes, it’s a nice change to actually be able to read the date without glasses. The quick-set date operates as expected with a counterclockwise turn in the first position, but there’s a hidden perk — the Supersede Date also features a jump hour function. Personally, I’m a sucker for the convenience of jump hours, and they’re more than welcome if you travel frequently.
From its inception 15 years ago, Horage has placed a major emphasis on movement innovation. We’re not talking about re-creating a time-tested ETA or Miyota movement, but truly new and innovative movements like the K2 micro-rotor movements, tourbillons, and the absolutely fascinating new Revolution 3 Microreg movement that allows users to personalize the regulation of their watch without opening the case. In the case of the Supersede Date, you’ll find Horage’s K2 micro-rotor movement. Horage spent over 12 years developing its first movement in Biel/Bienne, the K1, and took what it learned during the process to produce the K2 micro-rotor calibre. Think of this movement as sitting somewhere between bespoke, low-production movements and mass-produced movements from ETA or Sellita. The whole idea was to create a high-end movement that was reliable, easily serviceable, yet accessibly priced. Bells and whistles include a 72-hour power reserve, silicone spring and escapement, screw balance regulation, hand-finished Côtes de Genève, a quadratic black gold bridge, plus the option to upgrade the gold-plated tungsten standard rotor to PT950 platinum. In addition, the movement is COSC Chronometer Certified. That’s all well and good, but the important thing is what the movement means for the user experience.
The use of a micro-rotor means the movement can be an exceptionally thin 3.6mm, which is what allows the Supersede Date to come in at just over 10mm thick. As a perk, the rotor doesn’t block half the movement, which is a nice touch as it’s a lovely movement that’s on display behind the sapphire caseback. The long power reserve and COSC accuracy are of course excellent, but the fact that the movement also features a jump hour complication and oversized date wheel means that this is a watch that truly feels like it was built to make the wearing experience easy and pleasurable.
Compare Horage to the dozens of “Swiss” brands that slap together some catalog parts from overseas, add in a Swiss movement and a bit of high-cost Swiss assembly and, well, there is no comparison. Horage is a fascinating brand that’s doing truly pioneering work in horology, yet somehow managing to produce watches at (relatively) accessible price points. Considering the innovative in-house movement, integrated bracelet with top-notch clasp, and superb finishing, the €5,000 EUR (including taxes/duty) price point seems more than reasonable compared to some of the competition. To learn more about Horage and the Supersede Date, please visit the brand’s website.
Necessary Data
>Brand: Horage
>Model: Supersede Date
>Price: €5,000 EUR including tax/duty
>Size: 39.5mm diameter, 46.29mm lug-to-lug, 10.28mm thick, 200m water resistance.
>When reviewer would personally wear it: Would make an excellent daily wear, especially with the black dial; blue dial fitting for days at the beach and nights on the town.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone looking for a dressy diver that isn’t interested in
>Best characteristic of watch: Interesting micro-rotor movement, excellent finishing, and top-notch bracelet and clasp.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Integrated bracelet also means strap options are limited; bezel isn’t terribly grippy or legible if you do plan to dive with the watch.
