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Indie watch brand Zelos has officially released the latest iteration of the timepiece that helped jump-start the company back in 2014. In essence, the Helmsman marked the birth of Zelos, and the Zelos Helmsman 2 dive watch has been redesigned from the ground up to live up to its predecessor while delivering everything that’s expected from a superior timepiece. This release comes hot off the heels of their recent Zelos Hammerhead announcement, but the Helmsman offers watch lovers a slightly more restrained look while bringing even more balance to their extensive collection of watches. Naturally, you can still expect a range of material combinations and those impressive meteorite dials that have become somewhat of a Zelos signature.

The Zelos Helmsman 2 is a pure dive watch through and through. Perhaps the most obvious indication here is the twin-crown layout, which is reminiscent of some of the more famous designs of the 1960s. However, though the watch pays tribute to those designs, Zelos made sure that the watch can stand on its own merit. This was achieved by an intricate combination of CNC machining, sand blasting, and polishing on the case sides that results in a diver that’s more visually playful than the watches that inspired it. Additionally, since the bezel is built upon a simple screw-down design, you can swap it out to create a unique combination of materials if you desire. Water resistance is generous at 300m.

In addition to the watch’s sloped lug structure, the Zelos Helmsman 2 also comes in a very wearable 42mm size. It measures 13.5mm thick and 48mm lug-to-lug – an important measurement that’s often overlooked. This makes it a comfortable option for a range of activities and although it is a little more restrained than the Zelos Hammerhead 1000m, it still offers unique and bold styling that can sometimes be hard to find in today’s growing list of micro-brand dive watches. Like the Hammerhead, the Zelos Helmsman 2 is available in both 316L stainless steel and CuSn8 Marine Bronze, which is sure to patina nicely with age.

Moving on to the dial, we see a practical and visually appealing approach to legibility. While the layout is simple, with multi-faceted baton style hands and a prominent seconds hand, the internal rotating dive bezel offers a little more eye candy. It’s lined with BGW9 lume all the way around which can also be found on the hands as well as the dual signed crowns.  There are black and blue dial variants and the option for a meteorite dial, which adds quite a bit of visual depth under the double-domed sapphire crystal.

Powering the Zelos Helmsman 2 is the Seiko NH35 automatic movement, a reliable and solid choice for a watch that’s sure to see some action. Also, the watch comes fitted with a Horween leather strap and a custom Zelos buckle. However, the watch is compatible with the range of strap options available directly from Zelos.

As a brand that’s committed to offering true value at the highest quality, Zelos is happy to announce this significant addition to their growing lineage. It’s a reimagined evolution of their first watch, and a testament to where the brand has been and where they are going. The Zelos Helsman 2 is available directly from their store and pre-orders are open now. Currently, prices for the Zelos Helsman 2 dive watch range between $369 and $549 depending on the case, bezel, and dial materials. zeloswatches.com