The Zodiac reference ZO9271 is the first two-tone style version of the modern Super Sea Wolf Compression watch – and I think it has an excellent look to it. People who should look at this closely are those who want a solidly-made, vintage-style, quality movement-equipped, and accessibly-priced diver’s watch, but with a fashionable twist. That fashionable twist is the aesthetic look of steel and 18k yellow gold.
Hands-on images by Ariel Adams
Zodiac doesn’t price the Super Sea Wolf Compression ZO9271 watch more than any other similar model in the product family but the gold of course isn’t real. Rather, it uses gold-tone coated steel for the bracelet’s center links, the bezel, dial elements, and the crown. At this under $1,400 price one wouldn’t expect real gold anyways, but what people do expect is a good mechanical movement and utility – which is an area where the Super Sea Wolf Compression most certainly does deliver.
Zodiac’s product development team has a really good time playing with the various colors of the Super Sea Wolf Compression and many of the results are more exotic and fun as opposed to stately and conservative. A good example is the also new for 2018 Zodiac ZO9269 “watermelon candy” version of the Super Sea Wolf Compression that I covered on aBlogtoWatch here. This black-dialed two-tone version is a slightly more formal, if not mature take on this otherwise very classic looking dive watch – and I think it works very well for people who find themselves wearing long sleeves and/or suits on a regular basis.
I also feel that Zodiac did a good job of keeping the diver’s style tool watch look of the Super Sea Wolf Compression intact while giving this timepiece a bit more of a “high-end lifestyle” look. The matte black dial has large, applied block-style hour markers and matching hands with a good volume of Super-LumiNova painted on the indicators. Around it is another layer in off-white with a minute track – and so far the watch is “all business.” Aside from the matching gold-toned elements on the dial, this is a 100% utilitarian object at its center (literally).
From there we have the rotating gold-toned bezel with its mineral crystal inlay where some of the gold-colored glitzy parts come into play. While it is clearly evocative of the iconic Jubilee-style bracelet from Rolex, the tapering bracelet is wonderfully comfortable and makes use of steel outer links with smaller polished gold-toned center links in the middle.
Zodiac gives this bracelet a traditional butterfly-style deployant which hides a small, spring-loaded micro-adjust on each side for added wearing comfort. Inside the watch is the in-group (movement maker is also owned by the Fossil Group) Swiss Made STP 3-13 automatic movement, which operates at 4Hz with two days of power reserve. This is a much better movement than is typically available in a watch at this price point from many other brands. The movement includes the time as well as the date, which is displayed in a window at 3 o’clock on the dial.
Size-wise the Super Sea Wolf Compression collection maintains its 40mm wide size that is a happy medium suitable for most wrist sizes. There are times when I’d like Zodiac to make the watch 41 or 42mm wide, but they also offer the 43mm wide Super Sea Wolf 68 watch collection. Overall I find that these watches are an excellent match for many different types of people, so the 40mm wide size is totally acceptable to me. Let me not forget to mention the water resistance of this diver’s style watch, which is 200m. The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression ZO9271 watch is not part of a limited edition and has a retail price of $1,395 USD. zodiacwatches.com
