Last week, we welcomed Richard Benc onto the podcast to discuss their latest collaboration with H. Moser, the Passion Project. The Studio Underd0g half of that collaboration represented the soft launch of the 03Series from the young brand, a monopusher chronograph with a new Swiss movement inside. This week, we’re getting a first look at a 03Series watch that you can buy on its own. The new watch is the Salm0n, and it brings us a very unique take on the classic dial color, as well as a familiar design representing a subtle evolution on the brand’s most recognizable design.
What began with teasers featuring a fake novelty salmon mounted on the wall (with a broad arrow mark on its cheek nonetheless) had some speculating on the existence of a dive watch from the British brand, but what we got instead is what I’d call one of the most compelling color combinations we’ve seen to date. To be clear, I’d welcome a dive watch from Studio Underd0g, particularly in light of their approach to the field watch in the 02Series, but that is something we’ll have to keep waiting for.
The 03Series gets back to the brand’s roots. The base design of the dial is practically unchanged, with an oversized minute totalizer at 3 o’clock, and a running seconds indiation at 9 o’clock. The totalizer and tachymeter scale at the perimeter of the dial are used to feature vibrant accent colors depending on the scheme at work. The colors and textures employed are what make these watches special, and this Salm0n example is no exception. The gray fume base gets a speckled design and texture that recalls the look of actual fish skin, while the tachymeter and totalizer welcome a warm pink tone that we typically associate with salmon dials.
It should come as no surprise that the combo works quite well, as the brand has proven rather adept at developing these color schemes to perfectly accent one another and represent the theme authentically. The colors are bold, and as such will be highly subjective, but you have to respect the work that goes into the presentation, which is rather impressive considering the price points in which this brand operates.
The biggest change with the 03Seriers comes under the hood. As seen in the H. Moser collaboration, this watch will use the Sellita SW510 M hand winding movement. This is a notable shift from the Seagull based movements in the 01Series, and will be a welcome move by enthusiasts. The movement is visible through the caseback, and as noted, it welcomes a monopusher design. Impressively, the case remains 38.5mm in diameter and 13.6mm in thickness even with the domed crystal.
Use of this movement has brought another change that will likely be less popular, and that is a $2,000 price tag. The Gen 2 01Series was priced at $600, making it a rather attractive buy for a watch with this much personality. At $2,000, the watch could become a very different proposition to many. This price point is not at all out of line in comparison to other Sellita SW510 equipped watches, but will feel a bit aggressive for fans of the brand accustomed to a sub $1,000 price point. Here’s hoping that it will find its audience, and that we will, in time, see the brand’s interpretation of a diver. Studio Underd0g