The Fanos Osimiri!
I have been testing this incredible diver for almost 2 months now, and I could say this is something different.
If you remember, I had an interview with Faros Watches back when they started their Kickstarter campaign. You can check it out here.
The watch came in a military-green watch roll with a big Fanos logo on it.
When I opened it, I immediately fell in love with the Osimiri.
It came with a 900 HV hardened titanium bracelet, and I also got a dust-resistant molded rubber strap with it.
I almost immediately changed the strap. But I couldn’t remove the links from the bracelet. I somehow didn’t like this bracelet and the end links are a bit sharp. So, I preferred the rubber strap, which was a really good choice!
The rubber strap is so high quality, I didn’t believe it! It feels really good on my wrist, so smooth everywhere. The clasp on it is also titanium, all the edges are finely finished, with no sharpness. There is also a Fanos logo on it.
Let’s talk about the watch case. The case is made of scratch-resistant grade 2 900HV hardened titanium and the diameter is 42mm. All the edges and the surfaces are so smooth and well-finished. I could say, it is competing with bigger brands’ watch cases. On the back of the case, you can see a big logo. There are some writings such as it was designed in Canada and the material of the case is titanium. The “Fanos” name also appears on the back, and this is the only place on the watch where you can actually see it.
A “Swiss Automatic” label is also visible on the back, but I will tell you more about the movement later.
The lug to lug size is 48mm, the lug width is 22mm and the thickness is 13,5mm. I could say these sizes are optimal for a dive watch!
It has a screw-down crown with an engraved logo and Swiss BGW9 Superluminova lume on it. Very good to the touch, the notches on it make it easier to screw it down.
On the other side of the case, you can see a helium escape valve, which is kind of rare to find on microbrand divers. With this feature and with the screw-down crown, you get a 500m water resistance, which immediately gives some special feeling to the watch. That’s also a rarity between microbrands, and on the marketplace. (200m and 300m WR is usual.)
Let’s move on to the front side. The Osimiri has a 120-click unidirectional ceramic bezel, which expands the excellent line of features.
The watch has a slightly domed sapphire crystal with 3 layers of anti-reflective coating underside. A great pairing for a diving watch.
The dial is just perfect for a deep diver. The black color with the white indices is truly a good choice. It is much easier to see, because of the big contrast between the two colors. Deep in the dark waters, it is a more visible combo than anything other. A blue dial with a blue bezel is also an option, but I chose the black one.
At 6 there is a date window with white background and black numbers for better visibility. The place of the date window gives more balance and symmetry to the dial.
Above the date, there is the 500m WR mark and the “Osimiri” label.
At 12 you can find the Fanos logo. Each of the signs and labels is between 12 and 6 o’clock, so it looks like the dial has an axis to be more symmetric.
The indices are nestled within a raised chapter ring that has cutouts to integrate them. The plongeur-style white hands are a great choice for this watch. They are also big and robust like the watch itself, and especially visible all the time. All the indices, hands, the crown logo, and the bezel are coated with Swiss BGW9 Superluminova lume. This blue lume is extremely strong, which was a real surprise for me. One of the best lumes I’ve ever seen.
If you are a watch fan, you will notice that the Osimiri has some similarities with the Tudor Pelagos. Yes, they are slightly similar, but the style of the hands and indices are different, the date windows are in different places and the bezel is also a bit different. So, the Osimiri is not a complete homage, but there are some similarities, which is not despicable.
Inside of the watch works a real workhorse, the famous ETA-2824-2! Yes, this is something you won’t see anymore in a non-Swatch-group watch. This 25-jeweled automatic movement is a rarity nowadays. It is also windable by hand. It has 28,800 BPH and a 38-hour power reserve. With this movement the watch becomes complete. A really accurate and reliable movement, it won’t disappoint you!
The price was around 530 USD at the Kickstarter campaign, and the retail price will be around 630 USD as far as I know. For this price, it is a stupendous bargain. You can check out their website here.
All in all, the Osimiri is something special among microbrands. I would say this is the best microbrand watch I’ve ever seen to this point. Honestly, with these specifications, you can’t go wrong! I really love this diver, and I’m sure this piece will last forever!
This watch for this price is a crime!
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