I’ve been pestering Brian Costello for the better part of a year. He finally got tired of hearing me beg and sent along the Tactical Edition of his Seaborne Sea Venture. I am not above pity. And in the end, it was worth the prostration and the wait.

The original Sea Venture–and its Sunrise twin–are colourful incarnations of vintage-inspired goodness. They exude summer vibes and embody long hazy, humid days at the beach. For its part, the Tactical Edition, with its blacked out PVD coated stainless steel case, is the dark horse of the family with a James Dean sneer. Needless to say, I love it.

The watch measures 40mm in diameter with a comfortable lug to lug of 48mm. It also clocks in at just under 13mm in thickness, which is more than acceptable for a diver. The matte black dial is highly legible from all angles beneath a flat sapphire crystal. The indices and bold numerals at 6 and 12 are applied and, like the handset, are generously treated with BGW9 Super-LimiNova. The dial is minimalist and well-balanced–set off from the rest of the watch by a tasteful white chapter ring with minute indicators.

The overall matte appearance of the case and dial, however, are offset by the K1 hardened crystal bezel insert which gathers and reflects light. The bezel itself is 120 clicks and uni-directional with nice action and no back play.  

Both the 7mm crown and caseback are screwed down, and the watch is rated to 100m of water resistance. It’s powered by the ubiquitous and capable NH35 and comes standard on a nylon NATO with black hardware.

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SPECS

Case	316L Stainless Steel 40mm Diameter 48mm Lug to Lug 12.9mm Thick 20mm Lug Width 120-Click Unidirectional Bezel K1 Hardened Crystal Bezel Screw Back and Crown 100m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Flat Sapphire /w AR Undercoating Matte Black Dial Applied Indices BGW9 Super-LumiNova
Movement	Seiko NH35 24 Jewels 21 600bph Date Complication at 3 41-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	SV1 Nylon NATO

_{Seaborne Sea Venture Tactical Edition}

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Of Interest

Aside from creating cool, rugged watches, the goal at Seaborne is to build a purpose-driven company. Vintage tool watches, in their day, were accessible and affordable to the common man. Brian wanted the same for Seaborne.

But the brand, based in Duxbury, Massachusetts–a historic seaside village in Plymouth County–wanted more than just vintage vibes for its affordable timepieces. It wanted to support and preserve the coastal way of life. Having grown up by the sea, Brian has pledged to give 5% of all profits back to the coastal communities and the small boat fishing families that make the New England coast so unique.  For more information, check out the Cape Cod Fisherman’s Alliance.

Quibbles

It’s hard to argue with a robust tool watch in this price point; however, a sapphire insert on the bezel might avoid scratches and headaches down the road. I’d also love to see this on a Tropic-style strap.

Final Thoughts

There are echoes of Blancpain, Longines, and even the new line of Seiko 5 Sports watches in the Sea Venture. Aesthetically, it looks and feels like a watch where everything is in the right place. From a construction standpoint, it is also robust. I can only imagine how it will look and wear years down the road, once the dial and insert have tropicalized in the summer sun, and the bezel has picked up the battle scars of a well-used tool.

At the time of publication, the Seaborne Venture Tactical Edition is on sale for $319USD. For more information, visit the brand website.

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About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

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