RZE has opened 2023 with a new edition of its popular Endeavour dive watch. This time around, the Glacier Collection features a new gallery of dials inspired by some of the world’s most breathtaking icesheets. The most recent iteration also boasts an updated clasp that will make adventuresome fans quite happy.

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Designed primarily as an everyday carry, the Endeavour diver is constructed from solid titanium, making it extremely lightweight, even on the bracelet. Like past references, the watch has also been treated with the proprietary UltraHex™–a coating which reportedly attains ~1200Hv on the Vickers Hardness Scale. At ten times the strength of stainless steel, this makes the watch highly resistant to scratches and corrosion.

The Glacier Collection maintains its angular, assertive case—which measures 40.5mm in diameter and a very comfortable 46mm lug to lug. For a 200m diver, the watch is also a respectable 12.5mm thick, providing a low profile which could easily tuck under a sleeve or a glove if necessary. The Endeavour’s titanium finish has an industrial, bead-blasted appearance that suits its purposeful design. It has drilled lugs and the case and crown are both screw-down.

The matching bezel is unidirectional and 120-click, with a tight, beveled coin edge. The action is sharp with no back play. It has an engraved, fully graduated dive scale which has been backfilled in black for increased legibility, as well. The flat sapphire crystal sits slightly proud and has been treated with an anti-reflective undercoating.

Beneath that crystal is the star of the new line. The dial has been meticulously crafted to reflect the textures and natural patterns present in glacial ice. The Ross Ice iteration, featured here, resembles the corrugated surface of polar mountain ranges, their sinuous valleys and furrowed ridgelines. From distance, the dial can at times appear iridescent. When viewed up close, the true intricacy of the design reveals itself in pitted rifts and ribbed arteries. Standing above this are distinct baton indices, with a broader rectangle at twelve. These are mirrored in the chapter ring with circular plots, interspersed in a black minute track.

The markers and the pencil-style hands have been treated with a mix of C3 and BGW9 Super-LumiNova. When charged, they offer a bright, long-lasting light show. The bezel pip at twelve has also been treated.

To match its workhorse construction, the Endeavour is equipped with SII NH35A—a 3Hz, automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve. This version of the calibre also has a date complication which has been positioned at three o’clock on the dial.

At first blush, the titanium bracelet appears to be the brand’s standard H-link. It has the same sharp taper from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the buckle. The links are nicely beveled and fully articulating. Like the case, the bracelet has also been treated in UltraHex. However, the clasp has undergone a redesign and now houses an on-the-fly micro-adjustment system that allows for incremental changes throughout the day, without the use of special tools. It also opens wide enough for the band to pass over a wet suit, adding significantly to its versatility. Optionally, you can select a HexaFlex rubber strap. Or, better yet, get both.

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SPECS

Case	Titanium /w UltraHex™ Coating 40.5mm Diameter 46mm Lug to Lug 12.5mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Unidirectional, 120-Click Bezel Screw Down Crown & Case Back 200m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Flat Sapphire Crystal /w AR Applied Markers Date Window @ 3 C3 & BGW9 Super-LumiNova
Movement	Seiko NH35A 24 Jewels 21 600bph 41-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	H-Link Titanium Bracelet /w UltraHex™ and On-the-Fly Micro-adjust & Quick Release Spring Bars Optional: HexaFlex Rubber Strap

RZE Endeavour Glacier Dial

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Of Interest

RZE hopes to encourage responsible adventuring with this new iteration of the Endeavour. Glaciers, which cover 10% of the Earth’s surface, are disappearing at an alarming rate. The new Endeavour is a reminder that as everyday adventurers, we should keep sustainability at the forefront of our plans. The Ross Ice dial, for its part, pays homage to the largest ice shelf in Antarctica. On average, the floe is several hundred metres thick and more than 800 km across. Discovered by Sir James Clark Ross in 1841, it was originally dubbed the Great Ice Barrier, as it appeared to halt any further progress south by sea. Numerous attempts on the South Pole were staged from here. 

There is a total of five new dials in the Glacier Collection, including the Vatnajökull (Pale Blue), Yulong (Jade Green), Tronador (Black), and Blaueis (Deep Blue).

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Quibbles

I once wrote that it was difficult to find fault with the RZE Endeavour, but that a diver’s extension and push-button clasp would be nice. Voilà!

Final Thoughts

The glacier-inspired, textured dials of the new RZE Endeavour add a dollop of visual interest to what is otherwise a straightforward tool watch design. Beyond this, enthusiasts can expect the same level of robust construction and utilitarian badassery that have come to characterise the brand’s work. The addition of the on-the-fly micro-adjust mechanism only adds to the utility and function of what was already an excellent piece. But this update demonstrates the watchmaker’s democratic approach to building timepieces. It shows that if fans ask, they shall receive. Micro-adjustment clasps, while extremely advantageous, frequently add to the bulk of a clasp. It’s a tradeoff for convenience. This is not the case here. With RZE–and the Endeavour, particularly–you get a commitment to quality, time after time. 

The RZE Endeavour Glacier Dial is available on bracelet for the pre-launch price of $499USD. Deliveries are expected in June 2023. After this, the watch will retail for $549. For more information, please 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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