Marine Engineer Navigator Automatic
Introduction
I was introduced to Redwood through social media and had been following their company for some time before I reached out to their team and requested a watch for review. I had seen their passion for history and watch making align over the years and to me that needed to be shared amongst our community. Once in contact with Redwoods team all our correspondence was very professional, and I could tell right away they were not just a run of the mill company sparked up on social media but had a strong passion and commitment to providing a solid Canadian Made Time Piece that can handle tough conditions. Redwood provides watches inspired by many historical eras and achievements. They have a catalogue of pieces ranging from Field style, Chronographs and Divers that do not disappoint in both look, fit and finish. They have the ability to come in at an achievable price point but also hold some strong specs that will support almost any type of lifestyle. They use modern materials with rugged automatic and solar powered movements to guarantee solid construction, longevity and reliability.
Quote from Redwoods Site
“Inspired by the audacious era of deep-sea exploration in the early sixties, the Redwood Marine Engineer brings the spirit of discovery to your wrist. With modern materials, a rugged automatic movement, and a design rooted in the golden age of oceanic adventure, this diver’s watch is more than just capable—it is a modern tool ready for your boldest journeys beneath the waves.”
-Redwood
Location and First Impressions
Redwood watches are based in Montreal Canada, something as a Canadian Patriot myself I am very proud of. Having a great Canadian watch company like Redwood carving their way through the watch space with pieces that pay tribute to some incredible achievements really hits home. It gives you a sense of pride wearing their pieces. They take the time to reflect on the past and inspire their designs to coincide with those events and eras, which I believe is executed perfectly. Nothing is overbearing or in your face. Just straight business. Not everything needs to be top tier Swiss made to really at the end of the day get the job done. As watch enthusiast/collectors/end users if you take your passion seriously having a diverse background in watches proves to you, that reliability is not just for the rich. It spans across many makes and models and a brand like Redwood gives you the opportunity to acquire a piece of history and reliability that should be recognised. The Marine Engineer sits amongst my watch collection rubbing shoulders with my SBWC CWC SBS and my Seiko Turtle.
The watch arrived quickly and in the middle of a personal move Redwood was very accommodating to ensure the watch arrived at the right location through stellar timely communication. I took the package to my local legion and did a first for me. Sat down with a pint overlooking the mouth of the Niagara River and opened the envelope. Out slid a carboard box thin in profile and square shaped. With a label on it like it was issued from my previous careers Quarter Master. I slid the box apart and was greeted with a black Canvas style envelop. No flash or bells and whistles just a simple pouch holding the Marine Engineer and a few business and warranty cards. Something I appreciate about this subtle packaging is one its not another overdone Godey box that will sit in my closet and collect dust and two is very low impact on the environment.
Sitting by the window for natural light to hit the watch I threw it on my wrist. The NATO Style strap is rugged and built well. Like most it will take some working in, but I am perfectly fine with that. Ill make it my own. Looking down at the watch I get an immediate 60s Diver vibe with modern construction. With images of the North Sea, and dive suits with umbilical cords drifting into the deep running through my mind this watch invokes adventure. This watch belongs on an expedition no question. The shape of the case the thickness the clarity of the dial, markers, and the bezel all scream sixties exploration which is right up my alley. Looking down at my wrist this Diver could be a long lost relative of Omega’s Divers of the past. The 60s-time era was “saturated” no pun intended with Dive expeditions and some serious achievements in the world’s oceans. Immediately doing what most watch nerds do I gravitated to the bezel something smaller brands sometimes butcher. I can gladly report that Redwood nailed it with the bezel clean crisp operation with zero back play. Observing the case, the chamfers, the drilled lugs, the domed sapphire glass you can tell the quality is there. I will honestly say I was not surprised I had studied images from Redwood’s site for a while and knew Id be receiving a very well-built watch. Initial impressions are great and spoiler alert. They did not change over long term.
Detailed Review Time
Case- Regarded by Redwood as Ocean Proof I would agree. The Marine Engineer is an all-stainless-steel case that is finished with brushed surfaces. Coming in at 40mm in diameter and 48mm in length and 20mm lug width it sits very well on the wrist on a NATO or Rubber strap. At 13.7mm thick and 83g this watch is robust but not over the top. These proportions are not only a nod to divers of the past but gives this watch a presence that is in that sweet spot for most wrist. The drilled lugs not only add to its rugged presence but also makes switching out straps a breeze. The caseback is solid with all the specs engraved in a circumferential pattern. At the center is a small shark logo which to me represents its commitment to sub surface living and function.
The Marine Engineer was built tough to endure depths of 300m/100ft. Exceeding ISO-6425 dive standards this watch is not messing about. Redwood engineered in polymer seals coupled with an oversized sturdy 7.7mm coin edged signed screw-down crown and caseback that will guarantee an impressive barrier against any form of hydrostatic pressure. This case design is timeless and really feels tough and reliable. On the wrist it sits proud but not slab like. Achieving all this in a compact package is quite impressive.
Dial and Hands- Matte black dial with stark contrasting markings the Marine Engineer is super legible and gets the job done in austere conditions. From outside the dial to the inside the minute track is painted on the black dial in white and contrasts very well for both minute and seconds timing when needed. The indices are triangular with the tips cut off framed with the same white paint and filled healthy amount of lume. Under the twelve o’clock position is the printed brand name REDWOOD in white, Above the 6 o’clock is the text “MARINE ENGINEER 300M = 1000FT” in white as well with “AUTOMATIC” in a faded red/orange underneath.
The hour and minute hand are a brushed classic Sword style reaching their designated tasks perfectly. Filled with lume to increase legibility in low light operations in the wheelhouse of an old ship or on a night dive I can guarantee this watch will be legible. I personally wore it for a week straight in inclement weather to gauge this data, even wore it to bed at night waking up throughout the night I always knew what time it was. The second hand is red with no counterweigh, stick like it reaches the seconds track with a Lumed lollipop just shy of the hour indices which will give you an accurate reading any time of day. On top of this all is the scratch-resistant sapphire with an undercoating of AR. There is a subtle dome to the 2.5mm thick glass plays with the light a bit but is still very legible and clear. Again, the overall package the case, caseback, crown and sapphire guarantee that 300m/1000ft dive rating which in smaller brands is rare to find and very impressive.
Movement- Under the hood or below deck on the watch is the Seiko’s NH38 Movement known for its reliability and precision. The NH38 operates at a frequency of 21,600 Vibrations per hour ensuring accurate time keeping for any. This movement also includes features like hacking, hand winding and a healthy 41-hour power reserve. For all you service members out there that means you can synchronize your watches in your O Group and guarantee you will be on time throughout your mission. From wearing the watch for over a week straight I never had the watch lose time or stop working at any point it kept up right along with my busy schedule of renovating my new home and working on ropes rappelling into natural gas furnaces. The term workhorse is an understatement to me regarding the Marine Engineer.
The Dive Time Bezel-We all love a dive watch with a solid bezel action and the Marine Engineer does not disappoint. Many other brands at this price point fall short in this area of the time piece but Redwoods focus to form and function really shines here. Not only does the bezel have great purchase on the coin edge but the audible click ensuring you know its reliability with zero back play you know its firm enough to function, will not be bumped and accidently adjusted and will keep you on time for changing tanks out on deck or letting you know when to surface. At first glance I did not notice this but the increments on the bezel itself are a mixture of classic white and a almost lime green lume. All markers glow brilliantly and are very legible at night and during the day. The 12 o’clock or 60 Minute marker is a red inverted triangle a very positive flash to the past with a lume pip inside letting accuracy again take the helm.
The Lume-The Marine Engineers Lume is above standard. As stated earlier to look down at any time of day you are getting a solid read of data. Redwood uses non-radioactive Super-LumiNova Pigments on their watches, which I can confirm will last all night. This watch makes me want to face a fear of mine, night diving just to see it glow confidently in that environment.
Conclusion
Overall, the Marine Engineer Navigator Is one hell of a watch that I know would survive in the harshest environments. The specs, the look, the fit and finish is leagues above most watches in their price point and I would strongly recommend checking Redwood out. I know myself, I will be going back to their site and looking at the Monsoon Field watch for its ties to Vietnam and certain clandestine warriors. Hats off to Redwood and their team for creating a solid dive watch that has all the designs features of its ancestors with Redwoods own modern materials and reliability.
Special Thanks to Marc from Redwood for lining up this review and working with the SBWC. Was a blast communicating with you and I look forward to what is next for Redwood.
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