Aspirare. An Italian verb. Translated, it means "to inhale, to breathe in, or to suck up". I like to single out the last meaning, especially as an Infantryman. "SUCK IT UP" is a borderline universal clarion call to anyone who has had to do something hard, and for those of us that walk within the Profession of Arms, it is something we are all to familiar with--even a motivational cry.
Prior to receiving this watch, my exposure to RZE was incredibly limited and came via the now-discontinued (and rare among RZE fans and collectors) Resolute Super Compressor. The watch was good, but for my tastes I didn't like the GMT style inner bezel, and since it was manufactured from UltraHex-treated Titanium it was far too light and frankly small on my wrist. I will still stand by the fact that it was a very high quality watch, especially given the price bracket it fell into.
In the roughly year since that initial flirtation, I came across the RZE Aspirare when my friend and co-founder Rico mentioned the launch to me. I was interested, but I didn't bother looking too seriously at the watch initially. My interest was again piqued in that timeframe when they launched the limited-edition (100 made) meteorite dial Aspirare, but I slept on the watch a second time. I didn't need it since I already had a striking blue dial watch in rotation and it was too close to my Pelagos; my initial hesitation came from the desire to really try to branch out from what was quickly becoming "my type" (a hot blonde with blue eyes and a killer smile, and a brutally simple tool watch are two great examples of "my type"--just look at my wife and my beat-to-hell Pelagos for confirmation of that).
This isn't a wrong photo. This is what we're comparing the Aspirare to.
Some time removed from the launch of the limited meteorite Aspirare--about 15 months later--I was introduced directly to Huiy Tang, RZE's Head of Global Marketing. We broke bread, virtually, and did a deep dive into what RZE is all about. It was definitely something worth learning about--especially when it comes to their brand ambassadors that they refer to as Adventurers. In our conversation, the topic of the Aspirare came up, and I had the opportunity to get my hands on one with the diamond white dial (an attempt to get something that was obviously different than the aesthetic of my Pelagos). A short few days later, I had a package from RZE sitting on my porch.
Upon opening it was when I realized the error in my initial dismissal of the Aspirare, and the regret came in that I did not get my hands on a truly limited piece that was the meteorite dial variant.
With that said, we are going to take a brief look at the watch specs. The Aspirare is:
- Crafted from UltraHex-treated, Grade 2 Titanium
- Equipped with a Miyota 9015 automatic movement
- Rated for 300m
- Fitted with a captured, interchangeable unidirectional rotating bezel (120 clicks)
- Able to swap bezels from the PVD Black to Titanium
- Available on a bracelet that is also UltraHex'd and features a 316L stainless buckle
- Equipped with an on-the-fly, four-position micro adjust clasp
- Equipped with drilled lugs (!!)
When looking at these specs, most people would assume the watch to be sitting at the ~$2,000 USD price point. Most people would be wrong. This watch comes in at a whopping $559 on rubber, $659 on bracelet, and $699 with both provided. What. The. Actual.
This watch is not just a good watch--it is exceptional when you factor in the price you pay and what you get in return. It is worth mentioning that the watch ships in the most useful packaging I've gotten. Just check this out.
As far as measurements are concerned, the watch sits at 44mm, with a thickness of 13mm, a lug-to-lug of 53mm (VERY wearable!) and 22mm at the lug width. It ranges from 100-120g, but if you're concerned with weight on your wrist, I highly recommend you hit the gym and eat a steak or two. As far as wrist presence goes, this one is a stunner.
Having had this watch on the wrist for the last little while, I can confidently say that my initial thoughts and impressions are best summarized as this:
The RZE Aspirare is, frankly, the budget alternative to the Pelagos family. It delivers virtually everything that someone who likes the Pelagos needs insofar as a good tool watch goes. The reality of a hardcore dive watch is that they are, for the most part, an exercise in manufacturer's capability. Most people won't actually need a helium escape valve, nor do most need 500m water resistance. If you can get past paper specs that people like to flex all throughout the world of horology, you'll eventually come to realize that while the Pelagos or many Sinn watches are incredibly attractive and absolutely rate the hardest use-cases you can muster, they're not the only watches out there that rate it.
This makes the Aspirare such an attractive value proposition. You get a budget Pelagos, some Sinn tool watch vibes, and a great price.
Now, there are some bones that I have to pick with this watch, just as there are when it comes to my Pelagos (if you're reading this from Korea, please let me know if you find my missing lume pieces: they're all over Dragon Valley, Seoul, "The Weej", and Nightmare Range). These would be:
- The drilled lugs sit too close to the case; it is definitely a tight fit when it comes to using shoulderless springbars with most single pass NATO-style straps, and it did limit my ability to use some straps that I enjoy
- The provided rubber strap is great, but looks like it was designed as a fitted strap for another case, and just included with this watch
- A color-matched date wheel would have been nice, but it isn't the end of the world
- You'll see two sets of provided screws to swap bezels out with; this is super thoughtful, but it is difficult if you don't immediately think to use a magnetized micro screwdriver to perform the swap (RIP to the one screw that I lost. You fought the good fight)
Notwithstanding those things that I found either lacking or deemed to be an issue, this watch still impresses and is absolutely worth comparison to watches that are similar in materials and purpose, but several orders of magnitude more expensive.
While we have you here, especially now that you're thinking about budget and money, it is absolutely worth mentioning that RZE has a fantastic discount program available to Professional Adventurers. If you fall into MIL, First Responder, or Healthcare Provider categories and are from the US, UK, or CAN (also where our three hubs of the club are), you can use SheerID to access your exclusive discount of 15%.
In addition to the 15% baseline discount, for the month of November, RZE is also contributing 15% of all Aspirare sales to Project Recover. Project Recover is a badass outfit: it is "their mission to find and repatriate Americans missing in action since World War II, in order to provide recognition and closure for families and the Nation". I have spoken with several Special Forces soldiers that had the opportunity to participate in various repatriation missions, and each one of them affirmed that it was one of the most special, sacred things that they have done in their time in service. Truly amazing work.
RZE has additionally provided a diamond white Aspirare to Project Recover for the auction that they are running. You can bid here if you would like. It will run until 15 November, and at the time of publication the bid is at the $350 starting point.
I am trying not to beat a dead horse here, but in case you have missed my feelings:
The RZE Aspirare is a great watch at a fantastic price. The 15% discount makes it a virtual no-brainer if you're looking to pick up something new, like tool watches in the vein of the Pelagos Family or Sinn, and want to remain budget-conscious. And if you're one of those who doesn't consider budget? Well... Just buy the damn thing.
@RoofKoreanActual is an active duty Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army, with a prior enlisted background in the National Guard serving in the Field Artillery. His most recent assignment included overseas service as part of a Korean Rotational Force where he was a Mechanized Infantry Platoon Leader in charge of a Stryker Platoon. He is currently serving as a Battalion Plans Officer.