Earhart Lusitannia
The Earhart Lusitannia is a clear homage to the great Submariner. Looking at the dial on the other hand, it tells an altogether different story.
DESIGN
How many design points can you actually score a homage watch? To be frank, most of the designing was done by some Rolex-guy in Switzerland. This is a rough way to start a review, but I believe that the Lusitannia still has a few design qualities on it’s own. The watch upon which it is based, is one of the all time greats, while this yellow dial adds a punch of excitement. The hands and dial are far dressier (except the yellowness) than what you expect from a diver. I also love that Earhart went for a no-date dial.
MOVEMENT
The NH series from Seiko is the obvious choice. I must admit that I expected a ghost date position from an NH35, but there is no such atrocity here. The movement is an NH38, the no-date specific variant. The right way to go. There’s not much more to say about this movemet. Reliable as hell, and less interesting than your grandmother’s t-shirt collection. I love it!
BUILD QUALITY
Hand assembled in Portugal. That’s cool, but I can’t remember it specifically being synonymous with quality. On this one, though, I have very few complaints. Things line up, the crown screws down well and is easy to work with. Things feel solid, apart from the slightly janky bezel. It’s a bit too lose and jangly, but it lines up perfectly, nevertheless.
BRACELET
The bracelet is very much workable. It is comfortable, tight to the case, and has screwed links. While the clasp is slightly on the hard side when it comes to opening, it features a very handy quick-adjustment function. I like that it is all brushed.
X-FACTOR
The X-factor signifies that little something extra that certain watches have. It can be difficult to judge, and it’s very much a subjective thing. A watch doesn’t need to be particularly special to be enjoyable, but it sure helps. The Lusitannia leaves me torn. I’ll present you with a couple of key points and let you decide for yourself whether this one has the X-factor or not.
Pros:
It is hand assembled by one single guy in Portugal.
It has a striking, yellow dial.
You won’t find many other with an Earhart on their wrist.
Cons:
It is still very much inspired by the Rolex Submariner.
The parts seem to be mostly “off the shelf”
100m of water resistance from a diver?
In the end, I thoroughly enjoy my yellow diver, and at 250 Euros, you really can’t go wrong. Check out Earhart watches right here