As a kid, every year I went to the Monterey Bay aquarium.
I loved the underwater feel—the giant columns of Pacific kelp rising from the seabed. And based on those childhood experiences, I made it a bucket list item to go diving in Monterey Bay.
About four years ago, some friends and I rented gear and went diving around the bay.
It was amazing.
Until the seals showed up.
At first, I just saw one, with its silly little head popping up above the water, staring at me.
But then I noticed a second.
And a third.
There were 14 seals, all about 100 meters out, gathered loosely in a circle staring at me.
It was time to bail.
Since then, I’ve been wanting to get back in the water. But I’ve been landlocked here in North Carolina. So staving off my desire for a bit, I picked up the Vincero Vessel—a fashion-forward dive watch designed to withstand the elements and look great at the same time.
After a few weeks of testing, I figured it was time to take a deep-dive and share my thoughts.
Let’s plunge right in.
Vincero Vessel Unboxing and Review
Packaging
If you’ve read any of our other Vincero reviews, you know that most of the brand’s watches come in a simple, slim black box.
While we’ve never been blown away by the packaging, having an ornate box isn’t even close to a “make-or-break” consideration.
With that said, because the Vessel doesn’t lie flat,
It’s a nicer box than other
As I said, I only care little about the watch box, but it’s an important consideration if you’re buying a watch as a gift. The more impact you can make right away, the better. And this larger box fits the bill.
Case
I picked up the brushed bronze colorway with the black silicone strap. It’s unlike any other watch I have in my collection, and the color is less common like rose-gold, but much more subtle.
The case is made with 316L stainless grade steel, standard across all
The Vessel is beefy, without being over-the-top large. With a 44mm diameter, it’s big enough to have visual impact, but doesn’t stretch into that 46mm territory where your wrist looks dwarfed (unless you have larger than average wrists).
And at 12mm high, this stands a good amount above your wrist. It’s too tall to fit under a shirt sleeve, but can fit under a heavy coat. I’ve found that I like wearing this watch with rolled sleeves—it’s a casual watch but the bronze lends it a subtle shine that really stands out.
Case back
Vincero places a marble insert in the back of most of their watches as a reminder that Rome was built one stone at a time.
But they’ve left that element out for the Vessel. For good reason, too.
The marble insert, while unique, makes for a less watertight case. So for their first dive watch,
The case back still has its signature phrasing, “Veni, Vidi, Vici. Live Your Legacy.”
Without the marble element, the Vessel has a boosted water resistance of up to 200 meters (most of their other pieces can go to 100m).
Dial
The designs of the dial are
The Vessel is no different.
In fact, of all the
A sharp arrow (that matches the
The rest of the hour markers are noted with simple white batons framed by a polished bronze.
The white indices and polished bronze play well off the black dial and brushed bronze case and have a shine to them when the light hits them just right.
The Vessel features an interior bezel that acts as a 60-minute timer. By adjusting the top crown, you can rotate the bezel, though these adjustments are a little too easy.
I’ve found that I’ve accidentally rotated the bezel when I wasn’t trying—not that it matters much because I’m wearing it for its style. But as a diver, I’m sure that could cause some complications if you’re depending on the bezel to tell you when to get up for more air.
That said, interior bezels operated by a crown are far less common, so it’s another aspect that makes the Vessel a unique addition to my collection.
Crystal
This is the first
It’s clear that
For a little more detail on the difference between a sapphire and mineral watch crystal, check these pictures out:
As you can see, the Fossil watch has a mineral crystal. Now, I’ve never been gentle with this watch, and I’ve had it for about eight years. But the glass would look much better if it at least had a sapphire coating.
Not sure if your watches have a sapphire crystal? You can do this little trick to check:
When you place a drop of water on sapphire, it beads together. On mineral crystal, it spreads out much more.
Crown
The Vessel features two crowns. The top crown adjusts the internal bezel and can move it either direction. As I mentioned earlier, it’s sensitive, so sometimes my bezel has moved by accident.
The bottom crown has three positions: locked, date adjust, and minute/hour adjust.
I like how much these crowns stand out. They match the bold and assertive style of the dial. And many sport watches will have two pushers and a crown, so it’s more unusual to find a two-crown system. I go for this watch often because it looks unique.
Movement
The Vessel has a Miyota quartz movement at its heart. Miyota is a common movement across several brands. Which is great because they’re affordable, keep time well, and they’re reliable.
Vincero can offer a great two-year warranty because Miyotas rarely ever break.
Some of the watch community gets down on Vincero and other watch brands that use simple Japanese quartz movements. Sure, it’s not automatic like the great grails you’d find from Swiss manufacturers (think IWC or Rolex).
And it’s true—the internal movement here doesn’t even compare.
But for a watch that hovers around $200 (less if you type in TAM15 at checkout for 15% off), a Miyota works well and keeps the focus on the visual details.
Stap and Wearability
Out of the box, this watch has been the most wearable of all
This band is crafted specifically to fit the shape of the Vessel, so you probably won’t be able to use it on any other 22mm lug-width watch.
But because of the shape, it nests perfectly into the lugs and sits right up against the case. At first look, it doesn’t seem like the strap is removable, but you can interchange this with any 22mm band.
The Vessel has options for a steel link band and a NATO strap. It was a tough choice for me—I like the look of all three. Ultimately, I went with the bronze and silicone mode, though all steel was choice number two, and the navy NATO was a close third.
My Thoughts Overall
What I Like
Vincero has been taking on classic tool-watches—their dive-watch is a great looking homage with plenty of modern twists.
I wouldn’t say the Vessel is a total tank on your wrist—at 44mm it’s not huge. But it definitely makes a statement.
In the standard Vincero way, it’s a casual watch through and through, but it still has a sophisticated look.
The free worldwide shipping and two-year warranty are nice to have.
What I Don’t Like
The top crown was too sensitive. If it grazed against my skin while I was carrying something, I’d find that the bezel had gone off center. It’s not a big problem if you’re wearing it for style. But it’s a problem if you’re going diving with it.
The Verdict
In 2019, Vincero took their hard-edged minimalist look and applied it to the world of tool-watches.
Their first go at it was the Altitude. We were happy with it.
But where the Altitude put a slight Vincero spin on a pilot watch, the Vessel completely reimagines classic dive watches.
This timepiece really stands out for its look. Vincero watches all seem to be the same at their core: the internals aren’t mind-blowing, but they have one-of-a-kind style.
That’s not to say that Vincero watches aren’t well built—they are. And with a Miyota movement, you can expect the Vessel to run without a hitch for years.
So if you’re ready to take the plunge on a unique new dive watch, the Vessel is an excellent choice.
The Vessel puts a unique Vincero spin on classic dive watches. Rated at 200m water resistance and outfitted with a sapphire crystal, the Vessel marks a big leap in Vincero’s overall build quality.
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