[I:http://www.jewellerychat.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/PeterMorgan31.png] The Suunto Elementum Aqua came in a discrete black cube, with merely one word written on: “SUUNTO.” The one I got has black case, black rubberized band, and positive face. The black case is stainless steel 316L, the standard “marine quality steel,” and it is incredibly stylish. Through some distance it might look like an elegant black G-Shock watch.
The fact is a co-worker of mine made exactly this remark; nonetheless a good look discloses its originality. The 41mm frame has eight hex screws and its combo with the sapphire glass and the curved case remind me of the viewing port of an atmospheric scuba diving suit. In fact I do think that this is the most incredible characteristic of the watch, even though it resembles the bezel of a UTS model, the execution by Suunto seems to be great.
Yet another exclusive function of the watch is the big crown pusher at 2 o’ clock, the one function which is shared between all of the Elementum instruments.
Being larger than the simple pusher at 3 o’ clock, it stands apart, incorporating a supplementary touch of different design culture. The crystal has yellow circular and linear markings that define the measurements taken under water. Both the yellow lines help to inform about the current and maximum depth, as well as the dive time, while the round marking is the analogue temperature scale.
Suunto Elementum Aqua operates in two modes: TIME and DIVE mode. The time function is simple, the hour and the mins are placed at the center of the display screen, while at the bottom of the display the date is discovered. Don’t question the reading of seconds, the main display does not have it, despite the empty top part of the display which could provide the best space for this reading. The reason behind this particular omission might be a shot to prevent the refreshing of the screen each second and conserve some battery. The setup of the time requires pushing the crown for a few moments. Then the time, date, and alarm setup is extremely easy by screwing the crown clockwise or anti-clockwise. One more helpful characteristic of the watch is a button lock function, that is triggered by pushing both pushers all at once. Furthermore, by pressing the center pusher firmly in any mode, the backlight is turned on.
Peter Morgan is a long time watch collector and understands few things about them, in particular the outdoor/activity types. So his opnion on Suunto Elementum could be considered before purchasing one. For more info: http://suuntoelementum.com/