Reactor Poseidon Review

As I mentioned in a past review, I have been fortunate to see numerous Reactor watch models over the last few years and each time I come away impressed. One of my personal grail watches since its release has been the Poseidon. The model just seemed to demonstrate the values of the Reactor company better than any other model released at that time; “big and bold.” Reactor promotes “Reactor DNA” which is essentially components and construction of their timepieces and the Poseidon is the flagship example for the brand. I have been, to date, perfectly satisfied with each and every aspect of my yellow and black Poseidon, which is the subject of this review. If you are interested in how Reactor explains their DNA, you can read more about it HERE.

The Poseidon model #55507 has a full retail of $599.95 with the following basic specifications:

Case: 316L Stainless Steel

Case Diameter: 48mm

Crystal: Mineral

Movement: Japanese Quartz Movement

Water Resistance: 1000 meters

Weight: 255

First, as with any review, I want to start with a discussion on the presentation. I will continue to stress the importance of packaging as it sets the stage for what you are getting once you open the package. I believe that packaging should either be either extreme or functional and anything in between is vanilla. The packaging for a base model Poseidon, however, is a bit unique while neither extreme nor truly functional. I should mention that any non-limited edition or signature edition model come with the same packaging as the standard Poseidon. So what do you receive? A metal tube container with a magnetic base containing spare links and warranty card. While the tube will end up in the closet with the rest of standard jewelry case style packaging, it is at least fun to look at and entertain oneself for a short time at least. The tube will provide outstanding protection for your watch during shipping which is of course ultimately important. I would enjoy seeing Reactor begin to utilize travel cases and rolls at some point in the future. It would be great to have packaging that would allow those of us on the go to take multiple Reactor pieces with us while traveling.

The case of the Poseidon has both brushed and high polished finishes but ultimately the overall look will keep this model out of the executive board room and more in leisurely settings. The case finishing really adds a lot of flair to this model, which add to the overall bold appearance of the model and is a core value of all Reactor watches. The 17mm thick case is constructed of 316L stainless steel and massive at 48mm and 51mm factoring in the crown. Measuring from lug tip to lug tip, the big and bold theme continues at a whopping 57mm. With an overall weight of 255 grams, combined with the case specifications noted above, this watch is not for those with a dainty wrist unless you just want to make a statement.

The dual crowns provide quite a bit of symmetry to the overall case appearance measuring a perfect 8mm x 5mm in size. The crowns are positioned between integrated crown guards at the 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions on the case. Both crowns are screwed down and have the Reactor logo at their centers. The crowns are knurled and extremely easy to grasp with each having a buttery smooth feel when engaging to adjust the date and time or rotating the internal dive bezel. There is absolutely no play or wiggle in either crown when engaged. I have seen and reviewed many watches with a crown with the specific function of rotating an internal bezel. The Poseidon, however, is the first time I have seen a screw down crown that is, in my opinion, how any internal bezel crown should be designed. I know companies will say they have them designed in a way to maintain pressure and water resistance, however, I just like the perceived piece of mind that the screw down crown provides. I’m extremely pleased that Reactor left the non-crown side of the case clean and unbranded. Far too many companies over-brand their products in my opinion.