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Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II
Dive into the blue, the Crafter Blue. Okay, a silly attempt at a tagline there, but this is the new Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II. It’s a long name and I don’t remember the Mark I, but either way, this model takes inspiration from their Hyperion Ocean models, but this piece is only 41mm, around 12mm thick (not including the domed crystal), and has a much more straightforward case style. It comes in 2 dial colors, the black shown here or more of a silver/white dial and both come with a Crafter Blue FKM rubber strap with metal end links, which is a questionable choice. Either way, it’s currently on sale for $449, and at the very least, has a unique look.
Specifications
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41MM Stainless Steel Case
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22mm Lug Width
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46mm Lug to Lug
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13.5mm Thick (With Crystal)
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Miyota 9015 Automatic Movement
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Domed Top Hot Sapphire
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Screw Down Crown and Case Back
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300 Meters Water Resistant
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BGW9 SuperLumiNova
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Black FKM Crafter Blue Strap
Current Sale Price $449
Crafter Blue Website
I think it is important to state at the beginning here that this is a unique diver, now unique doesn’t always mean superior or better but this new model is definitely unique. The dimensions and the case shape are a little odd with a 41mm case, with a small dial opening due to a wide bezel, a 46mm lug to lug, and a 22mm lug width. These proportions are definitely not the norm, and with a slab-sided straight lug case, it is an interesting look.
Add in that Panerai-inspired bezel insert and to those who know watches, this Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II is going to be a divisive model. Yet, I will say to all those who complain about Rolex Submariner homages and how every dive watch looks too similar to others these days, even with this bezel, this watch does stand out as far as being different.
I think the first area that some will find contentious is the straight lug, slab-sided case. It’s been interesting through the years looking at so many different watches, and just the differences of how watches are designed and built. On paper, the dimensions of the case make this sound like an easily wearable watch. In reality though, even though the length of the case is under 50mm, the straight lugs and relatively thin midcase make it wear kind of long, and with the bezel split from the case, it feels a touch disjointed.
Of course, that is very subjective and depends on your wrist size (mine is 7 1/2 inches *19.05cm), and another area that is probably subjective is the metal end links. Let me state I do like the look of them with this rubber strap, they give this watch just that little extra something, but the implementation could use some work.
Those end links pieces are not part of the case, and they are not screwed or held in place by anything. They are pressure fit in, and part of that pressure comes from the rubber strap. The end link needs to be very flush when installing the strap and you need to put pressure down into the lugs to get the pin to catch. Now I have tried it with 2 other straps, and it will work with the end links, as long as it’s not thicker than the CB strap, but if you want smooth and quick strap changes, it’s just easier to leave the end links off.
The dial is a little small due to that large bezel, which can be deceiving as the DLC insert is thin, but the entire bezel is over 6mm, reducing the dial opening to about 27mm. That said, the dial is relatively easy to read, with large applied rectangle indices, and matching vertically brushed hands. Like a lot of watches, it does have 4 lines of text on the dial above the 6, which I have never been a big fan of lots of dial text, yet it is funny how many will point it out on a watch like this or other microbrands but overlook all the text on a Rolex Submariner. The dial text would be less noticeable if the dial were bigger in my opinion.
Back to the bezel, and while that insert is small and reminds one of Panerai Submersibles, I can overlook that. What was hard to overlook was the stiffness of the bezel and the lack of grip. At least for me, even though the bezel has those noticeable teeth of the coin edge, I found the clearance small and just hard to grip and turn. It’s not impossible but just awkward for me. Same with the crown. It’s a large enough crown, but the grip is just not there and I constantly found myself applying a lot of pressure to turn the crown, especially when screwing it back down.
As with many microbrand divers these days, the Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II uses the Miyota 9015 automatic movement, as it is affordable, dependable, and has a nice smooth sweep, but as many know, a very loud rotor. I was surprised at how loud it was on this Mechanic Ocean, seeing how the case back is solid and looks thick, but that loud spin is still very present. I am a sucker for a solid case back though, and beyond looking good it does feel good on the skin.
On the lume front, the Mechanic Ocean gets a grade B. The SuperLumiNova BGW9 gives that icy blue glow but the area where the lume is applied is slim, and as such the lume may be bright but don’t expect it to glow all night. And while lume on a bezel beyond the pip is really not needed (if one were actually using it for diving), I would have liked it if the bezel was fully indexed with lume applied to all of the hash marks.
I’ve always felt that when reviewing a product for the public, one needs to be honest, but honestly doesn’t mean unbiased. I have a bias just like anyone else, as I have my own ideas of style and design, what I like, and what I find attractive. The Crafter Blue Mechanic Ocean Mark II is an overall attractive watch and I can easily wear it on my wrist, but the bezel is not my style, and more so it lacks the grip I prefer for a watch like this, and even though you can easily remove those end links, either for a more standard look or to put on a nato style strap, I feel they could have been better implemented.
In the market, I think it is still a fair value, at least at the current sale price, or at the very least, it’s right in line with a lot of other under $500 divers, and that unique, quirky, or funky design is most likely a selling point for many, as there are people that love things that are outside the norm. And if you are one of them, this is probably right up your alley. Agree or disagree with my assessment? Leave a comment down below. Would love to hear from you.
Crafter Blue
