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Marloe Morar Air Steel
Marloe Watch Co. has made a splash with its latest model, the Marloe Morar 310. I can’t believe it’s been 6 years since I reviewed the original Morar, and now this one has been overhauled and updated, and the only features retained from the original would be the bezel and the case back. Everything else here is all new, and it’s also quite unique. The Air Steel is the version I had sent for review, but there are 4 other colors, including a limited decade version, but at the time of publishing, only 9 of the original 100 remain. This 42mm Stainless diver is all highly polished, has wire lugs, removable crown guards, a textured dial with large arrow hands, and some fun strap choices. This diver is powered by the Miyota 9039, and pricing currently starts at $800.
Specifications
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42mm Polished SAR Case
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13.5mm thick (Including crystal)
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20mm Lug Width
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45mm Lug Width
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94 Grams (without straps)
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Domed Box Sapphire Crystal
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Sapphire Bezel Insert
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Helium Release Valve
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Screw Down Crown
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Miyota 9039 Movement
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Soft Iron Cage/anti-magnetic protection
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310m Water Resistant
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X1 SuperLumiNova hands and indices
Price $800
https://www.marloewatchcompany.com/products/morar-310-air-steel
As you can see, the Marloe Morar Air Steel is full of features, and unlike a lot of watches these days, this one is not meant ot be a desk diver. Beyond the 310m of water resistance, it has every feature you would expect to find in a serious dive watch, despite the unconventional case design. The bezel is a 120 click unidirecitonal bezel, the crown and case back of course screwe down, its got gaskets everywhere to obtain that water resiistncee, that massive box domed sapphire crrtyal, and even though it doesn’t look like it, a helium release value, tucked away between the lugs of the 12 o’clock side.
There are 5 colors available for this new model, and all look great, including this Air Steel, which Marloe refers to as British Standard BS633 Blue-Grey. And in proper lighting, that’s exactly how it looks, bluish grey, and I have to say I dig it more than I thought I would. This color really pops outside the most, though, inside depending on lighting, it will just look grey or even almost black at times, but that is the case with a lot of watches, of course.
The dial is lightly textured, a light pebbled texture, and makes use of a multi-layer dial, as the outer track lays over the main dial, and the indices fit into cutouts, giving the dial some dimension and pop. Otherwise, this is a very uncluttered and clean dial. Maassiv arrow hands that are extremely easy to read, the Marloe name and the 310 applied logo, and that’s it. No date, no other text. Rounding everything off is the postal red on the minute track, second hand, 310 logo, and even the bezel insert.
Most will probably agree with me, though, that the highlight of this Marloe Morar Air Steel is the case and bezel design. Marloe refers to this as a rifled bezel, and not only is it quite attractive, but those ridges and cutouts make it very easy to grip and turn. The insert is sapphire, the lume pip is a separate piece screwed down below the insert, and the insert is domed as well, for that Fifty Fathoms nod.
The case is perfectly round, and the wire lugs are thin and polished, keeping the lug-to-lug short yet still eye-catching. I mean, when was the last time you saw a proper dive watch with a case like this? And those lugs aren’t the only thing highly polished. The entire case is, Every part of this case is polished, and while it looks good, I think other finishes should have been offered. High polished and rugged tool watches don’t mesh well, in my opinion.
The crown guards protect the crown, and I like the overall look, and as far as functionality, the crown and bezel both work flawlessly, but I can’t help but be drawn to those arrows and the O and C on the crown guards. And I assume that is the internet, Marloe wants you to see them, otherwise, they wouldn’t have put them there. For me, this is an eyesore, and it is hard for me to look past it. Us watch enthusiasts and collectors know how to use a screw down crown, and even if you are new to the watch world, you’ll figure it out, just like we all did at one point in time.
Behind the simple case back with a depiction of a Morag creature beats the Miyota 9039, a no-date version of the Miyota 9015, and a movement I have become fond of. I’m getting up there in age, so the memory is not what it used to be, but beyond loud rotors, I don’t remember ever having an issue with the Miyota 9000 series. Wanting to keep the movement as accurate as possible in all conditions, Marloe added a soft iron cage to keep it from getting magnetized.
The Marloe Morar Air Steel or any version of the Morar 310 is offered with a large choice of straps. The ones they are marketing most with these watches are these new tactical velcro straps, which come in 5 different colors: black, grey, blueish grey, red, and yellow. I was sent the grey for this one, and it is a two-piece strap that you attach via the square loop and then velcro in place. Try as I might, I can’t get used to these nylon-style straps, and I dislike velcro as well, so despite wearing it for a few days, it did not grow on me.
The other strap that was included with my review model is a red silicone strap. Nothing fancy here; it’s the same style of strap you can get on almost any strap website these days, but the color matches the postal red accents on the watch itself, and for me was the clear winner of the two straps. I wish Marloe would start using FKM rubber strap, though. Leather, other types of rubber, and even steel bracelets are offered as well. Picured below is the Morar on my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist.
On the brighter side is the Swiss Superluminova X1BL/GL used on the hands, indices, and bezel pip, and I love the way this Marloe Morar Air Steel looks in the dark. The dual lume colors always make me pop; it just looks great in the dark, and easy to distinguish the hour and minute hand, and it’s pretty strong as well. I wasn’t able to easily see it 7 hours later after a good night’s rest, but around the 5-hour mark, it was still easily visible.
Functionality and design are probably the most important aspects of a watch, with price following closely behind. Let’s face it: the design is what grabs us, and the more intriguing the design, the better chance it will stand out, especially if you have been buying and collecting for a long time. Though design is important, functionality, especially in a dive watch, is equally, if not more, important. I feel Marloe really did a great job at combining these two aspects.
The Marloe Morar Air Steel stands out in a very crowded marketplace. The case and lugs, the reverse countdown bezel, the large and slightly gimmicky crown guards, and even the dial and hands. This watch stands out. Yet it is extremely comfortable on the wrist and doesn’t feel like I am wearing something crazy like a Citizen Ecozilla. It should be every bit as reliable, though, as that Promaster from Citizen, as it boasts slightly higher water resistance, a large easy-to-read dial, and a very grippy bezel. And once you clean off all the water and sand, it will be ready to wear for a night on the town, unlike the very toolish-looking Zilla.
Marloe
