As many children of the 90’s, it was ingrained that I alone would be responsible to prevent forest fires. As someone who lived in Portland during some of the worst forest/wild fire seasons in the last 10 years, I was pleasantly surprised to see discover this watch, especially from a company based in Portland. Maybe it was also quite an impulse purchase as well.
First of all, the watch is what’s promised; the bronze case is handsome and it’ll probably age uniquely. The dial with Smokey at 12 o’clock is fantastic. I wish it had a date especially at this price. The leather band isn’t anything special and the inclusion of the fabric band is great touch.
The “meh”: the bronze leaves a green blue stain on my arm from the sweating so that’s annoying. The seiko movement is a little disappointing at this process; I feel like at this price from other independent watch makers would be looking at something like a miyota 9015 but maybe the bronze case increased manufacturing costs? No idea. I’ll probably end up gifting to my nephew who I’m trying to convert into a watch geek, but overall looking at this watch and rest of the catalogue of Vero, I’m glad I tried it out and walk away with a solid “meh"
Hi Arthur,
Thanks for grabbing one of the Smokey 80th Edition watches, and for your review! We're glad to hear you're getting some good wear out of it and we appreciate your honest feedback on the watch.
We have heard of customers using a light wax on the caseback of their bronze watches to keep the material from leaving a mark on their skin during warm weather. It's not an absolute solution, but it has done the trick for some. If you do end up gifting the watch and would like to return it to a brighter tone, you can use products like Brasso or Flitz, or here is a quick tutorial using some natural household pruducts:
https://vero-watch.com/pages/smokey-bear-80th-cleaning
We chose to go with the Seiko movement as we have a large audience for the Smokey Bear watches. We wanted to keep the price more approachable for a greater number of people, since Smokey Bear is such a nostalgic icon. Something like a Miyota would be ideal, but to your point, it would raise the cost considerably.
Thanks again for your review, Arthur! We appreciate your feedback. It really helps us!
Versatile all-rounder - sporty enough to replace your field watch, dressy enough to fill in for your dress watch. Care was taken with little, minimalistic design cues like the lack of a minute track - this ensures the seconds hand isn't missing any indices, while boosting the elegance of the look. Suitable size for men's or women's wrists, with a durable battery quartz from Swiss manufacturer Ronda. DLC-coated case will resist scratches & other damage, and if the fitted strap is a little inflexible - experiment, this grab-and-go piece is actually a strap monster, should you wish to change the look. If you want to stray from the usual suspects for a budget everyday wearer, consider the actual value proposition you're getting from Vero here. Been very pleased, I grabbed a couple in different colours for use as weekend wearers, and haven't looked back. Exceptional specs for the price you're paying.
Hi Trevor,
Thank you for your review of your new SW-Q watches! We're so happy to hear you're loving your watches and getting some great use and wear out of them already!
The Open Water 38 exceeded my expectations. A unique small sized diver, an all-blasted case, housing a trusted & reliable Swiss-made Sellita movement (no date), regulated by Vero for optimal accuracy. Best execution of a quick-release bracelet I've seen from an independent brand, actually works as designed, & the Nodus clasp is a bonus. All of this, backed by the best warranty protection in the micro brand space. Rates right alongside the big manufacturers' 'keepers' in my collection as as favorite, couldn't be more pleased. Unmatched value.
Hi Trevor, Thanks for your review of your Open Water 38! So glad to hear you're loving it. We were so happy with how the NodeX clasp worked with the watch. We hope you continue to get some great use out of it!
i had high expectations for this watch, and they've been met. i was expecting
a perfect fit on my 7-1/4" wrist, and i got it. The watch actually wears, to my eyes, a bit larger than its size, i think that's because the dial and bezel have the exact same hue, so it's one color edge-to-edge. the SW-200 is an excellent
movement, and the slimness of this watch, well, mine measures 10.4mm, and
for a 200 m dive watch, that's quite excellent. Some people call this a "summer
watch" but i expect to be wearing it all year long. the lume is bright and long-lsting, it goes all night, and i really appreciate that...all-in-all, this is an excellent
watch, thanks.
So I’ve had my watch about a month now love the looks of it and idea of it, but if I’m wearing a watch I expect to not have to reset it every single day. Especially with a price tag like this. Every three days it’s 5 minutes fast. Quality control is obviously crap if the watch’s don’t properly keep time. I don’t know how to make a watch but if I did you can bet I would make sure it works properly before shipping it to a customer.
Hi McEwen,
Thanks for your review, and for bringing this to our attention. The Smokey Bear watches have a mechanical automatic movement. It can be wound to give it a bit of a jump start after sitting idle, as they do while being shipped out.
Can you try these steps below? If after giving your watch a good wind, it still is gaining time, then we'll be glad to bring it in to have a look and get it regulated to that +/- 5 seconds again. You can reach out to support@vero-watch.com and we'll send you a return ship slip to get the work done. Thank You!
-Unscrew the crown counter clockwise until it’s in the “open” position.
-Wind 20-30 times.
-Give the watch a few gentle shakes to engage the rotor. The second hand should now be ticking.
-Monitor the time for 24-48 hours.
I had high hopes for this watch, but:
1. The brass looks like it was spray-painted on, and is streaky.
2. It left a greenish tinge on my wrist like cheap dime store jewelry.
3. The screw-in crown is not perpendicular and is difficult to screw on.
I had high hopes because I had previously purchased a Smoky Bear watch from VERO and I’ve been very happy with it.
Hi John,
Thank you for your review of your Smokey 80th Edition watch. Sorry to hear that the bronze seemed to have oxidized a bit during shipping. It's difficult to shield that material from changes in temperature that will cause the metal to turn a bit.
All bronze material will go through that patina process, which can turn your skin. Some of our customers have put a light layer of wax on the caseback to stop it from transferring to their skin. It will eventually stop as the material builds up a layer of oxidization.
As for your crown, that is unusual. And we will gladly take a look at it to make sure your crown is aligned flush and easy to operate. We'll be reaching out via email to get your watch in for service to take a look at your crown.
This is my second VERO watch. The tide tracking option made me purchase this watch. Not to mention a sold movement and a fantastic warranty. The watch arrived fast and now performs above my expectations. Being able to track the tires at a glance is a fun and useful feature. Another VERO winner.
Bam! Vero did it again, another banger release. This may be the coolest surfing watch ever made. The build quality and movement should give decades of use; the design is perfect, the actual tide function is genuinely useful.
I’m quite thrilled to have it early, before the launch and I gotta tell you…
No one is doing what Vero is doing; modern field watches made for adventurers. The price/value combo for Vero is the best in the industry.
Keep dreaming Vero, and love what you’re doing.
Hi Merlin,
Thanks so much for your review of your new Realtree Tide Tracker! We're so stoked to hear you love it! We've been excited for this release all year.
I received my Smokey Bear 80 Anniversary Bronze watch today. After seeing all the Facebook advertising and YouTube reviews , seeing the watch in person exceeded my expectations. Being a watch collector for the last 20 + years, I have had the opportunity to own many watches, from luxury to budget friendly. The Smokey Bear watch is so impressive, it now at top of my field watch rotation. It’s has brought back so many fond memories of my childhood, camping in National Parks and teachings of fire preservation. The watch is focused on quality, style, design, field watch ruggedness and a touch of nostalgia. Thank you Vero Watch Company for the creation of this wonderful time piece and for supporting our US Forest Service.
Hi Gary,
Thank you so much for your review and kind words!
We love to hear that it reminds you of the good times camping and getting out into nature. We hope it continues to inspire you to adventure!
I received my Smokey Bear 80th Edition in Forest Green in a very timely manner and I love it. I've tried both bands (which I appreciate) but I'm sticking with the tan leather one for now. Easy to set and comfortable to wear. Thanks for being such a great watch company. I'll be back in the future.
Hi Dana,
Thanks so much for your hands-on feedback of your new Smokey Bear watch! We appreciate the kind words!
The Smokey Bear Campfire edition. This watch is a perfect size when you don’t feel like wearing something heavy. Very readable both day and night. And how much more classy can you be with the Smokey and forest service emblems. Think of a Mickey Mouse watch on steroids. Listen. This is the third Vero watch I’ve purchased in a short time. The watches are great, well thought out and executed. Plus their customer service is outstanding!!! So what are you waiting for?
Hi John,
Thanks so much for your review, and kind words for our team. We're so happy to hear that you love your VERO watch collection. Thanks for being such a great customer! We hope you take your watches on many adventures!
I really like the design of this watch. In my opinion, it can be used for many different occasions.
In fact, this is my second Smokey Bear and I hope to have the opportunity to be a repeat customer of Vero Watch Company.
Hi Martin,
Thanks so much for your review of your Smokey Bear watches! We're so glad to hear they've become your every occasion watch!
This is currently my favorite watch. I don't wear my "expensive watch" anymore. Everyone has one of those. I rock Smokey. Smokey is a good dad, doesn't wear his shirt and carries a shovel for a weapon against the careless. He is a badass.
I was at a lunch last month and was sat with two surgeons amongst others. They noticed and asked about my watch. If I had my Submariner on, no one would have noticed. One of the doctors does surgery on pediatrics and they discussed if they wore a cartoon watch, would they be able to use it to calm kids down and reduce their anxiety.
I wish for two options, 1) a slightly larger watch and 2) a rubber band option. Neither of these matter as Smokey
Hi Ryan! Thanks so much for your thoughtful review, and sharing that moment as well! We really appreciate your hands on feedback and hearing about how our watch operates in the real world ;) A larger case diameter is deffinitely in the ears of our designers. And I'll shoot you an email about that rubber strap option. Thanks again, Ryan!
What a find! Very happy that I found this and took a chance on a microbrand I hadn’t heard of. The finishing and overall quality is incredible for this pricepoint. The bronze looked incredible new and has already begun aging after just a couple of weeks. The patina is beautiful! This watch tells a story.
I’ve been watching this watch for quite awhile. When they sold out I panicked. They finally re-released it. I usually buy blue faced watches but the green just popped for me since it was Smokey the bear. Well made watch. Glad I bit the bullet and went for it. Thanks again Vero.
Hi Rissa,
Thanks for your review of your new watch! We're stoked that you were able to get one in this release!
I was very happy to purchase and receive this watch. Really nice quality and very attractive. Unfortunately, I need a minimum case size of 40mm for my larger wrist so I had to return it.
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your review of the One Moto watch. We appreciate your hands-on feedback and giving the watch a try.
Just purchased the One Moto solar watch. Great looking watch and cool design. The solar charge function seems to work great with long charge. Complaints: 1) For the average size male, I think the case needs to be a minimum of 41mm. 2) Consider a different material for watch band. Current band is barely pliable. 3) Consider either moving first band loop back or having both band loops float. With the stiff band material, it is difficult to bend the band tip into the first, fixed band loop.
Hi Joe, Thanks for your review after getting your hands on the One Moto watch! Sorry it wasn't the right fit for you. But glad you were able to give it a shot and give us some good honest feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to give us your review, and we hope we can get another VERO on your wrist in the future! Thanks Joe!