Open Water Burnside

I have been wearing my Vero Open Water Broadway LE about 75% of the time since receiving it a week ago. The look and feel of this watch are exactly what I was looking for. The thing that impresses me the most, however, is the accuracy. I have had this same movement in other watches costing several times as much and they were nowhere near as accurate. Hats off to whoever regulated these watches. After one week mine is a total of 5 seconds fast.

Local Portlander here…also an avid watch enthusiast. The Broadway LE is a matte monster tool watch. Depth tested, adjusted, not just factory regulated, and it feels like a tool you could use, not just a pretty face trying too hard. If you’re looking for domestic assembly and real quality (10-year, no questions asked warranty), Vero is your US domestic tool brand. Sinn should watch out!

As a watch lover who's very interested in microbrands, and a resident of Portland, OR, I've had my eye on Vero for some time now. Their Open Water series of divers are fresh and not stuck to the heritage/homage looks that so many other dive watches get saddled with. If you like Unimatic or Sinn watches then Vero's clean, modern aesthetic on the Open Water series might appeal to you.

When they released the Rose City Ltd Edition models, with unique colorways honoring Portland, OR, I knew I would have to pull the trigger and the black cherry dial of the Broadway was truly love at first site.

It is a hefty watch with solid weight and a slightly longer lug-to-lug length that I typically wear, but the 11mm depth with a flat, AR coated sapphire crystal allows it to slip under most shirt cuffs, and the minimalist design and smooth top surface of the bezel really has this watch wearing much smaller than it looks.

The fit & finish of this watch (assembled and regulated in the US) is orders of magnitude better than almost any other watch I own in this price point. The unidirectional bezel action is fantastic, with solid clicks and no play or looseness. The screw down crown is super tight - which gives great confidence as to the water resistance rating, but can make it a little difficult to adjust, especially given the prominent, functional crown guards.

I got mine on bracelet, which I do recommend it because it's quite attractive and the matte finish matches the case perfectly. Having said that, there is some room for functional improvement - the micro adjust in the buckle requires a tool (which is common, though I really wish more bracelets would come with on the fly micro adjustments), the compression clasp can be difficult to release, and an easier to use "quick release" spring bar would be greatly appreciated for swapping out the bracelet.

All in all, this watch has so much character, is solidly built, and super functional - I highly recommend Vero's Open Water diver for someone who wants a more unique, modern dive watch that is not handcuffed to design cues from the past. With so many interesting colorways to choose from (including my favorite Black Cherry/Black on matte stainless steel) this watch will stand out from the crowded field of vintage-inspired dive watches out there.