MICRO MONDAYS: Mitch Mason nails its second chapter with the Maelstrom

Ricardo Sime

The diver is one of the most popular types of watches out there. Reliability and strength, even at lower price points, are reasons why the average watch collector loves them. This love, of course, doesn’t escape the notice of brands; with many releasing their own divers. That leads to hundreds, if not thousands of divers being released every year. With so many watches to choose from, things like design start growing in importance, becoming one of the best ways for a brand to stand out. Mitch Mason has completely embraced this importance with their latest release, the Maelstrom.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had Mitch Mason on Micro Mondays. Our very own Fergus Nash chronicled their first release, the Chronicle. That watch was their interpretation of a field watch. Here, the brand takes a crack at a diver. And not just any old diver, but one styled after the popular, double crowned, super compressors of the 1950’s. Let’s take a closer look at what the Maelstrom has to offer.

The Maelstrom comes in what many would consider the perfectly sized package. The case is 40mm with a lug-to-lug (our favourite measurement over here at Time+Tide) a svelte 47mm, meaning the small wristed among us should have no problems with wearability. Thickness is only 12mm on a case rated to 300 metres of water resistance. On the right side of the case, you will find dual screw-down crowns, which have slanted grooves cut into their sides. The one near 4 o’clock has the double M logo of the brand while the one near 2 features a knot, symbolizing the brand’s mixing of vintage and modern elements in their designs.

As to finishing on the watch, it is mostly brushed. The only polishing comes in the form of two parallel strips, running down the left and right side. That continues to the H-link bracelet, which tapers down from 20mm at the case, to 16mm at a dual pusher, flip-lock clasp. This small amount of polishing brightens up what would have otherwise been a muted watch.

Well, actually could have been because it’s darn near impossible to be muted with the dials Mitch Mason designed for the Maelstrom. We are given four different flavours, beautifully displayed behind a double domed sapphire, anti reflective coated crystal. From left to right in the image above we have the Steel Blue, which features a blue dial, with Old Radium Super-LumiNova. Next is the Ocean Grey, with blue accented minute markers and BGW9 Super-LumiNova. Following that is the Marimo Green, with its apple green dial and Old Radium. And finally, we have the Aphotic Black, which has a black dial and mixes BGW9 and Old Radium. Also note that the numerals on the date wheel are lumed, matching the same kind as that of the numerals on the dial.

Not including the differences in lume and colour, each Mitch Mason Maelstrom dial features a similar design. The date is located at 6 o’clock, with large numerals at 12, 3 and 9 that have been punched out on a brushed sunburst, sandwich dial. Every five minute increment is labelled on the centre portion of the dial. This allows you to not get confused with the internal rotating bezel, which features large, legible numerals and markers. The knot logo, that was seen on the crown, makes its way to the hour hand (a trademark of all Mitch Mason watches).

Inside every Maelstrom beats the King of Microbrand movements, the Miyota 9015. The movement beats at 28,800 bph and has 42 hours of power reserve. Known for its reliability and robustness, it has been used in hundreds of microbrand watches. However, on the Maelstrom, you won’t be able to see this movement because the watch features a closed caseback. Which one shouldn’t mind because first, the 9015 isn’t an overly finished movement. And second, the caseback here features a beautifully stamped whale, which adds another great design element to the watch.

Overall, the Maelstrom definitely stands out in a sea of dive watches. Through the use of different colour lume, classic styling and brand specific details, Mitch Mason brings a look that is both refreshing and unique. They also back that up with specifications that any buyer would be more than happy with. And finally, the goldilocks sizing opens the watch up to a large demographic of buyers. This is a great follow up to an initial release.

Mitch Mason Maelstrom Collection Price and Availability:

The Maelstrom collection is currently available on Kickstarter. The campaign will come to an end on Friday, October 8 2021 12:59 PM AEDT. Estimated delivery is March 2022. Pricing starts at $451 USD for the Super Early Bird.

Made in partnership with Mitch Mason Watches. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.