MICRO MONDAYS: The Héron Gladiateur delivers tough, Spartan looks elevated by a cracker of a bezel

Fergus Nash

How on earth can anyone be expected to choose their next watch these days? It almost seems like there are hundreds of new Kickstarter microbrands popping up each month, each with their own unique quirks that make them seem irresistible to people wanting to fill niches in a collection. Héron Watches are a refreshing change-up, not necessarily by what they do differently, but the manner in which they go about it. The Gladiateur is a stoic response to over-the-top watch designs, showing that you can still have individuality with a less-is-more attitude.

Héron are a brand from Montreal, Canada, which is an identity that they keep close to their design philosophies. The most obvious clue is their name, as the heron is a common albeit gorgeous bird that has seven species that live and breed in The Great White North. Héron, being accented, acts to emphasise the French cultural influences that are particularly strong in Montreal. They claim that the link between their city and their watch designs is the melding of old and modern styles, which makes a lot of sense considering the cues of their new Gladiateur.

It’s not an insult to say that the Héron Gladiateur is playing it safe, because they have simply followed a formula that will be loved by many. The case shape is that of a classic modern dive watch, with a 41mm diameter and 48mm lug-to-lug length that fits smaller to average wrists perfectly thanks to the lug angles. It really does sit on the wrist well, definitely aided by the relatively slim 12mm thickness and the shape of the rubber strap.

The dial is an ode to classy simplicity as well, with nothing but the applied hour markers, Héron logo, minute track, and ‘Automatic’ text above six o’clock. The lack of date complication ensures a clean symmetry without any interruption to the balance of the dial, and keeps quick legibility at a priority. The colour of the Héron bird emblem and the metallic elements are dependent on which model you choose, with the options being a crisp white dial in plain steel with a grey strap, a navy blue dial in steel with a matching blue strap, a glamorous yet sophisticated black dial with a rose-gold PVD coating, or a black-on-black model that looks the most modern out of all.

By now I’m sure you’ve noticed what really sets the Héron Gladiateur apart from its competitors, and that’s the metallic bezel insert with protruding Roman numerals. Aside from the watch’s tough appearance, the Roman numerals are what inspired the name Gladiateur, and forms the hint of old-world charm that this watch carries alongside its 1960s dive-watch roots. The 120-click bezel acts as a second timezone indicator in a much more subtle way than having Arabic numerals, making it much more bearable when the 12 on the dial isn’t lined up with the 12 on the bezel. It also adds a lot of classiness to the design, placing it firmly in the category of dressy-sports that can be worn at any time.

The Héron Gladiateur uses the premium Miyota 9039 movement. This automatic Japanese movement has a 42 hour power reserve at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and is renowned for being solidly reliable and cheap to service. Miyota movements are made by Citizen, and although they have a brilliant reputation across the millions of watches they’re included in, they tend to be a little industrial in terms of their looks. The Gladiateur hides the plain winding rotor behind a solid caseback featuring a regal-looking Héron bird surrounded by Roman laurel wreaths.

If you’re enticed by the elegant, sporty charm of the Héron Gladiateur, then you’re sure to enjoy the wearing experience. The rubber strap is excellent, being both flexible enough to ensure comfort while thick enough to not let the watch feel top-heavy. The 100m of water resistance alongside a screw-down crown means that it’s perfectly capable of swimming or snorkelling, should that be a priority for you. The final retail price for the Gladiateur is $475USD, however backers to the kickstarter will find early bird discounts ranging between 29-47% depending on just how quick you are.

For further information, visit the Héron Watches Kickstarter site.

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