Ventus Mori Diver

Ventus has released another version of the Mori Diver, this time in a gunmetal PVD steel and a stainless steel with blue. Previous versions of the Ventus Mori Diver only came in brass, so this is a variation for those who do not like brass or bronze watches. Ventus is what most call a budget or value brand, as the watches do offer a lot in terms of quality and materials for not a lot of coin. The Mori had a preorder period where it was available for $249, but even at the current price of $349, you are getting a lot of watch. The Mori comes in a wood box with a canvas travel roll and 3 straps to change up the look of your watch.

Ventus Mori Specifications:

41mm Gunmetal PVD Stainless Case

12.5mm thick (14mm with crystal)

20mm Lug Width

48mm Lug to Lug

Sapphire Crystal

Seiko NH35 Automatic Movement

300m Water Resistant

Aluminum Bezel Insert

C3 Superluminova

3 Straps Included

Price $349

*Unfortunately, at the time of publishing, the Gunmetal version is sold out. Elshan said he might have 1 or 2 pieces available, so email to check. The Stainless/blue version shows in stock as well as some brass versions.*

https://ventuswatches.com/collections/mori-diver

I am a sucker for a sandwich dial and I like how the Ventus Mori Diver is laid out with the indices and chose not to go numerals on this model. I will say that vintage lume or faux patina lume is starting to get a little over done, though it does go well with the gunmetal case. The blue model has white markers and hands for those that do not like the faux vintage look. One thing that is noticeable is that the hands are a different shade than the indices, I do not know if this was on purpose or an accident. The hour and minute hand are on the small side as well and could be beefier. What I do like is how Ventus incorporated the three arrows in the watch, as that is where this model gets its name from. From the Ventus website:

“The legend of the three arrows” is a story about Mōri Motonari. In an effort to get his sons to work together, he gave them each an arrow to break. This was done easily, and he challenged his sons to repeat it with three arrows bound together. This proved to be unbreakable.”

While I like smaller watches these days, I do feel this is a small 41mm. It just wears small. To some, that is probably not a bad thing, but the Ventus Mori Diver feels dainty to me on the wrist, something that I obviously do not look for in a watch. Because of the thin profile and short lug to lug, it is of course comfortable on the wrist, almost to the point I did not realize it was on most of the time. When I wear a titanium watch, I expect that, but when I wear a steel watch I like it to be more noticeable. All three straps do have a nice length to them though and while they will not fit an 8 inch wrist, they work well on my 7 1/2 inch wrist.

Speaking of the straps, the Ventus Mori Diver does not come with 3 sub-par straps that were just thrown in the box, rather it comes with 3 good quality straps. The buckle does leave something to be desired, it is thin and the style really does not fit the watch, but the straps are great. The Horween leather and the tropic style rubber are my favorite of the bunch, but all are nice enough that if the Mori only came with one of them, I wouldn’t mind.

The case design reminds you of a vintage Tudor or Rolex, but nothing here that comes off as a copy or even homage. The aluminum bezel insert has that pebbled coating allowing the overall aesthetic to be subtle, nothing flashy here. The crown, which is really small, does function well, but it is hard to grasp with my fingers. I know they were going for a smaller watch here, but the Ventus Mori Diver really could use larger hands and a larger crown. If you are someone with small hands, it most likely will not be an issue for you.

I love that they chose to go with a stamped case back. The diver helmet, which we have seen many times before from other brands, just fits with a dive watch. This case back is clean, well machined and finished and gives the Ventus Mori Diver that little bit extra. They could have easily gone with just a plain etched case back and because of the price, I doubt many would complain. I love the finish used here as well, I also like that they went with a stainless back and left off the gunmetal coating. I do find it odd that they did not have new case backs made for the steel versions, as you can see below, it says brass. I understand that they could have made about 1000 case backs or more and needed to use them up, but that is a big oversight in my opinion.

Ventus Mori Lume

One of the most poplular budget microbrand models last year was the Dan Henry Diver, which was available in both 40 and 44mm sizes. I reviewed the original model here and it was a great super compressor style with a nice stamped case back as well, but had horrible lume and a mineral crystal. For just a little more money, the Ventus has a sapphire crystal, excellent lume, 3 different straps and uses the same movement. Granted, one of the biggest selling points of the Dan Henry was the design, but if are on a budget and want something of higher quality in a diver watch, the Ventus would not be a bad option. It is not my favorite because of the small hands and crown, but it is a good watch at a good price point.