Over the previous few years, the younger impartial Italian model Venezianico has constructed a cult following for its spectacular ending, reasonable pricing, and agency devotion to a lush, distinctly Venetian visible language. This final level has ranged from a penchant for conventional Venetian aventurine glass to ornately carved dials depicting the town’s Renaissance masterpieces, however certainly one of its most hanging visible tributes to this point pays homage to what may properly be the town’s most beloved landmark: the Basilica San Marco (or St. Mark’s Cathedral, for non-Italian audio system). The brand new Venezianico Nereide Aureo provides a 24K gold dial remedy to the model’s strong trendy diver platform, creating a novel mix of sensible performance and spectacular spectacle that few watches can match at this value level.
At 42mm broad and 49mm lug-to-lug, the Venezianico Nereide Aureo’s stainless-steel case is on the bigger aspect of present developments however wears properly on extra moderate-sized wrists due to its balanced case profile and pronounced wraparound impact. The general form right here isn’t precisely groundbreaking, with a typical trendy diver-style mixture of tapering, athletic chamfered lugs, and pronounced square-tipped crown guards. It might not be probably the most adventurous diver case, however the ending is well-executed all through, with impressively sharp transitions between mild linear brushed planes and brightly polished chamfers. The place the Nereide Aureo’s case actually grabs consideration, nonetheless, is with its unidirectional dive bezel. The insert right here is mirror-polished tungsten, which supplies the watch a hanging, ultra-reflective look. It’s troublesome to convey simply how reflective this bezel is on the wrist (which makes photographing our media pattern an actual problem). In need of the superbly distortion-free Zaratsu sharpening utilized by manufacturers charging almost ten instances Venezianico’s asking value, this is kind of probably the most brightly reflective, mesmerizingly crisp bezel one is prone to see within the metallic. Moreover, due to the ultra-hard tungsten insert materials, this near-flawless mirror shine is unlikely to be marred by the superficial scratches watches have a tendency to select up through the years. There’s a slight downside to this, nonetheless – though the polished tungsten could also be sturdy and scratch-resistant, it attracts fingerprints and smudges like a magnet. After turning the bezel or dealing with the watch, extra fastidious wearers will possible want to interrupt out a cleansing fabric. For the caseback, Venezianico gives a razor-sharp, finely detailed engraving of the inside of the Basilica San Marco, full with depictions of the opulent mosaics that line its gold leaf-covered partitions. As one may anticipate from a diver as properly, the Nereide Aureo boasts a reliable 200-meter water resistance.
At first look, the primary dial floor of the Venezianico Nereide Aureo seems to be hammered gold leaf, however the actuality is much extra advanced and work-intensive. The primary seen layer of the dial is, in truth, pure 24K gold, a rarity even within the higher echelons of watchmaking, however reasonably than the skinny, gossamer-delicate work of gold leaf, the model has devised a proprietary process. To emulate the hammered texture of the leaf utilized to the partitions of Basilica San Marco, Venezianico begins by operating every brass dial clean by way of a tumbling course of, making a collection of tiny dents and imperfections. From right here, the dial blanks are galvanically plated with 24k gold, then completed with a number of layers of clear varnish as a protectant. The tip result’s genuinely fascinating on the wrist, with a wealthy luster and a fascinatingly detailed texture that outshines just about any competitor in its value vary. Exterior of this superb golden dial floor, the Nereide Aureo’s dial is sharp and easy, with faceted ladder fingers accented by beveled, brightly polished indices utilized to a raised, radially brushed outer chapter ring. The one actual draw back right here is the mismatched white date show at 3 o’clock, however ending a date wheel to match the hammered gold look of the dial would possible be no small enterprise.
Contained in the Venezianico Nereide Aureo beats the acquainted Sellita SW200-1 computerized motion. The SW200-1 is among the hottest selections for impartial manufacturers nowadays, providing straightforward servicing, easy development, and middle-of-the-road efficiency together with a 41-hour energy reserve at a 28,800 bph beat price.
Reasonably than the H-link bracelet discovered on earlier iterations of the Nereide, Venezianico makes use of the Nereide Aureo to launch a brand new bracelet design for the model: the “Sansovino.” This five-link stainless-steel bracelet makes use of a superficially related format to the typically controversial bracelet design of the Omega Seamaster Skilled, full with two rows of polished mid-links and a usually rounded hyperlink profile. Previous the fundamental format, although, the “Sansovino” may be very a lot its personal beast, with a swoopy, curving outer hyperlink profile, simplified second and fourth hyperlinks, feminine finish hyperlinks, and a extra streamlined, easy general execution. A brushed and polished two-button clasp with an utilized Venezianico cross emblem completes the design right here. On the wrist, the load of this bracelet is noticeable however not unwieldy, and the softly curving hyperlink profiles make this each comfy and good-looking throughout long-term put on.
Venezianico’s latest rise in fanatic circles appears deeply tied to its devoutly Venetian model aesthetic, and a number of the younger model’s most fascinating work comes on the intersection of this love for the look of Venice and the necessity to produce practical, sensible timepieces. The Venezianico Nereide Aureo is a (actually) shining instance of how fascinating this intersection will be – this solidly constructed mid-range dive watch turns into a hanging dialog piece, mainly by way of the facility of its dial and bezel. The Venezianico Nereide Aureo is offered for preorder now by way of the model’s e-commerce platform. MSRP for the Venezianico Nereide Aureo stands at $1,295 USD as of press time. For extra data, please go to the model’s web site.
