Spring is here and it's time to dust off the walking boots and get out into the countryside. Essential kit is always a fun part of hiking and part of that selection process is a decent outdoor watch. This is just as important as a map and wet weather gear as it is essential to have reliable time keeping for aiding navigation and making sure that you get to the local watering hole in time for lunch.
High above my village is a very rocky part of the County. It overlooks the town of Matlock, and in the distance, you can see Riber Castle high on a peak. The area is hugely exposed and is perfect for walking the dog and field-testing outdoor watches. Halfway around the walk of about 2 miles is a chance to overlook a quarry which was recently cordoned off to film one of the new Star Wars series for Disney. Reports of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the local towns were prolific, if false.
My choice for today's walk is a bit of Geckota classic. The bulletproof G-02 Diver.
As this was my personal watch, I chose to wear it on a blue Geckota Seaqual strap which really suits the style and my intended use, and I feel by using Seaqual I am doing my bit to keep nature beautiful. If you have not come across it, the strap (which is on offer just now) is made from upcycled marine waste. It’s a great addition to consider buying along with the steel Warrington bracelet that comes with the watch.
The G-02 is weather-resistant and supremely legible. That’s really two of the major qualities for a good outdoor watch nailed. The bold white hands and indices stand out against the blue fumé sunburst dial and bring a very welcome degree of elegance to what is ostensibly an out-and-out tool watch.
The bezel is subtle and is consciously designed not to detract from the main feature – the stunning dial. Yet it retains total functionality and is 100% dive ready.
The G-02 is powered by the robust PT5000 automatic movement. The PT5000 movement is a relatively new addition brought out by the manufacturer H.K. Precision Technology. It is a mechanical movement with automatic and hand-winding capabilities, which beats at 28,800 VPH to provide a smooth sweep to the second's hand. The movement has 25 jewels and has very similar specifications to the (unattainable) ETA 2824-2. Recently, HK brought their highest grade of PT5000 to Glashutte in Germany to have its accuracy reviewed by the Chronometer Observatory where it passed a test which only allows a mechanical watch a deviation ranging from minus 3.8 seconds to plus 5.8 seconds within a day.
The solid steel case and screw-down crown add to the reassurance that comes with a 200m water-resistant watch and overall, the package has a robust feel without being overly heavy.
As the hike progressed (not encountering any Jedi) I snapped various images of my G-02 which really looked impressive in the bright sun. The reflection possibility was high, so it was great to see the AR-coated sapphire crystal working for its money.
If you are in the market for a solid watch to use as an outdoor tool which can then instantly be transitioned into a smart evening watch, then look no further than the Geckota G-02. It is, in every way, a superior go-to daily watch which will take whatever life throws at it.
