NTH made one of our favourite watches of 2020, the Thresher 2K1. We were kindly loaned one of the brand’s most popular models: the NTH Näcken Modern.
NTH Näcken Modern Review
The NTH Näcken Modern is beautifully presented, within a soft-touch box with a slide-out drawer, surrounded by a paper sleeve. While the presentation is never a deal-breaker with a tool watch, NTH has got the balance just right here between quality packaging and price, with the watch coming in at $700 – (or £599 in the UK, including VAT)
At a glance |
NTH Näcken Modern |
Price |
$700 / £599 |
Case size |
40mm |
Thickness |
11.5mm |
Water Resistance |
300m |
Movement |
Miyota 9015 (905S for no-date models) |
Case and Movement
The case of the NTH Näcken Modern is just as well finished as the Thresher’s, although the dimensions are a little smaller. The 40mm case size is relatively small by some modern standards, but it feels “just right” on the wrist. The thickness is 11.5mm, which is perfectly reasonable for a dive watch. The crown and bezel action are both superb. I particularly like the way the crown guards are milled to a point and the way the crown is oversized but not too deep.
Inside the NTH Näcken Modern is a Miyota 9 series movement which, for my money, is just as good as the Swiss alternatives. It means you get more watch from your money as you are not paying the “Swiss-Made Tax”, and it’s a reliable and accurate choice.
Dial and Hands
The deep black snowflake dial and white hands bring to mind the classic Tudor Submariners. Still, there’s a neat modern twist in the NTH Näcken Modern: the square hour indices are applied – similar to the contemporary Tudor Pelagos. I prefer the approach NTH took in the Thresher, with the markers being surrounded by an angled chapter ring. By comparison, the markers on this watch seem to be floating in the middle of the dial. It’s not an unattractive look; I just prefer how the brand did it in the Thresher 2K1.
A date complication at 6 O’clock keeps the dial well balanced. I liked the date font, and everything is properly centred. The little touches matter when it comes to the competitive world of microbrand diver’s watches, and I appreciated the finish on the hands and dial, which oozes quality. Finally, in another modern twist on a classic idea, C3 Luminova is applied not just to the markers and hands, but also to the numbers on the bezel. It looks great (certainly better than my attempts at photographing it proved – check out Zaltek Reviews for a stunning lume-shot!)
Bracelet and Clasp
NTH make great bracelets: this one is top quality. It has a brushed finish and solid links with screws to secure the removable parts. The clasp has sufficient micro-adjustments to get just over one link’s worth of adjustment each way (I made a big deal of this in my NTH Thresher 2K1 review – other brands take note!).
The clasp closes with a satisfying click and has a foldover to keep it closed. All in, a great bracelet that, just like the rest of the watch, does just enough without overdoing it.
NTH Näcken Modern – Video Review
What I Liked |
What I Didn’t like |
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NTH Näcken Modern – The WRUK Verdict
I’ve always said that NTH watches feel like they are made by enthusiasts, and this watch is no different when it comes to fit and finish. The NTH Näcken Modern is a superb watch. What I love is that it is inoffensive – the case size is big enough without making it unbalanced; the bracelet is really well-finished, but without any polished areas to pick up scratches; the dial is conservative from a distance but modern when viewed up close.
The NTH Näcken Modern is a brilliant diver’s watch. It’s just as well made and has the same “no-nonsense” aesthetic as my daily wearer (a Breitling SuperOcean 42). The UK price may be higher than a direct conversion from $700 to pounds sterling might suggest, thanks to that pesky VAT, but you can’t blame NTH for that. I personally think that this watch is as good as a Christopher Ward C60, which costs £200 more. I love this watch, and I definitely intend to add an NTH timepiece to my collection in the future. I just haven’t yet decided which one!
Buy an NTH Näcken Modern
You can buy an NTH Näcken Modern in the UK from WatchGecko. The brand’s retailers elsewhere in the world are listed at NTH’s website: https://nthwatches.com/.
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