Coming to Kickstarter just before Christmas is a diver’s watch designed in Malaysia: we had the opportunity to test the Sheer Semporna.
Sheer Semporna Review
Launching on Kickstarter on 24th December, with early bird pricing of $299, is the Sheer Semporna a Christmas cracker?
At a glance |
Sheer Semporna |
Price |
$299 |
Case size |
42mm |
Thickness |
12.6mm |
Water Resistance |
200m |
Movement |
Miyota 9015 |
The presentation of the Sheer Semporna was significantly better than I expected for a budget Kickstarter watch: the thick cardboard case is substantial, premium-feeling and comes with a drawer full of goodies – warranty card, info sheet and dust cloth.
Case and MovementThe 42mm case of the Sheer Semporna is right in the sweet spot for a dive watch, and the faceted design is unique and – to my eyes at least – attractive. The vertical brushed finish on the case sides is to the standard you would expect for the price point, and everything lines up nicely. The fit and finish of budget watches has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and the Sheer Semporna is no exception. Around the back is a display case back that reveals the movement – this review sample has a Seiko NH35, but production models will have a Miyota 9015. Both crystals – front and back – are sapphire, with five layers of anti-reflective coating to be applied to the front crystal in the finished product.
The lumed screw-down crown is sensibly-sized and easy to operate – helping the watch achieve a very respectable 200 metres of water resistance. Overall, a nicely-finished watch that wears well and looks good. The only part of the case I would criticise is the bezel, which, although well finished and has a positive click, has no markings except for the four cardinal points. This may well look cool, but it makes it useless for timing, so it defeats the object of its 120-click rotation funtion.Dial and Hands
The Sheer Semporna dial is black with a dark coloured diagonal pattern. It is not textured, which would have added a pleasing extra dimension, but it does add a subtle perception of depth to the dial. The markers are applied – thankfully, all are lined up right – and add to the quality feel elsewhere in the watch.
A date function at 6 keeps everything looking balanced, and the crisp white hands are relatively plain but consequently easy to read. A subtle sunburst from blue in the centre to black at the edges helps bring it all together and draw in the eye. I very much enjoyed looking at the Sheer Semporna, catching myself taking a second longer when glancing at the time over the week I spent with it.Strap and Buckle
The rubber strap is comfortable to wear. It does tend to pick up dust, which is down to the composition of the rubber, but no more than any other similar-spec watch band.
Drilled lugs make strap changes simple – I prefer quick release pins on the strap but this is the next best option if you intend to swap straps frequently without damaging anything.Sheer Semporna – Video Review
https://youtu.be/xqfxgWDA8fo
What I Liked |
What I Didn’t like |
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Sheer Semporna – The WRUK Verdict
The Sheer Semporna is an excellent watch at a great early-bird price. My few misgivings – the dust magnet strap, the absence of bezel markings, may not even be an issue for many buyers. The only problems I perceive for Sheer are that there is a huge amount of competition at this end of the market; and that Westerners can be reluctant to spend money in the post-Christmas period. I hope they achieve their funding goal and bring the watch into production as it is one of the most enjoyable watches I have worn in some time, with some excellent touches that make it stand out from the crowd.
Buy a Sheer Semporna Review
The Sheer Semporna is launching on Kickstarter on 24th December at 3 on GMT. More details are at the Sheer Watch website.