All the way from Germany comes the brand’s first diver-style timepiece powered by a self-winding movement: the Sternglas Marus.
Sternglas Marus Review
At a glance |
Sternglas Marus |
| Price | £359 |
| Case size | 42mm |
| Thickness | 14mm |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Movement | Miyota 8215 |
Sternglas ship their watches in a simple no frills two-piece cardboard box. To further boost their environmental credentials, they provide a QR code within the packaging rather than a printed manual.
Case and Movement
The Sternglas Marus is powered by a Miyota 8215 movement. For the price, I’d have preferred a better movement – perhaps a 9-series Miyota or a Seiko NH35. The 8 series has an indirectly-driven second hand and can have problems with juddering. It’s good to have an automatic movement, though, and if this is indicative of the direction Sternglas is taking, then I wish them every success with the watch. The case is brilliant. It’s just the right size, with its 42mm diameter being combined with short, straight lugs that make the watch sit really comfortably atop the wrist. I’ve seen better finishing at this price point but the horizontal brushing is perfectly adequate. The rotating bezel has an affirmative action and no back play.
Round the back is a lightly-engraved case back, and the screw-down crown is easy to operate. The watch’s fit and finish is very good, as you would expect for a 200m rated dive watch. It is all topped off by an anti-reflective-coated domed sapphire crystal.
Dial and Hands
I’m a big fan of Sternglas’s designs – though this one is more traditional-looking than the Bauhaus-inspired Sternglas Zirkel I reviewed back in 2018. The dial is crisp and clear, with stick hands that are very legible against the glossy black dial. If I have to pick fault, perhaps the date is a little lost in the design, due to the size of the movement, but I do like its black background and position at 6 O’clock to keep everything balanced.
Strap and Buckle
I was very, very impressed with the strap supplied with the Sternglas Marus: it is a thick fluoro rubber that is extremely comfortable and which suits the watch perfectly. The buckle is perhaps a little disappointing, being a plain standard type, but it does the job and helps the watch feel great to wear.
Sternglas Marus – Video Review
What I Liked… and What I Didn’t Like |
|
| þ | Great looking, legible dial |
| þ | Excellent rubber strap |
| þ | The case design is brilliant |
| ý | The Miyota 8215 is a relatively poor automatic movement |
| ý | The brushed finish could be better |
| ý | There are better-specified watches available for the price |
Sternglas Marus – The WRUK Verdict
Reading back on my review, I feel as though I’ve not really said much about this watch other than describing its features but that’s its strength: the design “just works”. If you need the traditional dive watch that is at home whether you are dressed up or dressed down, there are a lot of worse-looking options out there. My only point of caution is the price: If this watch were £100 cheaper, I’d unreservedly recommend it so wait for the Black Friday sales before pulling the trigger – the good news is that the sale is on as this review goes to press and the Marus has an extra-large discount.
Buy a Sternglas Marus
Buy this watch with 10% off until December 31st 2022 from the Sternglas website using discount code WRISTWATCHUK10.
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