The Odyssey Collection from BOLDR was not, I must admit, something I ever saw coming.
My very first BOLDR was an Expedition II model (the Eiger, to be precise). I adored the build quality, the non-standard, but non-jarring case shape, its everyday wearability, and the little design quirks that I knew would be appreciated by fellow watch fans, from the fully luminous dial to the shade of orange on the seconds hand tip to the embossed “tread” pattern on the underside of the strap which was equally easy on the eye as it was on the wrist.
I didn’t see a more, if anything, generic diver entering the collection when it did. But, intrigued as I always am when BOLDR releases anything, I reached out to Leon to secure a loan of the more interesting pieces.
What I realised as soon as I opened the box was that BOLDR was swinging for the fences with this model in a way that would surely grab the attention of horophiles the world over. The Freediver 202 is a serious tool watch.
Boldr Odyssey - Credit WatchGecko
It follows the usual BOLDR formula that has garnered so much success. It blends trends of the moment with timeless attributes, wrapping them up together in a package that feels instantly fresh and familiar, and slapping a barely believable price tag on the result.
Specifications-wise, the Freediver 202 is surprising. On-screen, it looks like a hulking 46 mm Seiko, but the case, which is undeniably aggressive form, measures a relatively diminutive 40 mm. It’s important to remember, of course, that not all 40 mm watches are created equal. A slim watch with an ultra-fine bezel, unobtrusive stick indices on the dial, and a case diameter of 40 mm would look truly enormous next to a bulkier watch replete with a rotating bezel that reduces the dial aperture by around six millimetres in total. Add to that the 14 mm case thickness and large luminous Arabic numerals on the dial and you have a watch that is likely to wear even smaller than the 40 mm measurement suggests.
There is something incredibly charming about boxier tool watches, however. You see this with some of the recent watches from German brand Sinn. Its 38 mm pilot chronographs are so relatively thick (14.5mm) that they look more like bullets than watches on the wrist. Despite this, they have the cool factor because they are so clearly tools concerned with a specific function rather than the rules of aesthetic elegance.
On the wrist, the Odyssey Freediver 202 is a punchy little timepiece, whose character extends from the watch head and wraps around the wrist thanks to the angled “three-link” bracelet that is another clever balance of form, finish, and cost-effectiveness.
Boldr Odyssey - Credit WatchGecko
Leon, the brand’s founder, has proven time and time again that he knows how to make a watch for a reasonable price that really sings. A closed and deeply embossed case back hides the Japanese-made 9015 calibre from Miyota and secures 300 metres of water resistance. Other premium touches like the Super-LumiNova-inlaid ceramic bezel that surrounds an anti-reflective sapphire crystal push the value proposition through the roof.
But for those of you who find the BOLDR Odyssey Freediver 202 too tame (despite its handsome and on-trend heavily textured degradé dials that fade from either green or red to black at the edges), you have the Odyssey Freediver Mint Green, Frost White, and Citrus Orange to choose from.
These instantly recall the departed but not forgotten Scuba line from Bvlgari, Towards the end of the Bvlgari Scuba’s stay in the Roman brand’s catalogue, brightly coloured versions of a much-missed classic were released. Those vivid orange, lemon yellow, and ice-white pieces turned out to be the model line’s swansong (for now), but proved at least that even the upper echelons of modern horology believe in the power of colour.
Boldr Odyssey - Credit WatchGecko
These BOLDR Odyssey Freedivers in wild colours are not the most versatile. They’re not the most mature designs. But they are comfortable on the wrist (thanks in large part to their rubber tropic straps and excellent case finishing), highly legible, day or night, and a lot of fun. What was particularly clever about these designs was the use of ton sur ton bezel inserts that allow the dial colours to express themselves without it feeling like they were bleeding out of the case and spilling onto your wrist or, worse still, your outfit. This is contained madness (and, in my opinion, the best type of it).
For the more rugged amongst you, there is something too. The marine-archaeology-ready Odyssey 45 mm with a massive 500 m water resistance rating is something entirely other. Four of the eight models available in this case size have bronze cases and, as such, look ready to accompany you on a trip to the Aegean Sea in search of the Antikythera mechanism’s twin. The other four models (which are currently either sold out or incoming) are made from stainless steel. Two of the four have an aged treatment applied while the other two, the soon-to-be-released Admiral models, are in uncoated stainless steel. All three variants within this case size offer extremely different stylistic propositions and are excellent examples of creativity within a restricted canvas.
Moving towards the top end of the collection is the brand-new MGP, which has just been released. It is 40 mm in diameter and boasts a bizarre but beguiling double helix (luminous) on the translucent ombre dial. Unlike many of BOLDR’s pieces, this model has a coloured display case back, revealing the movement (a Miyota 9015 automatic calibre). It looks and feels like a hybrid. It is a very serious titanium dive watch on one hand and a bonkers expression of visual creativity on the other. The special release price pegs it around £600 and it is surely going to be a curio about which BOLDR followers talk for many years to come.
But the very top end of the collection is where things get professional. Five models occupy this level, three of them GMTs. The two time-only versions (one with a blackened steel case and a translucent black dial and another with an untreated steel case and a translucent black dial ringed by a luminous chapter ring) are the best of the bunch by my estimation. These models carry the references PG1954 and WB1985 respectively. In my opinion, the WB1985 is an incredible watch. Its dial is clear and legible but its translucency makes it somehow artful and a welcome companion for a day around town, despite it being designed to perform at extreme depths. At 44 mm wide and boasting a solid 300-meter water resistance, these pieces, along with their GMT range mates are further proof that BOLDR is building on evermore solid foundations for a future that could very well include even more experimentation at a much higher level. With what we’ve seen so far, it would seem crazy to wish for anything else.
