Have you heard of Elliot Brown? As this is on a need-to-know basis, and you really need to know! The Dorset-based company, run by friends Ian Elliot and Alex Brown have been around since 2013. They intended to make the toughest and most affordable watches around and at a cost that wouldn’t break the bank. Guess what, they have surpassed their intent and delivered just that.
Today we have a deep dive into the Holton NIVO, one of the toughest of them all, so grab a brew, get comfortable and read on.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
Let’s start with the Holton, which was launched in 2018. Elliot Brown developed this watch in collaboration with a specialist branch within the British Armed Forces. They demanded a purpose-built watch tailored to their rigorous operational needs in the field. The brief was, that it had to be capable of prolonged exposure to water and dust, durable, shock resistant, with clear visibility day or night, unidirectional timing bezel had to remain operable with a gloved hand, equipped for easy strap changes and complete with comfortable strapping options that would withstand extreme environments.
This had been the first military-issued watch from a British company in over twelve years and before its approval it had already survived some of the most rigorous testing imaginable, including trying to blow it up with plastic explosive (see here). Keeping with the military vibe, the name Holton took inspiration from the Royal Navy’s Cordite factory in Holton Heath, Dorset. The Holton is available in several guises and the one in particular we are looking at is the NIVO.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
This name came from a specific military colour that was uncovered during research. Night Invisible Varnish, Orfordness was developed in 1918 by a military experimental station in Orford Ness, Suffolk. It was developed for the use of British bombers, as they wanted their paint to match both the colour and gloss levels of open water at night. Thus, the NIVO was born. Elliot Brown then took this colour, and eventually recreated it and applied it to their dials. So, if you are ever flying over open water and want to hide, get behind your dial!
The pale gunmetal grey PVD-coated 43mm case is a beast, however, at only 12mm thick, wears slightly smaller. The NIVO anti-reflective dial is very legible and easy to read, with the Elliot Brown trademarked 12,3,6,9 cardinal indices, bold hour markers and a bold triangle at 12 to help with orientation when it is dark.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
The hour and minute sword hands are in the daytime, a light soft earthy brown but come to life in low light, as they are filled with a pink sand C3 Super-Luminova. The second hand has a thin yellow tip that gives the dial a subtle hint of colour. Printed around the rehaut are the 24-hour markings, which add another nice nod to its military background.
Surrounding the dial, is the 120-click unidirectional divers bezel, which has a matt PVD coating. The bezel has a unique hobnail texture around its outer edge, which allows it to be easily turned with either the edge or a downward pressure from the top. The triple sealed crown sits at 4 o’clock keeping it out of the way and features the same hobnail knurling as the bezel. The 2mm sapphire crystal sits just below the bezel, to minimise the chance of edges becoming chipped and with an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface, this hugely helps to minimise any glare.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
Powering all this is the Swiss Ronda 715 calibre movement. This is encased within a distinctive shock absorption mechanism proprietary to the brand, the watch is nestled within a steel housing suspended by elastomer shock absorbers, ensuring unparalleled resilience against impact and vibration.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
The strap is held in by a pair of solid screw-in steel bars, to make swapping them over simple, especially when the watch comes with a 5-lobe-headed driver. Finally, the case back is firmly secured with hex bolts, ensuring a flawless compression seal and optimal tension for the shock absorption mechanism. Its multi-surfaced design minimizes skin contact for enhanced comfort, while the bolted-down configuration guarantees precise alignment of the case back logo and detailing at all times.
Elliot Brown seem to have covered all bases, as far as design and testing goes, as this has been proven time and time again. Their testing procedure just goes beyond anything else that’s out there, if it has been tested and passed by Elliot Brown, then it’s good enough to be worn by anyone in any environment. They are so confident in their rigorous ability that their watches come with a 5-year warranty, and when you look at the price, I honestly can’t work out how they do it. But this just shows their confidence in what they are making, and at this price point for what you get, there won’t be much to compete with.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
Perhaps they are over-engineered, but you can clearly see their ethos within their watches. They have been designed without compromise and for a specific need. They are more than fit for purpose, with 100m of water resistance on most watches, this simply means it’s good for “surface water sports only”. But on an Elliot Brown watch, when it says 200m, they mean it’s good for diving down to that actual depth. The water depth rating on most watches is a bit of smoke and mirrors, in my opinion, and I do honestly think this should be addressed by the industry, it’s misleading at best. Elliot Brown, on the other hand, build watches that do exactly what they say on the tin.
When the Holton NIVO arrived, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall quality and feel of the watch. Elliot Brown’s attention to detail clearly shows when you get this on the wrist. I was a little sceptical at first of the strap that came with it, as I initially couldn’t work out how to use the buckle. But once I realised how it operated, it was so simple. No holes to align with a pin buckle, as it has none. Instead, once you slide the strap through the buckle, you simply snap the toothed friction plate in place and your off. It’s such a clean, easy system, one I’ve not seen before but now wish was on more of my straps. The bezel did move a few notches a few times, when I caught it, which was a surprise, but it’s easily corrected. When I pointed my UV torch on the dial, to see how bright the lume was, my son who was sitting across the room, jumped up and ran over to see, the first thing he said was, “that’s incredible” and he was right, in the dark, this won’t fail you.
Elliot Brown Holton NIVO. Credit: Guest Author.
I have had this on my wrist for some time now and get what Elliot Brown is trying to achieve. I personally feel they have done this and more. Wearing a watch like the Holton NIVO, although most of us don’t go cave diving or trekking across the Sahara, you know that what’s on your wrist is more than capable to do so and then some. Their watches are greater than the sum of their parts and go beyond our everyday capabilities. At this time, although, I don’t own a Holton NIVO, I’m pretty sure I will by the time this article goes live, and at these prices many more collectors should take a serious look, as you get so much bang for buck!
Spec:
- Case size:43mm
- Thickness:12mm
- Lug width: 22mm
- Lug-to-lug:52mm
- Water resistance:200m
- Movement: Swiss Ronda Calibre 715
- Crystal:2mm sapphire with anti-reflective coating
- Warranty: 5 years (not including accidental damage, wear and tear or battery)
- Price: £475.00
