Are they any different from the Broadarrow version that were flying about a few years back ? I love CWC but the prices are a joke recently.
I’ve long been a fan of the mil-diver and, like a lot of other people, missed the boat when CWC prices were reasonable.
My first expensive watch was the Omega 2264 which is obviously a firm nod to a previous era of such watches. I’ve also owned Eddie’s current incarnation of the Precista branded PRS-3 which is a hell of a watch, if slightly on the large and heavy side.
Having owned several Zeno I’ve always been very impressed with the quality of fit and finish so I can’t really explain why I’ve not bought the PRS-3 before now. Never the right time I suppose.
A week or so ago I got the chance to buy one at a great price (especially when compared to the used CWC prices) so took the plunge.
Firstly I’ve not worn anything else since the moment it arrived! My thoughts after a week are:
The good:
Perfect size for my 6.75 inch wrist
Combination of brushes and polished surfaces is spot on
Lugs at 20mm are much better than the 22mm on the Precista
Second hand hits every marker
Crown, stem and assembly are form and smooth (admittedly they’ve just been replaced at Zeno)
Bezel action is firm
Looks fantastic on loads of NATOs and straps
Spring bars are a lot more convenient than the CWC fixed bars
I’m not so keen on:
Green dial lume
Lume on dial and hands don’t match and have different brightness in the dark
All-in-all I think it’s a fantastic little watch that represents great value for money.
Some pics:
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Are they any different from the Broadarrow version that were flying about a few years back ? I love CWC but the prices are a joke recently.
Also why is the crown out ?
Your observations are spot-on, David.
I've handled one and it's a decent watch for the money.
Same here. However, what bothered me to no end was the lack of AR on the crystal.
I guess I've become spoiled by my Damasko and Citizen Chronomaster, but sapphire crystals without effective AR coating are a pet peeve of mine that can really ruin a watch for me.
What is the bracelet?
Looks excellent on the bracelet, a worthy addition to a cracking watch.
Cheers
Simon
Ralph Waldo Emerson: We ask for long life, but 'tis deep life, or noble moments that signify. Let the measure of time be spiritual, not mechanical.
The Zeno PRS-3 is an awesome watch. Mine is on an Isofrane-clone (Borealis) which is an excellent and comfortable fitting strap.
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The screw-back is still marked PRS-3, Broadarrow, 30 BAR, which raises the question whether they used leftovers from previous production runs.
Lume lasts all night, not very bright but useable; however the dial is more faint than the hands. This is no problem, unlike others I think the difference in brightness between hands and dial enhances readability. I'd rather have the T for Tritium replaced with L for Luminova, it's just fake and who needs tritium anyway. The ZENO-marking could have been a little more sophisticated.
My specimen doesn't tic on the markers but gains only ca. 4 to 5 s/month which is pretty decent.
Especially attractive is the highly polished stainless chapter ring combined with the wide diameter but narrow bezel, it makes the watch look smart.
In short: an attractive and very useable grab-and-go watch with 10 years battery-life.
Just seen this through idlebrowsing, what a cracking combo on that unbelievably cheap bracelt. Superb!
Do these have the same 10 year battery life movement of the venerable original (PRS-3)
i just got one from iprice too