I had previously had a "no watches for 2019" resolution... that disappeared when I saw the meteorite dialled Hamtun H2. Seeing as they are a British based company might there be other posters here who put an order in for one?
I had previously had a "no watches for 2019" resolution... that disappeared when I saw the meteorite dialled Hamtun H2. Seeing as they are a British based company might there be other posters here who put an order in for one?
I'm sure I've seen then mentioned. Good looking watch and the owner is local to me.
I've not gone in, but am very tempted by the turquoise if that won the vote.
The final colour choices for backers will be:Originally Posted by Miocene
Black
White
Dark blue
Meteorite
Light blue (turquoise)
Yellow
I've never used Kickstarter before, but I've pledged for 1 watch with a sellita movement.
I'm thinking of going for the dark blue with some extra bezels in black and titanium
yes, ive signed up, honest approach to a decently specced and reviewed watch. With the various add ons now included its even better value and the meteorite dial will be unusual (for me). Do I need wnother diver, of course not!
Keith
This sounds like the infamous Olivier Bronze debacle where I paid for a watch that just never showed up.
Run away people, just run.
I'd avoid asking for a refund purely because the watches are currently selling on eBay for a decent mark-up from the Kickstarter price. You've already waited a year so what's another few months for a little profit :-)
Ross really needs to get his act together if he's going to make any more watches though.
Of course there's always the other option of joining all the Facebook microbrand watch groups and mentioning your missing Kraken on all the threads where he's shilling his new watch.
That's gambling on:
a) receiving a watch with no issues as listed above (apparently lots are missing warranty cards as well)
b) the bubble not bursting and still being able to sell above asking
c) ebay, PayPal and postage fees not taking away all that profit
TBH, I'd rather just have my £350 back and put it toward something nice in SC.
He's getting crankier and crankier in replying to the comments on the Kickstarter page. No-one's even raised the issue of him taking on even more work despite a lot of people still with outstanding orders yet. He's complaining that people are emailing as well as commenting - well yeah, when you email five times and zero response, yet see people's comments are getting answered, what are you going to do?
I had an H1 ,I chose the black out option,so was a bit hard to read,but decent build quality.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ah the "stealth" version right? You could just have an empty wrist and say that you've got an invisible watch :D - was it lumed in black lume or can it be read in the evenings?
I'm in for the white dial version with black bezel, with the Sellita upgrade. Actually went to see the two prototype watches (the ones that are doing the reviewer rounds) over at the Hamtun office in Southampton a few weeks back, and spent a very pleasant hour chatting to Ross.
I'm also in for the Nanok Day Date, which is due to ship in May. I think I'm actually more excited about that one than the Kraken, and I love the Kraken !
Incidentally, I built a one pager based on the renders that Javier Hernandez posted in the Kraken Kickstarter comments thread. Posting it below in case anyone finds it useful in selecting their dial/bezel options :
Last edited by 459GMB; 29th March 2019 at 21:19.
He does exist then? He's promised to meet up with me on a few occasions now, and always disappeared from contact before arranging an actual time.
I really wanted to get a hands on with a prototype for one of these, he never got back to me. He's also promised spare screws for my H1 bracelet, and replacement clasp for the rubber straps, neither of which have materialised.
I do like the look of the H2, but was on the fence about the meteorite dial. I'm sure if I'd have a chance to see it in the flesh that would have helped me decide. As it is, I've ordered a base model one, not sure on colour yet. Again, I'd love the chance to have a look before I decide, and I'm local. I've also already got two of his watches!
Last edited by HenPecked; 2nd April 2019 at 16:47.
Don’t think it had any lume,if I didn’t have too many at the minute I’d of signed up
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sounds good - it'll be my first kickstarter funded watch but the feeling I'm getting is that Hamtun are a bit more professional/less risky than your average fly by night kickstarter operation.
I'm sure we'll be sure to post up photos once we get them in hand.
I wish I could afford a three pack to get white, black and blue ones
He's posted a bit about how overwhelmed he is with no employees but also about how he should have launched more models. My concern would be that with £400k from kickstarter £55k from indigogo on the H2 alone, then there's the Nanook on top, there's a lot of unfinished business floating around along with a lot of unsecured cash (and he's set himself up as the supplier to another company).
This is from the Hamtun.co website
Great watches. Great prices. No bullshit.
I get the sense that Ross is a passionate guy who loves watches but he's not cut out for this.
A few backers have given him sound and kind-hearted advice but he's still not listening. He takes every comment as harassment. All he really needs to do is write a couple of very clear sentences, keeping people informed every couple of days.
I am one of the Indiegogo backers. We haven't heard anything for months but on 18th Feb he posted an update to say shipping is about to follow. No mention of any estimated shipping date but ok, it's a status update of sorts. It's been 8 days and not another word. I would expect to get at least another update, even to say 'Still not ready due to blah blah, appreciate your patience. Will let you know asap when shipping begins'.
I will not get another Hamtun unless customer service is drastically improved.
I was one of them who told people to be patient and just wait. However, having emailed him and commented about the date wheel I have received no reply. The clasp is also as described, rattles and really lets the watch down. My sellita runs between 12-18 + secs every day, whilst within limits, he did state on his page -+ 7 secs.
Beginning to wish I had just bought a used decent watch.
Richy
For those who want to see meteorite goodness - here's a video of a ring designer creating a ring made of Muonionalusta meteorite (the same as the H2 meteorite dials) - including how the material is cut, ground and re-etched with acid to bring out the Widmanstätten patterns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_rbqJ1eXV8
Interesting to note that the ring piece was magnetic enough to be picked up with a iron/nickel/cobalt rod - hopefully the dials in our watches are thin enough that they won't affect the movement :D
Did anyone buy a Hamtun in the end? What are they like?
I'm still waiting for mine to arrive.
Yeah, nothing as yet. A few updates here and there but no sign of the watch.
I think the date for shipping was originally estimated (by Ross) at end of September.
The Nanok was due May and in the end shipped late July, so I'd think that the Kraken H2 would be similar, maybe even later due to the enhanced size and scope of the project.
Based on the Nanok, it will be worth waiting for !
is this weird beastie anything to do with this Ross gentleman,i own it but know nowt about it apart from it was a kickstarter watch?..
Thanks for the info. At this price, I can’t see much competition for the H2: an affordable, titanium diver with an automatic movement. What else is like this?
Both the Seiko Shogun and Steinhart Ocean Titanium cost more than the H2. I think some of Citizen’s Promaster range are automatic in titanium too, but is there anything else?
It took more than long enough but my Hamtun finally arrived today:
I'm actually quite impressed to be honest - a proper bargain for £230.
I like that very much indeed!
I’m hoping to get in on the second run.
Nice. I've got a yellow dial on its way although no sign of shipping yet. Getting bored of the wait but still excited for it! What are your thoughts so far?It took more than long enough but my Hamtun finally arrived today:
I'm actually quite impressed to be honest - a proper bargain for £230.
It's really pretty decent for the £230 I paid. If I'm going to be fussy I'd say the clasp is a bit tinny and end link fit is fairly poor. Very impressed with the head though.
The good news is that once the rattly clasp is replaced the bracelet itself works fine.
I wasn't sure if Ross would be able to deliver a titanium ratcheting clasp so I had a stainless steel one ordered in and and it works a treat - it ratchets and once closed no rattles at all (it's good to confirm that the bracelet itself isn't rattly - just the current clasp).
So hopefully once Ross gets the titanium ones out to everyone it'll be a good end to this saga :)
Mine arrived today! Did you order any extras with yours at all? I’d ordered a second bezel at extra money but that hasn’t arrived in the package. Just wondering if that’s just a time thing or if I need to be in touch with them.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Does look very nice for £230. Sorry to hear about the bracelet but it would rock a blue NATO.
I did back this one but in the end backed out after all the delays and got a refund.
It looked great though, slightly disappointed I won't get to actually see one in the flesh after all that waiting.
Had a real mixed bag with Kickstarters last year, it was a fun experiment and got some good and some bad experiences.
I'm considering backing out on mine. At least I would if I could rely on getting a refund for it. The chap who's running this just simply doesn't reply.
Yeah certainly not to emails.
I did find though that if you send an email, get a ref #, then chase him up in the comments on KS he was pretty responsive.
For what it's worth, I think he's genuine and it seems to be a good product from what I've seen that's been delivered so far. Just think this project ran away from him. I'll still be looking out for what he does next.
Ross has put a mobile number on KS to be able to WhatsApp him. Received mine with a Sellita and it looks fab. Screws on the bracelet did need tightening yes!!
Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
Obligatory pics
Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
That's a beauty. What's the bezel like in the end? That was one of the big reasons for the delay from memory.Obligatory pics
Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
It is a 60 click ball-bearing bezel with very positive action and the tiniest bit of back play before settling into position. I am not a bezel fanatic but it is very nice
There's one for sale on eBay today ... NH35 white dial, with the titanium bezel option.
Not mine ... :)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hamtun-H2...wAAOSwXc1eOIuv
The white dial version looks superb on the supplied rubber strap btw.
Behapppier don't know if its just me, but I read one of the posts on kickstarter re seeing part of the wheel for the date. I just checked mine and there is a small black line to the right, which is not a shadow but the black on the wheel being slightly visible. Looking at your pictures, does yours show too?Obligatory pics
Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
Richy
Still not got mine. Maybe it's a weird variant - I've asked for yellow dial, blue bezel, blue rubber.
Ross is currently running the supply chain for Phantom watches on kickstarter, it appears that there is an element of chasing after the next thing rather than squaring things away first.
Sorry, he's taken on MORE work, despite his plea last week to be patient because he's "absolutely drowning" with trying to keep up with his own builds?
Aye, that isn't ideal
Still waiting for mine, black bezel, meteorite dial
I've sent an email asking for a refund now.
The comments on the Kickstarter are pretty eye-opening. I mean, I get that very few people are going to leave a comment if they're 100% happy, but so far I've seen people reporting issues with bezels (bearings missing, lume splotches), the date window thing as mentioned above, the bracelets being even worse for screws falling out (I'm still waiting on the spare screws Ross promised me for my H1 two years ago), and the clasps not closing properly and rattling. Given all that, and that I appear to be the last person waiting for an NH35 movement watch, despite living 2 miles from him, I've asked for a refund.
Given that I emailed him though, I don't expect he'll actually see it or reply.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
