Linde Werdelin Oktopus II Titanium Luxury Watch Review

http://www.thewatchbox.com

Linde Werdelin’s Oktopus Yellow Titanium is proof-in-metal that good times and haute time can coexist in the same 44 mm living space. Like fried calamari and steamed lobster, the Oktopus’ union of jovial character and craft substance is a tantalizing tandem.

With all due respect to Marc Newson and his pioneering Ikepod postmodernist sports watches, nobody renders lighthearted fun in premium materials better than Linde Werdelin. The company emerged in 2002 following a multinational genesis involving Danish designers, Swiss manufacturing, and a London-based headquarters.

From the outset, the firm specialized in building tool watches unlike any others, and the Oktopus Yellow Titanium embodies every trait that has come to define the LW brand.

What Linde Werdelin does best is engaging design. The livewire punch of this Oktopus’ yellow silicone strap is the user’s first signal that LW rocks an avant garde sensibility. Grooved geometric forms on the strap grant it extra articulation for a wrist feel that approaches tailored comfort. Short lugs ensure that the 44 mm case will sit comfortably on all but the most delicate wrists. The five-piece case, which is water-resistant to 300 meters (1000 ft), is faceted to echo the relief channels in the strap, and the result is a highly integrated aesthetic.

The bezel and case feature complimentary hex bolts that visually unite the two largest components of the main assembly. Details matter to Linde Werdelin, and the Oktopus departs from its AP and Hublot inspirations by extending the theme of expressed materials where the pioneers held back. The bezel of the Oktopus Yellow Titanium echos the case in form and the strap in color.

Whereas the AP Royal Oak Offshore raises its bezel to reveal a large sealing gasket, the Oktopus Yellow Ti features individual signal-yellow gaskets to highlight the bezel bolts; each reads as a visual explosion from within the black of the facade.

This variant of the Oktopus actually belongs to the second generation of Linde Werdelin’s Oktopus diving watch line. Unlike the original model of 2009, the 2012-present Oktopus II features LW’s first use of ceramic, of which the fixed bezel is entirely composed.

And what a dial it is. The centerpiece of the Oktopus dial is a laser-cut openworked top layer set over a solid metallic movement plate. The predominant color of the dial is black, and legibility is assured by large applied marks in bright yellow and white.

The faceted case is designed to dock with Linde Werdelin’s “Reef” diving computer, which features dive timers, environmental sensors, internal lighting, dive metric calculators, and 28-hour data logging capability. Even more impressive is the fact that Linde Werdelin designed, tested, and validated the Reef with its own resources.

Retro grouches looking for rotating bezels and NATO straps should look elsewhere – like flea markets – because the Oktopus is built to leverage the absolute state-of-the art in modern dive technology. As such, it may be the most committed diving watch available at any price point on the luxury watch market.

Within the case, Linde Werdelin employs a Caliber 14580 mechanism built to its specifications by Le Lieu, Switzerland-based movement specialist Dubois-Depraz.

Linde Werdelin packs the Oktopus with value-adding features, and the strap-swapping system is one of the watch’s great assets. The four case bolts at 1,5,7, and 11 o’clock are anchors for the ingenious quick-change strap. Simply remove the bolts with the included factory hex tool, and the strap is released from the case.

Removing and replacing an Oktopus II strap is easier than with most sports watches on the market – Panerai included. A black technical fiber strap is included with the Oktopus Yellow Titanium. Many factory and aftermarket strap options are available to give the Oktopus a makeover and accessorize the watch for all occasions.

The Oktopus Yellow Titanium has been issued in a limited series of 88 units, so exclusivity is assured. Big Bangs, Offshores, and DeepSea Sea-Dwellers are downright common compared to Linde Werdelin’s tri-national brainchild, and the ability to swap to an understated black strap lends this watch versatility that belies its high profile on the standard rubber unit. This Linde Werdelin Oktopus Yellow Titanium can be viewed in high-resolution images on www.thewatchbox.com with all factory boxes, technical papers, a travel pouch, and a factory strap tool. Even the quixotic but long running manga-style Linde Werdelin promotional supplements are pictured. Video and content by Tim Mosso.