You are currently viewing McDowellTime Tidewater

McDowellTime Tidewater

Manufacturer: McDowell Time | Price: $475 USD (£365 GBP, €430 EUR approx)

I can’t really remember where I first saw the McDowell Time Tidewater, but my initial thoughts of the images I seen were, “oooo, I like that!”. I was immediately drawn to the white dial & blue bezel version. I contacted McDowell Time requesting if they could possibly send me a review sample. Just over a week later it arrived, and to my delight they sent the white dial version. My first impressions were excellent, unfortunately though, the Tidewater isn’t perfect. Let me explain…

Specifications

  • Dimensions: Diameter – 41.9mm, Thickness – 13.4mm, Lug to Lug – 49.4mm, Lug Width – 22mm
  • Movement: Sellita SW200, Automatic, 28,800vph (4Hz), Hackable, Self Winding, 38hr Power Reserve
  • Case Material: Brushed 316L Stainless Steel
  • Bracelet: Brushed 316L Stainless Steel, Solid End-Links, Screw Pins, Milled Clasp
  • Crystal: Domed Sapphire, Underside Anti-Reflective Coating
  • Bezel: 120 Click Unidirectional, Ceramic Insert, Fully Lumed
  • Water Resistance: 200m / 20ATM / 660ft
  • Lume: Swiss Super Luminova® C3
  • Crown: Screw Down, Signed     Caseback: Exhibition Display
  • Warranty: 2 Years     Where to Buy: McDowell Time
  • Options: Dial Colour – Black (Black Bezel), Blue, White (Blue Bezels)

"In 2016, we launched our first watch, The DelRay, on Kickstarter. After this watch’s success, we decided it was time to provide additional innovative and unique watches. It wasn't long before the Maxton was introduced to our collection. From Rockville, Maryland, we spend our days studying quality leathers and perfecting the art of American craftsmanship. All of our watches are assembled in the US. While we could, cut corners and save money by sending our assembly overseas, we refuse to.

At McDowell Time, we have a deep commitment to our country and help create American jobs whenever possible. With assembly nearby, we can assess the quality of each watch we produce to ensure it is up to our exacting standards. We only work with vendors who are committed to providing the same level of high quality. This is why we source watch straps from B&R Bands, Hadley-Roma, BluShark and Clockwork Synergy. All of these companies are also American based; see the trend here?"

Case & Crown

The case of the Tidewater has a diameter of 41.9mm. The lug to lug is 49.4mm and the overall thickness, including the domed sapphire crystal, I measured in at 13.4mm. The entire case, caseback, bezel, crown and bracelet are all 316L stainless steel. The finish of the watch is entirely brushed with not a hint of polishing to be found anywhere. I’ve got to say, I do actually like this approach, as it gives the watch a very tool-like look and feel.

The Tidewater has a water resistance rating of 200m, thanks to the screw down caseback & crown. The proportions of the watch, in my opinion, are pretty damn good for my Mr Average 7″ wrist, even if I initially did think it would wear a bit big considering the lug to lug length, but it’s perfectly fine for me as it wears really well on wrist and is very comfortable.

The signed crown is lovely and looks great with it’s coin edge style that’s easy to grip and operate. The etched logo looks fantastic too. There is absolutely zero wobble whatsoever when the crown is in use and you can also feel a very nice pop as you unscrew it. The caseback itself has an exhibition display, although I’m not sure why McDowell Time bothered doing this as the Sellita movement powering the watch isn’t decorated or anything like that. I think a solid screw down caseback would have been a more appropriate choice considering the Tidewater’s overall tool-like aesthetic.

Bracelet

The bracelet that comes with the Tidewater certainly is a chunky motherf**ker! It is very well put together, although it won’t suit everyones taste, as it could possibly be a little overwhelming for some, as it does add a fair amount of weight to the watch. The bracelet itself tapers from 22mm at the lugs down to 20mm and back up to 22mm at the clasp.

Talking of the clasp, I think it’s the weakest part of the bracelet. It just doesn’t look right to me on this big chunky engineer style bracelet, as it looks a bit small in comparison. It is a milled clasp but I’ve seen better. It’s signed though, with a fold over clasp with the McDowell Time logo etched into it. There are only three micro-adjustment holes, and although adequate, I would have much preferred to have seen a couple more. Screw pins are utilised though for adjusting/resizing.

Movement

The chosen movement for the Tidewater is the Swiss made Sellita SW200. A fantastic calibre that is a 28,800vph, 4Hz, smooth sweep, 26 jewel movement with self winding, hacking and a decent 38 hour power reserve. Checking the accuracy after running the Tidewater for around 2 weeks, mainly on my wrist and occassionally in my watch winder, I was more than happy with the results, with the Tidewater showing an average of just +6 seconds per day.

Dial & Bezel

The McDowell Time Tidewater has a 120 click unidirectional bezel with a fully lumed ceramic insert. It is of great quality with everything lining up perfectly, just as it should do. The bezel action is nice & smooth but it does have a considerable amount of backplay, although once set, it’s perfectly fine and doesn’t move. It’s not a total deal breaker, but I thought it was worth mentioning. The printed text on the dial, are the words TIDEWATER with the depth rating of 200 METERS done just below, and has been finished in orange. The McDowell Time logo is also printed, finished in orange too that matches the other orange highlights on