New textures for the field - Zealandic Iceborne (Updated)

One thing is certain, in the world of microbrands, the bar in terms of quality has incremented more and more over the last few years. Long gone are the days where texture dials, great finished cases and premium movements are characteristics from long established brands.

Zealandic is one of the latest one that has been pushing this quality up, and today we are lucky to have their new Iceborne for review.

 I manage to spend a good time photographing and wearing their new timepiece. It left me with a unique but good aftertaste on what we as watch enthusiasts could be missing if we do not do our research to know what’s out there.

As a brand Zealandic is new to the watch scene, but this doesn’t mean that the product is short on details, in the contrary I could argue that is much well defined as many older brands out there.

 The Iceborne is a watch that tackles the field watch motif with a unique twist and adding refinement to create a watch that you can wear every day.

Join me to discover more of this unique watch which is very captivating.

The specification

For a field watch the Iceborne is spot on at 39mm in diameter and 46mm lug to lug. The stainless-steel case is entirely brushed giving that unique tool look, there are bevels edges (larger and adding more contrast on the new version) running around the lugs to add a touch of elegance, all well executed.

The dial is where the party is at, our sample version which is a lovely forest green with gilt accents and you can expect on the final product a larger hour hand for better visibility. The numerals for orientation and the logo at 12. It reminds me a lot of the Seiko Alpinist but better executed and it’s all down to the texture. The dial has a beautiful pattern that to me looks like a frozen lake, sure in this case is green but also works nicely, I am still not sure if the pictures made justice, but I really got lost in the pattern.

The watch uses a Miyota 9039 automatic, a good quality and workhorse movement. We are happy to see this engine coming into the Iceborne, but the only point of criticism is the power reserve of 42 hours, a small gripe to what is an outstanding proposition.

A small but welcome change on the updated watch, is that the gap between the hands and the dial will be now larger, this enhance the ''floating hands'' effect.

On the wrist 

With those propositions and a very thin profile of 11mm, the Iceborne wears well on my 6.25-inch wrist, it is the perfect watch to take everywhere, it doesn’t feel out of place or overly complicated, it’s refreshing.

The watch comes with one of the best handmade watches straps I’ve tried these days, it’s nicely thick with an olive-green colour, it includes quick release pins, but I don’t think you will be changing this often. However, because of the outdoor nature of the watch, the Iceborne might look very cool on a nato strap, I haven’t tried yet, but I am sure this would be exceptional.

I wore the Iceborne for a full week to the office and to more casual events, it didn’t disappoint, the watch is light and the comfort is assured, I did get the odd glance from some people to try and see what I was wearing which I like, this means that the versatility of the green dial mixed with the elegance of the gold accents is working, it’s under the radar. The new updated version will come with BGW9 lume, this adds to legibility and also quality on the material side.

On the new Kickstarter campaign, we will now have the option to add a full metal bracelet, it will definitely elevate the watch status and of course the look.

Conclusions

Not so long ago, buying a watch with the specifications that Zealandic is offering was impossible, the unique design and dial execution is something that we watch nerds can appreciate but often must pay big money to enjoy.

The Iceborne it’s an easy watch to love and wear, it stands out from the rest of any collection for its uniqueness but is not over quirky to detract you from owning it. It is one of the watches that I have enjoyed the most over the last few weeks and that is because you don’t really need anything else, just to tell the time in a beautiful way.

The Iceborne is available in 3 versions, our Forrest Green with gilt accents, a red burgundy which looks outstanding and a fresh wintery blue. All the versions will be available on Kickstarter here: kickstarter.com/projects/zealandic-iceborne/zealandic-iceborne-sharing-new-zealand-with-the-world

For more information visit www.zealandic.co.nz

Technical Specifications

Case Material: Stainless steel 316L

Case Diameter: 39mm

Lug to Lug: 47mm

Thickness: 12mm

Glass: Double domed sapphire crystal with AR coating

Movement: Miyota 9039

Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 grade X1

Crown: Screw-down crown

Water Resistance: 200m/660ft (20ATM)