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A sports watch with a difference

A year or so back, I had the pleasure of spending a few weeks with a watch from Visitor watch co-called the Linden. I remember seeing that watch for the first time and being struck by how very differently Visitor had approached the design. Truth be told, it feels like the market is awash with microbrand watches that all seem to walk a very tried and tested design path. That’s not to say this is a bad thing, but it’s certainly nice when a small brand makes a significant effort to do something different and maybe even risky that will stand out from the crowd. 

Fast forward to today, and once again Visitor asked if I would like to take a look at another one of their watches. This time their Duneshore Shallows sports watch. This is both a very different watch to the Linden but also unmistakably a Visitor designed watch. They draw much of the same artistic calligraphy design elements, but this time in a more robust and sports appropriate case.

When I first opened the travel case to the Duneshore, I was immediately struck by the case design. It’s not like I hadn’t seen pictures of it, so I didn’t know what to expect, but until you see this one in the steel, it’s hard to articulate how completely otherworldly this watch looks! If a UFO landed on my lawn tomorrow and a visitor from another world stepped out, this would be what I would expect to see on their wrist. The angular and sculpted design is something to behold. A mix of fine brushing to the lower section of the case contrasts against the very high polish of the inner edge of the case. It appears that the actual circular inner section of the watch is nestled into the lower sculptured section. This scalloped design makes gripping the unidirectional bezel very easy from 12, 3, 6, or 9 positions. 

The case overall has an almost octagonal shape with an excellent sized crown at the 3 o’clock position, and the lugs, when viewed from the side profile, are slightly downturned and thankfully drilled to make strap changes a breeze. Looking at the case overall, you could be forgiven for thinking that with all the angles and edges, it would be uncomfortable on the wrist. If I’m honest, that was one of my main concerns. But flipping the watch over, you see that the case back on the Duneshore Shallows is not only nicely decorated with what looks like a seal but with a lion's head, but it’s also shaped. Instead of a flat case back, Visitor had this concave shape, so it curves onto your wrist instead of simply sitting proudly on top of it. You also notice that the lower sculpting of the case is upturned to give a very similar effect to a cushion case on the wrist. 

I find cushion case style watches very comfortable. The Duneshore Shallows, in this respect on the wrist, reminded me of the Seiko Turtle except for the different lug design and more aggressive angles. The ace up the sleeve of the Duneshore Shallows, though, is the curved case back, which adds to that comfort on the wrist. Added to that comfort is the usability in terms of a good 200m of water resistance with this case and a screw-down crown, and I think you have a very compelling package both in terms of looks, comfort and water resistance.

When you have a case as striking as this, the last thing you need is a dial to look dull. Again here, Visitor delivers with the Duneshore Shallows with a lovely sector dial. It’s a simple dial with no date complication and minimal text. In fact, the only text on the dial is the Visitor wording at the 3 o’clock position. The dial markers are all applied and filled with C3 SuperLuminova with circular markers for the 12, 3, 6 and nine positions and almost teardrop-shaped makers for hours in between. You also have an outer minute track which is also done in C3, but this is actually applied beneath the dial in a sandwich fashion, so it shines through the tiny minute holes giving a lovely look. The dial colour I had was what Visitor call iron jade; it’s a very dark shade of green. It can look black in some lights or a very dark charcoal grey, but overall it was a nice colour and made visibility incredibly easy with those significant clear markers.

The handset is where we really get back to what I remember about the Linden and that the calligraphy influenced hand set design. Clearly, this is present in the Duneshore Shallows, and this really adds to the legibility of the dial. Fountain pen nibs clearly inspire both the hour and minute hands and, because of this shape, lend themselves well to being filled with copious amounts of the C3 SuperLuminova. It’s quite a sight when this dial is lit up at night, and I doubt anyone will struggle in terms of using this when it gets dark! 

Attaching the Duneshore Shallows to the wrist is nice and easy, and Visitor generously provides two options with this one a bracelet and a rubber strap option. The bracelet is closest to a Milanese style with a very decorative butterfly style clasp that mimics to some degree the octagon shape of the watch and has twin release buttons and the Visitor logo at the centre. The finishing on this is very nicely done, although, for me, it was a little on the large size for the clasp. The rubber strap is also nicely done with vertical lines running from top to bottom for texture and well cut out and branded on the back. It also features two rubber keepers and a branded Visitor buckle that matches the shape of the watch. Clearly, both strap options that Visitor provides show, they have made a real effort to make sure these fit in well as a package with the watch, and that’s something I like to see from a small watch brand like Visitor. Attention to detail.

Movement wise Visitor opted for a Miyota 9039 in the Duneshore Shallows, and I can’t fault them for this. At an accuracy of -10 ~ +30 seconds a day, it’s not atomic clock accurate, but it’s perfectly acceptable and should provide years of worry-free usage. And the 42 hours of power reserve means you won’t need to wind this one every day, and it gives the basic hacking and hand winding functions you would expect from a sports watch like this. I’m short Visitor clearly went for function in this area and ensured they put the money into the other key design elements of this watch which for me was definitely the right thing to do. 

So, after a few weeks with the Visitor Duneshore Shallows, what are my final thoughts? Well, straight off, I was impressed with how this wore on the wrist. That shaped case back is a really clever design element that means this feels not only comfortable but secure on the wrist. And I would often catch myself staring at this one just because there isn’t much out there with a case design and shape that is so distinctive. This, I’m sure, will be both a blessing and a curse for Visitor as design-wise, this will either resonate well with you or it just won’t. What I would say, though, is don’t be put off if the dimensions scare you because Visitor has done a marvellous job of ensuring they hide these for the most part on the wrist. The dial's legibility is excellent, as you would expect, due to the sheer size of the markers and hands and again the same Visitor calligraphy design language.

From a strap perspective, I must admit although I loved the effort and thought in design for the bracelet and the finish is fantastic, I just found the shape of the clasp a point of contention. I would catch it on clothing and pockets, and for me, it just wasn’t something I enjoyed on the wrist because of that. The rubber strap wore very well and was soft and supple but firm enough to feel like it would last and stand up to sporty situations. It is a little on the long side, so it would be good if they offered it as a cut-to-size option, maybe or just in different lengths at the point of order.

I enjoyed my time with the Duneshore Shallows. It’s a breath of fresh air from a small brand that is certainly not afraid to rock the boat design-wise! Attention to detail shows they want to create something new and different while still wearable and usable. If you have been curious about the brand or are already a fan of their other pieces or style, you should definitely consider this one!

Check out the Duneshore Shallows here as well as the other watches in their collection.

Specifications:

Case: 44mm 316L Stainless Steel

Thickness: 15.6mm

Lug to Lug: 51mm

Lug width: 22mm

Crystal: Sapphire with underside AR

Movement: Miyota 9039

Water Resistance: 200m

Bezel: 120 click uni-directional 

Lume: C3 SuperLuminova 

Warranty: 2 years international