Feel free to move this to which ever area it needs to go if not for open discussion. As the only review area was Omega specific focused, I thought I'd pop this here to reach a wide audience.

I haven’t seen any reviews of the Mako 500m dive watch from Zelos on the site. As I just got my bronze version through the post a day or so ago I thought I would give it a review for everyone. So without further to do, lets "Dive" (groan) into this review!

The Mako is a dive watch released by Singapore based Zelos. The version I have a new release of the model released last year and features a bronze case, ceramic bezel and meteorite face. It was $569 USD delivered to the UK – This is an intro price as the model is new. The older steal version goes for just under $1,000 USD. Zelos seems to have upped the ante by swapping the steel for a bronze which “starts out a shiny gold colour and patinas with use. Each and every watch will patina differently, making your watch truly unique.”

Zelos has another watch featuring a shark based watch, the hammerhead, so there is a naming convention in the offering – Tiger anyone? Mako’s are arguably the fastest most agile member of the shark family. The watch itself is very compact and deep diving, 40mm and 500m respectively.

Obligatory Mako shark image!









Specs

Direct from Zelos:

Case: 40mm Diameter, 20mm Lug width, 46mm Lug to Lug Length, 13.5mm thickness without crystal
Water Resistance: 500m
Crystal: Sapphire, 2.5mm thick vintage style 'Box' crystal
Bezel insert: 120 Clicks, Bronze or Ceramic insert with 2000 Vickers hardness, brushed and fully lumed.
Movement: Swiss Sellita SW200
Material: CUSN8 Bronze
Dial: Textured with C3 and BGW9 lume
Crown: Signed crown with lume

https://zeloswatches.com/collection...eteorite-launch-special?variant=8746906615897

The Mako Diver

Package
Leather Watch Roll
Tropic Rubber Strap
Waxed 'Vintage' effect Leather strap
Steel Warranty Card
Wooden Gift Box



The order process

Full disclosure I bought another watch in this process and as such Elshan (the owner) gave me a discount. This made the temptation of the Mako too great, and here we are!

There are a number of Mako options on the website, I won’t go into detail, but you can have everything from the original steel or bronze with a selection of faces and bezels.

I emailed Elshan and he replied promptly too me when I had questions or wanted to know things. With smaller brands like Zelos, this kind of response is what makes them stick out in my mind. I am not sure without his replies if I would have ordered from Zelos. Shipping was fairly quick from Singapore (even with a UK bank holiday) and it came in 5 days via FedEx – this was included in the $569 price.

As previously stated I opted for the Bronze Mako, ceramic bezel and meteorite face. I have an SKX007, but the movement inside has corrosion and I wanted something to replace it. I like the retro look and the unique features, also the size means it hasn’t followed the dinner plate trend in watches over the last few years, which I do not enjoy.

Arrival and Unboxing

The watch came fairly unceremoniously in a FedEx package. I must say when I saw the package I was a little concerned about damage. However on opening, everything was fine. Inside was wrapped with bubble wrap, then you have an outer cardboard, a wooden box below. Inside you find a watch wrap containing your final items – watch (in a plastic sleeve), a bronze warranty card (mine was 015/100) a different strap and a watch tool. Overall it’s a nice package, I would say the box looks the part, but its just plywood that’s been stained with a Zelos “Z” on the lid. Compared to, say the Kong Box, from a Speedmaster it’s nowhere near; however, we don’t buy watches for the boxes! I imagine it’ll either go in the bin, or stored somewhere in the loft, never to be seen again.









The watch roll is quite nice and as I didn’t have one I feel this one will get lots of use. It’s quite a thick leather and has 4 decent size slots for watches, I imagine it’ll come on plenty of travels with me in the future.

The Case

The case of this Mako is made from a CUSN8 bronze. For the unscientific out there this is a mix of copper (the CU) and 8% Tin (the SN8) to form the bronze alloy. The case is supposed to age and mature with you as you wear it, making each watch unique. Having put the watch on, I am not sure if I like the bronze. I think it’ll take some time seeing that colour on my wrist as opposed to a steel silver. However I reserve judgement for now on it.



The crown has a slight recess on the lower right side of the watch, around the “4”. It doesn’t seem to get in the way or dig into my hand/wrist, like some watches do. I like the size on my wrist of the 40mm, the watch looks as if it will be fine for diving, gardening or anything else I can throw at it. Also the weight doesn’t seem overly heavy, or light. After wearing for an hour or so I pretty much forget its there.

The dome of the glass doesn’t appear very high, but it sits raised from the ceramic black bezel. From the side, the watch is broken into three clear sections. The case, the bezel and the slight glass doming. The case takes up the bulk of this (over half the height).



The finish on the bronze case looks a little tarnished when you take it out. I am not sure what I was expecting; perhaps a shiny finish straight from the box? Which I was somewhat disappointed in, however it will polish up or patina with wear. As I said above I reserve judgement on the looks at this point. Having worn it for a while I am now over the difference of seeing copper colour, rather than silver on my wrist.

The lug for the strap is 20mm and that looks fine for the watch. The rubber strap fits well to the case but doesn’t catch and isn’t super tight up.

The back of the case is a standard screw down affair and the movement seems to be fairly robust and reliable, for $569 I have no qualms at all and it seems excellent value. However the back is steel, rather than bronze. It doesn’t detract as it’s on my wrist and you don’t see it, however I am confused as to why it’s not bronze!? It seems odd to have a bronze case and then a steel back casing.

Update: I can confirm that the case will leave green copper oxide markings on the skin. These wash off, but are an annoyance. It also explains the case back being steel - as it reduces the possible skin area.



The back of the watch features a Mako shark engraving, similar the Hammerhead shark engraving found on their other watch. The back also features details on the watch e.g. CUSN8 and the watch number you personally have e.g. 015/100. As with other Mako reviews, I am not sure what the 015 means, if it’s just 100 of that type, colour, bezel etc. I assume it’s the particular combination I went for.

The whole package comes together nicely and I like the design elements. The watch doesn’t seem overly showy (even with the meteorite face), nor is it forgettable. Overall it strikes me as a modern homage to the classic 60’s watches it purported was designed to mimic.

The Bezel

The bezel is a straightforward affair, it goes in a single direction and has a 120 click limit – the clicks themselves are fairly satisfying with a slight clunk to them. You don’t need too much pressure to turn, however you require enough I am happy I won’t accidently move the bezel. It doesn’t seem to have any plan or rattle and is very firmly attached, I am sure a few knocks or dings wont loosen things up.

I opted for the black ceramic as its supposed to be very hardwearing and I didn’t like the look of the blue on a copper colour of the case. Again, I am not sure how the bronze the bezel will patina over time and how this will affect the look of the black. I feel it will either need polishing all the time to look nice, or the wear will add an extra dimension to the whole look of the watch.



There are full markings (almost) all the way round the watch. The first and last 5 minutes are marked with dots, but at the main ten number (10, 20, 30 etc) the lost a dot to fit the number. This leaves a 3 dot and then number, which doesn’t bother me, but may bothersome. I understand the need as I imagine the bezel would have been too busy otherwise.

There is a lume under the surface which shines fairly strongly and doesn’t take long to recharge.

The Dial

The dial on the watch is made from Meteorite, this is acid washed and cut thin for use. As such the dial back is unique, no two will be the same. I don’t have another watch with a dial made of this material so I cant really compare. However in the light the effect of the lines and marks is very pleasing and I like the way it looks.

There are big circular lumes at each hour marker and smaller triangle marks at 3, 9 and 12 to differentiate the quarters of the hour. The 6 is where the date window resides (there is no magnification). I am fairly indifferent on dates on watches, I don’t feel it really adds much to the watch. The numbers all sit well and are easily legible, the black of the date doesn’t match the watch face, however due to the material I imagine this was all but impossible.

There are smaller minute markers on the outer edge of the watch, again with a lume and these are easily legible. If anything there is slightly too many markers on the watch. In the dark however I can see why they are there as there is also a decent lume on the second hand. They don’t detract from the face, but its slightly cluttered at the edge.

Hands

The Mako has the usual three hands we all expect from a watch – hour, minute and second. Each one has a good dollop of Lume and each is very legible. The second hand also has a nice little red tip, which seems to extend right to the edge of the dial/case to line up perfectly with the second markers.



In the dark the hands are very clear and all the lume in and around the dial really comes into its own to make it readable.

Lume

I’ve lifted this from another Mako review I found online as the guy has done some real research into the watch and the Lume – I don’t see any need to reinvent the wheel!

Crown

I briefly mentioned the crown earlier, so to recap it’s tucked away by the 4 hour mark. It’s a decent location in my view and it’s slightly lower position stops it from digging into the back of your hand – an issue I’ve had in the past.


It has a little crown guard to keep it from getting bashed. It’s a screw down 6.5mm affair, but a little fiddly as you can wind the mechanism, change the time and change the date. When I tried to adjust the date the first time I ended up moving the minute hand. It’s not a major issue, but on a date watch where I will have to adjust it every now and then it’s a small annoyance. The crown is also a little fiddly, those with big meat hands, you may want to opt for something more substantial.

A nice touch to the crown in the Zelos “Z” which also contains lume. I’ve not seen this before and it bears no practical use – it’s just a cool feature.

Water Resistance

The watch is stated to 500m, which means it’s serious in terms of use. I doubt any of us will ever go that deep so it should more than suffice in daily or weekend life. Zelos does have a 1000m diving watch for those who want a something a little crazy.

For a case so small I think the Zelos team (is there a team?!) have done a great job and 500m is more than most require. There are no fancy feature to add cost, just a simple screw back and solid casing. I have no idea how the bronze will weather salt water, however considering old cannons were made of bronze and they often pull them up from the deep, I don’t have too many concerns.

Movement

The movement is a Sellita SW200. I am reliably informed this a robust and practical watch movement. It’s used in many brands such as Oris and seems more than suitable for use in the Mako. The second hand sweeps quite nicely, but there is a small amount of stop/start as it moves, but for the price it’s nice to get something a step up from the usual (if well loved) Seiko.

I am not going to go into detail on the movement, as frankly I am no expert. However from what I have read the little Mako is punching above its weight with the choice.

Straps

The straps that come with the Mako are a rubber “tropic strap” and a waxed leather effect type thing.

Let me say I really like the rubber strap. It has a nice pattern and wears well on the wrist. I don’t have the biggest wrists and it fits pretty well, however if you were a larger person or put the watch on over a wetsuit, I am not sure it would fit. The watch doesn’t move with this strap on and it’s also fairly cushioned. In the heat it might be slightly sweaty, but I’ve not experienced this yet, so can’t comment. It has a nice pattern of holes which play well as a design and it tapers right up to the lugs. Overall I really like this strap.



The faux leather affair however I do not like the look, or feel of. This strap will be staying in the box or somewhere else. I bought a dive watch so I don’t need a strap which can’t get wet. It’s nice it came with a second option, but I think I would have preferred maybe a NATO type option.

The buckle is really nice and again is made in the same bronze with a Zelos “Z” engraved into the surface. I am not sure how hard wearing the bronze will be and also its scratch resistance. Only time will tell how well it stands up the rigors of a daily wearing and use watch.

Update: The bronze will leave a green mark on your wrist from the copper oxide.

Overall the tropic strap is great and goes well with the watch – I doubt I’ll need to change it in the medium term.

Wearability

So the big one, how wearable is this thing. The answer is, very. I haven’t had the watch too long, but having had it on its blended seamlessly into my daily life. I don’t really notice it, from typing on a keyboard in the office, to out and about. The size of the case and its decent, but not crazy weight mean it doesn’t get in the way, but also doesn’t vanish from my mind or view.



The bronze adds something to this watch that the standard steel doesn’t. It’s, for want to better term, light bling. It’s not a showy gold, but it stands out as out of the ordinary. People certainly don’t run over and gush, however its got enough personality that its doesn’t vanish in the crowd. It’s a proud dive watch and clearly even a casual look shows it means business. It’s got enough of a look you could easily pair with work wear, rolled up sleeves give it a practical look. However it also holds it own on the beach in a pair of shorts and flip flops. Like many dive watches the Mako is a bit of chameleon and lends its hand to most situations without the flashiness of say a Rolex.

Conclusion

Zelos is a small brand focused on quality. They raised cash on Kickstarter (not where I saw them) and Elshan is a real driving force for his company.

I like what they have done with the Mako, it’s a watch owner’s watch. There is nothing over the top or pretentious with it. However you get so much for your money it’s a little silly. Frankly it feels like they were trying to squeeze as much from this production as possible… want a weird dial, have meteorite, need some ceramic, have this bezel, odd case, let’s use bronze and also so much lume – buckets of it. It’s got a good movement thrown in too. I can’t see it staying at sub $600 (for the package I have) for very long.

However all of that, although great isn’t what makes this watch. The Mako is at the end of the day a good, solid dive watch. It has decent pedigree and holds its own against other, far more expensive watches. I have old an SKX007 and this stands ahead as reliable but also trendy with an air of modern cool. If the 007 is a classic I’d say it was a basking shark, powerful and reliable – slow and steady. The Mako live up to its name, its fast, fun and overall I’d say a little crazy. It says what do you want from a dive watch and then throws the kitchen sink at it!

 

I've just been provided with pictures of the meteorite dial making process which I thought people might like!

 

Nice review.

 

Very nice review but I am ashamed to admit that is for the first time when I hear about Zelos Mako.

 

Great review, thanks! I'm currently looking for a good priced diver / beater for a holiday later in year, shall add this to the list.

 

I love how pragmatic your review is, congratulations and wear in good health!

 

Thanks! I never thought about what a meteorite actually was. Duh! How’s the watch keeping time? Wear in good health.

 

Seems to be keeping good time, to be honest I've not been keeping a super close eye on things. I am still not sure about the whole bronze case thing, I guess i'll wear it for a month or so and then assess again!

Got to keep it honest, no use gushing about a watch - its a review not an advert! Overall i'm happy with it so far, it should last as I'm not going saturation diving or anything.

 

Looking forward to the ZX-8 SR-71 Blackbird review

 

You'll have to wait a while I'm afraid, Elshan said not to expect it before September time.

However here is a picture of the "turkey feathers" that the dial will be made from



I'll be interested in how it looks. Hopefully it'll have some personality. I'll be annoying if it looks really normal and boring. It was between that and a Warenbach, I want to see I made the right choice!

 

Update: After a long hot weekend I can confirm a fear of mine has come true - Green residue. This also explains why the case back is steel and not bronze! I assume to minimise this issue.

After working in Africa for many years I often bought copper bangles and other bits from locals. Anyone who has ever worn a copper bangle will attest to the annoying green copper oxide residue left on the skin. It would seem bronze, with its majority component copper has the same issue. I was left with two green patches on the top of my wrist (from the case edges) and a green patch from the buckle on the bottom of my wrist.

Its not the end of the world, but it certainly adds an annoyance factor to owning and enjoying this watch.

 

Ugh, that can certainly be a pain! A friend of mine in Dubai had the Oris Divers 65 in Bronze, and used wifey's clear nail lacquer on the parts that would touch his skin. Wanna give that a shot?

 

Hummmm, interesting idea. The other option is cleaning after wearing. Might give it a go and see how it works out. Shame they couldn't put something on it prior to shipping

 

Bronze case and meteorite dial for under usd 600?
Big bang for the buck..........