3.0 out of 5 stars Okay, but not a homerun for Invicta, July 4, 2009
I have a dozen Invicta watches in my collection, including this one. I rate this one as follows:
Style and appearance: Five (*****) Stars
Comfort: Five (*****) Stars
Quality: Five (*****) Stars
Value: Four (****) Stars
Functionality: Zero (-) Stars
The ISA quartz movement in this watch does a decent job of keeping up with the phases of the moon (easiest if you set it on a full or new moon) but an awful job of keeping up with tide changes. That, of course, is because tides vary greatly by geography, with some coastal areas cycling twice as often as others.
Thus, out of respect for the intelligence of the customer and their own integrity, Invicta should have had a disclaimer that the tide function is pretty much a novelty item - much like the "navigation chart" placemats at seafood restaurants.
That said, there is much to like about this watch, which is styled in the Corduba collection - but, for whatever reason, not included in it. The size is about right for most wrists, given how much bigger watch faces are at the moment. Invicta makes quite a few watches in the 50-54 mm range - massive for all but the brawniest wrists (think Popeye).
This combination stainless steel and poly-resin band, with dual-screw posts, is easy to adjust to fit comfortably. It is a handsome look, and rides very easily on one's arm - a very solid look but not quite as heavy as some watches in their line can be (a Sub Aqua Noma III, for example, can weigh in at more than 225 grams).
The face is very attractive and easy to read. The Tritnite markings work well in the dark. The moon-phase window, in contrasting nautical blue at the 10 o'clock position, is a very pleasant addition to the traditional black face. The bezel, in matching black, turns well and adds functionality to the watch.
I'm glad I got it. There are many more things about it I like than I dislike - and the things I dislike are not major. However, Invicta does not provide the user with any instructions (and I mean none) for the proper operation of this watch. To add injury to insult, several emails to their sales department - first asking and then begging for proper instructions - were ignored. Their yachting edition Pro Diver - an even nicer watch, in my opinion (perhaps because the racing timer actually works, as opposed to the tide clock) - is similarly afflicted. Both of these watches are not operated intuitively and, while I have discerned their modalities, most would be challenged to get them to function as designed.
So the tide function being mostly for show and the uncaring attitude of the company when it comes to advising new owners in the operation of their timepieces are what earned this watch - which is really very nice looking - the three-star rating overall.
Now, if you have read to this point and still want the watch (because it is so handsome), don't care about the tide function and will need to operate it without guidance of any sort from Invicta, here is how you use it:
Moon setting button at 2 o'clock: Unscrew the protective cap over the crown and swing it away from the 2 o'clock pusher. Press and hold until it beeps. Release and repress to move the hand clockwise around the face. As I said, this is easier if you set it on the new moon or full moon, but you can align it on either and then count forward, depressing the pusher for each day. That should do it. After a few seconds without pressing the pusher, you'll hear another beep signaling that the setting mode is canceled. Also, this function does not set in concert with the hour/minute hands, so set the time at the designated hour and minute of the new or full moon before setting the moon phase, so that you have the appropriate day-long adjustment. Then reset the time to your local time.
Setting date and time: Unscrew the protective cap from the crown. With a rubber jar-lid gripper (or small smooth-face jeweler's pliers, if you have them), pull the tiny crown out to the first detent position. Adjust the date to the day before the current date. Pull the crown out to the second detent position (stopping the second hand at 12 o'clock if you want a precise setting) and adjust the time forward past midnight (so that the date flips to the current date), then keep moving the hands forward to the current time. This ensures that the hands are properly set in the am or pm part of the day.
Setting the tide function: This is strictly for s**ts and giggles, since it is not at all accurate, unless you live in a tide zone that coincides with the timing mechanism of this watch. Press and hold the pusher at 4 o'clock until you hear a beep. Then release the pusher and re-press it to move the tide hand forward clockwise. Release the pusher when it is at the appropriate phase for your local tides. Then, if you want it to be meaningful, repeat this about every hour so that it vaguely tracks the rise and fall of tides in your area.
Good luck and enjoy!
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Invicta Men's Pro Diver Collection Stainless Steel Watch # 5618
I looked high and low for this style of watch because a family member had a similar one back in the 1940s when I was a child. I like the shape and the 30s retro appearence. I wanted a watch with a battery for the convenience and this watch fits the bill. I have had many compliments on the style. The one complaint I have is that the watch band is shorter than I would like. Increasing the length by a centimeter or two wouldn't cost too much for the maker and then I would have been 100% satisfied.
