Vaer A7 Tradition Review

During the later part of this year I started to take a big interest in Explorer-like watches. Specifically I was very intrigued by the 36mm sizes as a throwback to the original dimensions from Rolex classics. Coupled with the simple, do-it-all design I was convinced this was something I had to try.

I started looking more at the Explorer itself, its history, the design variants, etc. The latest model is a 36mm which seems to have the crowds split in two camps and I was firmly in the "thats the right size" team. My wrist is in between small and medium for men (6.75") so to me it made little difference looks wise, but more importantly to me the Explorer was a watch that was designed to be compact, light and legible.

As luck would have it I was scrolling through various black friday sales and came across the Vaer 20% off sale. I saw they had some Explorer inspired options, 36mm, and a Swiss variant! I impulse bought it and waited anxiously for it to come in the mail.

So to start, the dial design: it clearly takes its cues from the vintage Explorer, but it is not a straight homage. It has syringe hands, a diamond second hand arrow, full arrow head markers all around plus the familiar 3-6-9 numerals. It also has very little writing on the face and no-date, so it is easy to read and elegant. Most importantly (for me) it has standard white print and lume. To be honest I probably would have bought the less expensive American variant if it wasnt for the fauxtina. I havent completely given up on that look (trying it on a milsub build this month) but for this watch it had to be white on black. I also paid extra for the oyster style bracelet.

The overall finish is very tool watch oriented. Mostly brushed all around with only small accents of polish around the lugs and bezel edges. The bracelet is very nice and on par with the extra cost. It has great articulation with its individual links, 4 micro adjust positions, solid end links and 20mm at the lugs with a taper to 18mm at the milled double lock clasp. It also has a 7mm signed, screwdown crown with no guard lugs, so very easy to operate and a nice clean look. The final cherry on top is its 100m/10atm water rating which makes it a true GADA watch.

The front and back crystals are both saphire, the front having internal AR coating and a slight single dome shape. It gives the dial a pleasant distortion but without getting in the way of legibility. It has green lume which is decent but unsurprisingly does not compare with quality dive watches. 

The caseback shows off a nicely finished SW-200 automatic movement with a custom Vaer rotor. It has the familiar Swiss movement details and finishes which makes it nicer to look at than an average Japanese movement. Thus in this case I think the caseback is a warranted addition and a treat for those who maybe havent had a Swiss made movement before.

The wearing experience is the best part of this watch for me. It is simple, light and versatile. I wore it for a week straight when I first got it to see how well I bonded with it. At first I was a bit self-conscious as it is the smallest watch Ive worn (aside from my dad's old dress Tissot which I rarely wear). As I showed my friends and colleagues some thought it was too small some thought it was just right. Well eventually I reaffirmed my initial thoughts, which were that 36mm is a great size! It makes the watch understated, something you have to pay attention to in order to notice its beauty. Even with its tool watch finishing it worked great with tshirts, dress shirts, jeans, suits, sweaters, anything. This watch is exactly what I was looking for.

Now as with all watches it cant all be good...the one thing I wish this watch had done better is use a true no-date movement. Thats right, it has two crown positions which means it has a ghost date under the dial. This maybe doesnt matter to most, but its a hard thing to accept from the OCD crowd (who seem to be well represented with watch enthusiasts). For me it was hard to get past initially, but in the end all the other things I like vastly outweigh this now minor annoyance.

I havent even mentioned the price which if anything is what makes this watch worth looking at. At the time of writing this review, it starts at $699 with a nato and tropic rubber strap and goes up to the $800 mark if you choose a bracelet instead. The tropic strap comes standard regardless, and though I did not review it here, it is very soft and supple. I only wore it momentarily but it is nonetheless one of the most comfortable straps I own. I only have to find a watch to pair it with now.

In summary, the Vaer A7 Tradition delivers in almost all aspects when it comes to this segment of watches. It has vintage dimensions and feel but modern build quality which make it something that can last decades if properly taken care of yet without having to be overly cautious when wearing. If youre scared of 36mm, dont be, it was popular for a reason years ago and still makes sense now. All I can say for myself is that since I got the A7 I have not spent a day thinking about the Explorer (or even some of my beloved divers), so it scratched that itch and more.