# BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 ? A Magnificent Timepiece In Review



## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

_*Background*_
It has been about a month since I preordered the Borealis Estoril 300 dive watch - an uncanny homage to the famous Omega Seamaster 300 from the 1960s. Borealis is a company making both homage timepieces and unique timepieces, and the Estoril was a project they took on a long while back. They outsource their own unique cases, bracelets (they are different than the typical Steinhart bracelet that 20 companies use), crystals, dials, hands - the whole works. The end result is that Borealis creates an extremely high-quality timepiece at a very affordable price.

*Specs*


Case Size: 41.50mm x 47.00 mm
Screwed down crown with engraved B logo

Double Domed Sapphire Crystal with A/R coating inside

120 clicks sapphire BGW9 lumed unidirectional bezel

Made in Japan Citizen Miyota 9015 Automatic Movement

Viton and Tefzel Gaskets (case back and glass)

316L Stainless Steel Case

Lug Width: 20.00 mm

Water Resistance: 300 meters

Case height: 12.50mm

Nato Strap

Swiss Made BGW9 Superluminova applied to dial, watch hands and bezel

Screwed Case Back with engraved mermaid

12 months warranty

*Shipping
*I ordered the Estoril on a Thursday, the watch was sent out Friday, and it was delivered this morning on Monday. Very impressive turnaround time on shipping. It came well packaged in a padded envelop, and then inside the padded envelope, the watch box was encased within yet another padded envelope. *10/10

**Box
*The whole point of this timepiece was to create a quality watch at a great price. The box is extremely basic, but for the purpose of this entire line of Estoril watches, it was entirely satisfactory. *7/10










Nato Strap*
Another cost-saving measure taken on this project was the decision to use a nato strap over a steel bracelet. Given the versatility of this watch, I'd say that was a very good call. For those seeking a viable steel bracelet, check out the 20mm Hadley-Roma MB-4226. The Amazon reviews aren't great, but there was a thread where a WUS user had paired this with his Speedmaster and was delighted with the fit and quality of the bracelet. I have one on order now to pair with my Estoril. I'll update this review with pictures when it gets here.

Anyway, the nato strap. I have worn natos from a variety of brands - cheap eBay natos, TimeFactors, and some others - and the Estoril nato actually blows these out of the water. Yesterday, I was reading about how great the $250 Omega and Tudor nato straps are. However, everyone agreed that a nato at that price point simply is not worth it, i.e. a $250 Omega nato is not 15x better than a TimeFactors nato. The TimeFactors nato rage is huge in the WUS community, and for good reasons - they look awesome, have reliable and sturdy hardware, have welded buckle holes, and are made of tough nylon. The Borealis strap, however, really does outdo the TimeFactors straps I have.

The keepers are made of thick, brushed steel with nice, rounded edges. The buckle is sturdy with a notch for the tongue to sit in place properly. The color of the black and grey in the strap is outstanding. The buckle holes are welded. And, best of all, the nylon fabric is thickly woven yet impeccably soft. I'd say this strap beats out TimeFactors in regards to color, hardware quality, and comfort of the nylon used in the construction of the nato. This easily takes the cake for the best nato I've come across. Time will tell how it holds up. _A word to Borealis on the natos_ - if you can sell these as a regular item on your website for $25-$35, I think you'd sell a LOT of natos. *10+/10










Dial, Lume & Hands*
The dial on the Estoril is stunning. The big triangle, the hour indices, the long minute markers, and the simple Borealis logo and "_Estoril 300" _text are all simple and do the job well. They keep the dial from being bland without cluttering it. The dial is a nice, subdued matte black. The indices and hands are painted with a thick layer with white SuperLuminova. *9/10










*The lume matches up with many of the legends, like the Seiko Monster and the Omega Seamaster 2254.50. On top of that, it's not the typical green, it's freaking blue. Seeing this thing glow like a torch and emit strong, blue light in the darkness is amazing. The bezel is also lumed, but it is not as strong as the dial's lume. Personally, I like this. Longevity will be tested tonight while I sleep, but the brightness of the lume after exposure to sunlight and the thickly applied indices are indicators that the Estoril will have no problem making it through the night, nice and bright. Rating will change slightly if longevity is not as expected.

Update 6/21/16: Lume longevity is excellent. Lasted well throughout the night and was easily visible after a few hours. *10/10*










The hands on the Estoril are very well done. There is no obnoxious, jagged lume paint jutting out from underneath the hands (like I've experienced on my last Squale purchase and multiple Steinharts). The hands have a nice glimmer to them, and they are easily legible. The second hand sweep is hypnotizing to watch, as it is incredibly smooth and quiet. One of my _only _qualms with this piece, though, is the second hand. I wish the pointy edge was a tad bit longer, and I really wish the hand had been painted white. Seeing a white second hand tick above a matte black dial is stunning, as many of you know. I realize this may not have been doable due to copyright limitations or budget constraints, but if I could change just one thing, it would be the second hand color and length. If anyone knows someone who can paint a second hand matte white, let me know! *8**.5**/10 *(would be 9.5 with a white second hand)_










*Crystal
*_The domed sapphire crystal on this piece is awesome. It's not the typical domed acrylic, this is full on domed sapphire, which is a unique feature. Also, the lack of outside A/R coating is fantastic as well, in my opinion. Outside A/R coating on sapphire tends to lead to scratches on the coating, which makes it look like the crystal's surface has been scratched, which defeats one of the purposes of using sapphire in the first place. Also, it adds a very distinguishable blue/purple hue to the crystal, which I also am not a fan of. Keeping the A/R coating to the inside was a great call on Borealis's part, and it really accentuates the blackness of the dial. Sapphire crystals don't really get better than this. *10/10*

_*Crown & Bezel*_
The crown on this piece threads very nicely (about 4 rotations to fully screw down), is extremely sturdy, and winds smoothly. The crown is stamped with a "B", which is a nice touch and gives the Estoril some added character. The design of the crown also sets the Estoril apart from the actual Seamaster and other homages. Rather than the coin-edge crown on the original, it has 8, deep grooves that give it a more squared off look. It's easy to grab, and I like how it adds to the Estoril's individuality. *9/10

*The bezel on the Estoril is extremely unique. It is lumed, it has a great, thick coin-edge, the clicks are crisp and lock into place, and the bezel is covered with a sapphire crystal. How cool is that? This is a very unique feature on any watch, especially in the sub-$500 category. The bezel clicks are great, but there is a small amount of backward play if some force is applied. Once the click locks into place, if I push back on the bezel, it actually clicks back about half of a click, which would be 1/240th of a rotation. After that, it locks into place. I'm not sure if my bezel is the only one that does this, or if other peoples' bezels are doing that as well. For me, though, it's not a big deal. The bezel action is still nicer than most of the sub $1,000 divers I have handled, so it's no bother to me. *8.5/10*

_*Case*_
The case on the Esoril is truly fantastic. The curved lugs, the drilled lug holes, the famous Omega lug bevel, the polishing and brushing, and even the caseback ooze quality. The case is sleek and cut very sharply. Again, for a $500 watch, I am absolutely dumbfounded trying to figure out how Borealis is able to create such a beautiful case for a watch that's less than $500. The caseback is not deeply engraved, but is laser engraved with a mermaid and some watch specifications. Honestly, I think one of the only other brands out there who can give Borealis a run for its money on this particular case at this price would be Squale, but that's a given due to their history of making quality case. *9.5/10*










*Movement
*The Japanese Miyota 9015 was a great call all around. It's slim. It's robust. It's accurate. It's widely available. Best of all, Borealis was probably able to obtain each movement for about $70, which held the cost down of this piece tremendously. Had they gone with an ETA 2824-2, the price of this watch would have been jacked up to about $700 or more, I'd imagine. For 99% of the same functionality, I believe the Miyota 9015 was an excellent call, and so far, I am very pleased with the movement's performance.

Update 6/21/16: After my first 24 hours on the wrist with the Estoril, it clocked in at about -1 second. Unbelievable timekeeping accuracy at this price and for this movement. *9/10*

_*Conclusion*
_ I buy and sell watches way too much. But I can tell that this one is a keeper. I can also tell you that I'm going to try and order some extra natos from Borealis when they make them available. If you are unopposed to homages, then this is a diamond in the rough. There are lots of crappy sub-$500 watches out there, and the Borealis Estoril is _not _one of them. For $420 brand new, I cannot think of another watch that could surpass this in terms of style, quality, and function. Excellent job, Borealis. Keep up the great work!


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Excellent, excellent review!

Based yours and others initial comments this watch looks to exceed my expectations.

Thank you for the effort and it has whetted my appetite for my Blue Triangle No Date.


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## captaincaveman79 (Feb 19, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Awesome review and I love how it was organized. Will you give mesh a try? I have a bond style timefactors on its way to me and now I'm kicking myself for ordering it based on your review of the stock strap.


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## captaincaveman79 (Feb 19, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Looking forward to your impressions on the president style Hadley Roma. I must say I once owned the 4426 oyster and was disappointed by its sharp edges and general quality. Felt more like a 25 dollar eBay item than the 50 bucks I paid. Needless to say it was sent back to that great river in South America.


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Double posted on accident.


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

I have some doubts about the Hadley-Roma, but the deployant mechanism in the photo looked promising, and the WUS member raving about the fit on his Speedmaster also had me feeling hopeful about it. I'll definitely update the review with a bracelet section and post some pictures and impressions when I get the bracelet in hand.

As far as mesh goes - I would love to try one out, but after this bracelet, my budget is spent. I've seen a lot of mesh over at this thread and it looks stellar. I'd imagine there are some good options out there sub $50.

Anyway, I look forward to updating everyone with the bracelet and lume longevity impressions. Let me know if you have questions in the meantime!


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## imagwai (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

This watch turned out very well indeed.


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## Narc'd (Feb 22, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Fantastic review, well done|>

It's 23:15 here and I've just taken delivery of my Estoril. I'll probably comment on it more again - suffice to say I'm delighted with it.

Regarding bracelets - I have just tried an aftermarket President style bracelet for a Rolex on this watch and as is, it will not fit correctly. Obviously it fits between the lugs as they're both 20mm and the radius shaped in the end-link matches the radius of the Estoril pretty well. Unfortunately the distance from lug hole to case on the watch is less than the lug hole to case on the bracelet end-link. When the end-link is held in place on the watch the lug holes and springbar holes don't line up.

I have also tried an aftermarket bracelet designed for the Omega Seamaster and Speedmaster made by iStraps and bought off Amazon. In this case, the radius on the end-link is greater than that of the Estoril's case and so doesn't match the curve as well as the one designed to fit a Rolex. It also suffers the springbar/lug hole alignment problem as mentioned above.

On a positive note, both bracelets lie on the right side of wrong if you get me. To make them fit, it may be possible with some careful work with a Dremel and a needle file to grind away some end-link material and bring the springbar hole closer to the case of the watch and make them match up. But that's work for another day, I'm off to admire my new watch for a while before bed


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## SimpleWatchMan (Apr 25, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Great review! Job well done! :-!


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## Level.5x (Jun 7, 2015)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Nice Review....must be a popular time piece. I see 24 users(22 guests and 2 members) currently reading this one. I'm sure they're all clicking "buy" after this read!


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## Petrus67 (Jan 5, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



Jonesin4Watches said:


> Nice Review....must be a popular time piece. I see 24 users(22 guests and 2 members) currently reading this one. I'm sure they're all clicking "buy" after this read!


How did you know?
Just ordered a black no date with "12".


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



Petrus67 said:


> How did you know?
> Just ordered a black no date with "12".


You won't be disappointed! This is a spectacular piece. I would imagine this will hold its resale value well as it will be a desirable second hand watch in the future.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Shaunie_007 (Feb 5, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Awesome review! 
I was considering doing a review earlier today, but I'm glad I stumbled on yours, as I don't think I could have written a better review. 
I also have the same configuration as you: Black, date, big triangle, and I'm going back and forth on what I should do for a bracelet. I tried an aftermarket president bracelet, like another member mentioned and ran into the same problem as him.. The spring bars did not line up with the case holes, so now I'm thinking of buying an H link shark mesh for it. 
And as far as your bezel play goes, mine has no play whatsoever. Once I set the bezel it doesn't move at all..

On a side note, I compared the lume to my Rolex SubC and the lume is almost the same color, but does not last as long. Within 2 hours I could already see the Estoril had lost more brightness than my sub.. But that's comparing an $8k watch to a $400 watch lol. Overall I'd say I'm greatly impressed by this watch, I was considering flipping it before it touched down, but once I opened the box and handled it a bit, I knew it was a keeper.

Here's a few photos of my current configuration:










Lume comparison:










Fully charged by the sun lume shot going from outside to inside:


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



Shaunie_007 said:


> Awesome review!
> I was considering doing a review earlier today, but I'm glad I stumbled on yours, as I don't think I could have written a better review.
> I also have the same configuration as you: Black, date, big triangle, and I'm going back and forth on what I should do for a bracelet. I tried an aftermarket president bracelet, like another member mentioned and ran into the same problem as him.. The spring bars did not line up with the case holes, so now I'm thinking of buying an H link shark mesh for it.
> And as far as your bezel play goes, mine has no play whatsoever. Once I set the bezel it doesn't move at all..
> ...


Like you, I'm definitely not going to complain if the lume longevity isn't matching up to the $8k Sub! Haha.

Anyway, maybe my bezel is a bit off. That's odd. If I push back with a little extra force, it does "pop" back about a half (maybe a third) of a click. Maybe mine isn't right enough or there is so gunk stuck in the bezel tread. As on of the members said in the Borealis Estoril thread over in the Diver Watches sub forum, it is just locking into place. I wish I could test yours against mine to see the difference!

I'll be updating the review with how the lume does tonight when I check it around 5am. Also, my 24-hour time test will be done in about 8 hours, so I'll update with that info as well.

Glad you liked the review -- thanks for putting in your pictures and thoughts!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## phlabrooy (Dec 25, 2011)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Congratulations on a great review and accompanying pics, #Ffej4 !

I received my Estoril, Black, Arabic, No-date, last week on the 17th, but have not had the time for a review or even pics.

Yes, the Estoril is really gorgeous ! An outstanding piece of work and real bang-for-the buck .....

As you mentioned, the fit and overall finish is spectacular, and I really don't think anyone will be disappointed with this one.

Maria mentioned the other day, on receiving the Bull Shark prototypes, that those were the best watches that they had made to date. Just checking out this Estoril, if that was the case, I can't wait to see the Bull Shark production models !!!

I don't really think there is anything wrong with the length of the seconds hand, as it is pretty much identical in length to the original. As for it not being white, this is in fact something I mentioned to Maria earlier on, in the design stage, since the SM300 has a white seconds hand, but she said she preferred it to be this way as it would look a bit more classy !

Being a Nato and Zulu guy, I too have a huge quantity of both kinds, from many different suppliers, and I find this Borealis one to be of really great quality. Someone mentioned that it is in fact identical, except of course the branding, to the Toxic natos. Will definitely be picking up at least another, when they are available on the site in about another month or so.

As far as metal bracelets go, I think mesh would probably be the best option, as getting anything else to fit and match, would probably be a challenge !

Enjoy your Estoril. Yes, it is definitely gonna be a keeper !

Regards,


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## Watch That Sweep (Apr 23, 2016)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Great Review! Nice and thorough. Really cannot wait for my Blue Arabic Date version!

Also is anyone else curious to see how this will compare to MKii's Project 300? I glanced over the specs apart from a swiss movement and a steel bracelet it appears to be identical, yet the RRP is around the $1600 mark. Be interesting to see how it compares to the estoril at that price point......


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## captaincaveman79 (Feb 19, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



The Vintage Sweep said:


> Great Review! Nice and thorough. Really cannot wait for my Blue Arabic Date version!
> 
> Also is anyone else curious to see how this will compare to MKii's Project 300? I glanced over the specs apart from a swiss movement and a steel bracelet it appears to be identical, yet the RRP is around the $1600 mark. Be interesting to see how it compares to the estoril at that price point......


At 1600 usd, I would save up for a watchco or used 2500 coax planet ocean.


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## Watch That Sweep (Apr 23, 2016)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



captaincaveman79 said:


> At 1600 usd, I would save up for a watchco or used 2500 coax planet ocean.


Me too! I know Mkii have a good rep, and I'm not saying they don't deserve it, but personally i couldn't justify the price point.


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## phlabrooy (Dec 25, 2011)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



The Vintage Sweep said:


> Also is anyone else curious to see how this will compare to MKii's Project 300? I glanced over the specs apart from a swiss movement and a steel bracelet it appears to be identical, yet the RRP is around the $1600 mark. Be interesting to see how it compares to the estoril at that price point......


Yes, I for one would like to see how the Estoril stacks up against the Mk II SM300 homage ......

Personally, with 8 watches with the Miyota 9015 movement, and a similar number with ETAs, I would much rather have the 9015 any day.

Regards,


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## n1k0 (Oct 24, 2015)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Thanks for the great & complete review. I love mine too!



Ffej4 said:


> The Borealis strap, however, really does outdo the TimeFactors straps I have.


These are likely to come from the same factory as ToxicNatos, because I own one and they're the same.



Ffej4 said:


> The bezel clicks are great, but there is a small amount of backward play if some force is applied.


Mine doesn't have any play at all and actually boasts the best bezel action from all my watches, including the Armidas and the OMs which are very good in this area. You should probably reach to Maria about that.

Last, mine had a small issue with something under the sapphire bezel, reached to Maria about it on Saturday and she replied me on Sunday morning that she would send me a new watch; I've received the new watch... this morning. I. AM. BLOWN. AWAY.


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Wow - talk about excellent customer service! Dang.

I sent Maria a video of the bezel play, and I think I'm misinterpreting play. My bezel rocks backward a tiny bit and then locks into place. After that, there is no play whatsoever as the bezel finally locked into place. I guess that means that once I'm done rotating the bezel, it will rock back a tiny bit if it did not lock into place. Even with that, maybe mine is a little different than how it's supposed to be. It doesn't bug me enough to request a new one or even a repair for that matter!

Also, after 24 hours on the wrist, my Estoril is at approximately -1 second. Unbelievable!


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Review update: Lume longevity is great as expected. Lasted through the night and I had no issues seeing it after a few hours in the dark. And, as mentioned above, it's keeping time at approximately -1 second/24 hours while on the wrist. Wow.


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## Obsessed Much (May 22, 2013)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Great review!

And nice photos of the side profiles 

Cheers


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

The Hadley Roma bracelet looks great and has a decent clasp. Maybe not quite worth $50 (I'd almost rather spend the cash on a shark mesh), but it does the job for me - at least for now.

The end links did not fit at first, so I used the straight end links. It looks good IMO, but I'm going to try to shape the end links in the future to try and make them fit.

For now, I'll think about a shark mesh and keep my eyes peeled over at the main thread for the Estoril in case a used finds a perfect bracelet fit!

Cheers,

Jeff










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## brog (Dec 30, 2015)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



Ffej4 said:


> _*Background*_
> It has been about a month since I preordered the Borealis Estoril 300 dive watch - an uncanny homage to the famous Omega Seamaster 300 from the 1960s. Borealis is a company making both homage timepieces and unique timepieces, and the Estoril was a project they took on a long while back. They outsource their own unique cases, bracelets (they are different than the typical Steinhart bracelet that 20 companies use), crystals, dials, hands - the whole works. The end result is that Borealis creates an extremely high-quality timepiece at a very affordable price.
> 
> *Specs*
> ...


Nicely written review.... Well detailed with good shots


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## Walter Moore (Feb 20, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Cool watch and great review, thanks


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## equis (May 10, 2008)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Nice review !
How do you change the date please ?


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## Narc'd (Feb 22, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



equis said:


> Nice review !
> How do you change the date please ?


First you unscrew the crown, it should then "pop" out to the first position - this is where you can wind the spring by hand. Carefully pull the crown out one more "click" - This is the date setting position where you can advance the date by turning the crown. Then pulling the crown out again to the final "click" stops the movement and you can set the time. Hope this helps.

One thing you need to be careful of is getting the date to change over at midnight and not midday. What I usually do is to set the date to the day before. eg; If today is the 26th, set the date to the 25th. Then pull the crown out to the time setting position and wind the time forward. When the date changes over then you know this is 12.00 midnight and you can further set the correct time from there.

Another thing to be careful of is that you can potentially damage the date mechanism on the movement by changing the date a couple of hour either side of midnight - during this time the mechanism that changes the date wheel is engaged and changing the date during this period can damage that mechanism. So just be sure if you're changing the date it isn't during this time window. The actual time window when the date mechanism is engaged varies with the movement and I don't know what that is for the Miyota 9015.


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## Clchamberlain (May 3, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Great review! My estoril just came in this morning! I thought this would be a catch and release for me but I'm loving this watch already. I really under estimated how thin this watch would feel to me. I really really like that! Solid piece.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

I just spent all day looking for a .17mm white second hand (similar to the cal 321 Speedies and 165.024 SM300s). Anyone have any ideas on this?

Also, really looking forward to the bracelets that people fit on this in the weeks to come. Great job, Narc'd, on yours! It looks fantastic.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## R2rs (Oct 22, 2011)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Thanks for a review on nice watch!


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## lycanthropejeff (Nov 19, 2009)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

One of these shops should be able to paint the sweep for you...

DLC watch coating, watch modification, repair, restoration - IWW
Home
Home

I've had work done at NEWW. They did a great job...


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



lycanthropejeff said:


> One of these shops should be able to paint the sweep for you...
> 
> DLC watch coating, watch modification, repair, restoration - IWW
> Home
> ...


I'll take a look! My one potential source fell through because he doesn't have any in stock. I'm tempted to browse through replica forums because I'm sure there are some sweeps out there meant to fit Miyota movements, I'm just afraid to venture over there.

I'm trying to avoid spending over $50 on this endeavor because it's just a visual modification. I have a feeling that shipping back and forth and doing something like that would take a couple of weeks and cost $100+. I will check it out though and we shall see!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## lycanthropejeff (Nov 19, 2009)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

There are some sweep hands on ebay but they are all silver and the lume likely wouldn't match. I think painting the original is the way to go. You could always paint it yourself if you have a shop to remove for you. I'm looking at options for the same mod, so lets continue to post our progress here...


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



lycanthropejeff said:


> There are some sweep hands on ebay but they are all silver and the lume likely wouldn't match. I think painting the original is the way to go. You could always paint it yourself if you have a shop to remove for you. I'm looking at options for the same mod, so lets continue to post our progress here...


Sounds good to me. I'll keep you updated! Reluming a painted hand would be much easier than painting the whole thing. I am afraid to try it myself in fear of ruining the hand. I might be better off ordering a stainless one off of eBay for $6 and seeing what I can do myself.

Have any ideas about obtaining some BMW9? I need a drop, not a bucket that'll put me out $75.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## lycanthropejeff (Nov 19, 2009)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Not sure about the lume; I know I've seen little pots of it somewhere. For me, white paint is easier to find than lume. it might be worth buying a crappy sweep to practice on. oh well. I imagine I will have it done by someone when I have it serviced down the line. I'm really enjoying every other aspect of the watch. The crystal is amazing! I love the rounded edge that looks just like acrylic....


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## Mintu (Feb 12, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Super duper review. you just sold one piece to me.
thanks.
You received black and Grey Nato but borealis website shows complete black Nato. Which one is true?

I had my eye on Precista PRS-3.
I could find few differences in favor of Borealis:

1. BGW9 (Borealis) is whiter than C3 (PRS3)
2. Lug to Lug is 47mm in borealis in comparison to PRS3's 49.6 mm
3. 0 printed on bezel looks better on Borealis than PRS3
4. Borealis comes with Nato only while PRS3 has bracelet (I like bracelet)
5. Borealis comes with Miyota 9015 while PRS3 comes with ETA2824-2 swiss movement (I prefer Miyota for trouble free long ownership and repairability)

how would you compare these 2 models if any experience?

regards;
komal


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## Ffej4 (Mar 19, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



Mintu said:


> Super duper review. you just sold one piece to me.
> thanks.
> You received black and Grey Nato but borealis website shows complete black Nato. Which one is true?
> 
> ...


Hi Komal,

I can't speak to the PRS-3. I'm sure it's a fine watch, but the Estoril is also a fine watch. The website shows a black nato, but to my knowledge, all of the black Estorils ship with black and grey natos and the blue Estorils ship with grey and navy blue striped natos.

Thank you for the kind words on the review! It's much appreciated.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jdub75x (Mar 6, 2013)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Awesome review. Never considered this brand but will definitely take a look. Drilled lugs are a plus too.


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

It's an amazing watch. I'll vouch for mine!


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## SimpleWatchMan (Apr 25, 2014)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*



boatswain said:


> It's an amazing watch. I'll vouch for mine!


Me too.


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## fel2718 (Sep 25, 2015)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Wow, amazing review. This is exactly what I have been looking for when looking into a watch. That's a great looking watch and I have been intrigued by the Borealis Scorpionfish in white. Seems like a very versatile watch at a good value. I have seen them around the 300-400 range which seems very fair for the amount of watch you get. I'm always attracted to the big lume and the Borealis reminds me of the Explorer II that I would love to have one day!

Thanks for the review!


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## spartan6 (Apr 27, 2008)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

I have a Estoril 300 in my rotation and plan to keep it long term, great watch with the quality and enough little features to keep you looking at it. The lumed bezel insert is a great example.

I always look to the history of a watch. If you are not familiar with Estoril during WWII I recommend a quick research on the web. This is where Ian Flemming was stationed for a while and you can see the lasting influence of the casino and hotels on his Bond character. We know what that did for the watch industry.


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## spartan6 (Apr 27, 2008)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*


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## spartan6 (Apr 27, 2008)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

http://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/s...lacio-estoril-ian-fleming-2.jpg?itok=Tm9jb5JL


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## slammjack (Mar 25, 2012)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Gorgeous! And great review, thanks!


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## Cober (May 11, 2015)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Im loving that caseback


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## ami5975 (Aug 22, 2016)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

I rotate mine with my SKX every other day. Love it.

Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk


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## maysatanong (Oct 10, 2016)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

super good review, thanks

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk


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## rkmontana (Jul 14, 2018)

Nice looking watch. Thanks for the review!


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## lawtaxi (Feb 9, 2018)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Excellent review- very pro. Thanks!


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## lawtaxi (Feb 9, 2018)

*Re: BOREALIS ESTORIL 300 - A Magnificent Timepiece In Review*

Great review and GREAT pica. Thanks.


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## jman3566 (May 15, 2013)

Nice review, I really Borealis watches and have several


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