We love diver watches and we have reviewed many diver watch brands. The last diver watch review we did was the Seaturtle from Boderry Watch. Now we have a new diver watch to review, all the way from Hong Kong, it is Akheilos Watches. The model we are going to review is the Akheilos Shark 500m V1 Black Dial, limited to only 500 pieces. Will the Shark 500m peak our interest or fall flat?

Akheilos Watch

Let’s find our a bit more about the brand. Founded in 2018 in Hong Kong, the company brands itself as a  ‘young and vibrant brand’ with a focus on using production and procurement methods which will keep the cost of the watches low and affordable. Akheilos has three different watch series with various models. They have two series focusing solely on diver watches and the last series is for aviation watches. The name Akheilos or Acheilus was a shark-formed sea daimon. Acheilus was once a handsome boy but was turned into the shark daimon by Aphrodite for boasting his handsomeness.

Features

Movement: Japan Made Seiko NH35

Bezel: Ceramic polished finished with 120 positions Uni-directional

Case material: 316L Stainless steel

Glass quality: Sapphire

Dial diameter: 40.5mm

Case thickness: 14mm

Warranty: 24 months

Water resistance: 50 ATM

First Impression

The packaging is well done and the watch came in a green box. It gave a ‘Rolex’ type of box. The feature which caught our attention was the width of the bezel. It is on the large side and will stand out. The dial is well presented and there is a change in colour from dark black colour on the circumference to a lighter black colour. The watch comes with two straps, one stainless steel and the other leather. A link removal tool has also been included. The watch does come with a lot, which is a good surprised to us.

Akheilos Watch V1 Shark Black Unboxing

Close Up Shot

Casing

We have to say that this is such a beautifully made watch. The stainless steel casing along with the strap is just looks the part.

The 40.5mm is the perfect size. It sits well on the wrist and wraps around the wrist well. The watch is 14mm is depth, which is the norm for diver watches and the curve lugs helps to push the case on the wrist. The case gives a commanding look on the wrist and looks luxurious, despite its price tag.

The bezel is one of the must have feature on a diver watch. On the Akheilos Watch Shark V1, the bezel is a ceramic plate with 120 clicks. With the teeth cut design, rotating the bezel is easy as it provides a strong grip. The clicks are crisp and the bezel is solid. It is not loose when it comes to rotating it and stays in place. The index on the bezel follows the design of many diver watches. There are numerals in intervals of 10 with batons in between. The larger batons and numerals are luminous and legible in very low light. At the 12 o’clock position you have a red arrow with a dot. It is a nice feature to have, so you know where the start of the bezel is and to easily manipulate it when under water. In terms of the colour, the bezel is in a dark black colour compare to the dial and this makes it stand out.

The lens is made from Sapphire crystal and has been given an anti-reflection coating. Glare and reflection is at its minimal. The lens do stick out a bit from the bezel and adds another layer to the casing. It also helps to create a slight concave and dome like look to the watch.

In terms of the crown, it is a screw in style and the teeth cut design makes it easy to adjust the time. An interesting feature is the crown has been embossed with the letter A, adding some branding to the watch.

Another hidden feature is the helium escape valve. Located near the 9 o’clock position, the escape value is subtle and shows that the Shark V1 is a serious diver watch.

The back casing has an old fashion diver suit design embossed and the convex design, pushing the dial at the forefront.

Overall, the casing is perfectly made.

Dial

The dial is simple and is purely focused on the time keeping. The index is made up batons and numerals at each quarter. The batons and numerals are large and are also luminous during low light. To measure the seconds, there is a white index on the outer circumference. It is small is size but the contrast against the black background ensure that it is visible.

The hand designs used is a mixture. The hour hand has a cathedral design , while the minute and second hand are thin and sharp. To carry on with the luminous theme, the hands, including second hand have a luminous coating. They are bright but do need to be recharged, which can be easily done using a flash light.

At the 12 o’clock positon, Akeheilos watch logo is engraved in white. In addition, there are also some information regarding the depth capacity of the watch near the 6 o’clock position.

In terms of the colour accent, it has been well thought. The black background against the white numerals works perfectly and the red second hand helps to break the theme.

Movement

Behind the Akheilos Watch Shark V1 is an automatic NH35. We have come across this movement many time and it is a strong entry movement. The time accuracy is between  -20 to +40 seconds a day under normal conditions. It has 24 jewels and 41 hour power reserve.

Given the price of the watch, the NH35 is a good movement.

Strap

The watch comes with 2 strap. You have your stainless steel strap and a vintage crazy horseskin strap. The watch comes with a strap changing tool to remove the links and interchange the straps, which is a great addition. The stainless strap for us is the best. it suits the overall style of the watch and the width of the strap is perfect. It suits the 40.5mm casing. There is a two safety clasp lock on the strap to secure the watch and it has also being signed with Akheilos Watch logo.

The horseskin strap is soft and thick, which is useful given the width of the casing. There are enough holes on the strap for smaller wrist and the buckle has also being signed.

While the horseskin strap looks good, we do not think it does with the overall theme of the watch. We like the stainless steel strap better.

Buy, Shorlist or Avoid?

As we have been teasing you with the price, it is finally time. The Akheilos Watch Shark 500m V1 retails for £248/ $299/ €275. Given for what you are getting for the watch and also the fantastic quality of the watch, this is a buy. The price is not steep and the watch looks great. The Shark V1 has all the qualities and features of a professional diver watch and price tag which will not sink your bank account to the bottom of the sea. One little issue which we found is that the dial needs to cleaned spotless. While you make not see it from the naked eye, there are specs of dust on the dial.

Do not forget to subscribe to New Labels Only and do follow New Labels Only on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin and Youtube   @Newlabelsonly where New Labels only is most active!