Got a GA2100VB-1A and some extra straps/a stainless steel bracelet off Ebay for an absolute steal! Swapped out the index ring for better legibility. The light blue matched the accents on the hands and the day indicator perfectly! I had to go with the black case/bracelet. I was thinking of doing some fun stuff with the dial in the future. Maybe some pink/purple paint splatter? What do you guys think?
Someone find some intravenous chuff for this poor lad...
I've used Luxurious Bastard products for a few years now, and I generally like all of his scents, but the Da Vinci Bastard just didn't do it for me. I used 7 drops and wore it one day, hoping I would like it more, but I just didn't. It's objectively a very good complex scent, and the quality of his oil is incredible. Here's the scent profile:
I'd hate to see it go to waste though. I'll mail it for the cost of shipping to anyone who's in the CONUS. Let me know if you're interested.
I've been eyeing this particular model for about a year now, and finally purchased it off AliExpress a couple of weeks ago. There were a couple other Berny compressors I liked (like the red AMT149MS), but I thought I would enjoy the light orange/almost cream color of this dial especially. I made the right decision! Here are my impressions after a few days of wear.
I have a large wrist, so the 42mm diameter/48mm lug to lug is kinda perfect for me. it's 13.5mm thick so kinda thick but not insane. It wears a bit tall on the wrist because it is a bit heavier than some of my other divers, but nothing insane. My Sugess adventurine moonphase feels a bit more ungainly than this one. Could you wear it with sleeves? Yes. Are there more comfortable options? Yes. I bought this to wear at the pool/beach so that never factored into my decision.
The lume is very attractive, and while it does last a while (you can find timelapse examples if you look at some YouTube reviews of this particular model), more than a lot of my other watches, it doesn't last as long as my Militado chrono. The dial is actually a bit more lustrous than I had expected too, not a bad thing at all! The pictures make it look kind of matte, but it's just past like an eggshell glossiness. Some people have said the date window is too small. I agree that they could have added a border to the window or something to make it pop, but I'm just glad it didn't come with a cyclops. I'm not a fan of them personally.
I opted for the rubber strap because the bracelet got mixed reviews, and the silicone strap is INCREDIBLY comfortable. It's nice and chunky but not unweildy, and it's PLENTY long. Usually I buckle straps somewhere in the last three holes, but this one is on the 6th hole and the second keeper is actually relevant haha.
The beads of rice bracelet I chose from AceStrap is surprisingly good quality for the price ($15 USD??). It's sturdy, looks great on the watch, and is very comfortable. My only gripes about that are some of the screws for the links are really stuck in there and the tiiiiny little screwdriver they send with it is NOT up for the task. It came with straight and curved endlink options, the curved end links are not compatible with this watch in the least. The straight fit just fine and look great! I am convinced you could not find a third party bracelet that is compatible with this watch, so if curved endlinks are important to you, then buy the bracelet option.
The Miyota 8215 seems to be keeping time just fine. I don't have a graph to throw it on and see for sure, but I did set it to one of my other watches and it's keeping accurate pace. I know some people have mentioned the Miyota rotors are loud, and I can hear the one in my Sugess clearly while it's on my wrist, but I think with the advanced depth rating and overall build, it's not a problem with this Berny.
My only real gripe is that the bezel crown does not pull out/push in after unscrewing to adjust the bezel. It says it functions like that in the manual, and I've seen reviews of other Berny models where that is a thing. But I have to set it a minute ahead and by the time I've screwed the crown back down it is where I want it. Not a huge deal but it would be nicer if that weren't the case. At this price point, it's not unexpected.
I know there are people who aren't huge fans of the brand, especially the name, but that's never bothered me. If you are in the market for a solid diver with a good WR rating, sharp looks, and an incredibly good price tag then this is a FANTASTIC option.
I've been eyeing this particular model for about a year now, and finally purchased it off AliExpress a couple of weeks ago. There were a couple other Berny compressors I liked (like the red AMT149MS), but I thought I would enjoy the light orange/almost cream color of this dial especially. I made the right decision! Here are my impressions after a few days of wear.
I have a large wrist, so the 42mm diameter/48mm lug to lug is kinda perfect for me. it's 13.5mm thick so kinda thick but not insane. It wears a bit tall on the wrist because it is a bit heavier than some of my other divers, but nothing insane. My Sugess adventurine moonphase feels a bit more ungainly than this one. Could you wear it with sleeves? Yes. Are there more comfortable options? Yes. I bought this to wear at the pool/beach so that never factored into my decision.
The lume is very attractive, and while it does last a while (you can find timelapse examples if you look at some YouTube reviews of this particular model), more than a lot of my other watches, it doesn't last as long as my Militado chrono. The dial is actually a bit more lustrous than I had expected too, not a bad thing at all! The pictures make it look kind of matte, but it's just past like an eggshell glossiness. Some people have said the date window is too small. I agree that they could have added a border to the window or something to make it pop, but I'm just glad it didn't come with a cyclops. I'm not a fan of them personally.
I opted for the rubber strap because the bracelet got mixed reviews, and the silicone strap is INCREDIBLY comfortable. It's nice and chunky but not unweildy, and it's PLENTY long. Usually I buckle straps somewhere in the last three holes, but this one is on the 6th hole and the second keeper is actually relevant haha.
The beads of rice bracelet I chose from AceStrap is surprisingly good quality for the price ($15 USD??). It's sturdy, looks great on the watch, and is very comfortable. My only gripes about that are some of the screws for the links are really stuck in there and the tiiiiny little screwdriver they send with it is NOT up for the task. It came with straight and curved endlink options, the curved end links are not compatible with this watch in the least. The straight fit just fine and look great! I am convinced you could not find a third party bracelet that is compatible with this watch, so if curved endlinks are important to you, then buy the bracelet option.
The Miyota 8215 seems to be keeping time just fine. I don't have a graph to throw it on and see for sure, but I did set it to one of my other watches and it's keeping accurate pace. I know some people have mentioned the Miyota rotors are loud, and I can hear the one in my Sugess clearly while it's on my wrist, but I think with the advanced depth rating and overall build, it's not a problem with this Berny.
My only real gripe is that the bezel crown does not pull out/push in after unscrewing to adjust the bezel. It says it functions like that in the manual, and I've seen reviews of other Berny models where that is a thing. But I have to set it a minute ahead and by the time I've screwed the crown back down it is where I want it. Not a huge deal but it would be nicer if that weren't the case. At this price point, it's not unexpected.
I know there are people who aren't huge fans of the brand, especially the name, but that's never bothered me. If you are in the market for a solid diver with a good WR rating, sharp looks, and an incredibly good price tag then this is a FANTASTIC option.
