A better deal than you'd expect! A review of the Ball Watch "Engineer Hydrocarbon Nedu G5 Japan Limited"

Masamasa Hirota, editor-in-chief of the watch magazine Chronos Japan and known affectionately as "Hakase," will be reviewing Ball Watch's new 2025 model, the Engineer Hydrocarbon Nedu G5 Japan Limited. It goes without saying that the watch is highly functional, but the fit is better than you'd expect, and the reasons for its luxurious feel will be revealed through detailed shots taken by Hirota.

The skill that brought together the "600m waterproof diver chronograph"

　When I heard I'd be testing a new Ball Watch, I remembered that some of the models I'd worn in the past hadn't quite satisfied me. Older models had loose bracelets and heavy heads (i.e., the watch section), models with enhanced exterior textures were too edgy, and high-spec models had heavy heads. I wasn't expecting much when I heard it was a 600m water-resistant diver chronograph. However, this one turned out to be even better than I'd imagined.

A design that takes wearing comfort into serious consideration

　A chronograph with a water resistance of 600m would require a large and heavy case. The Engineer Hydrocarbon Nedu G5 Japan Limited is 44mm in diameter, 17.3mm thick, and weighs 209g with full links (the test model measured 189g). While many manufacturers strive to make light and small watches, this approach goes against that trend.

　However, the fit of this watch was better than I expected. The biggest reason is that the weight balance between the head and tail (i.e., the bracelet part) was adjusted by adjusting the materials. The head is made of lightweight grade 5 titanium, and the bracelet and buckle are made of a combination of grade 2 titanium and stainless steel, which made the head lighter and added weight to the bracelet. It's by no means a light watch, but it doesn't wobble on the wrist when worn.

　The attention to fit is also evident in the case design. Despite the thick case, the lugs are curved downwards significantly, increasing the contact area with the wrist. The edges of the lugs and case back have also been carefully rounded. While this may seem a little rough by today's standards, it is a reasonable adjustment considering that this is a tool watch. The middle link that connects the bow tube to the first link of the bracelet also moves slightly. Although the amount of movement is very small, this allows the bracelet to fit comfortably even on slimmer wrists. To be honest, I never expected Ball Watch to become so adept at watchmaking.

　The bracelet, with its gentle taper from the case to the buckle, is a key indicator of this model's authenticity as a sports watch. It can withstand a tensile force of approximately 140 kg. While this is more than the standard Swiss standard of approximately 25 kg, it's certainly not a bracelet for show. The machined folding buckle is also sturdy, with sufficient width and thickness to support the watch's weight. Personally, I would have liked a fine-tuning mechanism, but Ball Watch appears to have prioritized sturdiness. Even if the buckle had been fine-tuned, it would likely not have been able to withstand a 140 kg load. This is evidenced by the fact that the number of spring bars supporting the bow tube has been increased from one to two. The bracelet's taper is also subtle, and when worn on the wrist, the weight of the watch is effectively distributed across the entire wrist. Considering the thickness of the buckle, it's clearly not suited to desk work, but I actually like the bold compromise. Ball Watch doesn't have to be an Omega.

　The exterior of this watch is also of excellent quality. The head is made of grade 5 titanium, which is easy to finish, and the mirror finish and graining are well incorporated. The bracelet, on the other hand, is made of pure grade 2 titanium and stainless steel, and from what I can see, the level of finish is comparable to that of the case. The deep engraving on the case back is an indication of the quality of the exterior. The grade 5 case back is engraved quite deeply with the logo of the US Navy Special Forces, "NEDU." To the touch, the logo feels pressed, not machined. Normally, diver's watches like this don't typically have deep engravings, but perhaps the company wanted to showcase their case processing techniques. The edges, including the logo, have also been carefully rounded, reducing the risk of irritation to bare skin.

Unique crown with built-in helium release valve

　The highlight of this watch is the patented "Crown Built-in Automatic Pressure Relief Valve" built into the crown. Professional diver's watches like this typically have a helium release valve on the side of the case. In contrast, Ball Watch has developed a helium release valve integrated into the crown. The mechanism, in which the center of the crown pops out to release helium gas, is unprecedented. While it's common knowledge that diver's watches don't allow for tinkering with the crown, Ball Watch must be extremely confident in the robustness of their case. While I didn't have a chance to test it, the crown's play was well-controlled, despite the helium release valve being built into the inside. Additionally, the "Safety Lock Crown System" that covers the crown means there's no need to worry about the winding core becoming distorted even if it's accidentally bumped. Of course, unlike previous Ball Watches, the corners of these parts have also been carefully rounded.

Combining luxury and functionality

　What was surprising was the sense of luxury that this watch exudes. The rotating bezel ring is made of ceramic embedded with Super-LumiNova, and the dial is made of MOP (mother-of-pearl), giving it a look that is very different from high-spec diver's watches. In addition, the wide hour and minute hands with their surfaces cut with a diamond cutter, a familiar feature of Ball watches, and the three hands placed on the subdial make this watch look even more luxurious. If the case were poorly made, it would look unbalanced, but the fact that they chose to use this feature shows their confidence in the quality of the exterior. To be honest, the overall finish is the same as, or slightly better than, the IWC Aquatimer from a few years ago.

　The rotating bezel, hands, and indexes are equipped with self-luminous micro gaslighters, making the watch easy to read in the dark. However, the rotating bezel with Super-LumiNova is more noticeable in the dark, and in my opinion, legibility would be improved if the hour and minute hands were made a little thinner and thicker micro gaslighters were used instead.

Conclusion

　The Engineer Hydrocarbon Nedu G5 Japan Limited is a 600m water-resistant chronograph in a usable package. However, it was not brute force that made this possible, but rather careful consideration of the finer details.

　Even though it's comfortable to wear, it's hard to recommend this watch to everyone. However, for those looking for a tough, high-quality diver's watch, this one seems like a long shot. Honestly, I can't believe Ball Watch makes such a good watch. I'm pretty much unapologetically praising this watch, but it's definitely worth it.