It took a lot of tough deliberation to change the Neptune, the watch that started it all for us. We're still very proud of the original design, and many remain quite fond of it. Ultimately, however, we decided to do as a company what we had always done as teachers--make improvements wherever we can find them, and implement them as soon as possible. In this blog post, we go into detail on the differences between Neptune Series I and II.
The Series II dial is 2.5 millimeters larger than Series I's, while retaining the same 39 millimeter case. This was made possible by changing the shape of the internal tension ring to have a steeper slope. In our view, the larger dial gives the Neptune a cleaner, more balanced look.
The larger dial also allows for hands that are more elongated and elegant than the previous generation's. This meant reinvesting in tooling, but as one can see above, the cost was well worth it. Additionally, we enlarged the lumed triangle on the seconds hand to give it better low-light visibility.
Speaking of lume, the Series II boasts better night visibility due to a thicker application of BGW9 Superluminova. The result also calls back to the "puffy" tritium dials of late 50s/early 60s dive watches.
Finally, Series II features a more pronounced dome vs. Series I's flatter top (Series II's dome is 0.7 millimeters higher). This eliminates the ring effect on the crystal edges when viewed from the side, and allows for a smoother transition between the bezel and crystal. The new dome profile also gives the Neptune a more nautical feel, resembling a drop of water or the glass of an exploration submarine.
Overall, we're very happy with the changes. Series II retains the qualities and vintage cues that made Series I special, but it also takes the original design further--giving the Neptune a bolder, more striking presence.