New Release: The Norqain Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC
A full lume dial? A sand-colored dial and strap? You have my attention! There is something spectacular about watches with dials that light up brightly in the dark. Norqain is one of the brands that recognize the practicality and style of a full-lume dial. Today, the young Swiss brand releases its all-new Norqain Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC. Could this be a great new addition to the world of full-lume dial watches? Let’s find out more.
Guilty as charged! I have an incredible soft spot for full-lume dials. Whether it is related to childhood memories of growing up in the 1980s — a decade defined by neon — or simply because full-lume dials wake up the kid in me, I’m not sure. But I get genuinely excited when brands release a watch with a dial that lights up brightly in the dark. Our Fratello team member Lex owns a Chronoswiss Timemaster with a full-lume dial that I love seeing on his wrist. Additionally, I recently had the pleasure of reviewing the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Nightdiver and loved that watch. So when the press release of the new Norqain Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC landed in my inbox, I was curious to find out more.
The Norqain Adventure collection
Most of you have undoubtedly heard of Norqain. The young Swiss brand has made a name of itself at a rapid pace. The brand has two main collections, as well as a collection that has only seen limited-edition releases up until now. The Freedom collection is Norqain’s vintage-inspired collection. It includes the great 60 Freedom Chrono, which is my absolute favorite from the brand thus far, along with the great white-dial Freedom 60 GMT. The second is the Adventure collection, of which this new Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC is a part. It’s Norqain’s collection of modern sports and explorer’s watches. The third is the Independent collection, which has seen several limited releases of the Independence 21.
My favorite collection is, without a doubt, the Freedom collection. From the start, I have always kept an eye out for new releases from Norqain. It’s been interesting to see how the brand has grown the collection. The Adventure line consists of two models that come in different variations. The first is the Adventure Sport, which is available as a three-hander or a chronograph. The second is the Adventure Neverest, which comes as a series of 40mm three-handers or 41mm GMT watches. Both models feature proprietary movements developed in collaboration with movement manufacturer Kenissi.
Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC
Let’s focus on the new Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC. Not only does it feature a full lume dial, but it combines it with a sand-colored dial and strap. It’s a color I love because of its understated but completely different aesthetic compared to many of the colors we usually see. IWC‘s Mojave Desert editions of their Pilot’s models are a great example of creating something exciting and different with this unique color. While Norqain hasn’t used a sand-colored ceramic case for its Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC, some elements stand out.
The watch features a 40mm stainless steel case with a black DLC coating. The case is 12.55mm thick, has a lug width of 20mm, and a lug-to-lug length of 48.3mm. Combined with the dial and strap, it creates an almost understated aesthetic. The black case features a combination of brushed and polished finishes. The bi-directional bezel has engravings of the initials of the cardinal and ordinal directions. Only the “north” is indicated differently with the Norqain logo. The watch is water-resistant to 200 meters and comes with the choice of a khaki fabric strap with two black vertical stripes or a black rubber strap. For me, that’s a no-brainer.
The full lume dial
The sand-colored dial features black, hand-applied, satin-brushed numerals at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. This is a first for the Neverest models. The style of the numerals feels military-esque. While they are in sync with the watch’s overall aesthetic,in all honesty, I’m on the fence about their style. It makes it look like a military field watch, and truth be told, that’s not what it is. The Neverest models are tied to mountain climbing, and linked to the Swiss Alps and the Himalayas in particular. So it surprised me a bit to see the choice of style for the numerals.
The dial is coated with X1 Super-LumiNova that glows green in darker light conditions. The facetted light grey hands also feature X1 Super-LumiNova. As most of you will know, X1 Super-LumiNova lights up spectacularly bright at night. On top of that, its performance lasts a lot longer than with other versions of Super-LumiNova. So you can enjoy the great style of a full-lume dial for a longer time, whether you are climbing mountains or simply out and about in your city late at night.
Norqain Calibre NN20/1
Inside the case, Norqain equipped the watch with its proprietary Calibre NN20/1, visible through the sapphire display case back. The three-hand movement was introduced along with the Calibre NN20/2, which is the GMT-version of the same caliber. Norqain developed both movements in collaboration with Kenissi and introduced them in 2020. It added an extra dimension to the young brand, and we have seen the brand introduce more and more models powered by these movements.
The COSC-certified automatic movement operates at 28,800vph and has 28 jewels and a 70-hour power reserve. The overall finishing feels industrial and modern. The movement is further defined by the robust balance bridge, which protects the variable-inertia balance wheel against shock. The other bridge features engravings of the brand’s values, which also happen to be its collection names: Adventure – Freedom – Independence. Additionally, the Norqain logo is engraved on the oscillating weight.
First impressions
I like how Norqain mixes things up with this new Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC. It brings something new to the table in terms of the style of the Adventure Neverest models. The mix of ingredients seemed like a winner to me until I saw the watch. I have to be honest in saying that I was a tad bit disappointed with the execution of the final product. But style is a personal thing, and I’m sure plenty of people out there love this military approach of the Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC.
The watch will be available with a black rubber strap for CHF 3,310. On the khaki flex fabric strap with black vertical stripes, the watch will be CHF 3,290. For all the Neverest models, Norqain will donate 10% of the earnings to the Butterfly Help Project. This project aims to help support the families and children of Sherpas who have lost their lives in the Himalayan mountains, primarily by helping give their children access to education. Norqain has expressed its support for the project, pledging to send 50 children to school and support them over the coming years. This is in addition to the brand’s support of the Butterfly Help Project through the sales of the Neverest watches.
The new Norqain Adventure Neverest Night Sight 40mm DLC will be available through the brand’s official website and Norqain retail partners worldwide. While it’s not necessarily my favorite execution of the Adventure Neverest models, I’m sure this will find its way to Norqain enthusiasts. But even if this is not my pick, the brand has earned my ongoing curiosity to find out what’s next with every release.
For more info, visit the official Norqain website.
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