П Ratio is quite an obscure brand – there’s little to be found about them around the web – they’re not big on marketing, using influencers or “disrupting the industry”. They, however, make a hell of a tool watch. Just like the transcendental number Pi they’ve taken up for their brand logo, the Ratio Freediver truly represents a golden ratio – between price and performance, in this case.

The Freediver is not a beauty by any means – would you call a hammer beautiful? Its looks are based on its functionality, not the other way around. But in spite of this, and the complete lack of polished surfaces, the Freediver manages to have visually pleasing lines – as well as not bear a resemblance to any of the most iconic diver designs. And this is no small thing in today’s world.

The stated case size of 42mm can be a bit misleading since the bezel itself is less than 40 and having an all-brushed finish, the watch visually seems smaller than it actually is. Paired with a very compact lug-to-lug of 46mm and you have a watch perfect for (almost) any wrist. The Freediver also sports a 500m water resistance, sapphire glass, very strong and responsive lume and an automatic Myota 8215 movement. And even though a bit dated, it’s a movement that is robust and stood the test of time and, as such, it’s perfectly adequate for the job. And for around a hundred bucks, it’s value can hardly be contested.

And that’s the thing about this watch – in a day and age when the use of watches as tools has practically been made obsolete and when watches costing several thousand dollars are advertised as “tool” watches – the humble Ratio reminds us of the true values of a proper tool: it’s affordable, dependable and, if it brakes during use, easily replaceable. To put it plainly, it’s a watch that’s meant to be worn, used and abused – as a true tool should.