The Open Water series of watches from Vero immediately stand out with their distinct aesthetic that includes a matte black DLC-coated bezel, bead blasted case and matching bead blasted integrated bracelet. The Vero Crown Point comes with a dark blue matte dial. There are other colors and they are all named for specific landmarks in the Portland/PNW area. A nice local touch and recognition of their hometown.

At 41mm, a lug-to-lug of 47mm and a height of 11mm, the Vero Crown Point keeps an aggressive, low profile on the wrist that goes along with the sporty tool-watch aesthetics. The black, 60-click bezel commands attention with high contrast white 60 minute timing marks and numbers at each 5 minute marker. The lume varies from blue on the bezel, to aqua on the hour markers, to a slightly lighter and brighter aqua on the hands.

One really nice touch is that there are lume plots above and below the numbers from 00 to 15 to distinguish the 15 minute timer from the lume on the rest of the bezel. The lume looks nice while it lasts, but it fades somewhat quickly. The crystal is flat and prone to reflection – not something that bothers me but for some it may be an issue.

The case of the Vero Crown Point, when on the bracelet, gives a slightly cushion-style or tonneau shape. The flat-link bracelet is extremely comfortable and the fully articulating links easily conform to the wrist. There is no on-the-fly micro adjust, which would be nice to have, but I haven’t had any issues with the watch wearing too loose or tight.

The clasp is milled and solid and includes Vero on the 2nd locking clasp. The main clasp closes securely and is designed so that the locking clasp fits into a small indentation to reduce the overall height – a nice touch. Once you get the hang of the reverse-lift release of the main clasp, it is actually really nice and easy to use. Adding an on-the-fly micro adjust would be a great addition in the future.

The heavily protected crown is easy to grasp on the top and bottom of the guards. Further, the black crown is extremely easy to grip and use. The uni-directional rotating bezel is solid and the sawtooth edge is easy to grip and turn. There is no back play. The bezel tapers slightly inwards, and the top of the bezel is slightly rounded adding to the sleek look on the wrist.

With the minute track fully on the bezel, there is no need for a minute track on the dial and I think that single design decision is why I like the dial so much. It’s a deep matte blue, with bright white square-ish hour markers and a double rectangle at 12. Text is limited, adding to the clean look.

The movement inside the Vero Crown Point is a Sellita SW-200-1 automatic movement that is set to +/- 5 seconds/day at all 6 positions. That’s amazing at this price point. I’ve found the watch to be well within that tolerance in day-to-day wear. Further amplifying the Vero commitment to the quality of the Open Water series is the 10-year warranty against ANY damage. That’s incredible and shows the commitment you are getting from the company. Kudos to Vero.

This isn’t your typical microbrand diver. At $885 on the bracelet, the Vero Crown Point is in the upper-half of the microbrand diver cost range. But for that price, you get a very compelling package of features, not to mention a fantastic looking watch. If you generally like the Sinn-tool look, then you’re going to like this. It’s relatively slim profile and comfortable bracelet make it easy to wear and the low-key, but aggressive look is extremely attractive.

Any small nits above are just that, small. With the 10-year warranty, obvious thoughtful design, and clean but understated aesthetic, the Vero Crown Point is an excellent opportunity to get a great, unique dive watch that is worth the price of admission. And it has me wondering if I need to add one of the new yellow or orange versions.