Off the Cuff: NEOTYPE LM01 Type D

In an ocean of vintage-themed divers, the NEOTYPE LM01 Type D looms large as an almost futuristic rendering–like Captain Nemo’s Nautilus, or maybe even the Starship Enterprise. If futuristic is your thing, or maybe you’ve just had your fill of retro-styled divers, perhaps you’ll find the NEOTYPE LM01 landing soon on a wrist near you.

NEOTYPE LM01 Type D Watch Review — ^{NEOTYPE LM01 Type D}^@calibre321

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Straight out of the box (actually, it’s more like an EDC carrying case), the NEOTYPE hits you with its fluid lines and almost organic structure. The 40mm stainless steel case looks as though it could easily be a pebble spit up from the sea–worn smooth by the tide and shifting sands. In fact, it has been rendered by CNC, and its matte finish is the product of sandblasting. The watch wears a little larger than the specs might lead you to believe, however. The swooping crown guards and oversized crown, itself, give the case a real sense of mass. The watch is also long (50mm lug to lug) and tall at 15.8mm, including the double-domed sapphire crystal–which is a whopping 3.5mm thick.

The most interesting portion of the construction, though, is the unidirectional 120-click bezel. Rather than make use of a traditional flange and insert, NEOTYPE has created a robust, single-piece bezel to match the curvaceous forms used in the case. It has a pronounced vertical slope and makes use of six raised nodules for grip, instead of knurling. The nodules take the place of the numerical indicators on the fives in the dive bezel and are interspersed with black numerals on the tens. There is a lumed pip at twelve and graduated minute markers from 0-15. The bezel action is snappy with no back play.

Overall, the look is minimalist. This is reinforced by the matte textured sandwich-style dial. Here, there is little text and the cutaway indices–a combination of dots and dashes on the cardinal markers–are simple and straightforward. The dashes, due to their extended lengths, form a kind of cross-hair pattern. The pencil-style handset, which is blackened to match the dial, is only visible because of the lume inserts. The C1 Super-LumiNova is also used on the plate underneath. All elements glow impressively when charged. The combination of a sloping rehaut with the domed crystal and sandwich dial provides a sense of significant depth, as well.

With its screw down crown and case back, the NEOTYPE offers 300m of water resistance and is ISO 6425 certified. The case back is solid and individually numbered with a recessed X set into the centre.

The watch comes with an extensible FKM Rubber Strap and a fabric NATO option. Powered by the Miyota 9039, it beats at 4Hz and promises up to 42 hours of reserve.

SPECS

Case	316L Stainless Steel 40mm Diameter 15.8mm Thick 50mm Lug to Lug 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Case Back & Crown 120-Click Unidirectional Bezel 300m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Double-Domed Sapphire Crystal /w AR Cutaway Indices Textured Sandwich Dial Pencil Handset C1 Super-LumiNova
Movement	Miyota 9039 24 Jewels 28 800bph 42-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Black FKM Rubber & Fabric NATO

NEOTYPE LM01 Type D

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Of Interest

The creators of NEOTYPE clearly began with a very specific aesthetic philosophy and have looked to the the world of aerospace and automotive design for inspiration. Its my understanding that while NEOTYPE have begun with watches that this is not the end for the brand. We can expect other related products with this same visual ideology–perhaps in the realm of EDC. The NEOTYPE LM01 is hand assembled in France.

Quibbles

I might have preferred a fitted strap here. The lug shape seems to lend itself to this. Also, the wrist experience might be improved ergonomically if the were lugs turned down, slightly. As it is, the watch feels much better when worn on a NATO.

Final Thoughts

The NEOTYPE LM01 is waft of fresh air. I have a deep respect for a brand with a well-executed and distinct vision. The LM01 is certainly a robust and substantial watch. You can feel it in your hand. And for all its novelty it does not appear strange, not does it eschew the function for which it was created. It should make a good a diver. Beyond the model featured here, there are six iterations from which to choose– including blue dials, as well as a references in both gold and black PVD finishes.

The NETOTYPE LM01 begins at $670USD, now that the Kickstarter campaign has come to a close. For more information, please visit the brand website.