Article by Marc Levesque; photography by Bob Allaby
Worth the wait
I had the chance to write about Tennet in late 2024 for an article published on Worn & Wound. It was part of my monthly Micro-Brand Digest column, and I selected Tennet because their watches genuinely stood out as well-designed and authentic. They are also good value, which is increasingly rare these days. You can read that article here.
When they launched their first dive watch, the Argonaut, I immediately reached out to Royce to ask if I could get hands-on with it. I was ecstatic when he said, “Sure,” but when it arrived several months ago, it had become severely demagnetized in transit. Bummed, I sent it back, and it was months before another one showed up.
Now that I have it in hand, what say you we take it for a spin?
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Key Features of the Tennet Argonaut
Case and point
The Argonaut’s 904L stainless steel case measures 40mm in diameter, 48mm lug-to-lug, and is relatively slim at 12mm thick. The last attribute is quite impressive, considering its formidable 300 meters of water resistance. The finish is very good, with a mostly polished finish with brushed concave bevels on the lugs, which is a little detail borrowed from their Somerset line of watches. Nice to see this design cohesion.
The sides are polished, but the screw-down crown itself is brushed and designed to mimic the distinctive “Domino” dimples of the aforementioned Somerset line. Clearly, there is an intention behind these choices. The crown is large at 7mm in diameter, and its girth makes it very easy to operate and lock down. There is also a little red dot on the crown face. This is a subtle but significant tribute to Singapore’s nickname: The Little Red Dot.
The term Argonaut can also refer to the Argonauta octopuses, pelagic cephalopods whose females create delicate, shell-like brood chambers. I believe this is why there is a beautiful, polished octopus embossed on the screw-down case back. As a side note, if you’ve never seen “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix, I highly recommend it. That said, I am one of those who will take a nicely engraved case back any day over a see-through case back, and this one is very nice.
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Bezel and dial
I like the aluminum-inserted bezel, but I also dislike it. Why do I say that? I like its design, which is nice and slim, and the 24 scallops along its edge look really good. It looks the part and fits the entire design flawlessly, except when you need to rotate it. Just like the scallops on the Omega Seamaster 300m bezel, they are super slippery and very difficult to get a grip on. When it does turn, the clicks are solid, and there is barely any back play.
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The 32mm-wide double-domed box sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating underneath, which helps showcase the absolutely stunning dial. And dials are where Tennet really excels. Their Somerset lineup could go toe-to-toe with some of the best, and this new Argonaut is no slouch either. I applaud the use of unconventional hands and cardinal markers. I mean, look at them! I even like the tiny anchor at the base of the second hand. However, the magic is when everything lines up at 12 o’clock. SO DANG COOL!
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The dial has a sunray blue finish that can look dark blue in certain light and vivid in others, with a tinge of green. I have always been a fan of blue watches. I might have owned more blue watches than any other color, and this one is done right. That said, I wonder, with such a contemporary-looking watch, why the choice of vintage Swiss Superluminova lume, or as collectors refer to it, faux-tina. In my opinion, it might have looked better with stark white lume paint.
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Movement
What can I say about the Swiss Sellita SW200-1b that has not already been said, perhaps even by me? The 1b indicates that there is no date display. Quick specs are a beat rate of 28,800 alternations per hour, 26 jewels, and a power reserve of 38 hours. This is a very robust and accurate movement. Since it is a clone of the prolific ETA 2824, serviceability is not an issue. It is a fine choice and can be found in watches costing 4-5 times as much. My test watch ran at +10 seconds per day, which is just under their stated specifications.
Specs
| Case | 904L Stainless Steel 40mm Diameter 48mm Lug to Lug 12mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Crown 300m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Double-domed Sapphire Crystal Sunray Dial Applied and Polished Markers Custom Handset Swiss Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | SW200-1b 26 Jewels 28 800bph 38-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet /w Comfort Adjust Clasp |
Tennet Argonaut
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904L Stainless Steel Bracelet @timetogo1978
Brace Yourself
The Argonaut’s bracelet is, well, unfortunately, decent. I applaud the use of 904L stainless steel for the links and the screws that hold them together, but the clasp feels like an afterthought. And it might just be that, unlike the rest of the watch, it is made of 316L stainless steel. Shall we get a little nerdy and discuss the difference in these two materials? Why not?
Key Differences
| Feature | 316L Stainless Steel | 904L Stainless Steel |
| Composition | ~16–18% Chromium, 10–14% Nickel, 2–3% Molybdenum | ~19–23% Chromium, 23–28% Nickel, 4–5% Molybdenum + Copper |
| Corrosion Resistance | Excellent for most marine and food uses; vulnerable to strong acids | Superior resistance to pitting, chlorides, and strong acids (like sulfuric acid) |
| Appearance | Typical medium-grey metallic look | Brighter, cooler, and whiter tone; takes a higher “mirror” polish |
| Hardness | Generally considered slightly harder/stronger | Often described as softer, though more ductile and harder to machine |
| Cost | More affordable and widely available | 2 to 4 times more expensive than 316L |
While the clasp does have on-the-fly micro-adjustment, it is not quite up to par with some of its competitors. There is vertical play in that adjustment system, and large gaps between the clasp shell and the links when closed, which makes it look like the tolerances are too low. I also feel that the link on the 6 o’clock side is too long; in fact, it’s longer than all the other links and doesn’t articulate. This effectively gives the entire clasp structure a length of 50mm. That’s 2mm longer than the watch itself.
I get that everyone wants an easy-adjusting setting on their clasp, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of the watch as a whole. This one feels like they had a watch completed, and someone said OH NO, we don’t have the on-the-fly thingamabob, let’s add this off-the-shelf version. Yeah, that will do it. Unfortunately, no, it does not… I prefer a standard fold-over push-button clasp with tiny adjustment holes to this clasp. Your mileage may vary, and I could be making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Final Thoughts & Pricing
The Tennet Argonaut is not your typical dive watch, and that’s precisely its strength. It’s a piece that leans heavily into design, but backs it up with solid execution in key areas like case finishing and overall build quality. While the bracelet and bezel ergonomics leave room for improvement, they don’t overshadow what Tennet has accomplished here.
In a world of vanilla dive watches, I’m looking at you, Longines; the Tennet Argonaut is a breath of fresh air. If you’re seeking something outside the usual playbook, something with personality, creativity, and a clear point of view, the Argonaut is well worth a closer look.
You can preorder the Tennet Argonaut directly from the brand website for $1,665 CAD. Full retail will be $2,081 CAD. Preorder window closes May 10th.
Super-LumiNova @timetogo1978
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About the author
Based in Montreal, Quebec, Marc has been an enthusiastic watch collector for well over three decades. Having witnessed and participated in the birth of the internet watch community, he has played a role on multiple watch forums and his articles have appeared on-line and in print since the late 1990s. Today his passion for all things horological is as pronounced as it has ever been, while he continues his never-ending search for watch next. You can follow him on Instagram.
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