Nomadic Turas 914

I can still remember the first time I came across the Nomadic Turas 914 . It was British Watchmakers Day, and my brother Mark and I were going from brand to brand looking at the watches. Although we were aware of Nomadic, this was the first time we had met and spoken to them. Straight off the bat, you could tell the passion and heritage coming through the conversation we were having.

One of my colleagues at WatchGecko had mentioned earlier to me, “You need to see that white dialled Turas on the Nomadic stand, It’s absolutely stunning”. Well, now we have one in for a proper review and honestly, I’m not sure I want to take it off.

Buckle in, get comfortable and grab a cuppa, as I get into the details of the Nomadic Turas 914 White Out.

Nomadic’s Back Story

To be Nomadic, is to move from place to place. Being nomadic symbolises their desire for continual progress as a company and as purpose-led individuals. Believing that experiencing different cultures enhances their character and understanding.

They are based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Nomadic’s focus is to build affordable modern tool watches with meticulous attention to detail and rugged durability. Their inspiration comes from Belfast’s rich ship-building heritage daring ventures, and a spirit of adventure. Nomadic embodies the fusion of heritage and contemporary purpose-driven lifestyles. The company takes its name from the SS Nomadic, the last surviving ship of the White Star Line, symbolising the nomadic quest for new horizons.

All the watches are assembled in their state-of-the-art facility in Belfast. Nomadic utilises Swiss-made movements from Sellita, blending Swiss technology with Belfast’s iconic inspiration. Their goal is to manufacture all components locally, except for movements. They also have a boutique in Belfast’s City Centre and offer free shipping worldwide

Lets Dig In

At the heart of the watch is the Sellita SW20-1 an automatic movement that beats at 28,800vph and offers a dependable 41 hours of power reserve. Although not a high-end movement, it still has its Swiss heritage and reliability that Nomadic requires. As well as being a great workhorse and keeps excellent time.

This is housed in a 39mm Stainless Steel 316L brushed case. The fixed polished bezel is reminiscent of those from the early Rolex Explorer/Tudor Ranger models. Although this is definitely not a homage piece, Nomadic has worked hard to create something, in my mind something special. The polished case bevels highlight the case shape and the undercuts of the case make this wear smaller and feel much thinner.

Of course, the highlight for me is the dial. Yes, it’s reminiscent of those from Grand Seiko (which I also really like). However Nomadic have produced something exceptional here. Both the Black Ice and White Out models have the same 3d textured finish replicating an icy terrain. This is another nod back to Shakelton and his 1914 Polar Expedition, Honestly, it’s bang on!

The White Out model I have to review, in the sunlight just pops. A minor criticism would be that the second hand, at times is hard to see, but that doesn’t bother me at all. The hour and minute hands are raised and have a clever outlined Phosphorescent SuperLuminova on them, as do the hour markers. At low light, the dial takes on a very different look and the turquoise lume really stands out.

A Thoughtful Detail

One final thing to mention, when you receive a watch that you have just bought, normally it comes in an oversized box. Inside that houses another, almost Russian Doll-like. These just sit in a cupboard for an eternity taking up precious space in your house. Nomadic has done something different, that I haven’t seen before. Inside the small box, you get a sort of small man bag with a wrist strap. A  decent screwdriver is included for adjusting the bracelet and slots in a small opening.

The watch is zipped inside on a small yellow pillow, as are the warranty card and instructions. This again has been consciously thought through by Nomadic, by offering you something that you could easily re-purpose. There is even another pocket that houses a small capsule of Loctite for the bracelet screws. I can’t think of another brand that offers this kind of detail – hats off to you Nomadic

To sum up, my first impressions were right, as was the recommendation. I was excited when I received the email about getting this in for a review, but also concerned. I worry that I won’t want to return this to Nomadic. The Nomadic Turas 914 is an exceptional watch and they have got the formula perfect with the Turas. The build quality is on point, the design first class and yes I am now a big fan of this watch. I have no doubt it’s a strap monster too and will work with many different straps and take on a multitude of guises.

My only dilemma now, is do I send it back or do I keep it? Only time will tell. But regardless of my opinion, if you are on the lookout for a great-looking, well-made watch, then make sure you give this a chance, you won’t be disappointed. The Nomadic Turas 914 is now also available with a flat green dial known as the Landfall, click HERE for more information.