A solid offering from Belfast-based Nomadic, the Turas 914 is a classic field watch that incorporates some interesting modern touches
Nomadic is a small Northern Irish watchmaker based in Belfast and fittingly named after the SS Nomadic, a first-class tender to the RMS Titanic now moored in the city’s Hamilton Dock and the last surviving White Star Line vessel. The brand’s watches are assembled in Belfast, feature Swiss movements and come with a generous lifetime guarantee.
Billed a rugged, no-nonsense tool watches for ‘purpose-led individuals’, Nomadic’s watches don’t stray too far off the beaten path: its Marai 401 dive model is reminiscent of vintage Tudor offerings, while the Turas 914 here takes clear inspiration from the Rolex Explorer.
Nomadic makes its influences pretty clear in its marketing material for the Turas 914. The name means ‘journey’ in Irish, and while the Rolex has become synonymous with Sir Edmund Hillary’s ascent of Mount Everest, Nomadic has created its field watch in honor of Arctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean. The numeral suffix on the name references 1914 – the year that Shackleton and crew set sail on their ship Endurance.
Case and bracelet
The Turas 914 measures in at 39mm in diameter and at just 11mm thick feels very comfortable on the wrist; those familiar with similarly sized modern incarnations of the aforementioned Rolex, or perhaps the Longines Conquest, will feel right at home.
The bracelet, a simple all-brushed three-link affair, is a big contributor to that comfort, with an on-the-fly adjustment mechanism in the buckle allowing for quick, tool-free micro adjustment for a great fit. Crucially, the clever buckle is slim despite its adjustment mechanism.
Female end links help the reasonable 47.5mm lug-to-lug measurement feel even shorter – good news for those with smaller wrists – while a taper from 20mm to 16mm at the buckle keeps things neat. Removing and adding links is simple enough thanks to flat-head screws and a supplied screwdriver.
The 316L stainless steel case perhaps isn’t the most exciting to look at but the Turas’ quality of finish is decent, with a mostly fine-brushed finish set off by highly polished bevelled edges and bezel. The polished chamfer runs down the side of each lug, but does not extend to the edge on the movement side of the watch – it would be nice to see more finer case detail at this price.
Movement and dial
Power comes courtesy of an in-house regulated Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, visible through the sapphire caseback and sporting an engraved rotor with Geneva stripes and a tiny image of Endurance and its famous crew of Arctic explorers. With its 41-hour power reserve and proven reputation there’s little to dislike here; it’s a movement found in some watches costing twice as much from the likes of Oris and Sinn, and favoured by fellow British brand Christopher Ward. Hand-winding and time-setting feels reassuringly robust, while a screw-down crown helps the watch attain its useful 100m of water resistance.
Perhaps the biggest reason to choose the Turas 914 over its numerous rivals is its impressive dial, tested here in ‘White-out’ finish but also available in darker ‘Black Ice’. Reminiscent of Grand Seiko’s textured efforts, the dial appears almost silver in person, with cracks and crevices running vertically to create an interestingly non-uniform, natural look.
While clearly intended to evoke the snow and ice, the finish has a wood-grain quality – like a chunkier, more aggressive take on that found on Grand Seiko’s famous White Birch SLGH005, albeit at something like 1/8th of the price.
The modern numerals, baton indices, smaller second track and all lettering are seemingly stamped as part of the dial rather than applied on top – undoubtedly a cost-saving measure, but one that results in a flawless execution devoid of alignment issues. Lume is precisely applied to the border of each index and numeral; it’s a great effect but not the longest-lasting or most legible approach.
There’s no date window (and no ‘ghost date’ when setting the watch), while aviation-style sword hands are joined by a bright yellow second hand that’s a little hard to see against the white dial in lower light. Some may be bothered by the shorter minute hand that stops shy of the chapter ring – a contentious issue in some enthusiast circles. We had no issues telling the time, however.
Nomadic Turas 914: our verdict
While not the most original design around, the Nomadic Turas 914 sticks to a proven field watch recipe and adds its own flair, with design touches and production details that help set it apart from a sea of similar, cheaper offerings from across the burgeoning microbrand market.
Nomadic counters its lower-priced rivals with enthusiast-targeted features like UK assembly, an impressive lifetime warranty (which remains so long as servicing is carried out by Nomadic every five years). Throw in a high-quality Sellita movement – regulated by Nomadic in Belfast – and the fundamentals are strong.
It would be great to see some more involved finishing to the Turas’ case and bracelet, but the rest of the watch is solid. Similar overall quality can be found elsewhere for less but Nomadic’s impressive aftercare, Swiss movement and Northern Irish connection will be a draw for many.
Nomadic Turas 914 White-out specifications
Manufacturer
RRP
£1,050
Case
316L stainless steel, fine-brushed
Dimensions
39mm diameter, 11mm thickness, 47.5mm lug-to-lug, 20mm lug width
Crystal
Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Bezel
316L stainless steel, polished
Lume
Blue SuperLuminova BGW9
Bracelet
Three-link tapered 20mm to 16mm, MicroGlide adjustment, screw-in links, quick-release spring bars
Movement
Sellita SW200-1 automatic
Water resistance
100m/330ft
