Duzu is a watch brand from Western Australia, drawing inspiration from the beauty of the local coastline. The watches are made with care and often feature designs that celebrate the sea life in the area.
Their main goal is to make great-looking, high-quality watches that don’t cost a fortune. You won’t have to rob a bank to own one of their pieces. The designs are bold and truly unique.
Duzu claims to be a boutique brand(according to their website), which means they’re a small, independent company that focuses on making fewer watches with more attention to detail. (that’s just my interpretation , you may have a different understanding though). Meaning they produce high-quality watches in smaller batches, prioritising quality over quantity
A small note to the end of this part of the introduction if you will. I really appreciate that, it is openly stated on the website, the watches are made in Hong Kong. I love this sort of honesty from brands, there is no need to hide the fact where the watches are made. I find this so very refreshing. It’s a straightforward approach that more watch brands should follow.
All right, now let’s talk about the watch!
Echoes of the Southern White Whale, the inspiration behind the design
Duzu claims that “The ‘ANTARCTICA’ embodies the migration route from the Southern tip of New Zealand to Antarctica”. The entire design was created to closely resemble the Southern White Whale. The two crowns are styled to look like the whale’s eyes, while the flanks of the case resemble its belly. The hands are shaped like the whale’s jawbone, and the hour markers are inspired by its blowholes. There’s even a whale tail emblem on the inner bezel.
I often find myself just staring at this watch, taking in all the thoughtful details. It’s a piece that invites you to slow down and appreciate the craftsmanship. Despite all the artistic flourishes, it remains one of the most legible watches I’ve worn. It is very easy to read at a glance, in any lighting or environment.
The case-back, as you’d expect, is engraved with a detailed image of a Southern White Whale. The engraving is very well done, with sharp lines and great depth. It’s framed by text that reflects the overall theme of the watch, bringing everything together in a fitting way.
It’s a thoughtful touch that adds to the story behind the design and makes the watch feel even more special.
It is a 42mm lug to lug and 13.25 mm thick dive watch with a 300m water resistance. Wears comfortable on my 17cm (6.7 inch) wrist as you can see below.
That water resistance is pretty good for this type of watches, basically you can do any kind of water activities wearing it from swimming to diving or even jet skiing. It can handle a great amount of pressure.
It has a very easy to read dial with raised markers and a great amount of BGW9 lume that glows blue at night and oh boy it lights up like crazy. I was honestly surprised when I first experienced that. Extra points for filling the crowns up with lume too.
I have to admit, I’m not the best at taking photos, that shows off the watches at night, but you can see my attempt below (in the gallery I added). Hats off to the lume champions though it’s a tricky world.
Back to the crowns. The watch has a 120-click inner bezel, which is why it has two crowns. Both of them are screw-down ones, which are necessary to achieve the promised water resistance. They are very easy and comfortable to operate.
The watch is powered by the premium Miyota 9039 automatic caliber which works on 4hz and has a 42 hours power reserve. It is a good choice to keep the prices fair and offers a good workhorse of a movement that does not cost a fortune to maintain, not to mention the slimmer profile.
It comes with a domed piece of sapphire crystall with inner anti-reflective coating and housed in a fully brushed stainless steel case.
The strap
To be honest the strap it arrives on is all right, but nothing too fancy nor too comfortable(for me at least). It does its job to keep the watch in position on the wrist. That said I love changing straps on my watches and that is where I found the only downside of this model.
While trying to add new straps I’ve noticed replacing the original one can be tricky because of the short lugs, so most of them simply won’t fit. Despite of that I had no problem fitting my favorite NATO straps with ease or my black Hirsch vegan rubber one.
Closing thoughts
The DW-D3 is one of those watches that reminds you why microbrands matter. It’s creative, well-built, and unafraid to be different, bringing a level of personality you simply don’t see every day. And beyond the storytelling and unique design cues, it backs everything up with real performance, from its reliable movement and solid 300m water resistance to the absolutely stunning BGW9 lume that lights up like a beacon in the dark.(not to mention the lume in the crowns)
What makes it even more impressive is the value it delivers. For the level of detail, finishing, and thoughtful engineering packed into this piece, the price-to-worth ratio is honestly hard to beat. It feels like a watch made with passion, not just production goals, and that comes through every time it’s on the wrist.
If you are looking for a diver that stands his ground against most watches and offers a unique design, look no further. Duzu Dw-D3 is a great choice.
Specifications:
- Dial – Matte Crisp White
- Case – 316L STAINLESS STEEL
- Diameter– 42mm
- Thickness – 13.25mm (incl. crystal)
- Lug Width – 22mm
- Crown – Screw-down with lumed inserts
- Overall Length – 42mm LUG-TO-LUG
- Bezel Function – 120 CLICK BI-DIRECTIONAL INNER BEZEL
- Lume – SWISS SUPERLUMINOVA LUMINESCENT PIGMENTS
- Crystal – DOMED SAPPHIRE WITH AR COATING
- Water Resistance – 300 metres
- Movement – MIYOTA 9039 calibre automatic
Check out there collections here:
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