One of the very first decisions we made during the development of this project was also one of the most important.
The movement.
Long before a case is machined, a dial designed or a prototype assembled, the movement defines the character of a watch. It determines proportions, reliability, serviceability, performance and ultimately how the watch will feel on the wrist for years to come.
And after many months of consideration, we chose the Miyota 9039.
Manufactured in Miyota, Nagano Prefecture, Japan by the movement specialists at Miyota, the 9039 has quietly become one of the most respected modern automatic calibres available anywhere in the industry today.
Not because it is cheap.
Quite the opposite.
In fact, demand for the 9000-series movements has risen so dramatically that availability is now heavily constrained, with many allocations effectively sold out well into 2027.
There is a reason for that.
The 9039 represents something increasingly rare in modern watchmaking — exceptional real-world performance combined with slim modern architecture and proven long-term reliability.
At 28,800 vibrations per hour, this is a true high-beat automatic movement. The smoother sweep of the seconds hand immediately gives the watch a more refined and precise feel compared to lower-beat alternatives.
But beyond the specification sheet, what truly impressed us was the overall engineering package.
The movement is slim, robust, highly efficient and exceptionally consistent in performance. For a professional diver, those qualities matter enormously.
Choosing the 9039 also allowed us to preserve something incredibly important to this project.
Proportion.
A dive watch should feel purposeful and solid, but also wearable and balanced. The slimmer profile of the 9039 has given us far greater flexibility when refining the overall case architecture and wrist presence of the watch.
That balance is something Danielle and I have obsessed over throughout this development process.
In many ways, movements are like engines.
Some may look impressive on paper, while others prove themselves over years of dependable real-world use.
After decades spent around watches, servicing departments, case manufacturers and production facilities throughout the industry, we have learned that reliability, consistency and intelligent engineering matter far more than marketing terminology.
The Miyota 9039 delivers exactly that.
It is a movement trusted by some of the most respected independent watchmakers in the world today, and we are incredibly proud to be building this project around it.
Most importantly, it aligns perfectly with our philosophy:
Create watches with genuine integrity, engineering credibility and exceptional long-term value.
This project deserves nothing less.
And as always…
There is still much more to come.
Why We Chose The Miyota 9039
