Halios Universa Watch Review 2023

Universa from Halios has been talked about a lot. After their release Seaforth, Halios surely had a lot to do to surpass its popularity. Considered one of the best microbrand timepieces in the market, Seaforth definitely deserves its hype. Universa seems to embody a more adventurous spirit, with an explorer style, hand-wind movement and a new band. Today, we will review this particularly intriguing watch and see how it matches our expectations. 

Dimensions

One of Halios’s strongest points is their ability to create extremely comfortable and snug bracelets. If you thought Seaforth was comfy, wait to try on Universa. The special lugs that seem to almost mold to your wrist make this timepiece impressively comfortable. It makes you question why other brands don’t use a similar lug composition. Moreover, it allows for higher versatility so that the manufacturer can create a timepiece designed to compliment any wrist size. 

Although the dimensions of this watch can seem a bit strange at first with a width of 38mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 48mm, the finished look is quite balanced. Because of the lug design, the watch appears as if it has a 46mm lug-to-lug length. This makes Universa not only extremely comfortable, but also quite proportionate in appearance. 

I haven’t been a fan of explorer style watches. They don’t seem to fit with my overall aesthetic. However, Universa is the first timepiece which seems to be able to change my mind. It manages to perfectly embody the explorer style while preserving its own identity. Even though some people may argue that this is not one of those watches you can go everywhere with, I’d say Universa competes with the most reliable and tough timepieces in the market. The 100m water resistance is highly convenient and I’d trust it to keep my watch safe in the wildest trips.

The dial

I’ve always preferred clean and clutter-free dials. Fortunately, I see more and more brands taking this approach. Although a few lines written on a dial can be completely fine, there is beauty in simplicity. Universa has chosen to position the logo and name at the 12 o’clock spot and the 10ATM writing on the 6 o’clock position. 

The numerals are made with an amazing font and they are placed at the cardinal positions. Square markers stand in between and hashes can be seen on the outer side. The inner part of the dial is separated by a ring, which creates an appearance similar to sector dials. 

The hands and markers are luminous. I’ve noticed they shine brightly when exposed to the slightest rays of sunshine. If they are not glowing, the lume (SuperLumiNova C3) shows a light yellow tone which compliments the gray dial beautifully. 

The set of the hands is straightforward and sleek. The hour and minute hands seem to have been brushed in the middle. They are multifaceted and nicely polished. This enables the lights to show in different angles. In this way nothing blends with the dial, creating more striking details.

The case

I believe Halios stands out the most when it comes to their case designs. Jason Lim delivers some genial compositions and the case in Universa makes no exception. There are several details beautifully shown in this particular piece. The cut-ins, fine polishing and the refined techniques used allows for Universa to show a dynamic and striking look. 

What I love the most about the Universa case is how the lugs match with the bracelet. The chamfer on the endlinks meets the chamfer at the top of the lugs. This creates an endless look with the endlinks extending upwards towards the side of the case. I am unsure about this particular element, but I can’t put my finger on what bothers me. On one hand the extra dimension on the endlinks adds a nice touch. However, it may appear as if it was an error rather than a design choice. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure it was intentionally done and you actually will hardly notice it, so it’s not an issue. 

The bezel

Another element which sets Halios apart from other explorer style timepieces is the fixed bezel. Instead of settling for either a polished or brushed bezel, they decided to go for both. They polished the inner part of the bezel and b rushed the outer one. This diversity in its finishes is a nice touch, however, I wish it had been reversed. Because of the way the polished part is done, it often appears black as it reflects light in a different way. If the roles had been reversed, this wouldn’t happen. 

The crown is fairly large and very easy to use. Since Universa is a hand-wind watch, the smoothly operative crown is a must. The movement used is Sellita SW-210.

The bracelet

One of the most interesting components of Universa would be the bracelet, particularly its clasp. A quick micro-adjust system is implemented in this clasp which can be activated by pushing the logo on its outer part. The way this clasp works is what sets it apart from other mechanisms.

I have two minor issues with this feature, although I do like it. First, it is quite tricky to tighten the bracelet while you’re wearing this watch. When you take it off, you can easily loosen the bracelet by pushing the button and flexing your wrist a little bit. However, tightening it is a whole nother story. The links are connected in such a way that there is nothing where they can push against. Surely, you can take the watch off before tightening it, however, considering the mechanism used for adjusting it is on the outside, everything would be more easily done while on the wrist. 

The design of the bracelet is gorgeous and the finishing shines in the sun. The flat links reflect the light beautifully and they don’t pull on any hairs. I am perfectly happy with the comfort of this watch as well. The micro-adjustment allows for a customized fit which makes this timepiece extremely comfortable to wear all day. The strap version is equally amazing, so I suggest you give it a go as well. 

Final remarks

So, is Universa Halio’s next best thing? I’d say yes. Considering the materials used, the special design and the impeccable comfort it provides, Universa can compete with every other microbrand timepiece. Halios didn’t fail to impress us. When you look at how much anticipation preceded the release of this watch, you can tell how much they are loved by the watch enthusiasts community. Affordable and yet of top-tier quality, Universa should be on the top of your next purchase list.