Fergus Nash
After two years of waiting, Arken Instrumentum Fans Finally, the microbrand has delivered a sequel. At the time, this watch was one of the highest specced titanium dive watches available, and the new Alken Alteram lives up to that reputation. Titanium has become popular in affordable watchesyou won’t have to look long to find one that ticks all the boxes. That being said, the Arken Alterum is packed with character and functionality in a dive-friendly GMT package.
Incident
Despite its 200m water resistance and screw-down crown, the Arken Alterum wasn’t made to be a dive watch. With a fixed bezel and sleek case design, the Alterum is better suited as a go-anywhere, do-anything all-purpose sports watch. Titanium is about 50% lighter than steel and is comfortable in hot and active environments, but it also has the downside of being soft and easily scratched. Arken addresses this issue by adding an anti-scratch coating to the case, so you don’t have to treasure it outdoors or at your desk.
The case shape is very modern, combining curves and bevels, but the wings and integrated strap design evoke design elements from the 1970s. The nylon strap has a quick-change system, so if you already have an Instrumentum titanium bracelet, you can swap it out. The bezel has a diameter of 38mm and a lug-to-lug length of 46mm, so it fits comfortably on most wrists, despite the increased width and presence of the wings. The 13mm thickness is also quite respectable for such a watch, and should sit nicely thanks to the overall slope of the case.
Dial
The name Arken Alterum sounds like a black metal album, and the aesthetic Arken is going for isn’t too far off. The dial’s rough texture contrasts with the crisp white print, and the teardrop-shaped quarter-markers lean into a refined aggression. That hard-hitting personality is also reflected in the pointer date hand and the hybrid sword and alpha hand set, which are painted black to highlight the lume.
Functionally, you’ll almost forget that this watch has three complications. The GMT hand with a lollipop pointer is slender and comes in orange or blue depending on your dial choice, so it doesn’t get in the way of anything else and remains easy to read. The blue pairs with the black dial option, while the orange stands out against the anthracite gray. That said, as of this writing, the gray dial is currently sold out. There are also two holes on either side of the dial that act as AM/PM indicators depending on which side is highlighted in white.
motion
The Arken Alterum uses an improved version of the Miyota 9015 movement. The 9000 series is Miyota’s top caliber series, featuring excellent accuracy and a smooth 4Hz sweep. While most microbrands that claim to improve their movements simply engrave their logo on the automatic rotor, Arken developed its own module for the Miyota base. It adds GMT and am/pm functionality in a unique way, and allows you to adjust the local time with the crown while keeping the home time (fourth hand) fixed. Turning the crown counterclockwise advances both hour hands, so you can set the difference between the two hands and set both time zones where you want them. It’s a bit of a complicated system that may take some time to get used to, but considering the affordable price of this watch, the trade-off is worth it. The screw-down pusher at 4 o’clock is used to set the pointer date and was separated from the crown operation to allow room for adjustment of the GMT display.
Arken Alterum pricing and availability:
A maximum of 200 of each Arken Alterum colour will be produced, but as they are not specifically limited, more may be produced in the future. The Anthracite Grey model is already sold out. Price: £599.99
Brand Arken Model Alterum Case size 38mm x 46mm Case material Titanium with anti-scratch coating Water resistance 200m Crystal Sapphire Dial Black or grey Strap Quick release integrated nylon strap Movement Modified Miyota 9015 Power reserve 42 hours Availability Currently available (grey sold out) Price £599.99
