Review: NORQAIN Adventure Sport Hands-On Review

At The Watch Resource, we always strive to bring you exciting timepieces from brands that are perhaps under the radar, but an absolute standout in quality and design alike. On a constant lookout for quiet luxury, we landed on an exciting piece from NORQAIN, the Adventure Sport.

Specs:

Ref #: N1000C02A/A101
Movement: Automatic
Caliber: NN08 (Sellita SW200-1 base)
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Case Width: 42 mm
Lug Width: 22 mm
Lug-to-lug: 50.2 mm
Price: Around $2,000

NORQAIN: The Brand

NORQAIN is a relatively new brand with top quality watches, considering both materials and movements. While the branding focus is definitely on the Swiss outdoor lifestyle, due to the versatile designs of their watches, the NORQAIN timepieces are not easily boxed into a single category.

The brand is quickly and deservedly becoming popular and well-respected in the watch industry, and frankly, we completely understand why: unique design with irrefutable quality at a still reasonable price point.

NORQAIN derives its name from a concealed significance that perfectly embodies the brand’s essence: New, Open-minded, Rebellious, Quality time, Adventure, Independent, Niche. While the underlying meaning of the name is delightful, our favorite hidden and witty detail is the logo, skillfully uniting the initial and final letters ‘N’ to form a visual representation of a mountain. This artistic approach effectively reinforces the brand’s adventurous outdoor identity.

NORQAIN Adventure Sport (Ref # N1000C02A/A101): Overview

The NORQAIN Adventure Sport has a very sturdy appearance that exudes a bold and resilient character that appeals to adventurous individuals who constantly seek new challenges and embrace a sporty lifestyle.

The Adventure Sport does not feature Roman or Arabic numerals on the dial and bezel. Instead they opted for a simplistic design approach, featuring straight lines and angles to re-enforce the watch’s robust and sturdy nature. As a result, the overall appearance remains understated and elegant.

Specs:

Ref #: N1000C02A/A101
Movement: Automatic
Caliber: NN08 (Sellita SW200-1 base)
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Case Width: 42 mm
Lug Width: 22 mm
Lug-to-lug: 50.2 mm
Price: Around $2,000

Dial

The dial itself achieves a very sporty look while maintaining a clean and not overcomplicated appearance. As mentioned earlier, no Roman or Arabic numerals are used for the hour markers, instead we have Superluminova covered rectangular shapes designating the hour markers. The date window is conveniently located at the 3 o’clock position.

The hour and minute hands use the classic pencil design, combined with the spear second hand that is outlined with a vibrant red color, bringing some dynamism to the watch.

Our favorite part is the signature NORQAIN dial pattern, that ensures the dial doesn’t feel empty towards the center. This is a beautiful solution, as the watch remains simplistic in appearance, yet not too minimalist.

Bezel

The bezel is a 60-click unidirectional turning bezel, and it’s interesting to note that we usually see a serrated bezel solution with sports watches, however, we have a knurled design here that’s equally optimal for comfortable handling. This knurled design combined with no minute markings on the bezel achieves a very elegant look that perfectly complements the overall sporty feel.

Case

The Adventure Sport has a case width of 42 mm, and a 50.2 mm lug-to-lug distance. The thickness of the case is 12.8 mm, therefore the watch can look pretty substantial on the wrist, which is to be expected with sports watches.

As with all NORQAIN watches, the left side of the case has a polished plate with NORQAIN engraved on it, however, this is something you can customize if you wish.

The screw-down crown doesn’t have crown guards, making the overall appearance more sleek and sophisticated.

The exhibition case back is made of scratch-proof sapphire glass.

The Adventure Sport is water resistant up to 100 meters.

Movement

The NN08 caliber is a 26-jewel automatic movement that is based on the Sellita SW 200-1 movement. It provides 38 hours of power reserve.

As we have the see-through case back, we can see the personalized NORQAIN oscillating weight that spins around the intricate movement made of 80 unique parts.

Strap & Bracelet

There are a few different options for bracelet and straps:

A very classy oyster stainless steel bracelet folding clasp with additional security clasp.
Rubber strap inspired by the knurled bezel design either in blue or black.
Nordura fabric strap with the inner side lined with leather.

Pros and Cons

Let’s take a look at the summary of pros and cons, in our humble opinion:

Pros

Versatile look, the Adventure Sport can be easily dressed up or down.
Unique design with signature NORQAIN pattern on the dial.
Very comfortable wear.
The customizable polished plate on the left side of the case is a great way to make the watch your own.

Cons:

The water resistance of 100 meters could be underwhelming for some.
The 50.2 mm lug-to-lug distance might be slightly oversize for more delicate wrists.

Summary: Takeaway and Final Thoughts About NORQAIN Adventure Sport

The NORQAIN Adventure Sport is a very serious statement piece with an overall rugged look and design that remains classy and elegant. The understated design elements are combined with substantial dimensions, such as the 44 mm case width and 12.8 mm case thickness.

The Adventure Sport features unique touches of the NORQAIN brand, like the signature dial pattern, and the customizable stainless steel plate on the side of the case.

The Adventure collection captures the excitement of venturing into nature’s realm, where the trails, valleys, and summits transform into a thrilling playground. These resilient timepieces are designed to be the perfect reliable companion, always with a touch of class and sophistication.