Thank you for the review. I am very happy with my D4 - it's a great everyday 'go to' watch and with that power reserve, it's always ready to wear. Vaer have done a great job with this one.
I have wanted to get another "grab and go" watch for awhile and I have been looking at this watch. I like the simplicity of the watch. The aluminum bezel doesn't bother me. The size is just right. The lume is acceptable and a sapphire crystal as well. Good price and American assembled. It is a win-win in my book.
I've had a D4 for a week and love it. I also have a Vaer C3, 36mm, which has 20mm lug width, as do all Vaer watches, so their bands would fit all models. Due to the curvature differences between the 36mm models, the D4, and D5/D7, they each take a specific bracelet. I like the bracelets on my C3 and D4. As you said, it is definitely worth purchasing with the watch. Thanks for the excellent review.
The 36mm watches also have a 20mm lug width. All of their watches are interchangeable with all of their straps (and bracelet). I have the C3 36mm watch with the Ameriquartz movement, and it is a great watch.
Spot on. All VAER watches and straps are 20mm at the lugs. I own the second rev. or the dirty dozen, the swiss arctic diver's watch, and the heritage field watch with a Miyota movement from their kickstarter campaign. All have 20mm lugs. Twenty mm lugs on a 36mm watch sounds like heresy, but that is precisely what the Rolex Explorer 36mm watch has... 20mm lugs. On a bracelet, the scale of the lugs is mitigated. These proportions are proven to work aesthetically and in the marketplace, even though this is a deviation from the Dirty Dozen MOD spec circa 1945.
Great review I'm thinking about getting one. I have 4 of their watches. The dirty dozen are 20mm also. I have one. This is the most genuine company I've ever seen. If you ask a technical or strange question of customer service, one of the two owners will email you back. It might take a few days :-) you can tell they test and design these personally
Super happy once my D4 Atlantic finally arrived. Great size, great quality, great look, great specs, great price!!! It fits in nicely with my C5 Heritage and C5 Tradition. VAER is one of the only micros making excellent quality quartz watches. YAY VAER!!
I bought the d4 solar a few months ago , have to say it's pretty impressive, great dimensions, very well finished and the steel bracelet is nice too, my collection is mostly automatics and this makes a great grab n go watch , I like the vibe the company gives off too they seem genuine.
@patrickk611 hi Patrick, I eventually moved it on but it was a nice watch nothing to complain about but to me vaer are too expensive when you compare the alternatives , for example funnily enough I was looking for the same kind of grab n go watch recently and I bought a watchdives wd7922 , similar kind of watch small compact diver with a mecaquartz movement, I think it was about 100 euro and it can stand toe to toe with the vaer in no way inferior, by the time I paid import duty on the vaer it was way more expensive and I can't justify it , hope this helps, cheers.
I have both the Atlantic and Arctic version of the D4 (as well as the Arctic version of the D5). For my own taste, I like the nylon and silicone straps for perfect wrist hugging. No complaints, really solid performers and good looking watches.
Love my D5 Tropic. One of my most favorite watches. Vaer makes really great watches. My only suggestion is for those of us with 8inch wrists, the straps are short,. so look to put it on other straps. I got mine with the tropic and the leather (one of the best horween leather straps I've tried) and depending on the day, I use the one or two hole, which works but is not ideal. Great review of their solar diver!
Just recieved the D5 Tropic. I believe Vaer updated the case and finishing to their previous batches. Polished twisted lugs and beautifully brushed case sides. I also heard they are upgrading their bracelets and will give discounts if you already purchased watch on them. Not sure about when they will come out. Great looking watches for the price. My D5 tropic could have used some moreb AR coating but its great to see they are improving their products as they grow! Thanks for the review Chris and as always great job!
Also wanted to mention their premium lined horween strap is worth the extra money... feels like a glove... one of the best leather straps I have owned.
I pre-ordered one, it came missing the bezel pip. They sent me a replacement, it was the wrong watch. They sent another replacement and it arrived with many scratches on the case. I just gave up and sent that one back for good. I'll give em another shot in the future.
I've had a similar experience with this watch. The lume pip randomly fell out after wearing it for about two weeks. They sent a replacement and the seconds hand is completely misaligned. It lands like 40% of the way in between the markers. The watch does look good on the wrist however.
I have this exact watch. Looks great, well made and I like solar. I also bought the bracelet which I found disappointing and wish I had bought the horween leather strap instead which they also offer. Overall a great watch which I highly recommend.
Like mine very much a great value for dollar spent, I agree the bracelet is worth the up charge as a pre order the value for the price is excellent wears and feels more expensive then it is great do everything watch
I have one solar watch and I like it. I have been looking for another for my active lifestyle. Pity this Vaer is small. I buy my watches based on intended usage. I realize that smaller sizes are now trending so I will keep looking.
Greg, if your preference is for larger watches, then you are in luck. Citizen makes several Eco-Drive watches in 40mm and larger cases. They are a tremendous bargain, imo. Sadly, they are too large for me.
@@ivermec-tin666, Citizen is great! I have their version of the Type B Flieger. Typically I wear watches from 42 44mm. Citizen's Type B comes in at 45mm. However, I use this piece while hiking and it is nice to just look down and get the time. Do you have any thoughts on Seiko's solar watches?
@@gregalonzo747 IMO, Citizen is vastly under rated. Unfortunately, most of their offerings are too large for my baby wrists. I do have their Eco-Drive Chandler field watch at 37mm. I call it the watch that goes to eleven. I have considered acquiring the 39mm Eco-Drive chronograph from the same product line. These watches are a tremendous bargain. I have no personal experience of the Seiko Solar watches. The bulk of R&D money from Seiko went into their kinetic drive quartz watches. I have a hard time believing that Seiko could beat Citizen at this game, particularly given Seiko's reputation for misalignment issues. Citizen does not have this QC problem. If I understand correctly, all Citizen quartz movements are manufactured in Japan. Outsourcing such critical manufacture to Thailand or China, as Seiko has done, is a very risky proposition. Seiko is regarded as the dominant player in kinetic powered quartz watches. I have not heard anything particularly negative about Seiko's solar powered quartz movements, but it is not their primary engineering focus.
Howy, that is not what VAER does. If you want a larger watch, there are plenty of options from the large brands. Citizen and Seiko offer solar watches in the more contemporary size that you seek.
I just ordered a D5 Tropic dial. My understanding is the new gen./version of the D5, VAER has added that polishing on the bevelling on the case that is on the D5 case as well. Obviously a solar diver makes a ton of sense from practical standpoint. I mean quartz in general is a very practical choice to begin with, I did consider that same D4 you showed from them. I like the proportions and size of it, its somehow both more dressy and functional at that slightly smaller size. But I saw the Tropic dial and liked that it's a little different. I mean another black dialed diver, as nice as they are, it's also nice to diversify the collection. Is adding another diver really diversifying? Hmmmmm :). VAER makes some solid watches. They don't try too much but they execute well. I also have one of their S5 Ameriquartz watches. It's a solid easy to daily (but can't because all the watches need love) watch.
Nice review but you should mention as to how the second hand never hits the markers spot on. This is so annoying in my honest opinion and I wish manufacturers can do something about it.
Nunya, I suggest you look at the upper tier of Citizen watches. This has been their area of specialization for the last few decades. No one does it better than Citizen in terms of hitting the markers, on their upper tier offerings. The alternative would be a quartz watch that replicates a second hand sweeping motion, such as the vintage Bulova offerings. Why no one has married solar power with a sweeping seconds hand yet, is beyond me. It would seem a natural evolution. Sweeping makes the alignment issue go away.
The brushing looks very very cheap and they should defintaly made a 41-2mm version for bigger wrists.I think there is a better watches for that prize.And you told that the bezel alignes and the true is that it doesent.I watched 15 reviewes and you are the first one that is not honnest.
I made the mistake of buying a Vaer just when I started getting into watches. I thought it was OK when it arrived but now when I compare with my collection, I see the poor finishing, terrible lume and price gouging. Seems to be an inverse relationship between quality of social media advertising and the quality of the product.
Great looking watch but to be honest I'm so done with microbrands. I just looked for the D5 and of course--per usual for microbrands--its on backorder or in many cases its a preorder for some distant calendar date. Or its a direct communication w/some employee or owner (Bob, Trevor, Ian, whatever) "he's really cool"...whatever...I don't want a personal relationship just give me the watch.
As do I. I hate fauxtina. I passed on this model because the Atlantic has insufficient lume area, and the Arctic only comes in the hideous fauxtina. IMO, fauxtina will age like bell bottom jeans.
Shane, I think that once you have this watch on wrist, your preconceptions about size will be turned on end. Look at their return policy, and consider a trial on wrist. Size matters, but it is all contextual.
@@ivermec-tin666, no offense but I heard that one before and they were wrong. I do believe that size matters. As for their return policy, I am in Europe and subject to the taxes and fees.
@@shaneclarcke4115 None taken. These are all significant considerations. The VAER mechanical diver replicates the proportions of the vintage Marine Master, which works for the vast majority of wrists. But, their solar quartz dive watch is smaller. I believe that both Citizen and Seiko make solar quartz dive watches that are on the larger side of things.
What absolute garbage. I received my d5 yesterday and it's disappointingly bad. Overall feel is just cheap and nasty. It's pretty. But that's about it. Sharp edges to the bezel, crown and bracelet..and i mean that bad it seriously scratches you; I've had to take a file to the crown and emery paper all round the inside of the bracelet but the rattly bracelet's going in the bin after all. Seriously you can buy better for £15 from aliexpress. The flip lock just flipped but didn't lock. One push pin seized in solid; had to hammer it out. The colour of the steel doesn't quite match the case. Bezel action feels and sounds as tinny, cheap and hollow as a childs toy. Blinding purple glare at every angle from the AR on the crystal even indoors. I'm not comparing it to my high end watches either : I have Lorier, squale, steinhart, borealis, second hour, goodspeed, tissot and even some of the better Ali watches like San Martin.. All a hell of a lot better than this. And some of them a lot cheaper too, not even counting the £100 import duties I paid. I'm SO disappointed with it as I really love the design and want to wear it. I can only assume this reviewer is either remarkably easily pleased or is just marketing these watches regardless. If you're looking at one of these then find someone who actually owns one they paid for and ask how it compares to their other watches rather than just watching TH-cam reviews. I wish I had.
Oliver, I am mystified that you chose to keep and modify a watch that is not to your liking. VAER has a return policy. All you would have been out is postage, customs., and VAT. Life is full of choices. Have you looked at CWC, Christopher Ward, and Smiths (Timefactors)? Maybe UK based brands would work better for you in terms of customs and shipping.
Thank you for the review. I am very happy with my D4 - it's a great everyday 'go to' watch and with that power reserve, it's always ready to wear. Vaer have done a great job with this one.
I have wanted to get another "grab and go" watch for awhile and I have been looking at this watch.
I like the simplicity of the watch. The aluminum bezel doesn't bother me. The size is just right. The lume is acceptable and a sapphire crystal as well.
Good price and American assembled. It is a win-win in my book.
I've had a D4 for a week and love it. I also have a Vaer C3, 36mm, which has 20mm lug width, as do all Vaer watches, so their bands would fit all models. Due to the curvature differences between the 36mm models, the D4, and D5/D7, they each take a specific bracelet. I like the bracelets on my C3 and D4. As you said, it is definitely worth purchasing with the watch. Thanks for the excellent review.
The 36mm watches also have a 20mm lug width. All of their watches are interchangeable with all of their straps (and bracelet). I have the C3 36mm watch with the Ameriquartz movement, and it is a great watch.
Spot on. All VAER watches and straps are 20mm at the lugs. I own the second rev. or the dirty dozen, the swiss arctic diver's watch, and the heritage field watch with a Miyota movement from their kickstarter campaign. All have 20mm lugs.
Twenty mm lugs on a 36mm watch sounds like heresy, but that is precisely what the Rolex Explorer 36mm watch has... 20mm lugs. On a bracelet, the scale of the lugs is mitigated. These proportions are proven to work aesthetically and in the marketplace, even though this is a deviation from the Dirty Dozen MOD spec circa 1945.
Great review I'm thinking about getting one. I have 4 of their watches. The dirty dozen are 20mm also. I have one. This is the most genuine company I've ever seen. If you ask a technical or strange question of customer service, one of the two owners will email you back. It might take a few days :-) you can tell they test and design these personally
Super happy once my D4 Atlantic finally arrived. Great size, great quality, great look, great specs, great price!!! It fits in nicely with my C5 Heritage and C5 Tradition. VAER is one of the only micros making excellent quality quartz watches. YAY VAER!!
I bought the d4 solar a few months ago , have to say it's pretty impressive, great dimensions, very well finished and the steel bracelet is nice too, my collection is mostly automatics and this makes a great grab n go watch , I like the vibe the company gives off too they seem genuine.
How do you like the watch so far if you still own it? Thx in advance!
@patrickk611 hi Patrick, I eventually moved it on but it was a nice watch nothing to complain about but to me vaer are too expensive when you compare the alternatives , for example funnily enough I was looking for the same kind of grab n go watch recently and I bought a watchdives wd7922 , similar kind of watch small compact diver with a mecaquartz movement, I think it was about 100 euro and it can stand toe to toe with the vaer in no way inferior, by the time I paid import duty on the vaer it was way more expensive and I can't justify it , hope this helps, cheers.
@@shogun884 thank you so much for your reply sir!
@@patrickk611 your very welcome!
I have both the Atlantic and Arctic version of the D4 (as well as the Arctic version of the D5). For my own taste, I like the nylon and silicone straps for perfect wrist hugging. No complaints, really solid performers and good looking watches.
Love my D5 Tropic. One of my most favorite watches. Vaer makes really great watches. My only suggestion is for those of us with 8inch wrists, the straps are short,. so look to put it on other straps. I got mine with the tropic and the leather (one of the best horween leather straps I've tried) and depending on the day, I use the one or two hole, which works but is not ideal. Great review of their solar diver!
Don’t you love how 1 mm and band can make watches look so much different in size! 2:56 vs. 8:21.
Thanks for the review. I’m definitely thinking of picking up one of their field quartz watches soon.
Just recieved the D5 Tropic. I believe Vaer updated the case and finishing to their previous batches. Polished twisted lugs and beautifully brushed case sides. I also heard they are upgrading their bracelets and will give discounts if you already purchased watch on them. Not sure about when they will come out. Great looking watches for the price. My D5 tropic could have used some moreb AR coating but its great to see they are improving their products as they grow! Thanks for the review Chris and as always great job!
Also wanted to mention their premium lined horween strap is worth the extra money... feels like a glove... one of the best leather straps I have owned.
I like the polished flanks of the solar.
Man that's a good looking watch, dimensions seem like it would wear really well too
I pre-ordered one, it came missing the bezel pip. They sent me a replacement, it was the wrong watch. They sent another replacement and it arrived with many scratches on the case. I just gave up and sent that one back for good. I'll give em another shot in the future.
I've had a similar experience with this watch. The lume pip randomly fell out after wearing it for about two weeks. They sent a replacement and the seconds hand is completely misaligned. It lands like 40% of the way in between the markers. The watch does look good on the wrist however.
Great video. I go thru a phase of Solar watches. Nice watch/Company. Thanks.
I just ordered one yesterday with 2 day shipping, Cannot wait,
How’s your vaer holding up? Thinking about ordering one.
SOLD OUT as usual but I added it to my want list. Thanks Chris.
I just received my D4, ordered 3 months ago. I know they are making more! It was worth waiting for!
Rick, If you like the design language of VAER, get on their email list.
I just bought one today from there website looking forward to getting it! Thank you for this review.
How did you get this watch? It's been sold out for weeks.
I have this exact watch. Looks great, well made and I like solar. I also bought the bracelet which I found disappointing and wish I had bought the horween leather strap instead which they also offer. Overall a great watch which I highly recommend.
I would recommend Vaer to anyone! I love my D5!
Like mine very much a great value for dollar spent, I agree the bracelet is worth the up charge as a pre order the value for the price is excellent wears and feels more expensive then it is great do everything watch
Definitely a nice watch for the money.
Will you be reviewing the 42mm that came out recently?
I have one solar watch and I like it. I have been looking for another for my active lifestyle. Pity this Vaer is small. I buy my watches based on intended usage. I realize that smaller sizes are now trending so I will keep looking.
Greg, if your preference is for larger watches, then you are in luck. Citizen makes several Eco-Drive watches in 40mm and larger cases. They are a tremendous bargain, imo. Sadly, they are too large for me.
@@ivermec-tin666, Citizen is great! I have their version of the Type B Flieger. Typically I wear watches from 42 44mm. Citizen's Type B comes in at 45mm. However, I use this piece while hiking and it is nice to just look down and get the time. Do you have any thoughts on Seiko's solar watches?
@@gregalonzo747 IMO, Citizen is vastly under rated. Unfortunately, most of their offerings are too large for my baby wrists. I do have their Eco-Drive Chandler field watch at 37mm. I call it the watch that goes to eleven. I have considered acquiring the 39mm Eco-Drive chronograph from the same product line. These watches are a tremendous bargain.
I have no personal experience of the Seiko Solar watches. The bulk of R&D money from Seiko went into their kinetic drive quartz watches. I have a hard time believing that Seiko could beat Citizen at this game, particularly given Seiko's reputation for misalignment issues. Citizen does not have this QC problem. If I understand correctly, all Citizen quartz movements are manufactured in Japan. Outsourcing such critical manufacture to Thailand or China, as Seiko has done, is a very risky proposition.
Seiko is regarded as the dominant player in kinetic powered quartz watches. I have not heard anything particularly negative about Seiko's solar powered quartz movements, but it is not their primary engineering focus.
@@ivermec-tin666 Thanks. I agree with you on Seiko's QC. It just drives me batty and I am not OC. 😉
Every time I think I want a solar watch I see a video of the seconds hand missing the mark. It would just do my head in every time I look down at it.
Love my Vaer Navy Swiss made in Switzerland but my bracelet cost an extra $80.
Oh well, maybe next time. I am sure that they will get around to making a larger size... Or at least the completion will.
It looks pretty small, wish they had a 40-42mm USA solar diver.
Made in USA with Swiss movement maybe a good alternative one
Very nice watches very enjoyable review well explained 👍
Would have been a fantastic buy at 42mm.
Howy, that is not what VAER does. If you want a larger watch, there are plenty of options from the large brands. Citizen and Seiko offer solar watches in the more contemporary size that you seek.
I just ordered a D5 Tropic dial. My understanding is the new gen./version of the D5, VAER has added that polishing on the bevelling on the case that is on the D5 case as well.
Obviously a solar diver makes a ton of sense from practical standpoint. I mean quartz in general is a very practical choice to begin with, I did consider that same D4 you showed from them. I like the proportions and size of it, its somehow both more dressy and functional at that slightly smaller size. But I saw the Tropic dial and liked that it's a little different. I mean another black dialed diver, as nice as they are, it's also nice to diversify the collection. Is adding another diver really diversifying? Hmmmmm :).
VAER makes some solid watches. They don't try too much but they execute well. I also have one of their S5 Ameriquartz watches. It's a solid easy to daily (but can't because all the watches need love) watch.
Nice review but you should mention as to how the second hand never hits the markers spot on. This is so annoying in my honest opinion and I wish manufacturers can do something about it.
Nunya, I suggest you look at the upper tier of Citizen watches. This has been their area of specialization for the last few decades. No one does it better than Citizen in terms of hitting the markers, on their upper tier offerings.
The alternative would be a quartz watch that replicates a second hand sweeping motion, such as the vintage Bulova offerings. Why no one has married solar power with a sweeping seconds hand yet, is beyond me. It would seem a natural evolution. Sweeping makes the alignment issue go away.
The brushing looks very very cheap and they should defintaly made a 41-2mm version for bigger wrists.I think there is a better watches for that prize.And you told that the bezel alignes
and the true is that it doesent.I watched 15 reviewes and you are the first one that is not honnest.
I made the mistake of buying a Vaer just when I started getting into watches. I thought it was OK when it arrived but now when I compare with my collection, I see the poor finishing, terrible lume and price gouging. Seems to be an inverse relationship between quality of social media advertising and the quality of the product.
Great looking watch but to be honest I'm so done with microbrands. I just looked for the D5 and of course--per usual for microbrands--its on backorder or in many cases its a preorder for some distant calendar date. Or its a direct communication w/some employee or owner (Bob, Trevor, Ian, whatever) "he's really cool"...whatever...I don't want a personal relationship just give me the watch.
Much prefer the white lume on this model.
As do I. I hate fauxtina. I passed on this model because the Atlantic has insufficient lume area, and the Arctic only comes in the hideous fauxtina. IMO, fauxtina will age like bell bottom jeans.
@@ivermec-tin666 agree
Put day/date..
I love solar powered watches
It's actually what got me into watches in the first place
The aluminum bezel is LAME
It's not an aluminum bezel. Its a stainless steel bezel with an aluminum insert- like 90% of dive watches. Completely normal.
Pity Vaer didn't offer different size options. I am looking for a solar watch at least 42mm. My Citizen is 45mm.
Shane, I think that once you have this watch on wrist, your preconceptions about size will be turned on end. Look at their return policy, and consider a trial on wrist. Size matters, but it is all contextual.
@@ivermec-tin666, no offense but I heard that one before and they were wrong. I do believe that size matters. As for their return policy, I am in Europe and subject to the taxes and fees.
@@shaneclarcke4115 None taken. These are all significant considerations. The VAER mechanical diver replicates the proportions of the vintage Marine Master, which works for the vast majority of wrists. But, their solar quartz dive watch is smaller.
I believe that both Citizen and Seiko make solar quartz dive watches that are on the larger side of things.
Boo! Sold out of both!
I have a DS4 but it died after 3 months. Charged it many times and no signs of life. Not very happy with the quality I guess.
The armageddon joke was in poor taste now , I don't find it to be funny or clever, in these days.
What absolute garbage. I received my d5 yesterday and it's disappointingly bad. Overall feel is just cheap and nasty. It's pretty. But that's about it. Sharp edges to the bezel, crown and bracelet..and i mean that bad it seriously scratches you; I've had to take a file to the crown and emery paper all round the inside of the bracelet but the rattly bracelet's going in the bin after all. Seriously you can buy better for £15 from aliexpress. The flip lock just flipped but didn't lock. One push pin seized in solid; had to hammer it out. The colour of the steel doesn't quite match the case. Bezel action feels and sounds as tinny, cheap and hollow as a childs toy. Blinding purple glare at every angle from the AR on the crystal even indoors.
I'm not comparing it to my high end watches either : I have Lorier, squale, steinhart, borealis, second hour, goodspeed, tissot and even some of the better Ali watches like San Martin.. All a hell of a lot better than this. And some of them a lot cheaper too, not even counting the £100 import duties I paid. I'm SO disappointed with it as I really love the design and want to wear it.
I can only assume this reviewer is either remarkably easily pleased or is just marketing these watches regardless. If you're looking at one of these then find someone who actually owns one they paid for and ask how it compares to their other watches rather than just watching TH-cam reviews. I wish I had.
Oliver, I am mystified that you chose to keep and modify a watch that is not to your liking. VAER has a return policy. All you would have been out is postage, customs., and VAT. Life is full of choices.
Have you looked at CWC, Christopher Ward, and Smiths (Timefactors)? Maybe UK based brands would work better for you in terms of customs and shipping.
ANY NEG?