A 1,000-horsepower turbocharged V6 screamed past and faded away as quickly as it had approached. The unseen Formula 1 machine was turning hot laps ahead of qualifying inside the Miami International Autodrome. Meanwhile, I navigated a security checkpoint and began the upstream swim through a river of Ferrari red, McLaren papaya orange, and dark blue Red Bull outfits.

　　I, a casual fan, wasnt decked out in any team swag. And walking past display supercars and Louis Vuitton advertisements, I felt almost out of place … almost. My saving grace was the sharp, strong, distinguished timepiece catching sunlight on its polished face.

　　While the glitz and glamour of an F1 event may not explicitly be the Luminox Midnight Mariners natural environment — it is, in its DNA, a dive watch. Its clout, muscle, and handsome finish are like James Bond at a black-tie ball. It may be built for extremes, but it fits in with the fancy.

　　Ive worn the Luminox Midnight Mariner ($1,595), the first automatic in the brands Pacific Diver collection, for a month. Its been my daily timepiece and wardrobe companion. And its accompanied me on fly fishing camp getaways in the Catskills, F1 race weekends in the heart of Miami, and in simple daily life.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) In short: The Midnight Mariner is an understated, clean wristwatch with clear legibility and real-world utility at its core. It straddles luxury and adventure well, and its price point reflects that. It stops short of bling, but its crisp black ceramic and stainless steel bezel contrast with the full-lume, textured white face that, at least to me, screams class. Its cut-to-size rubber strap and large logo may turn off some, but the stainless steel bracelet option may resolve this. If its the level of luxury youre looking for, the Midnight Mariner is attractive and tough, and it showcases a keen attention to detail.

　　Dont miss the GearJunkie guide to Best Dive Watches!

　　Luminox Midnight Mariner Pacific Diver Check Price at Luminox

　　(Photo/Luminox) 8.7 How we rate products Specifications Case size: 42 mm Lug size: 24 mm Case material: 316L stainless steel Movement: Swiss Automatic SELLITA SW 200-1 Strap color: Black rubber cut-to-fit (w/stainless steel clasp) Water resistance: 200 m Weight: 105 g Pros Outstanding low-light luminosity Perfect case size balances legibility, comfort Sharp, high-contrast design Cons Cut-to-fit strap Low 38-hour power reserve Adam Ruggiero Luminox Midnight Mariner Review Im watch-agnostic. As a function-over-form evangelist, Im not innately attracted to the stylish novelty of wearing a timepiece. But Im also not biased when it comes to style, brand, price, or design. In my eyes, a wristwatch has to be comfortable, good-looking, and useful —or it will fall flat.

　　The Luminox Midnight Mariner stands out among the brands myriad options for two reasons: its luminosity literally outshines all of its siblings, and its the first automatic in the brands Pacific Diver lineup.

　　Like most modern diver watches, the Midnight Mariners utility lies more in its versatility and resistance to the rigors and elements of daily life. And it should do all that while still fitting in at semiformal and sometimes rugged affairs alike. If it can do those things, then its at least worth a look if the $1,595 price tag puts it within your budget.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) Design Materials The Midnight Mariner shares the hallmarks of a standard dive watch: unidirectional rotating bezel, date window, screw-down crown, and submersion resistance (in this instance, down to 200 m).

　　The face has 10 chamfered indices and Roman numerals at the 12 and 6 oclock positions. The date window is at 3 oclock, outside of which the crown resides.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) The bezel sports a black ceramic ring with 5-second interval markers —a callback to the divers watch roots. This sits in stark contrast to the Midnight Mariners pearlescent white textured face. Here, subtle wavy lines break the formal look and add just a hint of dimension to an already richly layered aesthetic.

　　The case is 316L stainless steel with sapphire crystal, a solid, reliable build if not exceptionally unique. The rubber strap anchors the Midnight Mariner in the rugged, hard-use camp, as its less aesthetically showy and more functionally durable than a bracelet or leather strap.

　　Movement Swiss movement is to watches what American muscle is to automobiles: The playing field may be more level across the globe, but theres still something special about the place that made it famous. The meticulous automatic SELLITA SW 200-1 movement doesnt so much tick away the seconds as sweep them.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) While the 38-hour power reserve leaves something to be desired, the Midnight Mariner kept outstanding time in the month I owned it. If it was off at all, it was only seconds, as it remained true to the minute — up until I left it off my wrist overnight and an entire day, and came back to it stopped. So long as you wear it daily, it should keep you on schedule without issue.

　　Testing Impressions The Midnight Mariner sat on my wrist for an entire month (minus one day when I hurried out the door without it). It tagged along for a fly fishing trip to New York and an F1 race in Miami, where it sat alongside the likes of Rolex and Tag Heuer. It even endured some spring garage cleaning, lap swims in a saltwater pool, and a purely scientific 2-hour submersion test.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) A note on pre-testing setup. This watch comes with a cut-to-fit strap. I hadnt previously received a cut-to-fit, but its a simple enough procedure. Just make sure you have a sharp blade, measuring tape, and know some basic measurements on your timepiece. This is a helpful video to help you cut your strap confidently.

　　Play What I Liked The Midnight Mariner is a deceptively good-looking watch. At first glance, it appears simple, understated, and classy. But spend some time closer to it, and you really start to appreciate its finer points. The black, white, and silver are balanced and contrast wonderfully, adding both clear legibility and modern style to the face.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) What I love most about this aesthetic is that it doesnt disappear when the lights go out. Luminox imbued the Midnight Mariner with dramatic lume, such that the entire watch face, 12-hour markers, all the bezel numerals, and every hand all glow — and somehow do so without being too loud.

　　The face and non-prominent indices carry the common blue-green glow, while the 12 oclock mark, the second hand, and the zero point on the bezel all receive orange lume. Its a beautiful display, though it requires a good charge in daylight to reveal its full brilliance.

　　The Midnight Mariner survived 2 hours underwater; (photo/Adam Ruggiero) Beyond the good looks, the Midnight Mariner kept time as well or better than any watch Ive tested. Im accustomed to losing 5 minutes or more after a week. But this watch was as close to dead-on as Ive seen. It also survived intentional submersion, swimming, and showers without showing any signs of water intrusion.

　　What Could Be Better On paper, I liked the rubber cut-to-fit strap. Again, I prefer function over form, and this looked like a strap designed to withstand abuse. And happily, it does.

　　However, cutting to fit was a bit tedious, and even though I took a few tries at it, it felt like it was either too big or just a hair too small. There are micro-adjustments once youve cut the strap, but it felt like I just didnt get this perfect.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) As for not quite perfect, my only other qualm is a nitpick. Watches are nothing if not an exercise in precision,and I cant shake the feeling that the bezel does not perfectly rest inline at the 12 oclock position.

　　Ive asked others, and they say it looks fine, but if I look closely, I see a half-degree angle. Its splitting hairs and its damn close to perfect —and its cosmetic. If you actually use the bezel to set a counter on the amount of oxygen you have left, it serves its purpose just fine.

　　Conclusion: Whos It For? Rest assured, everyone at the Miami International Autodrome was focused primarily on the track. My watch didnt stop folks in their tracks, but it didnt catch any sideways leers, either. The Midnight Mariner fits into fancy affairs without question, and it sits confidently on your wrist in casual — even rugged — environs without looking gauche.

　　Its a versatile timepiece with equal amounts of capability and class. For those who appreciate the subtle style of a standalone (i.e., not smart) wristwatch and plan to leave it on regardless of the occasion, the Midnight Mariner is a very attractive option. Its good-looking without a lot of upkeep. And it has just enough flair to show off a character all its own.

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