Side by side

Phoibos Wave MastervsZelos Swordfish 3

The numbers, the dial colors, the calibers — laid out so you can stop flipping between tabs.

Wave Master
PhoibosWave Master
MSRP $309
Swordfish 3
ZelosSwordfish 3
MSRP $399

At a glance

11 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Wave Master42mm
Swordfish 340mm
Power Reserve
Wave Master40h
Swordfish 340h
Water Resistance
Wave Master300m
Swordfish 3200m
MSRP
Wave Master$309
Swordfish 3$399

Full specifications

Case

6 specs
Diameter
42mm
40mm
Thickness
14mm
12mm
Lug-to-Lug
48.5mm
40mm
Lug Width
22mm
20mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance
300m
200m

Crystal & Dial

3 specs
AR Coating
Yes
Inner
Dial Color
Black
Bronze
Lume
Super-LumiNova
None

Movement

1 specs
Caliber
SII NH35A
Seiko NH35

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$309
$399

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What people say

Owners + reviewers, side by side

Synthesized for each watch independently from owner discussions, enthusiast forums, written reviews, and video reviewers.

Phoibos Wave Master

Owners widely praise the Phoibos Wave Master for its attractive wavy dial, bright lume, and comfortable engineer bracelet, with many considering it one of the best-looking watches under $300. The watch features a sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel, and owners report good quality for the price, with a subtle wave pattern on the dial appreciated for its unique style. While some minor finishing flaws like slightly crooked hour markers or an off-center outer ring have been noted, these are generally considered not visible during wear. One owner experienced a clasp breakage after four years, but Phoibos replaced it free of charge. Some owners wish the watch were larger than 40mm, and one notes the GMT hand and other details may not hold up under extreme close-ups. Overall, owners rate the Phoibos Wave Master highly for its distinctive dial and value, especially considering its build quality and features.

From video reviewers

The unidirectional ceramic bezel action is praised. The lume brightness is noted as a weakness. Reviewers disagree on the water resistance rating, with some stating 300M and others 200M.

Zelos Swordfish 3

Owners widely praise the Zelos Swordfish 3 for its strong value, with reviewers highlighting the textured sandwich dial, Seiko NH35 movement, 200m water resistance, and surprisingly good bracelet. The titanium construction is noted for making the watch compact and comfortable, weighing 117g. Some owners find the dimensions fine on paper and based on experience with other models. One reviewer flagged that legibility can suffer in bright light and bracelet edges are sharp. Overall, owners and reviewers rate the Zelos Swordfish 3 highly for its incredible value and fun design, particularly with unique dial options.

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