Side by side

HELM VanuatuvsVario 1918 Medic Brass

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

Vanuatu
HELMVanuatu
MSRP $285
1918 Medic Brass
Vario1918 Medic Brass
MSRP $388

At a glance

16 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Vanuatu42mm
1918 Medic Brass40mm
Power Reserve
Vanuatu40h
1918 Medic Brass40h
Water Resistance
Vanuatu300m
1918 Medic Brass100m
MSRP
Vanuatu$285
1918 Medic Brass$388

Full specifications

Case

7 specs
Category
Diver
Field
Diameter
42mm
40mm
Thickness
14mm
10mm
Lug-to-Lug
50mm
48mm
Lug Width
22mm
20mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance
300m
100m

Crystal & Dial

4 specs
Crystal
Sapphire
Domed Sapphire
AR Coating
Yes
Inner
Dial Color
Black
White
Lume
Super-LumiNova
None

Movement

4 specs
Caliber
Seiko Instruments NH35
Seiko NH38A
Power Reserve
40h
40h
Jewels
24
25
Complications
Date
None

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$285
$388

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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.

HELM Vanuatu

Owners widely praise the HELM Vanuatu for its exceptional comfort, with the titanium bracelet frequently cited as "uber-comfortable" and the watch itself being less overbearing on the wrist than comparable dive watches. Reviewers note its great bezel action and overall quality, with one owner finding the purchase satisfactory despite a nearly two-year wait. On balance, owners rate the HELM Vanuatu highly for its wearability and solid build at the price.

From video reviewers

The case finishing is consistently praised. The bracelet is noted as having significant rattle.

Vario 1918 Medic Brass

Owners widely praise the Vario 1918 Medic Brass for its crisp enamel dial, easy-to-read numerals, and cathedral hands, noting the brass case develops an attractive patina over time. However, the soft brass scratches easily, and one owner found the lume to be poor. Accuracy varies, with one example running slow by about 10 seconds per day and another owner deeming the Miyota 82s5 movement just okay. On balance, owners rate the Vario 1918 Medic Brass highly for its unique dial and the evolving character of its brass case.

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