Side by side

Astor + Banks Sea Ranger M2vsHELM Vanuatu

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

Sea Ranger M2
Astor + BanksSea Ranger M2
MSRP $1,149
Vanuatu
HELMVanuatu
MSRP $285

At a glance

13 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Sea Ranger M240mm
Vanuatu42mm
Power Reserve
Sea Ranger M240h
Vanuatu40h
Water Resistance
Sea Ranger M2300m
Vanuatu300m
MSRP
Sea Ranger M2$1,149
Vanuatu$285

Full specifications

Case

5 specs
Diameter
40mm
42mm
Thickness
12.5mm
14mm
Lug-to-Lug
45.5mm
50mm
Lug Width
20mm
22mm
Material
316L Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel

Crystal & Dial

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

Movement

4 specs
Caliber
La Joux-Perret G100
Seiko Instruments NH35
Power Reserve
40h
40h
Jewels
25
24
Complications
None
Date

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$1,149
$285

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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.

Astor + Banks Sea Ranger M2

The Astor + Banks Sea Ranger M2 is widely praised for its balanced design, excellent legibility, and strong GADA (go-anywhere, do-anything) capabilities, featuring 300m water resistance and a scratch-resistant coating. Reviewers note its comfortable 40mm case size and good lume, though one source describes it as good but not great. The movement is a Sellita SW200 adjusted by the brand, with accuracy reported around ±8 seconds per day. The pre-order price is $650, with a standard price of $850. On balance, reviewers find the Astor + Banks Sea Ranger M2 to be a compelling option due to its functional design and robust specifications.

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.

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