Side by side

Baltic HMS 003vsVario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

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

HMS 003
BalticHMS 003
MSRP $416
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound
VarioEmpire Art Nouveau Handwound
MSRP $888

At a glance

11 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
HMS 00336mm
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound38mm
Power Reserve
HMS 00360h
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound40h
Water Resistance
HMS 00350m
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound50m
MSRP
HMS 003$416
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound$888

Full specifications

Case

5 specs
Category
Sport
Dress
Diameter
36mm
38mm
Thickness
13mm
11mm
Lug-to-Lug
46mm
38mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel

Crystal & Dial

2 specs
Crystal
Hesalite
Sapphire
Dial Color
Blue Gilt
Black

Movement

3 specs
Caliber
Miyota 8315
Miyota 6T33
Type
Automatic
Manual
Power Reserve
60h
40h

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$416
$888

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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.

Baltic HMS 003

The Baltic HMS 003 is widely praised for its vintage charm, featuring a three-dimensional sector dial with a deep blue and gilt color scheme, heat-treated blue hands, and varied textures. Owners and reviewers highlight its 36.5mm case size, high-dome crystal, and Beads of Rice bracelet as particularly appealing. The Miyota 8315 automatic movement provides a 60-hour power reserve and stop-seconds function. One owner notes the domed hesalite crystal is prone to scratching. Overall, owners and reviewers rate the Baltic HMS 003 highly for its unbelievably gorgeous design and vintage aesthetic at its price point.

From video reviewers

The Baltic HMS 003's downsized case to 36.5mm is a significant strength, making it a genuinely vintage-sized watch. A notable trade-off is the relatively thin lume on the watch, which is 'not the brightest' but still functional. Reviewers disagree on the watch's overall build quality, with one reviewer stating it has "better finishing" than the previous model, while another reviewer notes that specific details about the watch's finishing, indexes, or overall build quality are not mentioned.

Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

Owners widely praise the Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound for its detailed, multi-layered dial featuring applied numerals and guilloche patterns, its elegant Art Deco-inspired design, and the enjoyable winding feel of the Miyota 6T33 handwound movement, often visible through an exhibition case back. The 38mm case size is considered a positive by many, and the included leather strap is noted for its comfort and quality. Some owners find the differing fonts on the sub-dials and perimeter less appealing, and the absence of a constant seconds sub-dial is flagged as a drawback. On balance, owners rate the Vario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound highly for its distinctive Art Deco styling and detailed dial at its price point.

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