Side by side

HELM VanuatuvsVario Empire Art Nouveau Handwound

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

Vanuatu
HELMVanuatu
MSRP $285
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound
VarioEmpire Art Nouveau Handwound
MSRP $888

At a glance

15 of 29 specs differ
Diameter
Vanuatu42mm
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound38mm
Power Reserve
Vanuatu40h
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound40h
Water Resistance
Vanuatu300m
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound50m
MSRP
Vanuatu$285
Empire Art Nouveau Handwound$888

Full specifications

Case

7 specs
Category
Diver
Dress
Diameter
42mm
38mm
Thickness
14mm
11mm
Lug-to-Lug
50mm
38mm
Lug Width
22mm
20mm
Material
Stainless Steel
316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance
300m
50m

Crystal & Dial

2 specs
AR Coating
Yes
Inner
Lume
Super-LumiNova
None

Movement

5 specs
Caliber
Seiko Instruments NH35
Miyota 6T33
Type
Automatic
Manual
Power Reserve
40h
40h
Jewels
24
25
Complications
Date
None

Pricing

1 specs
MSRP
$285
$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.

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 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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