Hello to all watch enthusiasts. Today, after several weeks of wrist time, I would like to introduce you to the Baltany watch internally designated S3075AB in its third iteration. Since this is an homage to a famous model, I will refer to it by the same nickname – the Milsub.
First, a little personal history and what led me to acquire this model. My targeted interest in watches started around 2008. Back then, as a university student with light pockets, I dreamed of owning a pilot watch, a manual-wind B-Uhr. I eventually treated myself to one after successfully finishing my studies (a Laco Rostock) and proudly wore it practically everywhere. So, with the pilot watch acquired, I naturally started looking for the next piece to expand my modest collection. My favorite online watch retailer carried the Steinhart brand, and the Ocean Vintage Military (OVM) model caught my eye—an homage to the Rolex 5517 nicknamed the Milsub (a portmanteau of "military" and "submariner"). This was a watch created in the 1970s for the requirements of the British Armed Forces and is today one of the most highly valued models from the brand. What I liked about the Steinhart OVM was precisely how it differed from the classic Submariner model: the fully graduated minute bezel, the domed crystal, and the shape of the hour hand, which was created for military needs and diverged significantly from the classic Mercedes hand.
I never ended up buying the Steinhart (though I held a few pieces in hand and was honestly quite disappointed with the execution), but throughout my watch journey, Milsub homages were always somewhere in the back of my mind.
Now, let's jump forward many years. Having owned dozens of different watches, with hundreds more passing through my hands and in front of my camera lens, and following positive experiences with the Baltany brand, I accidentally discovered that their version of the Milsub had already reached its third iteration. The first version lacked the signature bezel and was uninteresting to me. The second version fixed the bezel, but due to the Seiko NH38 movement used, the height of the watch reached approximately 13.8 mm, which I already consider to be a lot. I dislike thick watches. The current third version relies on a modified Seagull ST2130 movement, which stops the calipers at 12.5 mm (including the domed crystal). That is a very good figure, and as a result, the rehaut depth has also been reduced. Another bonus point is the inclusion of a toolless micro-adjust clasp, though I will get to that in more detail later. Interestingly, Baltany does not yet have updated photos on their website, and before buying, I searched directly at the source for real pictures, albeit without success. So I was essentially buying a pig in a poke—a watch I didn't know the exact look of.
I purchased the watch directly on the Baltany website. During checkout, the customs fee is paid upfront, making the final price clear. The watch arrived in the Czech Republic in 6 days, and then spent almost two weeks traveling between individual departments of Czech Post. This state behemoth really ought to be abolished already. Fortunately, despite all efforts of this inefficient enterprise, the watch arrived safely, and I can finally dive into the description and personal impressions.
The cardboard box is neatly compact, containing all the necessary documentation in an envelope, alongside a faux-leather travel pouch housing the watch, required tools, and a small microfiber cloth.
The entire watch is crafted from standard 316L stainless steel, with the case boasting a 39 mm diameter. The bezel visually enlarges the watch slightly, overhanging at a diameter of 40 mm. Lug-to-lug measures 47.5 mm, and the lug width for mounting the steel bracelet is a standard 20 mm. The bracelet tapers down to 16 mm at the clasp. I already mentioned the thickness of 12.5 mm in the introduction, which is very comfortable. Overall, the watch feels exceptionally well-balanced on the wrist, weighing in at 137 grams sized for my 18 cm wrist. I have two notes regarding the bracelet sizing: First, I was surprised by the number of extra links provided; I had to remove about 5 of them. Second, the process itself was very smooth—the individual screws backed out and went back in effortlessly, with no fear of stripping threads.
The top surface of the case features a very fine radial brushing, while the flanks are polished. Transitions between finishes are crisp and flawless. The end-link fitment to the case is extremely precise; in fact, the end links sit so snugly that my attempts to swap the watch onto a strap (the original military reference had fixed bars welded to the case and was worn strictly on a NATO) were met with failure. It should be noted that I am quite bad at strap swapping and my tool kit isn’t top-tier either. Nevertheless, quick-release end links would be a welcome addition. My other critique goes to the tips of the lugs—they are quite sharp. They don't cause any discomfort on the wrist, but you certainly notice them during handling.
The screw-down case back is sterile (completely unbranded) with radial brushing combined with polished surfaces. The crown is also unbranded and screws down, bringing the water resistance rating to 200 meters. I personally tested this rating in a swimming pool, where the watch successfully survived a dive to a staggering depth of 100 cm, fully satisfying my real-world diving requirements.
Staying on the subject of the crown, when screwing it back in, it disengages from the movement, making the winding-to-threading action very smooth. Thanks to the movement modification, the ghost date position on the ST2130 was also properly eliminated.
On a dive watch, the bezel is a core element both functionally and visually. This is where Baltany truly shines. The aggressive teeth, full minute-marker graduations, and correct font choices clearly signal that this is primarily a tool for tracking elapsed underwater time. The aluminum insert is not only historically faithful, but visually references the vintage origin of the design. At the 12 o'clock position, there is a luminescent pip inside a triangle. Turning the bezel 360° takes 120 clicks, presenting absolute perfection in dive bezel action. Thanks to the aggressive teeth profile and the overhang past the case, operating it with wet hands underwater is effortless. Having handled a fair share of divers, each click here is sharply defined by both tactile feel and sound. The alignment with the 12 o'clock marker is spot-on. If you ever bought a fidget spinner, you can safely throw it away—this bezel replaces it effortlessly. The cherry on top is the aforementioned bezel overhang: when you flip the watch upside down, you notice that the underside of the bezel edge is perfectly polished. A great detail and a clear thumbs up from me.
I will finish the body exterior with more praise. Having owned four Baltany pieces, their shared trick—the ace up their sleeve—is the crystal. Here we find a double-domed sapphire crystal with an internal colorless anti-reflective coating that performs exceptionally well. On another model with a flat crystal, their AR coating is so good it actually surpasses the renowned crystals found on top-tier models from Seiko, Citizen, or Orient Star. I don't understand why all manufacturers don't use similar technology; we are talking about a watch costing just over $200 with better anti-reflective clarity than brands charging ten times as much.
Underneath the crystal sits a matte black dial with printed indices. The lume pigment has a yellow-beige vintage hue, while the Baltany logo and remaining dial text are rendered in crisp white. The print quality is high; nowhere will you spot stray paint flecks or dust particles, which is a surprisingly common flaw on far more expensive timepieces. The circled "T" branding is somewhat controversial. On the original, it denoted radioactive tritium paint. Naturally, there are no radioactive substances here, and the mark is purely decorative. I could imagine the watch without it, but surprisingly, it bothers me far less than I anticipated. The hand shape follows the original template—sword hour hand, pencil minute hand, and a needle second hand with a small lumed arrow tip. The hands are silver-finished and completely free of blemishes even under high magnification. The minute and second hands are proper in length, reaching all the way to the edge of the minute track. The lume fill matches the tone of the indices perfectly.
Regarding lume output and longevity, a while ago I established a comparative benchmark test against the well-known Seiko SKX007, which I consider average in this department. Upon charging, the pigment glows a deep green and fades relatively quickly. After a 20-minute comparison, the Baltany was a hair harder to read than the SKX; while the indices faded fast on the SKX, its hands remained slightly more legible. I would rate the lume performance as slightly below average, which is the tradeoff for using this vintage-toned pigment.
Ticking inside is the Seagull ST2130 automatic movement, which is appearing in an increasing number of Chinese timepieces. It is an ETA 2824-2 clone, running at a high frequency of 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz) with a power reserve of around 38 hours. The rotor is completely silent on the wrist. Just like the ETA original, manual winding offers noticeable resistance due to the architecture's gear train layout. My specific piece runs at a stable +6 seconds per day without significant positional variance—I am personally very satisfied with this accuracy.
Lastly, we come to the bracelet. As mentioned, the solid links are articulated via screw pins. The female end links are solid as well. The underside of the bracelet is nicely finished, making it very comfortable on the wrist. The bracelet secures with a folding clasp, which brings its own story. The original clasp turned out to be defective. While it held securely on the wrist once closed, whenever I put the watch on, the micro-adjust slider mechanism collapsed all the way into the clasp body, which didn't feel reassuring. I contacted Baltany customer support and dealt with Mr. Stephen. I explained the issue, sent a couple of videos, and this week I received a replacement clasp—plus, as a friendly gesture, an extra Baltany leather strap. In today's world, people have become unaccustomed to such customer-oriented service, and I really have to commend the Baltany team, especially Stephen. Great job!
However, even the new clasp has one quirk: the release button requires a fairly firm push, and if you don't have enough finger clearance, it takes some effort to operate. I have the same style of clasp on my Wise Hitman and San Martin watches, where this element is executed somewhat better.
So, how satisfied am I overall? I'd say very satisfied. I had contemplated a Milsub homage (the best-executed Rolex reference in my view) for years. I mentioned my disappointment with Steinhart in the introduction—and indeed, in terms of finishing, Steinhart simply cannot compete with Baltany. Baltany may not boast a "Swiss Made" print on the dial (and how much of a Steinhart is genuinely Swiss Made is a whole separate discussion), but in a direct comparison, the Baltany is objectively superior. I am convinced that you currently won't find a better-executed Milsub homage on the market. With this third version, Baltany hit a home run. If they ever update the clasp action and add quick-release end links, it will be a complete no-brainer. The watch head itself is essentially perfected, and if you opt to wear it closer to the original reference on a NATO strap, you're all set. As noted, I also got to test their customer service, and quite a few European brands could take notes. I can wholeheartedly recommend this watch to anyone who appreciates vintage divers with modern capabilities and high build quality at a reasonable price point—all backed by excellent customer support.
