Core Alu Deep Black

I've had this watch for 2 weeks now, so I cannot speak for durability yet.I like it a lot. It feels great, it's light, elegant, not too big, easy to use and it certainly does what it's supposed to. What you would expect from Suunto.But I'm not going to talk about why you may want to buy it because if you are reading reviews on this watch is because you already want to buy it; so I will rather focus on what made me hesitate:- Aluminium: may not be the best material for a watch. It is light, it has a nice finish, but it is a malleable metal, and it will certainly scratch quite easily. So far, I have not had any scratch, but I am being consciously careful. Plastic could be more durable, but it wont be that good looking.- Display contrast is not great. The stock images you see are certainly edited and manipulated. It reads decently well, but depending on the angle it can become challenging. With poor light conditions, it definitively becomes challenging.- Rubber band is good, but bulky. I owned a Suunto X-Lander, and its band was as beautiful as it was terrible. I owned both the leather band and a rubberized one. None survived decently for more than a year and a half. After that, I hed to do superglue surgery to them or just get a new one. This one seems to be more silicone than rubber. It is soft to the touch, very flexible and overall seems like it will be more durable than those of the X-Lander. My only criticism is that since it is a somehow bulky watch, I take it away every night before going to sleep, and taking it off could be easier than what it is. But I have to say that even if I'd knew this before hand, that would not have prevented me from buying this watch. I still think it is worth.- Price. That is a big criticism I have for Suunto. You can get the exact same machine for $250 (or less) on a plastic case. Do the really need to charge you $150 more for an aluminium case? I find it abusive marketing.Overall, if anything, I would recommend any potential buyer to just be careful with scratches if you want to keep your Core Alu Deep Black in pristine conditions. If you don't mind the girly looks of the white version, I am pretty sure it will withstand scratches much more elegantly than the black one. For the very same reasons the white iPhone 5/5s tolerates them better. Under the black finish you will find shiny aluminium. Contrast will be less significant if you get the white version, which is also less expensive and for no good reason.

This watch would warrant an easy 5 star review if not for the very low contrast display.As stated in other reviews, images of this watch are definitely altered to make the display appear of higher contrast.Personally, I enjoy the display, and feel that it adds to the overall "deep black" aesthetic; but there is no denying that it is unreadable in even moderately low light conditions without the use of the back light. My girlfriend says she can't read it at all and doesn't know how I use it. Could be a deal breaker for some customers. Make sure you see it in person before dropping this kind of cash.The contrast is adjustable; however, adjustment seems to bring up the contrast of the back ground more than the data display, which detracts from the appearance and does little to make the display more readable. Even with contrast maxed out, the display is very low contrast. I keep mine on 8, with 10 being the brightest.The rest of the watch is amazing, duh, it's suunto. Manages to be large and sexy without being bulky or uncomfortable. Most comfortable watch I've ever owned. Strap seems like a small thing to compliment, but this one is amaze balls. Smooth, wide, thick, extremely pliable and durable, with extra wide buckle tang. Strap retainers have little underside pegs which fit into the adjustment holes and work incredibly well to hold everything in place.I was choosing between this and the blacked out "military" edition. I ultimately chose the alu design for aesthetic reasons. Absent bezel ring, smooth case and buttons, and smooth strap give it a more sleek and muted look. The strap also has an additional hinge where it meets the case which is lacking in the "all black"/"military" edition.Worth mentioning is the fact that bezel and strap can be changed, just not display, case, or buttons, and the "all black/military" edition can be had at a much lower price.

I'm a long time watch collector (over 35 year) and most of my pieces are $5K-$15K mechanical sport watches. I have two digital watches that I wear and are a needed addition to my collection. One is my G-Shock atomic Solar Riseman that is my extra ruff use watch, and the second is this Suunto Core. I've had the previous Suunto core all black in that past and the biggest difference I see in this one is no movable bezel. I gave my previous one to a neighbors sun and he loves it. I like to wear this watch when traveling mostly by car. My favorite feature is the storm warning feature that I have found comes in very handy when traveling(even by car). The compass feature is also great to have like say when you are in NY city and come out of a subway to get your bearing direction on the street. I love the strap on this watch and also that you can swap it for other 24mm straps without having to buy an adapter kit like my previous Core. This allows you to easily change out the look. Metal case on this one seems more rugged, but only time will prove this is true. You can even swim and snorkel with this watch. My only nit pick Is I wish the made this case with reverse display (white with black numbers) with this case. That would be a bit more readable, but this is good in most situations.

👍

After 2 years I still wear this watch. It is fantastic.

Vary nice look

Doesnt justify the price tag it carries

I've had the older version for about 4years an it's been exceptional and looking a bit worse for wearHowever when I received the new Suntto core I was delightedD Bains