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Welcome to one of the most surprising watch launches of 2024. I didn’t expect this watch to be so good, I didn’t expect it to be so cheap, and I didn’t expect to see it so soon. And I’m glad to be saying all that because it wasn’t exactly the case last time around.

Indeed, I had far more mixed thoughts about the debut product from Erebus, the watch brand set up by the YouTuber Jody from Just One More Watch.

I thought his Origin diver was well-made and well-finished, with great specs for the money. It even had the best lume in the business. However, the generic, uninspiring design failed to pull me in.

In all honesty, I think many reviewers pulled punches in this regard to avoid stepping on Jody’s toes. I totally get it. Jody is a lovely guy based on the interactions I’ve had with him online, and he’s widely respected by others in this community; it’s great to see his new brand succeeding.

However, you guys kept commenting that I was the only one to criticize the watch and say what we were all thinking: that the Origin lacked the x-factor in terms of design despite its strong specifications. I don’t bring this up to rag on a specific creator or to pump myself up, though I did feel a little smug reading your kind comments.

No, it’s because I’m concerned you’ll hear much of the same super-positive messaging floating around about this new model, and you might not take it seriously despite the fact this new model, the Ascent, is much more deserving of that praise.

Packaging & Color Choice

So, the Erebus Ascent normally ships in the same solid packaging as the previous watch. The three I was sent were loaner review samples, meaning they came in different boxes for posting to other creators. It’s available in a huge variety of colors, but here are the three I received: white enamel, purple sunburst, and green helix.

According to Erebus, they set out to create a GADA watch, one of these ‘go anywhere, do anything’ pieces for use in almost any scenario. As a result, the Ascent is very different than the Origin and, in my opinion, far, far better.

Specifications & Dimensions

As you might expect, Jody has again delivered some great specifications. For a preorder price starting from $349, excluding import fees, which should increase slightly after the preorder window, you get a 316L stainless steel sports watch with a sapphire crystal, a solid link bracelet, 10atm water resistance, a screw-down crown and a Miyota 9015 under the hood.

Those are all great achievements for the money, but we said that last time. The difference is that the Ascent is actually something I want to wear.

The sizing, for starters, is bob on. At 38.7mm in diameter, paired with a 44.6mm lug-to-lug and an 11.2mm thickness (including the lightly domed crystal), it’s among the most crowd-pleasing watches I’ve reviewed, with a shape that also contributes to this versatility. You see, the rear is extremely flat with no bulges, and it’s got nicely curved sides, meaning you’re not left with any clunky excess space, as with some other similarly styled budget alternatives.

view the ascent watch range on the erebus website

Design

While clearly inspired by the likes of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, the shape and finishing aren’t a direct rip-off and remind me more of the Seiko 5 SNK300 series, which surprisingly isn’t an insult. Those watches have always had the best-looking and best-fitting case in the Seiko 5 range, and the Ascent utilizes a similar structure, albeit done to a much higher standard.

The case polishing, in particular, is superb, with a mirror-like sheen similar to that offered by 904L steel watches like the Wise AD8, and only equaled by San Martin, one of the best finished affordable brands.

From above, these polished portions extend out like luscious lips, adding to that wide-shouldered look that has become very popular in recent years. From the side, the Ascent foregoes convention by splitting the case into two distinct sections, with a brushed seam running down the center. It’s the opposite of a typical high-polish chamfer, and I think it adds to the visual interest and elegance without being distracting. It may be an optical illusion, but I think it also makes the whole package look slimmer versus similarly styled watches with more typical flanks.

The final result looks phenomenal out of the box, and the quality of the reflections does make the watch look much more expensive; just be aware that this will accrue scratches fairly readily, as they haven’t advertised any special hardening or scratch-resistant coating for the Ascent.

Another nice touch is the semi-recessed crown, which marginally improves the symmetry and reduces protrusion into the back of your hand. I think this is a touch large for designs like these, which lean towards the dressier side of things, however, it functions great, with plenty of grip and no ghost positions; it’s a minor nitpick at most.

Bracelet

In fact, before we look at the exquisite dials that are on display here, I’ll quickly mention my only other minor gripes, which are both to do with the bracelets. The J-style on the green watch had some tolerance issues, where the penultimate links were stiff and rubbed against the end links when moved. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case with the purple watch or the O-style bracelet fitted to the white one.

As I mentioned earlier, these are all press samples rather than production models, so this sort of thing could be ironed out by release. Something that probably won’t be ironed out is that the J-link bracelet is too long for my 6 ¼ inch (15.9cm) wrist, even with the maximum number of links removed. It’s a shame, as despite the stiffness, I do think it’s the better-looking choice. The O-style alternative just about fits my wrist, but do bear in mind these limitations if you have a similarly sized arm.

Aside from that, the bracelets are very good across the board, with accurate case-matched finishing and solid links, as well as multi-step adjustable clasps and quick-release spring bars, so you don’t have to fiddle with any tools. They also both use screwed links, which are pretty easy to change at home.

With this launch, Erebus also released some low-cost strap sets that you can add on as optional extras. There are sports strap packs, which I think are mainly meant for the previous Origin diver, as well as leather strap packs, which are probably the better choice for the Ascent. Unfortunately, I was only sent the sporty ones, so I can’t comment on how the leather ones perform, though I will say the black silicone strap is surprisingly viable with a rather neat look and it actually fits too, which is helpful!

EREBUS WATCH Dial

Where do we start when it comes to the dials? It’s difficult to choose because each is magnificent considering the age of this company, and I think we can all agree that these annihilate the Origin from a visual standpoint.

Out of the three, my wife and I were both drawn first to the purple sunburst. This is easily in the upper echelon of sunbursts I’ve reviewed, with an exquisite, classy tone that had me salivating when I unboxed it. I can’t remember the last time I saw, let alone lusted after, a purple watch. Now, I haven’t tried all of the colors, so I can’t unequivocally say this is the best one, but if you opt for it, you’re in for a treat.

That’s not to say the others aren’t decent. The green helix dial is very well done and absolutely worth considering if you prefer a more intricate look. These are always at risk of looking too busy and cluttered, but the macro details here are just small enough to fade away somewhat at a distance, and it’s got a slight fume effect to draw your attention instead.

When you get your binoculars on, you’ll see that this engraving is constituted of mini Erebus logos, with a spiral pattern that kind of works in both directions. Before I forget, that’s another differing element too. You’ll see they splashed out for an applied main Erebus logo this time, which I think matches the glossy theme of the watch better than the previous inked logo would have. The icon and text also seem smaller too. Perhaps it’s because of the slimmer hands, but whatever the case, the adjustments mean the Ascent doesn’t look as nearly top-heavy as the Origin did.

I’ve never been a big white dial fan, though I will say that this one is also very clear and surprisingly legible for a white watch.

Out of the other dials that Jody showed off, I genuinely like the vast majority of them; especially the blue helix, which may be just as good as this purple one. The only one I’m not totally feeling is the malachite model; it’s a very bold and static mineral, which inherently makes it less versatile than some alternatives.

You’ll notice that each of these watches have interesting final touches that you’ll rarely come across. Firstly, virtually the entire series boasts color-matched date wheels at 6 o’clock. I’m not talking about just your run-of-the-mill black and white, though they do appear when appropriate. No, Erebus has perfectly matched many of the colored versions, too, including both the purple and green variants I have here. Many luxury brands don’t bother doing this, but this sub-$400 startup does.

They’ve even applied loads of blue luminescent pigment, meaning the Ascent outcompetes virtually every similarly styled big-brand alternative when the sun goes down; in fact, it’s better than most dive watches.

Handset

Additionally, while the marker arrangement is fairly predictable, the dauphine handset isn’t as run-of-the-mill as it may seem. Now, you’ve probably seen similar hands used on numerous watches before; they’re commonplace on vintage watches and remain popular with brands like Seiko and Citizen to this day. Most of those aren’t as premium-looking as those fitted to the Ascent.

These have lovely faceted edges, providing a more substantial, three-dimensional effect that plays with the light in harmony with the similarly angular case. They aren’t as impressive as those on, say, a Grand Seiko, but it is one of those subtle factors that adds an air of prestige to a piece like this. They’re pretty clean under the microscope, too, which never hurts.

Crystal

The macro shots you’re seeing look so good because the sapphire crystal has an actually competent anti-reflective coating. To be clear, we see a lot of watches with sapphire, and they all resist scratches to the same degree, but without high-clarity crystals and a good AR coating, haziness can be introduced. Orient, for instance, has started using sapphire on their affordable watches, which is great, but the final results are pretty murky.

Whatever the Erebus team has opted for, it's worked well with only a very slight dome effect that you may not even notice.

Watch Movement

I was interested to see how accurate each of these movements were. In here is the Miyota 9015, which is a pretty decent movement, in this case, chosen for its slimness.

I got a fairly even spread, with the white Ascent coming in at +9 seconds, the purple at -10 seconds, and the green helix right in the middle at +1 seconds per day on average.

Accuracy is pretty far down my list of priorities with mechanical watches. As long as it’s tolerable, which is usually the case, other factors affect my enjoyment far more. I’ve previously reviewed several more expensive or similarly priced watches powered by the lower-tier Miyota 8000 series, and the 9015 boasts much quieter operation at a higher beat rate, combined with a slimmer profile that permits the watch housing it to be thinner. It’s an upgrade that’s absolutely worth the cost.

Final Thoughts

As a whole, the Ascent is much more impressive than I’d envisaged. It’s not the most original design in the world, but it’s very pleasing to the eye, with enough unique elements to set it apart from anything else on the market. If you like watches because they have high specs, it’s got you covered; if looks are what matters to you instead, the Ascent has that on lock, too. It doesn’t have any major weaknesses like the Origin did.

view the ascent on the erebus watch range