IXDAO IPOSE Dragonscale Diver

Being a long time collector of primarily budget timepieces, I quickly became aware of the value of Chinese watches. For a long time (and even now) the main offerings available to Western consumers were homages. They were often sterile-dial replicas of the real deal; sometimes they flew too close to the sun and became the target of legal action. If you were around for the days of the Parnis Marina Militare you know what I’m talking about - if you don’t, just consider yourself fortunate that Panerai are no longer in fashion (although I still do crave a large watch with a sandwich dial).

I’m sure there are others who have had a closer ear to the ground than me, but I feel that about 15 years of attention towards the matter has given me a measure of perspective. Over time, the quality of the watches and their specs improved, and the companies manufacturing them became more established. The change in the industry has been amazing to watch unfold in real time; now I am seeing brands transitioning away from lineups based on designs of Western companies to developing new designs, styles, and identities based around their Chinese heritage..

This is in no way a shot at homages and the accessibility they have given budget watch consumers to legacy designs. My collection had, does, and always will have a few homage watches - they have been instrumental in figuring out what I like, and more importantly, don’t like in a watch. Also important to note, living with a watch on-wrist is very different from staring at a picture. Homages have also given me and others access to designs that would be unobtainable for the majority of watch collectors, such as my Steinhart OVM Milsub or Seestern Explorer II 1655 homage watches. It has taken a while, but I finally feel that I have my tastes and preferences dialed in, so I am transitioning my collection slowly in a specific direction.

As a result of narrowing my tastes and having tried a variety of styles over the years, I have bought and sold many Chinese watches with a half dozen or more on the chopping block. However, after clearing out so many spaces in my watch box, I figured that I had (at least) one fresh spot. I decided that I wanted a watch that was uniquely Chinese to pay homage to the role that the Chinese watch industry had played in my collecting journey - a piece that embraced its country of manufacture rather than obscured it.

I had been mulling over the idea once I began the process of thinning the herd when an opportunity presented itself - the IXDAO IPOSE Dragonscale dive watch (in green of course). I had a feeling that this might be the watch that fit my vision, and picked it up at a great price - secondhand with the stickers still on. I’ll get into the dimensions of the watch before giving my impressions, but if you want to stop reading right now and skim the pictures - I was right. 

The IXDAO IPOSE JD-X07S Dragonscale dive watch, henceforth referred to as something shorter, has a 316L steel case that is 39.5mm in diameter, 44mm lug to lug, and has a lug width of 20mm. It measures 12.1mm tall, topped with a domed sapphire crystal. The case is a gently curved cushion case with a brushed finish and polished chamfered edges. There is a nicely finished screw down crown with the IXDAO logo. 

The watch doesn’t measure particularly large but still wears smaller than its spec sheet suggests. The curve of the case, short lug to lug, and the short height all make the Dragonscale feel compact and well seated on the wrist. The caseback is beautifully engraved with a coiled dragon, with the raised surfaces polished against a matte background. The engraving detail is without a doubt the most intricate in my collection, with my Helm Miyako being a distant second. It is an amazing amount of attention to a part of the watch that will rarely be seen. Around the caseback, the specs of the watch are marked, including “dragon edition” and “200m water resist”.

The sapphire crystal at the top of the watch curves to meet the matte green bezel insert which continues to angle downwards. The bezel insert is lumed at the indices with Swiss BGW9 lume. The bezel itself is 120 clicks and is very smooth to operate and everything lines up perfectly. The edges are nicely finished in a diamond pattern. Due to the narrowness of the bezel and the finishing of the edges, it is a little slippery to operate and get a good grip. 

The indices and hour and minute hands are lumed with the same blue BGW9 lume as the bezel insert and have polished beveled edges. The second hand has a small spear shaped head that is lumed, the rest is matte black aside from a silver cap on the hand pinion - a beautiful touch. There is a silver bordered window at 6:00 with a color matched date wheel, balanced by the IXDAO logo underneath the split triangle 12:00 indice. While the case is mostly brushed, there is a lot of polish on the dial; as you work your way inwards visually on the watch there is an alternating pattern of flat and polished surfaces that continues all the way to the center. 

There is a color coordinated chapter ring with minute markers leading into the dial, which is the focal point of the watch. The dial is covered in a symmetrical dragonscale motif with raised green scale segments separated by burnished gold lines. When I first saw the product renders and photos I thought it looked a bit busy - but in person the effect is much more subtle. The scales and separating lines have a matte finish, so they do not compete against the polished elements on the dial. Depending on the lighting the scales range in color from forest to hunter green, and the color fades to black towards the edge of the dial. 

The dragonscale pattern on the dial is interesting in that it creates several different effects. When the dial is viewed as a whole under direct light, the dragonscales look like armor plating and evokes a sense of strength. However, when seen in parts or when viewed from an angle, the dragonscales are less defined, and resemble rolling grassy hills separated by forking dirt paths. The ridges and curves give the dial a natural and organic character that is well balanced against the clean lines and polished surfaces of the rest of the watch.

The bracelet continues the theme of the watch in the sense that it is uniquely its own thing and not attempting to emulate any outside design influence. It could be described as a cross between a jubilee bracelet and a cheese grater. Or to be more fair and descriptive, an extra fine beads of rice bracelet with unrounded grains. The bracelet has a brushed finish with only the center two (or one, depending on the link) grains being polished, continuing the theme of polished and matte surfaces down the length of the watch laterally.

The clasp of the Dragonscale diver has four lines running down the center to continue the line started with the polished center grains, and the IXDAO logo is lined up with the clasp release buttons. The on the fly micro adjust works well - in between that and the small size of the individual links it wasn’t hard to get a comfortable fit on the bracelet. The end links have zero play with the case, and the tolerances of the fine links are very tight. The watch comes with a matching green FKM rubber strap and an elastic beige NATO strap, both of which have gone unworn thus far with the bracelet being so comfortable. 

One nitpick with the bracelet was that out of the box, there was a bit of squeak and some of the links were a bit stubborn to articulate. However, after wearing the watch for a few days and fidgeting with the bracelet for a bit, all of the links move smoothly and there are no rattles or unwelcome noises. Also, when I compared the bracelet to a cheese grater I wasn’t completely exaggerating - if you run your hand against the “beads” horizontally, they are sharp edged. These issues are my only complaints about this watch overall, which is remarkable given the watch being roughly $220 when purchased new. Not to excuse the flaws of the watch, but I sort of think the sharpness of the bracelet adds to the charm of the Dragonscale diver. IXDAO attempted something new with the bracelet, it looks and feels great, but it is a step away from being fully refined. 

The IXDAO Dragonscale diver has many features that make it feel more premium than the price would suggest. I mentioned the cap on the hand pinion, there is a high level of finish to all the polished elements of the watch, and there are subtle touches like lumed numerals on the color matched date wheel. The watch is bold while executing restraint and feels like it was designed with intent. The dial has both silver and gold and yet doesn't feel gaudy; while the dial is not lacking for details it is unburdened with unnecessary lines of text. The Dragonscale diver remains highly legible as a result of the contrast between the polished elements of the hands and indices and matte surface of the watch face.

The design of The IXDAO may feel a little out there for some and definitely not to everyone’s tastes, but for me, it checked all of the boxes I was looking for. It is a watch that is not only an original design, but incorporates elements of Chinese culture into its design both its watch face and caseback. It’s powered by the NH35 movement - while some may prefer the higher beat rate of the PT5000 or Miyota 9xxx series, I like the simplicity of the NH35. I know how to service or replace it should something go wrong, it keeps the watch below a certain price threshold, and it allows other areas of the watch to be prioritized such as the dial and case. The limitations of the NH movements, namely its thickness, can be designed around - and in this case, IXDAO has. The thick cushion midcase carries the visual weight of the watch, and it wears small in every dimension.

With the prices of some new releases from Chinese watch companies starting to brush up against entry level microbrands, watches like this IXDAO Dragonscale diver represent an era where Chinese watches were at the perfect intersection (for me) between price and affordability. The watch is by no means perfect - and when I purchased it I was not seeking perfection. What I was looking for was a unique design that represented the capabilities, the quirks, and the flavor of the Chinese watch industry, and I got that in spades with the IXDAO Dragonscale diver.