When the first dive watches appeared in the 1950s/60s, brands focused on technical proficiency in order to stand out from one another. Who had the greatest depth rating? The best lume? The most reliable movement? And because we were looking at a new genre of watches, their designs were also new which further helped in telling them apart. (These were fun and exciting times!) Then in the 1960s/70s, skin divers and professional divers, globally speaking, started to look more or less the same. So brands went to associate themselves with the military or scientific organizations to once again be different. And the situation is yet again something else in the 21st century as brands, just like their consumers, work doubly hard to stand out from a now large crowd of micro/independent entities and their endless offerings. 

Today’s trend is to design watches which evoke a particular country, landscape, or culture. And I like this trend a lot because it gives brands a unique way to express themselves and for us consumers to explore, even in the most minor of fashions, a different way of seeing and doing things. I’ve never been to Australia and after spending time with the Houtman Pilbara White Salt (and other Aussie-based models) I’m starting to believe that Australians are proud of their cultural and natural heritages, and that they are tough and reliable people. My assumptions might be completely wrong but they stem from the impressions I got wearing the Pilbara. Whether or not they are accurate, it goes to show that the new trend works and is exciting. But today we’re going to focus on the diver itself. 

Although I would love to, Mainspring is not the right place to have armchair philosophical discussions. Or perhaps it is? 

Specifications 

Spoiler alert: the Houtman Pilbara White Salt is a tough baby. It’s large, a little heavy, but it wears really well on my average 6.50”/16.50cm wrist. And it looks and feels old school modern, which is my way of saying that it reminds me of micro/indy divers from a few years ago—in a good way. A time not so long ago when brands just wanted to make solid tool watches as opposed to now…a bizarre epoch in which brands work too hard to be the best or first at something. (First dial made of drops of frozen octopus blood or mimicking New York Style pizza slices.) So in dimensions we find the following: 41mm in diameter, 49mm lug-to-lug, 11.8mm thick (including the crystal,) and a 22mm lug width. Yes, the Pilbara is large and tough but its case is superbly designed, finished, and ergonomic. Meaning: the case-back is flat and the lugs turn-down. I feel we don’t often see divers with a 49mm L2L anymore which helps me justify the “modern old school.” 

What further helps in making the Houtman Pilbara wear well is the fully articulated, five-link stainless steel bracelet* which comes with female end-links, split-pins, quick-release spring-bars, and a short but solid clasp complete with three old-school holes of micro-adjustments. As I’ve said before here and on Instagram, I do like these types of clasps as they tend to be thinner and shorter, so more comfortable to wear. (And I would make the same argument regarding split pins compared to screws for the links.) Moreover, the links and clasp are made in a way that finding the perfect fit was super easy. I think this has to do with the length of the links compared to the length of the clasp and where the micro-adjustment holes are drilled and how far apart they are from one another. But I’m no engineer so the latter few sentences might not make any sense. 

*Houtman adds a solid FKM rubber strap in the box for added functionality and versatility. 

Being a dive watch, the Houtman Pilbara White Salt comes with a unidirectional, 120-click bezel with a count-up scale. The clicks are humble, crisp, and there is a total absence of black-play. Again, modern old school of the very good kind. And the bezel mechanism pairs well—visually and technically—with the bezel insert and whatever it is made of. (I assume brushed aluminum?) In other words, it’s simple, robust, and gets the job done. The movement inside further aids in endowing the Pilbara White Salt with a straight-cut tool watch personality as we do find a robust Miyota 9039 caliber (4Hz/41 hours.) A solid choice for a solid watch. Lastly, there’s plenty of blue-glowing BGW9 on the hands, hour markers, and bezel. That’s a lot of tool watch goodness for $485 USD. Just saying. 

Design

But the spec sheet is not what prompted me to reach out to Houtman and ask to review this model. I liked the way it looked. I don’t normally review white dial watches but I felt compelled to do so here as it is the perfect opposite of a black-on-white monochromatic design. The dial has an immaculate matte white color which absorbs light, the color of which is perfectly matched by the choice of lume for the hands and hour markers. The latter appear to have the exact same color and texture in daylight which is one of the design elements that contributes to giving the Pilbara White Salt an almost perfect minimalist look. As you can see from the photos, the hands are painted matte black, so are the hour markers and chapter ring, which make them pop from the dial. Add to that the rectangular shapes found on all of these elements which makes the whole dial apparatus easy to read and pleasant to look at. 

If we look a little closer, however, we’ll find a couple of additional details which I find particularly interesting and well executed. First, the chapter ring which sits slightly above the main portion of the dial as well as the hour markers which are actually an integral part of it and protrude out above the dial. The emphasis was given to the markers at the cardinal points which are larger and doubled at the twelve. And the simple and balanced approach to design was carried over to the bezel and case. On the bezel we find a diamond-shaped marker for the twelve, Arabic numerals for the 15, 30, and 45 minute increments, and batons for the other five-minute increments. In other words, a paired down design which is however balanced and extremely legible. The case for its part comes with slab-sided flanks, angular lugs, and a gentle mixture of brushed and polished finishes. 

The Heart of the Matter

At the heart of the matter is the fact that the Houtman Pilbara White Salt is what I could best describe as being a modern classic old school diver. An actual tool watch equipped with all of the right specs—a good movement, a solid case, 200 meters of water resistance, great lume, sapphire crystal, and a good bracelet (some of which I hadn’t mentioned yet)—so that you can actually use it on all of your adventures, whether above or under the sea. And a “watch” which you can wear to do many other things, from a boring meeting and an awkward boardroom cocktail hour to a casual dinner or during an adrenaline-packed vacation. This is what Houtman set out to do and did so successfully. And I would like, once again, to emphasize the price at which you can acquire the Pilbara: $485 USD which is a bargain for what you get here. 

Earlier in the review I said that it was nice to see a classic-looking and straightforward tool watch  amongst the massive and abysmal offerings found in today’s market. Being who we are, we cannot find contentment with what is timeless, simple, and well-made. We want more, bigger, funkier, and louder watches, designs, and ultra expensive mechanics all of which justify being the “first” or the “only one” or the “best” at something, all the while forgetting what it means to make a good tool watch. So the Houtman Pilbara is a breath of fresh air to me and I’m grateful to the brand for giving me the opportunity to spend some time with. What’s more is that Houtman managed to reference Australia’s landscape and culture without going over-the-top, something that seems to be very difficult to do for many brands. 

Conclusion 

Well, I’m glad we spent a little bit of time together to talk about the Houtman Pilbara as it is nice to be able to check out “a watch.” Nothing fancy but something that works and is cohesive. And you should know that the Pilbara comes in other versions if you don’t fancy white. Six in total although two are currently sold out: Wild Violet, Rock, White Salt (this one,) Black Sand, Jade and Blue. So you have a few options to choose from for other colors and the closest to the White Salt we looked at today would be the Black Sand—same colors but inverted. 

Thanks for reading.