This Little-Known Watch Is Arguably Invicta’s Best - Invicta 31260 Review
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When it comes to divisive watch brands, one takes the crown above all others.
Invicta watches are seemingly either loved or hated by members of the wristwatch community. Some love the gigantic and colourful watch designs, whilst others criticise the brand for its reliance on Rolex rip-offs, along with their hugely inflated ‘MSRP’ pricing strategy.
I reviewed the Pro Diver last year, which is their Rolex submariner clone and I have to say I think on a material level it was a high-quality product, considering the low price. Sure it had some quirks like the unusual tone lume pips and the huge engraving down the side of the watch; however, in terms of specifications, it was almost unbeatable at the price point.
Until now, I thought that would remain the only Invicta to appeal to me in some way or another. The large sizing and flashy aesthetic of most models don’t work with my wrist or style.
But maybe that isn’t the case. Maybe some Invicta models can be modest in both size and style? To find out, I spent what felt like 84 years searching Amazon and eventually stumbled upon this. A 40mm Invicta that looked almost nothing like a typical Invicta, or a Rolex for that matter. No cartoon characters on the dial, no dangling chains and a fairly decent price too.
There was no way I could pass the opportunity by. I got amazon to send this across for review, so thanks to them. Normally it retails for between £70 and £80, despite the frankly ridiculous $495 RRP tag. I’m gonna judge this as a £75 watch, not a watch worth the higher figure because on no planet is this worth $500.
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Packaging
It came in the same bright yellow Invicta box as the Pro Diver did. While it’s pretty loud, it’s also some of the best protective packaging I’ve come across. Everything is nicely padded and it certainly gives a good first impression, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the brand.
By most traditional watch brand standards, Invicta does a fairly good job of their product shots, so upon opening the box, I was pleased to discover the watch looked just like the stock images; if not better.
INVICTA 31260 Dimensions
Indeed, the Amazon listing was accurate with the sizing. At 40mm across, 46mm lug to lug and a mere 9.7mm thick, this has to be one of the most wearable watches from this brand for average to slim wrists.
Watch Case
While there is no classic gold plating, commonplace on other models, instead there is a slightly more subtle rose-gold finish across the steel case upper; with a typical silver steel rear. The polishing is very smooth across the entire case, with the most notable feature being the double-ringed bezel.
As a whole, the finishing is okay for a budget watch, but the edges are pretty blunt and certainly aren’t as precise as those on most luxury watches. Despite this, I think the watch looks good and the case shape is simple but attractive.
On the right side, you’re met with a grippy crown emblazoned with the Invicta logo. While this is heavily grooved, unfortunately, it doesn’t interact very well with the movement and is quite unresponsive. It takes a substantial twist to get the hand to start rotating at all; then when it does it suddenly accelerates. As such, it’s tricky to make quick, fine adjustments to the time or date.
Thankfully, the other flank of the watch is a better story. Gone is the large Invicta inscription. This time it’s just simple and clean, with no unnecessary advertisement that you’re wearing an Invicta. If you’re one of these guys I’ve seen grinding the engraving out of your Pro Diver, you’ll be glad to know that won’t be required with this model.
Performance
The watch features a fairly standard 50m of water resistance, along with an unusually named dial covering, which Invicta are calling the ‘Flame Fusion Crystal’. Invicta are well known for their marketing exaggerations and this appears to be another example of that. By my understanding, this is simply a type of treated mineral crystal (sometimes known as K1 glass), which will offer slightly better scratch resistance than traditional mineral. Considering the price of the watch, this is pretty decent; just don’t expect something out of Power Rangers to be shielding your watch, as it’s essentially a gimmick.
Watch Dial
When it comes to the dial, it’s refreshing to see a fairly original design. I say fairly original because I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that someone at Invicta liked the look of this Breitling when conceiving this model; as it bears more than a passing resemblance.
There are some differences, including the numbers at 2,4,6,8 and 10, as well as the two markers that flank the large day indicator in the top centre. The lugs and side profile varies too.
Though, the handset and overall design language are extremely similar. It’s not an outright clone in the way the Pro Diver is to the submariner, but it’s also not as unique as I first thought.
By no means am I saying it’s a boring or ugly watch. I think it’s quite a looker. It features a dark grey dial that’s got a particularly striking sunburst effect, which pairs well with the rose gold accents spread across it. Traditionally, I’m not a big fan of rose-gold as it doesn’t fit my wardrobe; however, I must say it’s been well-executed here and isn’t overpowering.
The simple appearance is aided by the raised ring around the perimeter, indicating 5-minute intervals as well as the subtle Invicta logo just below the 12 o’clock position. Both windows have faceted cut-outs, which improves the look on a macro level.
All of these factors combine to give a versatile aesthetic that could be worn to the office or for black tie events.
Invicta Movement
Alignment is good too. I’ve noticed the second hand on this unit pretty much hits every marker as it moves around the dial. Indeed, this uses a quartz movement; the Seiko VJ55 to be specific. This is what offers the day-date functionality and other than the adjustment issues I mentioned earlier it seems fairly decent. The tick motion seems consistent and it’s virtually silent during operation, which is nice.
Strap
The final piece of the puzzle is of course the strap. For a £70 watch, this black croc calfskin one is more than usable. It’s soft and fairly flexible, though its surface does exude some rubbery vibes. It’s a shame that it doesn’t feature quick-release tabs either, but I’d say most of you would be fine keeping this on the watch for a long duration.
Final Thoughts
Does this offer more value on a material level than the Pro Diver? No. Is it an attractive dress watch which will likely have more mass appeal than 99% of Invicta watches? In my eyes, definitely.
