What We Know
Victorinox has refreshed the Maverick in what amounts to the most dramatic reinvention of the line since it was first introduced over two decades ago. The Maverick line has long been a fixture in Victorinox’s watch offerings, and the new generation introduced this week reinforces its position as Victorinox’s “dressy” take on a dive (or dive-inspired) watch.
The new Maverick, available in a handful of colors across quartz and automatic models, largely keeps the same ethos and intent as previous Mavericks, but sheds much (read: nearly all) of the visual identity that has made the Maverick recognizable over the last twenty-odd years. Now measuring 39mm across, the new watches are simpler, smaller, and more focused in their design than the outgoing generation.
The watch is available in two basic models — one quartz, powered by a Ronda 715 movement, and the other automatic, powered by a Sellita SW200. The watches are largely similar, but a few subtle differences remain. The first is the bezel (bidirectional on both models). The quartz version uses a polished mineral insert, while the automatic uses a polished ceramic with a fully luminous scale. The markers are also slightly different, and while each version’s caseback is decorated with a Swiss Army Knife, the caseback on the automatic is transparent with a wireframe graphic, while that of the quartz is solid with an engraved image.
Beyond that, these watches are very similar, so choices come down to movement and color than anything else. The Maverick Quartz is available in (by my count) eight colorways, several of which come with either a stainless steel bracelet ora color-matched rubber strap. Prices for the Maverick Quartz start at $650 for a steel-tone case on a rubber strap and climb to $900 for a two-tone case with a matching two-tone three-link bracelet. The Maverick Automatic is available in four configurations across three colorways, priced at $1,110 for a steel case on a rubber strap and $1,200 for a steel case on a three-link bracelet.
What We Think
If you hear the name Victorinox and don’t immediately think of watches, I don’t blame you. The Swiss tool brand is far better known for its pocket knives, kitchen knives, and travel kits, but watches have been a big part of the brand’s offering for the last three decades, and you’ve probably run into Victorinox watches at least a few times in the last 30 years.
Personally, I’ve long been a fan. I wore a vintage Victorinox Swiss Army Original (you know the one — with the grey plastic case and red bezel) through most of high school, and an earlier version of the Maverick was one of the very first watches I bought for myself. That watch is now long gone, but the affection I feel for Victorinox is very much still with me.
These new watches do nothing to shake that affection. Actually, I think the latest iteration of the Maverick is quite good, if a little boring and down the middle. Admittedly, that’s what this line of watches needed to be, and the previous design language that defined the Maverick (and which was largely a holdover from the launch version of that watch) has been feeling pretty dated for a while now.
The watch, as it exists now, feels contemporary and well considered. It wears well, and it’s hard to look at this watch and not immediately think of the updated Longines Hydroqconquest introduced this past summer. Now, I’m not saying these are on the same level as those watches — they’re not, nor should they be at half the price for an automatic configuration — but they scratch a similar itch, and these will certainly be an attractive option for anyone looking to buy a reasonably priced, dressy, dive-adjacent watch from a Swiss-brand they can trust.
The Basics
Brand: Victorinox
Model: Maverick
Diameter: 39mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Dial Color: Blue, Green, Black, Red, or Light Blue
Indexes: Stainless Steel with either black fill or lume (model and placement specific).
Lume: Yes
Water Resistance: 200m
Strap/Bracelet: Available on either a stainless steel three-link bracelet or rubber strap.
The Movement
Caliber: Ronda 715 (quartz) or Sellita SW200
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Center Seconds, Date (at 6 o’clock)
Winding: Battery powered (quartz) or Automatic
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: Ranging from $650-$1200
Availability: Today
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
