Akrone C-02 Héritage No Bat Owner Review : Robust, precise and professional

The C-02 Héritage nobat piqued my interest because the brand's offices are just a few blocks from mine. As a dive watch enthusiast and a keen observer of their history, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms really spoke to me, and Akrone was open about its inspiration. Along with the release of the Swatch Scuba Fifty Fathoms, it was a no-brainer to get closer to this model with its France Ebauche movement. After trying the watch on their premises, I placed an order a few weeks later and came to pick it up. Two very enjoyable moments, with people talking about their passion for watches, the history of their brand, and their work. We didn't keep track of the time; it was very informative. The watch itself is very distinctive; it makes no secret of its status as a tool watch. So far, it's the most expensive watch they've sold, due to the movement stamped into the case. It's very present on the wrist, not so much for its diameter (41mm), but for its thickness (14.4mm), mainly due to the domed glass. Its fully brushed case currently bears no marks, despite wearing it almost every weekday. It's solid, precise, has character, and is from Nantes! Perfect? Not in every way. After the honeymoon period, you always find little things to criticize. If I had to name them, they would be the straps without much added value, the metal is too bulky and the rubber a bit coarse, the balls are truly enormous. I put a black Tropic from Joseph Bonnie on it and voila, it was perfect! The lume is really not its strong point; it's not powerful and doesn't last very long. We can also criticize the hands, which look a bit cheap and are too long, hiding the track, and are less easy to adjust because of the domed glass. An important piece of information that wasn't on their website: it's self-winding, but unidirectional, meaning the watch is wound only in one direction. This causes a loud noise from the balance wheel as it spins in a vacuum. Personally, I like it! This is my daily watch during the week and it's set to +1.5 seconds per day, which is perfect. I'm patiently waiting for the new 39mm C-02s, which will be released in summer 2025! A silver-plated steel case, a black dial, a not-too-domed crystal, a crown protector, perhaps simpler, less technical straps, and a thickness of around 11mm—it would be perfection.