Hands-On With The Summery Vero Open Water 38 In Off-White And Emergency Yellow
Straight off the bat, I want to be upfront and let you know that these watches have sold out since they were first announced last year. So why do a review? It’s quite simple. The two Vero Open Water 38 models are the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the watches from the young American brand. Also, Vero still offers the Open Water in a 41mm case, so there’s plenty to discover about these two remarkable Open Water 38 models. Let’s see what makes the Vero Open Water 38 Off-White and Emergency Yellow special beyond their colors.
When I first saw the Vero Open Water 38 models last year, the bright yellow Swell model instantly caught my attention. It has a similar yellow color to a tennis ball, making it the perfect fun watch for a tennis player like me. As I write this, I’m enjoying the first day of Wimbledon 2025, so featuring the Open Water 38 Swell only seems appropriate. The off-white Cove model is slightly less extravagant, but it still commands attention. Both models are quite different from most regular dive watches out there. They make for a perfect duo of summer watches from this Portland, Oregon-based brand, which focuses on creating affordable yet rugged tool watches.
The details of the Vero Open Water 38 models
Let’s cover the specs first. Both watches feature a 38mm bead-blasted stainless steel case with a 10.75mm thickness and a 46.5mm lug-to-lug. Matched with each case is a dial-matching Cerakote-treated bezel, creating a solid color block that visually pops.
It also contrasts the matte finish of the case and the beat-blasted three-row bracelet. At first glance, you might think that the watches are made of lightweight titanium. Once you pick them up, though, you will feel the heft of stainless steel.
I like the contrast between the matte, almost industrial look of the case and bracelet and the vividness of the dial and bezel. While the bright yellow Swell model visually hooked me, the off-white Cove model intrigued me more as a watch I would regularly wear.
Both dials feature applied black hour markers with white Super-LumiNova. The hour and minute hands are also black with white lume, and the thin seconds hand on each version is white with a black tip, making it easy to track the seconds on the bright dials.
A fun play on a hardcore dive watch
As you can see, the unidirectional bezels feature a 12-hour scale. This allows you to track the time in a second time zone. While both watches are, in essence, dive watches created for life in the sea (more specifically, surfing), the possibility of tracking the time in an additional time zone is a fun play on the Open Water 41, which is a true dive watch with a unidirectional 60-minute bezel.
As a fan of GMT watches, I find any opportunity to track the time in different time zones is a plus. It also suits the nomadic lifestyle of surfers who travel through multiple time zones searching for the perfect wave.
In addition to the Open Water 38’s nicely balanced design, a high level of quality and eye for detail are evident here. An example is the black crown on the right side of the case. The usual choice would be a crown that matches the case, but the black crown matches the markers and numerals on the dial and bezel while balancing out the dominant light colors. Also, this knurled crown is very easy to rotate thanks to the superior grip it offers.
A specially designed bracelet for the Open Water 38
The 18mm-wide bracelet also demonstrates a great eye for detail. It was specifically designed for this smaller Open Water model and feels nice and sturdy. Additionally, it includes female end links and the much-praised NodeX clasp, which Nodus developed. The clasp features two large integrated push buttons and a micro-adjustment system that allows you to find the perfect fit without using tools. It’s a well-designed, expertly engineered, and superbly executed bracelet that makes wearing the watch an absolute joy.
Inside the case, Vero uses the familiar Sellita SW200-1 caliber. The automatic movement operates at 28,800vph and offers 38 hours of power reserve. But instead of using an off-the-rack version of the caliber, Vero ensures the movements are regulated in-house to better than ±5 seconds per day in six positions. It’s another detail showing Vero goes to great lengths to create a great product. As you can see, the caliber is safely hidden behind a steel case back with the technical specs engraved.
Wearing the two Vero Open Water 38 models
So, how do the two models feel on the wrist? In one word, great! These two watches have the perfect dimensions to fit a variety of wrist sizes. Thanks to the bright colors, they also have tremendous wrist presence. While the bright yellow Swell model is the immediate eye catcher, I gravitated more towards the off-white Cove model over time.
It is less extravagant, making it a better daily wearer for me. However, despite its slightly more muted look, it still stands out. That’s why I would wear it during long summer days or on holidays.
Thanks to the solid set of specs, the practicality of an extra time zone, and the impressive build quality, these watches make great daily wearers. On top of that, they look great. Judging by how quickly they sold out, many people thought the same. As mentioned, you can currently opt for the larger 41mm Daybreak version, but I hope that Vero will bring back the Open Water 38.
Final thoughts on the Vero Open Water 38
The slightly smaller case, perfect proportions, and great, slender bracelet deserve to return to Vero’s catalog. Perhaps another run in the same colors would be nice, but I can easily think of other colors that would work well.
The striking combination of bright dials and full-color bezels makes these watches look different from many of their competitors. I would love to see a green or a nice brown version, but those are just two of many great potential options.
Overall, I was impressed by the combination of a fun, summery presence and Vero’s serious quality. Even though these watches have unfortunately sold out, it is worth taking a look at the brand’s other tool watches.
They are colorful and different, and I love that. While this review might be late because the watches came out last summer, I will keep my fingers crossed that we will see more of the Vero Open Water 38.
For US$795, it is hard to find watches that offer such a great combination of colorful fun and serious specs and quality. That is what makes the Vero Open Water 38 different from so many others. But what do you think of these watches? Would you like Vero to bring them back? Let me know in the comments section.
