Once in a while you have something that pops up that seems too good to be true, well usually if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it probably is a duck. But this doesn’t walk like a duck, it friggin dives like one, and I took the plunge.
I believe that even when I go diving, I want a watch that’s reliable and befitting the event. So modus operandi to find that companion. Alain and Abe (a once upon a time divers watches only lover) introduced me to Golana, Go-What? An hour later Alain was at my office with this cool looking watch, “Your gonna love it.”
Hey why not, it wasn’t the divers model, but Ill try it for now, wore it a few days and was actually quite nice, ok Alain cute, but I need a divers watch. So Abe who worked for the company and design told me to get this. We both agreed that every watchista needs a divers watch, I actually believe that in Abe’s world every watchista should also have a classy watch and the rest should be divers models but we can meet half way.
So here we go, with 54mm of wrist space dedicated to Golana, we can do this. Being so big and a divers watch which allows you to dive to 50 ATM (yea gonna be right back)even has a helium escape valve.
Now honestly, I am not a fan of a divers bezels that rotate in both directions, I prefer one way only. So being Unidirectional is perfect, the Super Luminova dial and hands are very useful, especially if your ready to go night diving which is a coolnesfactor in its own right.
It carries, or better yet my wrist is carrying a solid stainless steel case, sapphire crustal face so scratches are a non-issue. And yes it has an automatic ETA movement, so that’s cool.
As I already mentioned, I like sleeping with my watch around my wrist ( no nothing changed). However this one is a little too big and heavy for that and my wife woke up all black and blue from every move my hand made while sleeping ( good excuse, no?)
OK I don’t sleep with it, but during the day even in its behemoth size, it’s a very comfortable wear, with the rounded fit –to-wrist casing.
The buckle is very simple and I’m not a fan generally speaking, but here I make the exception and am understanding as its easier to loosen and wrap it around my wet suit.
I set it to the test….hand on mask backwards entry off boat and splash. Inflate BCD, partner ready, I let him wear the computer as its quite ugly and I have my own wrist wear that needs to get tested, bezel set and down we go.
The water is superb, after a few ear popping moments we are at 30 meters below, and its stunning…hello fishies, visibility is only 50 meters, but water is a 28 degrees hell yeah) and I can tell time easily, pretty awesome huh?
My partner thought i’m nuts that while we are looking for white sharks, I am actually taking pictures of my watch, he motions that OK sig , he is wooried…maybe the Nitrox is getting to my head!
Lets swim with the fishes, okay maybe not Italian style but lets navigate thru this awesome aquarium.
My buoyancy was not in par with the weights I had on me, so I had to level myself and managed to scratch my hand on some coral and bang the watch. I was actually happy it happened, now my partner seeing me smile was almost convinced I lost it, I was bleeding from my finger and smiling. He didn’t ask me for the okay sign he asked me if I want to go up, he just doesn’t get it!
Watch didn’t have a scratch on it as far as I could see 30 meters below, which was cool.
We swam up thru a chimney of coral and slowly made our way to the top with intervals and back to the boat.
On the boat, unloaded all my equipment and went to take a closer look at my Golana, there it was unfazed, looking new and just waiting to dive back in.
Great watch, fun to wear once in a while, but not for daily wear on my small to normal sized wrist.
Very fair priced for such a watch and I am happy to have it in my collection, so no Abe and Alain …your not getting it back.
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