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It’s very difficult to become a world-renowned brand in just a handful of years, but RZE has managed to go from start-up to global favorite in half a decade. Thanks to its fervent dedication to titanium, finding new and useful ways to implement the metal into watch construction, the Singapore-based company has become a go-to for anyone who prefers lightweight yet super tough timepieces. With the latest release of the UTD-8000, RZE has now introduced digital watchmaking to its repertoire.
A first for the brand, whose analog divers and field watches have accompanied modern-day explorers to the ends of the earth, the UTD-8000 takes RZE’s proprietary UltraHex-coated titanium material and applies it to a brand-new digital watch. The timepiece is a response to users wanting even more shock and vibration resistance from RZE’s products — although the brand recognized that this could only truly be achieved in the digital sphere. And so, the UTD-8000 was born. Digital features on the watch include timekeeping, stopwatch, alarm, and auto-calendar functions. Available in blue, black, and yellow dial colors, the watch comes out the box affixed to an elasticized fabric strap, although an UltraHex titanium link bracelet is also available.
Housed in a 42mm grade 2 titanium case that maintains RZE’s same signature angular design language, the watch features a new digital module that was designed and tested in the harsh environments of the Canadian North. Resistant to water (200m), dust, corrosion, scratches, shock, and vibrations, the most impressive aspect of the UTD-8000 is its temperature resistance. While the official listed operating temperature of the watch is 14ºF to 140ºF, RZE says they kept the watch exposed to a -22ºF temp for 24 hours with “all functionality maintained and limited fadeout.” Designed for legibility, the dial is kept under AR-coated sapphire crystal and displays the numerals in large-format LCD with an aquamarine UltraGlow backlight for low light visibility.
Available for pre-order now, the UTD-8000 is currently offered with a promotional launch price of $169 until March 31. After that, regular pre-order pricing will go up to $199 (full MSRP is $219). Deliveries are expected for June. Head over to RZE’s website to learn more.
