Signum Cuda Abalone Exclusive Edition (Limited Edition of 20)

Unlike the standard version of the Signum Cuda Abalone dive watch, this special edition is exclusive to just The Microbrand Store™ and features a black scratch-resistant ceramic bezel. Only 20 of these timepieces have been produced, making this a very rare model for collectors.

Why We Love This Watch

Abalone is the most iridescent and colorful form of natural mother-of-pearl, and can feature a wide range of sparkling colors at different angles including jet black, pearly white, and vivid hues of magenta, purple, blue, and green. The reflective, sparkling colors will change depending on the light and particularly the angle, which can often give abalone dials a mesmerizing perception of depth.

For years Neil, The Microbrand Store's owner, has been searching for just the right abalone dive watch to feature in our store. He was excited to team up with Signum, a new Swiss brand, on their very first production run, having already worked closely with Kyle, the founder of Signum, who also runs Straton, a top Swiss microbrand.

Signum were originally going to launch the Signum Cuda featuring an abalone dial with a blue bezel. Knowing that there is always a lot of black in natural abalone separating the layers of iridescent colors, and how a blue bezel, although it can often be a great choice, is not always the best match, with the wrong shade of blue potentially, or not enough blue in each unique dial, Neil asked Kyle to produce a very small run of black bezel divers exclusively for our store. The result is the rare Signum Cuda Abalone Exclusive Edition you see here. Black can also be a more versatile bezel color, since it can match a wider wardrobe, and may have a more sophisticated look about it.

Signum really hit this one out of the park, and made quite a splash with their launch of the Signum Cuda Abalone, with a lengthy list of features you would typically not expect to see retailing at this price point. Features such as a 200 meter rating, (Signum could've opted for 100 meters,) sapphire crystal, very strong Swiss Super-LumiNova lume, including a lumed crown and full reverse lume on the first 20 minutes of the ceramic bezel, and a solid link oyster style bracelet with double push release, are all signs of a well thought out design that didn't cut corners when it comes to the watch itself. Rarity aside, we think this is an excellent value for money, and we don't usually see good quality abalone divers at these kinds of prices.

Watch Specifications

"40mm" Signum Cuda Option

Signum list the watch case on these models as a 40mm. However, Signum include the crown guards in their diameter measurement. Using a more standard measurement that excludes the crown guards, we consider these to actually be 38mm designs.

• Diameter: 38.3mm, excluding crown and crown guards.
• Lug-to-Lug Length: 44mm.
• Lug Width: 20mm.
• Height: 13.7mm including crystal.
• Weight: 162 grams, including bracelet.

"44mm" Signum Cuda Option

Signum list the watch case on these models as a 44mm. However, Signum include the crown guards in their diameter measurement. Using a more standard measurement that excludes the crown guards, we consider these to actually be 42mm designs.

• Diameter: 42.3mm, excluding crown and crown guards.
• Lug-to-Lug Length: 48mm.
• Lug Width: 22mm.
• Height: 14.0mm including crystal.
• Weight: 202 grams, including bracelet.

Shared Watch Specifications

• Type: Microbrand watch. Dive watch.
• Reference: Signum Cuda Abalone Exclusive Edition.
  
• Complications: Optional date window at 4 o'clock.
  
• Color Scheme: Natural abalone dial, black ceramic bezel, white markings.
• Limited Edition Size: 20 timepieces (all sizes/date options combined.)
• Water Resistance: 20 ATM / 200 meters / 660 feet.
• Case: 316L marine grade stainless steel with a brushed finish, drilled lugs for easy bracelet or strap removal, crown guards, and a lumed screw-down signed crown.
• Case Back: 316L marine grade stainless steel screw down case back with an embossed illustration of a barracuda fish, a ferocious hunter with fang-like teeth that is popular with sport-fishing enthusiasts, for which this watch is named.
• Dial Type: Natural abalone dial with applied indices. As a natural product, each dial will look unique. We have inspected them all and have been very impressed with the look and quality of these dials. Abalone is the most vivid, colorful and contrasting form of natural mother-of-pearl, and it is common to see strong iridescence that can light up and sparkle at different angles in various lighting conditions, which can also add a perception of depth. Colors in these dials typically include jet black, pearly white, and vivid hues of magenta, purple, blue and green.
• Dial Glass: Scratch resistant sapphire crystal with an inside anti-reflective coating.
• Bezel: Black scratch resistant ceramic 120 click undirectional bezel with all markings fully lumed, including a full reverse lume on the first 20 minutes.
• Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova on all hands, applied indices, and bezel markings.
• Straps Included: 1x oyster-style 316L marine grade stainless bracelet with a fully brushed finish, solid links, push pins, and a signed milled diver's clasp with safety fold over, double pusher release, and five micro-adjust positions.
• Movement: 24 jewel Seiko NH35A or NH38A automatic movement. The NH38A is identical to the better known NH35A except that it doesn't have a date wheel or a crown stop position to adjust the date. Thus the NH35A is used in the Signum Cuda models that sport a date window and the NH38A is used in the Signum Cuda models that do not have a date window.
• Oscillation: 21,600 BPH, (6 ticks per second.)
• Hacks: Yes.
• Hand Winds: Yes.
• Automatic Winding: Yes.
• Power Reserve: Over 41 hours.
• Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 years.