True to its MilSub inspiration, the Mk II Fulcrum has a lot of great durability features. The case is water resistant to 300 meters, the crystal, of course, is sapphire (with interior AR coating only – I prefer double coated), and the case has an automatic helium release valve. Even though it has a non-standard bezel insert, I believe one could probably still refer to the Mk II Fulcrum as a true dive watch.

Another interesting feature is that the Mk II Fulcrum is anti-magnetic. Mk II designed it to have an iron shield over the movement, making it resistant to 80,000 A/m. All in all, that makes for a pretty durable watch that would have been more than suitable for a soldier of yesterday. But what about a soldier today? I think the answer is still yes, in theory, but the irony is that most soldiers would use a quartz watch versus something mechanical. What I think people need to remember is that watches by companies like Mk II, and even major watch brands that “homage” classic sport or military watches are not re-creating items that people “need,” but are rather very interesting, modern vestiges of the past. So that makes timepieces like this very much for the “watch guy,” collector, or enthusiast who appreciates the appeal of a boutique “professional watch” made to the specs of another era.

Purely functional, I like the hint of blue on the dial of the Fulcrum. The sword-style hands are richly filled with lume that glows blue in the dark. While the hands are coated in SuperLumiNova, the hour markers are something different. The hour markers are “Lume-brik,” which Mk II claims is equivalent to 6-8 layers of “traditional” luminant material. It works pretty well for me, and I appreciate how the hour markers are slightly raised off the face. The dial of the watch, while highly legible, is simple looking and basic. It certainly has a military vibe, but it won’t win any prizes for beauty, even though it does feel refined.

Inside the Mk II Fulcrum is a Swiss Soprod A-10 automatic movement. This well-made mechanical movement is used versus, say, an ETA, given its availability, but also for its quality. the A-10 certainly isn’t cheap, and according to the brand, the Mk II Fulcrum uses an Elabore grade movement, which is decorated and uses some of the best parts. Of course, because of the anti-magnetic shielding, you can’t see the movement through the caseback.

To complete the military watch experience, Mk II ships the Fulcrum in a nice-locking plastic case that makes it feel like a real tool – complete with some tools and a lot of extra spring bars. The attached natural rubber strap is clearly of a high quality, and I like the patterned underside that gives it extra grip. While there is a slight design on the outside of the strap, it does appear very basic despite the obvious quality of the rubber. Anyone looking to spruce up the design of the Mk II Fulcrum will likely reach for another strap – though it isn’t likely to be as comfortable as the stock black rubber.

Mk II actually offered two version of the Mk II Fulcrum. They are incredibly similar though, with the only difference being the colors of the dial and bezel. One is dark gray, and the other is black. In case you can’t tell (I don’t blame you if you can’t), this is the gray Mk II Fulcrum. I suppose that is the most telling fact about Mk II. Two models with such slight differences, but Mr. Yao wanted black and he wanted gray, even though the two are so very similar. He won’t settle for less. It is difficult to pinpoint the best consumer for Mk II, given their admittedly niche-appeal. These are really cool watches, and there is a lot of value there, but the price is just high-end enough to make sure people carefully consider their purchase. Having said that, if you like the looks of these timepieces, aren’t interested in a big name brand, and like to support the little guy (based in the USA), then getting an Mk II Fulcrum or other model won’t be that hard of a decision. Price for the Mk II Fulcrum is $1,925. mkiiwatches.com

Necessary Data
>Brand: Mk II
>Model: Fulcrum
>Price: $1,925
>Size: 42.10mm
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Military watch lover with a fondness for “new vintage” and a strong dislike of brand names.
>Best characteristic of watch: A lot of watch for the money, in terms of both finishing and features.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Sapphire crystal could use anti-reflective coating on both sides. Strap feels nice but looks boring.