As we in the Southern Hemisphere begin to say goodbye to summer, the other half of the world is already looking ahead to days with less snow and more sun. At least that’s what I thought when I first looked at the new Molokini K2 diver by Swiss independent Horage. Bold colours (one of which is literally called sand), equally colourful fabric straps, and a GMT complication helping you track time back home even when lounging near your favourite body of water. While it’s nice to daydream, Euro summer is still quite far away, so in the meantime, let’s have a closer look at what makes the Molokini tick.
What is it?
If you’re a scuba fan, Molokini might be a spot on your bucket list – the Hawaiian crater near Maui is a bit of a tourist hotspot. Seeing the watches that Horage chose to bestow this name upon, it makes a lot of sense. There’s plenty of colour happening here, similar to what you might find on a coral reef I presume. Three dial options are available – coral purple, ocean blue, or sand – with the latter also sporting a gritty texture to more closely match the name.
The 904L steel case measures in at 38mm across, 9.65mm thick, and 44.6mm lug-to-lug, and thanks to a screw-down crown, offers 200 metres of water-resistance. All Molokini models will come with a case-matching, three-link bracelet finished in a folding, micro-adjustable clasp, as well as a choice of “OTAN” straps. If you’re wondering what the hell those are, just read the name backwards, and thank a company that shall rename nameless for being right knobs about it. I do love a bit of cheek, and Horage has played it wonderfully.
Swiftly moving on to the K2 GMT calibre, which is visible through the sapphire caseback. Mostly clad in black, its highlighted by touches of gold, notably the gold-plated tungsten micro-rotor. The brand notes that the Geneva striping is done by hand, which is a nice touch at this price point, but the specs alone make it impressive already. 72 hours of power reserve, 4Hz beat rate, independently adjustable local hour hand, power reserve indicator, 24-hour indicator – it’s quite the package.
First impressions
Just like the majority of Horage’s collection, the Molokini doesn’t quite adhere to any traditional watch design standards. Sure, it’s got enough water-resistance to qualify as a dive watch, and the same goes for the bezel. But that bezel is also slim, and the mixed finishing makes it a more subtle take on the form. The Arabic numeral dial and broad hands are legible enough while, again, not necessarily following diver conventions. In many ways, it reminds me of Nomos’ Ahoi, both being capable watches in the water that also don’t sacrifice their respective brand’s signature style and offer something novel in terms of thickness and calibre.
When it comes to the colours themselves, the brown/sand is my pick of the bunch, which will not be surprising to any of you who know me, as you’ll also be aware I see the world through a sepia filter. Other than the fact I love brown, a reason why I’m fond of it is that the colours of the power reserve indicator are more expressed too, which livens up the dial. I already see some malcontent brewing regarding the layout of some of the dial apertures, but given Horage’s penchant for asymmetry, and on the flip side their respect for it when it’s needed, I can’t complain. The date window is particularly clever, with Horage stacking all the double-digit dates to make them more legible, without needing to awkwardly squeeze them into a narrow slit. I do wonder, however, whether there was a better way to execute the seconds hand. I get that a dive watch needs an accurate way to track seconds, hence the lollipop, but it feels a bit too old-school when looking at the design as a whole.
As it tends to go with Horage, the movement technology is a huge selling point, both for its unique offering at the price point, as well as the genuine innovation and feature set. Great lume and build quality are a given at this price, as is a high-quality clasp – something that Horage has been doing since the start – but it’s really the K2 movement that makes this watch shine. The benefits are obvious before we even touch on the calibre itself. Remember, this is a 200-metre diver, with a host of complications and automatic winding, measuring in under 10mm. That’s genuinely impressive, and barely undercut by the much less complicated VPC Type 39VM (and the quartz Nove Trident, if you can get over some of its… quirks).
Regarding the movement, the K2 has formed the basis of many Horage releases and has become their workhorse calibre. Its micro-rotor construction allows it to be so slim, but it doesn’t skimp on other specifications either, which become all the more impressive when you look at the price point. It also helps that, at least in my opinion, Horage has now struck a great balance between old-school finishing techniques such as côtes de Genève and their usual, more avant-garde aesthetic. COSC certification, a silicon escapement and hairspring, three days of power reserve – and all the other aforementioned goodies – for the price of a Seamaster 300? Not too bad at all.
Horage Molokini K2 GMT pricing and specifications
The Horage Molokini pre-orders are currently open, closing on the 28th of February, with deliveries starting in May 2026. Price: CHF 5,990 (pre-order), CHF 6,490 (RRP)
