I didn’t come into 2025 looking for a watch to crown. The goal, if there was one at all, was to slow my own reaction time, to spend less energy being impressed and more time paying attention to what earned wrist time once the novelty wore off. I wanted the year to feel calmer in my collecting, even if the broader release cycle had no intention of doing the same.
Somewhere inside that reset, this Halios Seaforth IV Titanium arrived. There was no sense of occasion (other than waiting about a year for it to arrive after ordering) and no internal pressure to decide how I felt right away. I put it on, wore it through regular days, and noticed that it kept finding its way back onto my wrist even when other watches were waiting their turn. Weeks passed before I realized I was no longer rotating, so much as defaulting.
By the time the year started to feel coherent, the conclusion followed naturally. This was the watch that won 2025 for me, because it fit the version of collecting I was trying to get back to.
A Seaforth That Fits the Reset
The Halios Seaforth has always been about proportion and balance, and that foundation remains intact here. At 41mm across with a 46.5mm lug to lug span, the case lands in a familiar sweet spot. The 12.4mm thickness, including the double domed sapphire, wears slimmer than the numbers suggest, helped by the way the case sides taper and the crystal carries some of that visual height.
Titanium changes the experience in ways that only show up with time. The watch feels light in hand, easy on the wrist, and cooperative across long days. That mattered more to me this year than presence ever could. Finishing supports that feeling, with consistent brushing and polished chamfers along the lugs adding definition without turning the watch into a statement piece.
With 20 ATM of water resistance, a screwdown crown, and a screwdown caseback, the Seaforth IV Titanium keeps its tool watch credentials intact while feeling more refined than earlier iterations.
The Moment It Clicked
There was no dramatic turning point, just an ordinary moment. I opened the watch box one morning, picked up the Seaforth, felt how little effort it took to lift compared to everything else, and let my eyes settle on the blue dial. That was enough.
I enjoy interacting with this watch. Winding it, setting it, and getting it on the wrist feels frictionless, helped by the no date layout. Once it’s on, rotating the bezel to track the time zone my family lives in has become part of the ritual. That small habit anchored the watch to my daily routine, and from there it became the easiest choice in the box.
Dial Depth and Familiar Nostalgia
The pastel blue dial carries more emotional weight than I expected. It subtly recalls an older Seaforth variant I spent years unsuccessfully chasing, and seeing that tone return here felt like an unexpected resolution. The color is almost an anchor within the Halios brand at this point. It shifts gently with light, keeping the dial from ever feeling flat.
Halios continues to excel at dial construction. The ceramic hour markers rise cleanly from the surface with crisp borders that give the dial structure without clutter. The Super-LumiNova C3 X1 application is especially well judged. Markers, hands, and bezel fade together, making low light legibility feel natural and consistent.
The unidirectional bezel clicks confidently across its 120 stops and is easy to grip without feeling aggressive. I chose the 12 hour bezel, and it has become one of my favorite aspects of the watch. Tracking a second time zone without adding visual noise fits how I actually use watches, especially one that sees this much wrist time.
Bracelet and Clasp, Fully Realized
The titanium bracelet changes the Seaforth experience in a meaningful way. It feels purpose built rather than overdue. The end links integrate cleanly with the case, with curved and faceted edges that show real intent. Each link flows naturally and sits comfortably, balancing solidity with wearability.
Finishing mirrors the case, with brushed surfaces and polished accents adding definition without flash. Screw links reinforce the sense of quality, and the stainless steel clasp adds reassuring weight where it matters. The tool free adjustment system remains one of Halios’ best decisions. This version feels secure, refined, and easy to use throughout the day. Once you get used to dialing in fit on the fly, it becomes hard to accept anything less.
Movement, Settled
The SW200-1 never felt like something I needed to justify. In a watch that stays under the thousand dollar mark and earns daily wear, familiarity becomes a strength. It sets easily, runs predictably, and fades into use exactly how I want a movement to when a watch becomes a default.
I could imagine this Halios Seaforth working well with a Miyota based movement if the goal were to push pricing lower, but that thought never turned into a sense of absence. Forty hours of power reserve has been sufficient, accuracy has been consistent, and nothing about the experience pulls focus away from wearing the watch. In the context of this watch and this year, the movement choice feels aligned.
Price and Perspective
At $965, the Halios Seaforth IV Titanium sits at the upper edge of what many still consider the sub one thousand dollar category. That number gave me pause, not because it felt inflated, but because it reflects how much this segment has changed.
What reframed the price was repetition. The titanium case, dial work, markers, bracelet, and finishing revealed themselves through wear rather than inspection. Once it became clear how consistently this watch stayed on my wrist, the price stopped feeling like something to debate.
The Imperfection I Accepted
Titanium shows wear quickly. After about a year, the case and bracelet have picked up a noticeable number of scratches. That is simply the nature of the material, and it is worth keeping in mind if pristine surfaces matter deeply to you.
For me, it became part of the watch’s honesty. The wear reflects use, not neglect, and it never changed how the watch felt on the wrist. It is the only real downside I have found, and one I accepted early. Maybe this version isn’t the one for you if you get turned off by scratches building up over time. Thankfully for you, Halios does usually sell versions of the Seaforth in steel as well.
Buying a Halios Today
Owning a Halios still requires intention. You need to follow the right channels, pay attention to announcements, and accept that this is not an instant gratification experience. The process is far more transparent than it once was. Preorder windows are clearly communicated, expectations are set, and delivery, while slow, is dependable.
The market has evolved, and Halios is no longer alone in delivering strong execution at this price. Choosing one today feels less about scarcity and more about alignment with a design philosophy that values restraint and consistency.
Looking back at 2025, the Halios Seaforth IV Titanium stands apart because it confirmed something I was hoping to relearn about this hobby. When a watch fits your routines, respects your time, and removes friction rather than adding to it, everything else falls away. Calling this the watch that won my year feels accurate because it never tried to compete. It simply became part of my days, and that turned out to be the one watch that was more than enough.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.
Sometimes we need to exhale in this hobby to determine what is important. Well written story, thank you.