After breaking my watch embargo for the CWC SBS diver (read my review here), the flood gates have opened. Hot on the tail of that purchase comes the Scurfa Watches M.S.25. I have been watching Scurfa for several years, but, as I mentioned in the CWC review, I was having trouble rationalising a quartz watch costing several hundred pounds. Fortunately, the £344 Scurfa cost less than half what the £729 SBS diver set me back, and so man maths kicked in and this suddenly seemed like a bargain!
For the money, you get a very satisfyingly well made product: 500m water resistance, HEV, ETA quartz movement, extremely domed crystal sapphire, and amongst the brightest lume I’ve ever seen – outside of Seiko!
Being the MilSpec special edition, which Scurfa run in a limited quantity each year, this watch also comes with a fully lumed ceramic bezel insert with full 60mins graduations, and two strap options: rubber and fabric. Just for extra fun, the watch and its straps all get delivered in a novel little diving storage box too.
Buying Experience
Scurfa are victims of their own success: even the standard watches are very hard to get hold of, as Scurfa don’t seem to over-produce. The Two Broke Watch Snobs even reviewed another model a few years ago. Once you make the MS models Limited editions of 150 pieces per year, you really up the difficulty level of securing one!
Paul Scurfield who owns Scurfa works as a commercial diver (check out his Instagram) and famously tests the watches in real world conditions through his work in deepsea diving bells. Scurfa seems to be a passion project from a man who loves dive watches from all the normal brands, and is probably having fun running this business as a side hustle rather than his main revenue stream. More power to him.
I particularly wanted a Scurfa M.S.25 as its a big birthday year for me, so once I saw Scurfa advertising that the 2025 watches were about to drop from a set date, I started watching the site religiously.
It actually started to become quite stressful: no clear sign that the drop had happened or not, I kept checking to the point I started to go off the idea entirely! I emailed Scurfa for clarity but heard nothing back.
Luckily I saw a post from someone on the Gram that gave the impression they had secured one, so without much hope in my heart, I tried the site one more time and saw that both the steel and PVD options were finally present! I fired off an order super quick for the PVD. I emailed Scurfa after ordering, to ask if I could have unit 85, but again no reply. At least I secured one of the 150 anyway!
First Impressions
On delivery day, I got home super late from a long day working and commuting, and the package was there. I was in two minds about waiting to look with fresh eyes, but buckled quickly! I opened it and… I didn’t like it…
The hands were big and unrefined, the crystal comically domed, the watch looked too busy on the black and white fabric strap. I shut it away and figured I would try again the next day.
The following evening in fact, I tried again without much enthusiasm. First things first, I took the fabric strap off and replaced it with the complimentary rubber… Instant improvement in my mood! I own a scurfa rubber strap which I use on my Black Bay Bronze, so I know how good they are, and it suits the Scurfa M.S.25 so well.
The big simplistic hands were the next issue. They looked cheap, almost ridiculous through the domed crystal. I strapped the watch on and figured I would give it a little try out.
The bezel action is really nice too. The black PVD case is offset by a dark blue tone to the ceramic and a blueness to the antireflective element of the crystal. The big bold numerals on the bezel match the big bold hour markers: The watch uses familiar norms of so many dive watches, but blows them up playfully.
The Light Bulb Moment
As challenging as the watch’s looks were, it was growing on me! The real party piece of the Scurfa M.S.25, however, became apparent when the lights went out: the lume is amazing, and it stretches from the dial outwards to the ceramic bezel insert.
As an 80s child who grew up in the 90s, I am still fascinated by lume. I guess all those ceiling stars and glow in the dark dinosaur bones made a lasting effect! This watch has all the brightness and purposeful functionality of a Tudor Pelagos but for a fraction of the price.
CWC vs. Scurfa
In my CWC article, I referenced that the SBS diver is, in all likelihood, not the best value for money at over £700. I enjoy it, and it’s a handsome, well-made watch, but I’m not sure where that price point comes from.
Conversely, the Scurfa is just as well constructed, but is also playfully designed with a real knowledge of what makes a useful diver; it uses big bright lume; ceramic for the bezel versus aluminium, and comes with two well-made strap options, versus the CWC strap which feels it is made to a government budget.
I find that I enjoy wearing the Scurfa more frequently than the CWC, especially evenings and weekends. The SBS is the smarter looking of the two, while the Scurfa is a bit more fun.
When It All Comes Together
Despite my initial misgivings, the Scurfa is an excellent watch: great build quality, amazing lume, comfortable to wear, reliable, rugged, and above all FUN, which is something largely missing from the watch box these days. I do hope that the M.S.25’s looks will continue to be fun and a palette cleanser, and not become dated. Time will tell, but for now I am really enjoying its company.
Based in the UK, I began collecting watches in 2014. Started gently with an SKX009J, but then the Black Bay 79220N opened doors to this wonderful world of watches! Many, many Seikos, Casios, Tudors, Vintage and two Rolex later, I am in the slower, enjoyment phase of watch collecting now.