News · Vaer

Vaer fixes the Oceanracer II bezel and keeps 100 metres

The 42mm R1 moves towards a racing chronograph with a ceramic tachymeter, rectangular pushers and the familiar VK63 meca-quartz calibre.

Hen & Mills Editorial · 4 min read · 31 August 2026

• Vaer's second Oceanracer replaces the rotating dive bezel with a fixed ceramic tachymeter and adds rectangular pushers plus a layered dial.
• The 42mm steel case retains sapphire, a screw-down crown and 100-metre water resistance, with final height listed at 13.8mm including crystal.
• A Seiko VK63 meca-quartz calibre powers both dial colours; pricing starts at US$549, with individual configurations subject to live stock availability.

Vaer has released the second-generation R1 Oceanracer, a 42mm meca-quartz chronograph that moves away from the rotating dive bezel of the original. The Oceanracer II uses a fixed ceramic tachymeter instead, placing the watch more clearly in the sports-chronograph camp while retaining a screw-down crown, sapphire crystal and 100-metre water resistance.

The public launch took place on 25 August after an early-access window on the same day. Vaer offers black and cream dial configurations, both assembled and regulated in the United States. The base price is US$549, placing the revised case and dial around the same accessible VK63 movement architecture that defined the first version.

A fixed bezel changes the brief

The move from an elapsed-time bezel to a tachymeter is the clearest design change. A dive bezel can time an interval without engaging the chronograph; the new fixed ceramic scale instead works with the central chronograph seconds hand to calculate speed over a known distance. That makes the R1 less of a dive-watch hybrid and more of a conventional racing chronograph with useful water resistance.

Vaer has reinforced that direction with rectangular pushers and a layered dial. The black version uses pale baton markers over three recessed registers, while the cream model adds orange around the dial and chronograph hands. Alternating brushed and polished surfaces break up the 316L stainless-steel case, and the polished outer edge of the bezel keeps the ceramic insert from becoming one large black ring.

The design remains legible because the decorative work sits around a familiar layout. Running seconds occupy one subdial, elapsed minutes another, and the lower register carries the meca-quartz movement's timing display. Applied markers and the hour and minute hands use BGW9 luminous material, with additional C3 lume dots on the dial.

The two colours also give the redesign different characters. Black makes the tachymeter, registers and main dial read as one instrument, with polished markers providing most of the contrast. Cream separates the black bezel from the dial and uses orange accents to trace the chronograph functions. Neither changes the case or calibre, so the choice is visual rather than technical. It also avoids multiplying references with superficial specification changes.

The case is large but carefully specified

At 42mm across and 48.5mm from lug to lug, the Oceanracer II is designed for a medium-to-large presence. Vaer lists the steel case at 11mm thick without the crystal, while a second measurement on the product page puts the complete height at 13.8mm. The case alone weighs 70.6 grams and accepts 20mm straps.

A double-domed sapphire crystal carries an anti-reflective coating. The crown screws down, while the chronograph pushers remain rectangular and prominent. Water resistance is rated to 10 ATM, or 100 metres. Vaer backs that construction with its two-year guaranteed-waterproof warranty.

The fixed bezel has a practical consequence for use in water. The watch has the sealing and crystal specification of a capable everyday sports watch, but it no longer offers the one-direction elapsed-time scale associated with a purpose-built diver. That is a fair exchange if the chronograph, rather than diving, is the main reason to buy it.

VK63 keeps the mechanical action where it counts

The R1 uses the Japanese TMI VK63 meca-quartz calibre. Quartz regulates the time and provides the long intervals between battery changes, while a mechanical module gives the chronograph hand a stepped sweep and an immediate reset. Vaer states a 40-month battery life and a timing tolerance of minus 10 to plus 20 seconds a month.

This is not a mechanical movement disguised by the name. Its advantage is more specific: the part of the watch a wearer operates most, the chronograph, has a firmer action and a fast reset without the cost or maintenance burden of a fully mechanical calibre. The movement is also well matched to a watch intended for regular water and travel use.

Vaer assembles and regulates the watch in the United States. Strap choices are interchangeable, although the fitted steel bracelet is shaped specifically for this case. The brand notes that it is not compatible with the bracelet from the original Oceanracer.

Vaer R1 Oceanracer II pricing and availability

The R1 Oceanracer II has a base price of US$549. Vaer's launch page covers black and cream dial versions, with final pricing depending on the selected strap or bracelet. No Australian-dollar price is published.

Public sales opened on 25 August 2026 at noon Pacific time after a three-hour early-access period. The black product page was marked sold out when checked, so buyers should use Vaer's live product pages for current configuration-level availability. The brand says only a 42mm case is planned for now, with no smaller version currently scheduled.