Today marks one week since I picked up my Sangin Instruments DLC Neptune v3, and I have had it on my wrist every day, replacing my Tudor Pelagos 39 (P39). I am quite familiar with Sangin watches as I have owned quite a few of them at this point, to include: two Atlases, two K2Ps, a Neptune v2, the GBRS K2, a TAD x Sangin pro I am currently waiting on in the mail, and the SOG when those ship. Now I must admit I have sold, traded, or gifted all the aforementioned watches. However, this has always been to acquire another Sangin, or to fund my P39. This year I got my dad a DLC Neptune v2 for Father’s Day, so we could closely match. (Sangins make a great gift!)

Before delving into the details, I recommend reading the V3 Neptune write-up by Alex Hundos, CEO and co-founder of the Anti-Watch Watch Club (AWWC), on the Sangin Instruments Owner’s Group on Facebook. It offers a lot of great information and is where I sourced much of my information. (Check them out!)

AWWC is doing great work in supporting the Veteran & First Responder community and is currently running a “Blue Guardians” program that has helped veterans in sober living, sponsored medical care for a MWD K-9, sponsored four LEOs to get their blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and advanced CQB and pistol marksmanship courses, and advanced interdiction training, as well as provided 36 veterans with rideshare transportation from their homes to the medical center they need to go to. They also pledged 100% of their executive salaries to help fund their social programs, direct donations, and other charities for a whole year! To check out their program or contribute click here.

I enjoy the new DLC v3 quite a bit, and I am beyond glad I decided to pick one up. I fell in love with the DLC and I don’t think I’ll sell this if/when a LE version preorder comes out like I had originally planned. I was also lucky enough to get one with a sub 50 serial number on it.

When opening your new Neptune v3 you will find the watch on the bracelet, the paperwork, and an OTAN strap from Zulu Alpha straps. Since I have a DLC v3 it came with DLC hardware. The Neptune v3 DLC comes in at $1,699 and the brushed version is $1,599. This is nearly double the price of the v2, but the cost is more than justified, and surprisingly lower than other watches of similar quality. For example the Sinn U50 which uses the same movement as the new v3 is €2,475 ($2,643).

When looking closely it appears as though there is a slight patina or “faux-tina” on the dial markers in contrast with the bright white markings on the bezel. It’s a tasteful touch. Along with the subtle details there is a bold statement, the name, “NEPTUNE” in firm red lettering just below the center of the dial. It adds a nice bit of contrast while contributing to impeccable yet elegant style. Speaking of style, the bracelet that comes with the v3 is one of the more comfortable bracelets I have worn and is probably the best feeling bracelet I have rivaled only by my P39. (Which says a lot because I don’t typically prefer a bracelet.) With the bracelet I weighed the watch at 153 grams. The bracelet also features a firm clasp ensuring that it won't come undone unless you mean for it to. I spent about half the week wearing the bracelet and the other half wearing a nylon strap from Paid to Raid. While I do love the bracelet, I like to get some variety with a nylon strap since my P39 rocks a bracelet.

The bezel also feels great and there is little play in it going the opposite direction. Additionally the bezel is now lumed on the v3, adding to nighttime visibility. This new revamp of style and function is a fresh look on what can be done by watch companies combining the tool and dress watch worlds to create a robust and stylish timepiece, proving there is a reason these watches have earned the nickname of “Raider Rolex”. The v2 is still a great watch, and I highly recommend it as well. But the v3 is on a whole new level, and I cannot recommend it enough. Should you have the opportunity to pick one up do it.

So, what separates the Neptune v3 from the v2? The biggest difference is the movement. The v3 has a Sellita SW300-1, which boasts an impressive 56-hour power reserve according to the Sangin Instruments website and has been regulated to +/- 5 seconds a day in four positions. The v3 has a very slim 11mm case thickness, 0.8mm thinner than the Tudor Pelagos 39. Even with this thinness, the v3 is still quite the performer with an even greater water resistance than the v2; the v2 featured 200m of water resistance while the v3 boasts an impressive 300m, an additional 100m over the v2. Looking at the dial one might notice a new date window, now a circle vs the square look from previous versions. This new circular date window is the standard on newer Sangin models, and I am not complaining, it looks great! Another feature that stands out from the v2 is the newly redesigned bezel which is now lumed as mentioned before and uses an aluminum ceramic bezel, with the loss off the red “zero minute” marker. The v3 also ships with a double locked diver’s clasp with micro adjustments in the clasp from NodeX.

See the chart below for a side-by-side comparison of the v2 and v3.