The Bower Tide Seeker is a beach lover’s dream
Buffy Acacia
When thinking of a watch that keeps track of the tides, the Casio G-SHOCK G-LIDE comes to mind. Those are great watches… But digital Casios aren’t for everyone. For the older souls who love analogue watchmaking but still need to keep track of the tides outside of dizzying apps with pop-up ads and a million unnecessary features, the Bower Tide Seeker might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Bower is a brand new microbrand originating from our neighbours in Sydney, Australia — a city as obsessed with coastal bliss as any other Australian port. Specifically, Bower is from the suburb of Manly in the Northern Beaches, which has some of New South Wales’ best surf spots, natural rock formations, and rock pools full of interesting critters. Being able to check the tides on a whim reinforces the idyllic nature of such a location, as you could set off for the beach whenever conditions are at their best.
The dial
Don’t think for a moment that the Bower Tide Seeker is just another Kickstarter watch with a niche slapped on top. The name Tide Seeker is accurate because the tide function is displayed front and centre. What seems at first like an oversized seconds hand from a ‘60s dive watch is actually the tide hand, which points to the rehaut chapter ring ranging from high tide, across to falling tide, down to low tide, then back up through the rising tide. It’s quick, self-explanatory, and gives you a relaxing mental picture of the shore whenever you check your wrist. There’s even an anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal to keep the view unobstructed by glare or scratches.
Aside from its functionality, the Tide Seeker dial is also highly detailed and has much more thought put into it than even some big-name brands. The hour hand fits perfectly into the skeletonised window of the minutes hand, so that when the two line up you can see a solid and satisfying pillar of white lume. The inner ring of luminous markers are also highlighted by that hollow section, which perfectly align every 5 minutes. All of the applied lume on the dial is 0.5mm thick, ensuring a solid block that will remain visible for hours after dark, and adding to the dial’s sense of depth. The stippled texture of the dial’s surface is available either in the fumé Deep Sea Blue colour scheme or the greyscale Pearl White, which sacrifices some legibility for a fresh, icy look.
The case
Small brands can often fall into the trap of going too big with utilitarian watches, but because the Bower Tide Seeker is more about lifestyle than ruggedness, it’s played things smart with modest proportions. The 39mm diameter strikes a great balance between legibility and comfort, while the 45mm lug-to-lug length keeps it wearable for small wrists too. The case height is only 10mm, so it could even fit under a cuff during winter if that’s your kind of thing. It’s water resistant to 100m, which is perfectly fine for all of the leisurely activities you can imagine near the beach.
Stylistically, the case is pretty minimal. The surface of the stainless steel is brushed so it doesn’t attract too much attention, it’s slab-sided and doesn’t have any fancy chamfered edges. It doesn’t need them. There’s a fair amount going on with the dial, so anything too complex on the case would have likely been too distracting. The only other little detail would be the hidden pusher located above the crown, which is used to adjust the tide hand to your location.
The movement
While an analogue tide watch is one thing, a mechanical one would be a tremendous hassle if you care about accuracy, especially at a budget level. Quartz is the obvious solution, and pretty much guarantees accuracy as well as affordability and the compactness of the case. The Bower Tide Seeker uses a Swiss Ronda quartz movement for an accuracy within -0.33/+0.67 seconds per day, which you won’t need to bother keeping track of. Most likely, you’ll end up setting the time again exclusively for daylight savings or every 5 years for battery changes.
The strap
My one and only gripe with the Bower Tide Seeker is the inclusion of a genuine black leather strap. That isn’t to say that it’s not high quality or that it doesn’t look great, but it feels like a slight oversight to use a strap that can be harmed by seawater on a watch that is begging for the seaside. Bower seems to have understood this, however, making it as easy as possible for you to swap the strap out for something in rubber, fabric, or so on. The leather strap has quick-release spring bars, and the lug width is a near-universal 20mm for aftermarket options.
The verdict
Perhaps the Aussie origin has made me a little biased towards the Bower Tide Seeker, but it feels like one of the most creative microbrands I’ve seen in the last couple of years, especially in the oversaturated world of oceanic/nautical-themed watches. Not only is the idea great, but the execution has such high attention to detail. Anyone in a coastal area should be excited by this, even if they know they’ll need to get another strap or two for wearing it on the water. Besides, if you get in on the Super Early Supporter special, you’ll definitely have the extra budget for some nice straps.
The Bower Tide Seeker pricing and availability
The Bower Tide Seeker is currently live on Kickstarter with various pledges available and delivery expected in March 2025. Price: US$590 (Super Early US$177, Early Bird US$265, Kickstarter Special US$383, Kickstarter Only US$442)
| Brand | Bower |
| Model | Tide Seeker |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 10mm (T) x 45mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire with anti-reflective coating |
| Dial | Blue gradient or white |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Black leather strap |
| Movement | Swiss Ronda quartz |
| Power Reserve | 5 years battery life |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, tide hand |
| Availability | Live on Kickstarter, delivery expected March 2025 |
| Price | US$590 (final RRP, with discounts on Kickstarter) |
Made in partnership with Bower. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.