We’ve seen a lot of very serious Isotope models over the past year. The British brand has tackled marquetry and cloisonne enamel as well as the insanely inventive Moonshot chronograph. Now though, they’re returning to their playful side with the new Hydrium Wasabi, Ooh La La, Coconut Island and British Racing Green.
Isotope Hydrium ‘Wasabi’
Let’s kick things off with a bit of sushi – specifically the illustrations at 3, 6 and 9 of a fish-shaped soy sauce bottle, a piece of nigiri and a maki roll respectively. Because you can’t have sushi without a bit of spicy horseradish, the second hand has been replaced by a floating dollop of kawaii wasabi.
All the characters are set against a vibrant green dial in a wasabi-adjacent shade unlike any other we’ve seen. It’s also full lume. Evidently Isotope still have their Exit watch to heart. The end result is a cartoonish, cutesy ode to Japanese dining that you can see clear across the sushi belt.
As will become a running theme across these new releases, all of that is wrapped (like so much nori) in 40mm micro-blasted steel case with 300m water resistance and set on a dive-worthy white rubber strap. It might look like a little bit of fun, but this is still a serious watch. At least when it comes to specs.
Isotope Hydrium ‘Coconut Island’
Just as fun but a little more relaxed, like a tropical Caribbean island. Not that it’s a subtle vibe of course. This dial’s defined by its minute and hour hands which are shaped like palm trees, and a floating second in the form of a spinning coconut. Apparently it’s always time for a tropical getaway.
The dial is otherwise bright silver with lumed indexes, making it a lot more toned down than the Wasabi. Not that that’s a particularly hard ask. In keeping with the laid-back vibes, the strap here is a sumptuous suede number.
The case here is exactly the same as the Wasabi, down to the unidirectional 120-click bezel. Do I think Isotope missed a trick by not opting for a lagoon blue instead of silver? Yes. Is the Coconut Island still a slice of high-spec fun? Also yes.
Isotope Hydrium ‘Ooh La La’
Swapping out the cartoony touches for something a bit more serious (in execution if not in name) the Ooh La La is apparently inspired by Paris, but to me has more of the colour palette of Munch’s The Scream about it.
I don’t mean that negatively. I love the bleeding from deep reddish pink to pale yellow at the periphery and the way the indexes have been stripped away completely. It makes the most of the watch’s sapphire hands and, on the red rubber strap, makes for a punchy, peachy summer watch.
Inside is the La Joux Perret G101 Soigné Movement, an automatic calibre with an impressive 68-hour power reserve. It’s the same movement that’s in all four models and makes for a fantastic – and good-looking – third-party movement.
Isotope Hydium ‘British Racing Green’
The final of the new Hydrium quartet is both the most thematically straightforward and for me the coolest. Given the name, you’re probably expecting an ode to British motorsport and you’d be bang on.
First, there’s the dial which is a dark green bordering black. I’d actually consider it slightly darker than your usual British Racing colour, but the checkered flag around the edge leaves no doubt about the inspirations. The tachometer-esque seconds hand pops and thanks to the minute track makes for pretty accurate reading, even if you can’t reset it like a chronograph.
Just in case you find yourself driving at night, the chequers, minute and hour hands and the tip of the seconds hand (and the Isotope logo in the bezel, which I love) are all brightly lumed – in green, of course – tying together what could be the start of an interesting line of watches, if Isotope opted for a few more liveries in the future.
You don’t need me to list the specs by now, but here we go anyway: 40mm micro-blasted stainless steel case with 300m water resistance and a solid dive bezel, housing a La Joux Perret G101 automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve. It’s all good stuff.
All four limited edition watches are priced at £1,490 and limited to 20 pieces. That is, except for the Hydrium ‘British Racing Green’ which as the most mainstream is limited to 100 pieces instead.
Price and Specs:
Sunburst gradient red-orange-yellow with sapphire hands (Ooh La La)
Sunburst silver with palm tree and coconut hands (Coconut Island)
British racing green with checkered minute track and orange seconds hand (British Racing Green)
More details at Isotope.
