Watchdives WD0003C Review – Beautifully Overengineered Elementum Dial

The Watchdives WD0003C sits in the brand’s growing range of dress-leaning, texture-focused watches. Rather than taking inspiration from vintage field watches or traditional divers, this model leans into modern dial design, compact proportions, and a quartz movement chosen for its smooth seconds-hand sweep. Priced for the entry-level segment, it is clearly positioned as an accessible everyday watch, but one that places most of its visual emphasis on the dial rather than on complex case architecture or technical complications.

We have reviewed a number of homages from Watchdives, yet this is an original design.

Watchdives WD0003C – Elementum Dial

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Design & Case

The WD0003C measures 38 mm in diameter, 10.7 mm thick, and 45.4 mm lug-to-lug thanks to its inverted end links . These proportions make it an easy wear on wrists as small as 5.5 inches, and on a 6.5-inch wrist it sits flat without overhang. A 20 mm lug width tapers to 16 mm at the clasp.

The case design is straightforward but neatly executed. The flat flanks are horizontally brushed, while a polished 45° bevel runs along the underside of the midcase, leading into the lip of the screw-down caseback. Above the brushed flank sits a high-polish fixed bezel, which frames a slightly domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. The AR layer produces blue and purple reflections at sharper angles, but overall legibility remains strong.

Vertical brushing across the lug hoods aligns with the brushing on the end links, giving the midcase and bracelet interface a cohesive look. The 6 mm screw-down crown is signed, slightly recessed, and sized proportionally for the case. Its position is cleanly integrated, and threading is smooth during operation.

Movement & Crown

Inside is the Seiko VH31 hybrid quartz — a movement chosen for its four-beat-per-second sweep and minimal maintenance requirements. It runs at roughly ±20 seconds per month, with an estimated three-year battery life.

Operation is simple: unscrew the crown, pull to the only setting position, adjust the time, and screw back in. The movement does not support a date complication, and the dial remains symmetrical as a result.

Bracelet & Clasp

The bracelet follows a three-link layout, though the polished shoulders on the center links give it the impression of a more elaborate five-link design. Surfaces are primarily brushed, with polished accents adding some subtle contrast.

Links are held together with push pins, and the tolerances are consistent — no major gaps, and articulation is smooth. The taper from 20 mm to 16 mm contributes to a slim profile on the wrist.

The clasp is a signed, fully milled double-pusher unit with five micro-adjustment positions and a milled folding wing inside . It is practical and easy to size, fitting the watch’s dress-sport positioning.

A radially brushed screw-down caseback completes the case construction.

Crystal & Dial

The dial is the defining feature of the WD0003C. Under the domed sapphire crystal and its AR tint sits the “Elementum” cracked-ice texture, a pattern that creates shifting green tones depending on the viewing angle. The central area glows a vivid emerald, while the fractured segments disperse toward darker edges.

The rehaut is color-matched to the dial, finished in a matte green with a printed white minute track. Applied markers consist of long polished batons, each filled with BGW9 lume, and the hands are polished, tapered, and lume-filled in matching blue-emission compound. The seconds hand is a slimmer polished needle, intentionally left without lume.

Branding is minimal: the Watchdives logo at 12, and “Elementum” with “100 m Water Resistant” above 6. The watch’s 100 m rating is supported by both a screw-down crown and screw-down caseback. If you like this exquisite textured dial, check out the WM Watch WM226 review.

Lume

Lume performance is consistent across the hands and applied indices. The BGW9 blue glow is bright initially and settles into a steady, usable level rather than a dramatic one. The application is even, and the layout makes nighttime legibility straightforward without overemphasizing the effect.

Summary

The Watchdives WD0003C is a compact dress-sport hybrid built around its textured dial and straightforward wearability. The case finishing is controlled, the proportions are easy, and the bracelet integrates cleanly with the midcase. The VH31 movement keeps the watch low-maintenance, and the 100 m sealing gives it enough everyday robustness without turning it into a full tool watch.

What defines the model is the Elementum dial — visually expressive and noticeably different from standard sunbursts or flat colors. For buyers who want a simple watch with a more dynamic dial treatment, the WD0003C offers a cohesive, design-led option at an accessible price point. You may want to explore other visually exciting dress watches Here.

Watch Dives WD0003C Specifications

Watchdives WD0003C – Elementum Ice-Cracked Dial

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