Hands-On with the RZE Resolute 36 Halcyon

Rolex built part of its empire on a single size, one that surprisingly stood the test of time. While many men would consider 36mm a tad too small, Rolex sold millions of Datejust and Day-Date models with that diameter, and continues to do so today. Is 36mm the secret sweetspot? Another brand with an R thinks so too, as RZE recently launched its Resolute in 36mm.

Known for their tool watches, the Resolute is one of the signature models of the Singaporean-based micro-brand RZE. It mixes the bold with the beautiful, creating an everyday-adventure watch, whether that is surviving in the concrete jungle or conquering the world's highest peaks. The recipe of the Resolute is as simple as it is impressive: a case and bracelet made from titanium with an UltraHex coating for added (scratch)resistance, three hands, no date, screw-down crown and caseback ensuring a 10 ATM/100 meter water resistance. While that is impressive in the 40mm large case of the original Resolute, the 36mm model might even be more imposing.

RZE did a few clever things with the Resolute 36's design. First, it kept the watch's height at 9.5mm, giving it some elegance without sacrificing any of its capabilities. Secondly, it kept the width between the lugs at 20mm, which tapers down a wild 4mm to 16mm at the buckle side. With that, RZE achieves two things: it makes the Resolute 36 not immediately look like a ladies' watch, and the tapered bracelet gives it a vintage feel and look. In fact, it wears quite similarly to a 36mm Rolex Datejust, except for weight: the RZE Resolute 36 weighs only 36 grams without the bracelet and 90 grams with.

Just like its larger sibling is the Resolute 36 a very attractive watch, especially for being in essence a tool watch. The case features many facets with a brushed finish, a design reminiscent of the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo. The small bezel is highlighted by a polished ring, under which a legible dial is protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inside; when you also put it on the outside, it tends to wear off. RZE offers the Resolute 36 in four different dial colors: black, green, red, and this attractive light blue. While the center of the dial has a sunburst finish, a ring with a granulated texture holding the hour markers adds depth and character. 

With the middle segments of the bracelets slightly raised over the rest of the links, a high-end vibe is created. This continues with the clasp, which is oversized in appearance. Normally, this would make it a scratch magnet, especially in titanium, but thanks to the UltraHex coating, which offers a hardness up to 1200Hv, nearly five times the hardness of 316L stainless steel, this is far less likely to happen. The oversized clasp, which opens by pressing the buttons on each side, also has a reason for its size hidden inside. By just pressing down a button with your nail, you can make the bracelet longer or shorter, perfect for adjusting when the bracelet gets tight on a warm day or a bit loose on a cold one. 

The RZE Resolute 36 really packs a punch in a more compact package. It is also not so small that RZE opted for a quartz movement, as also this version is powered by the reliable and robust Miyota 9039 automatic movement. For a toolwatch a most fitting caliber, that also helps to keep the price at a very compeditive $680, which is about as modest as the size of the Resolute 36.

For more info, visit RZE, here.