The Marinemaster M-44 DLC is the first time Fortis has wrapped its oldest collection in a full Dianoir Diamond-Like Carbon coating.
That means a surface roughly twenty times harder than conventional stainless steel. For a dive watch that was already built to take a beating, this is a serious upgrade. I got some shots of the watch with my Lumix and Lecia lens, these are my thoughts.
You had me at DLC
I have always been drawn to watches with black coating. It was a black Porsche Design watch by Orfina from the 70s that got me into collecting in the first place. So when Fortis announced a DLC-coated Marinemaster, I paid attention. The result does not disappoint. The M-44 looks great in black.
Two Flavors: Gold or White
The collection comes in two versions. The Black Resin features warm golden accents across the dial and hands, with a special gold-colored Superluminova that catches light beautifully. If you want to step up the fanciness a bit, this is your watch.
But I am not a bling person. So I would pick the version with white details. It feels more strict in its appearance. A pure tool watch aesthetic without any distractions. Both are excellent, just depends on what you are after.
The Strap Situation
As usual, Fortis delivers with the rubber strap. The watch head in combination with the Horizon strap is remarkably comfortable. Honestly, the best I have tried. My wrists are on the smaller side, so the M-40 fits me like a glove. But the M-44 works too, especially if you have larger wrists. The 44mm case wears well thanks to good proportions.
The Movement
Inside sits the Werk 11, developed together with Kenissi. What impresses me most is the 70-hour power reserve. Wind it Sunday, forget about it until Wednesday. And it is COSC certified, so the accuracy is there too. For a dive watch at this price point, that is a serious spec sheet.
Final Thoughts
The Marinemaster M-44 DLC is subtle, stealthy, and ultra rugged. The DLC coating makes an already tough watch even tougher. The Fortis Lock System keeps the bezel secure when you need it. 500 meters of water resistance handles anything you throw at it.
All in all, a great watch for anyone who actually uses their gear. Bot available in our shop today:
White version:
https://www.sekvens.com/product/fortis-marinemaster-m-44-dlc-white-details/
Gold version:
https://www.sekvens.com/product/fortis-marinemaster-m-44-dlc-gold-details/
Anders
