One of my favorite games to play when visiting family is something I like to call “Guess, That, Price!” Here’s how it works: I excitedly dump out my rolls and pouches to reveal to the group what watches I have in for review at that time. They then pour over the details, proudly identifying the features of each watch, and then guess the retail price of each piece to see who comes the closest. On my most recent episode of “Guess, That, Price!” I had with me a trio of watches, one of which being the new MK II Fulcrum 39. As it made its rounds, they began calling out features such as the bezel action, the weight of the watch, and the overall rugged visual appearance. When prompted, the three contestants gave me their estimated MSRP of $22,000, $26,000, and finally $31,000. Yes, they are pretty bad at this game. However, what they lack in accuracy is made up for in providing an interesting data point for me. This watch has the potential to carry a higher perceived value than its actual asking price which is not something that typically happens. It pushed me to explore the watch further. 

From the outset, I’ll admit I was a little disappointed with the new Fulcrum. A massive fan of MK II and Tornek-Rayville, I had inflated expectations that this piece would blow me away. To put it bluntly, this is my least favorite watch they have produced to date. I hate that I am writing that, and I hate that I am admitting that, but at the end of the day sometimes things fall short of expectations and there is nothing wrong with that. Something has to be your favorite and something, unfortunately, has to be your least favorite. In no way is the Fulcrum 39 a bad watch and in no way am I saying that if you purchased it you made the wrong decision. This watch has an audience, a dedicated one, that I am just not a part of. That all being said, some of the design choices that don’t necessarily speak to me are still intentional aspects of the Fulcrum’s core idea, which is that it is meant to be a modern watch yanked from a 1970s archive. So, speaking objectively, let’s dig a little deeper into it. 

Similar to other MK II models, the Fulcrum features a fully bead blasted finish cutting down on reflections and immediate signs of small wear and tear. It lends a visual that is a bit soft at the edges despite its crisp lines and faceted corners. I can only assume that when eventually covered in small dings and snail trails this case will wear its character as a badge of honor and only look better. Slimmed down from the original 42.1mm diameter, the new Fulcrum measures in with a diameter of 39.5mm paired with a restrained lug to lug of 47mm and a stout 14.1mm thickness. The effect of dropping 3mm is that the wearing experience is fantastic and versatile for almost any wrist size while the thickness may inhibit it from making any board room appearances, a fact I get the sense that MK II is happy with.

In terms of design details, the Fulcrum brings all of the tool watch features we put on our wishlists into one package. Drilled lugs aid in strap changing and protect the case from tool wear, guards protect the screw-down crown which itself offers ample grip even if wet, a sterile case back holds a canvas for unit emblems or a meaningful inscription, and ample options at purchase allow you to choose your own adventure in terms of functionality. A staple of the brand, the Fulcrum can be had on a bracelet, rubber strap, or nylon with your choice of a date or non-date caliber and the option of a dive or 12-hour bezel insert. Then there is the bezel itself. 

Deep grooves add an aggressive aesthetic while locking into your fingers while firmly snapping along the 120-click unidirectional bezel. With a bit of a tinny sound, this bezel easily rivals all others in the price point and is by far my favorite feature of the watch. Sure, I would have preferred a better, heavier sound akin to other serious dive watches, though I supposed it is true to vintage roots. I still have dreams about the Tornek-Rayville TR-660 bezel, but this one will quiet those down for a time. Set inside is that optional bezel insert made from black anodized aluminum that again will age beautifully. The option I had in for review featured silver dive countdown markers for functionality with a large applied lume pip at 12 for indexing. I do wish more brands would take notice and pay as much attention to their bezel as MK II does here as the tool watch world would be better for it. I can not even begin to list how many watches carry a sloppy bezel with a dull thud that god forbid gets wet and slips right out of your grip. The Fulcrum inspires confidence and is designed to be properly put through its paces in demanding environments. 

Continuing the bezel’s slope towards the watch’s thickest point is the double-domed sapphire crystal. On dry land, this crystal is an almost perfect mirror. With the anti-reflective treatment applied to its underside only, the crystal carries a blue hue and will reveal an unflattering shot of your face every time you look at it. You can see from my photographs that I had a hard time capturing the watch without showing my head behind the camera in the crystal’s reflection. Once submerged though, the crystal all but disappears leaving an unobstructed view of the dial beneath. Obviously built for durability and diving purposes, the crystal does act as a slight hindrance for the majority of us who will only wear it while typing away at our desks. It brings with it a certain vintage charm from the era it draws inspiration from but perhaps might have been more usefully tweaked. 

Beneath is a dial that feels simultaneously familiar yet unique. Falling somewhere between the most sought-after vintage Seamaster 300 and Submariner references, the Fulcrum opts for simple legibility through the use of negative space. Painted in SuperLumiNova BGW9, the hour indices run inside the white-printed minute track with cardinal points at 12, 3, 6, and 9. Glowing pale blue at night, the layout aids in faster time telling for instant recognition in potentially high-stress environments. At its center, a beautiful pair of polished sword hands handle hours and minutes while an arrow second-hand ticks above, all with their generous portion of lume. I stand by this statement fully, there are few things better in the watch world than vintage-style sword hands on a diver. 

A bit of a surprise though is the color of the lume. In press images and early renderings the lume had a stark white look, so I was thrown off a bit in realizing the yellow hue the details carried in person. It is perhaps a byproduct of the heavy AR coating on the crystal’s underside and does lend a more vintage aesthetic, though I would have preferred it to have the newer look rather than appearing already a bit aged. The dial text is kept to a minimum to leave as much negative space as possible for improved contrast. It blends vintage and modern aesthetics perfectly into a highly legible design that has a timeless quality about it despite its inspiration.

On the non-date version, the Fulcrum is powered by the automatic Japanese caliber Miyota 90S5. Though perhaps a bit lower spec’d than competitors at a similar price, it is nice to include an option that omits the ghost date crown position. If you opt for a date aperture, the Fulcrum will come powered by the automatic Miyota 9015. Both of these feature hacking and handwinding with roughly 42 hours of power reserve while operating at 4 Hz. In terms of accuracy, MK II makes no claims, though typically we expect to see these movements operating between -10 to +30 seconds per day with the model on hand being no exception. While they may not blow you away, these Miyota calibers are reliable workhorses offering easy servicing should something go wrong on your next rough-and-tumble adventure.

“Wear the watch the way you want” seems to be a focus on this model as MK II offers four different options in terms of straps. Again you have options as you can choose from either a bracelet, a rubber strap, a Nytex nylon pass-through strap, or a kit that includes all three. I was lucky enough to have all three options and spent some time wearing the Fulcrum on each, though I found myself gravitating towards the bracelet option the most simply because it is the option I assume all of you would look at first. While perhaps the best option, the Nytex strap is fantastic but a bit of a known quantity at this point. The ribbed pass-through strap is so good that many others have knocked it off though none come close to capturing the original look and feel of this one. The rubber strap is in all honesty a let down with the best thing that I can say about it is that it is Swiss-made. It feels and looks like the cheapest option of the bunch and ultimately seems more like a cost effective secondary market option rather than an OEM strap. But as the bracelet is the option the Fulcrum is shown on the most and the option most people will opt for, let’s zoom into that a bit.

Finished with the same bead-blasted effect as the case, the hefty three-link bracelet offers comfortable articulation. Tapering from the 20mm solid end links equipped with quick-release spring bars, the bracelet terminates at a milled foldover clasp measuring 18.5mm wide. There unfortunately is no inclusion of a half link, though the screw-in links are easily removed to help find the right fit. Hidden inside the clasp is the NodeX Extension Clasp from Nodus allowing you to extend the bracelet on the fly, something I find myself doing with my ever-swelling wrists. While I am thrilled to see its inclusion on more bracelets, I do wish that the system allowed for a hidden link rather than leaving a bit of a gap at full extension which does allow for some side-to-side play. For a watch really leaning into a rugged tool watch aesthetic, I would have liked to have seen a more solid bracelet system. That being said, the new bracelet system is well fitted and finished making it the option I would recommend for those waiting for the Fulcrum to make its way back in stock. If bracelets are not for you, do yourself a favor and grab it on the Nytex pass through strap.

While I certainly have some critiques, by no means is this a bad watch. It is a solid piece from a revered brand run by a fantastic team. The Fulcrum oozes vintage charm with a reassuring feel in the hand that I know many people out there are excited to own or are eagerly awaiting. If I had not spent time with their other offerings such as the BlackJak, the TR-660, and the Paradive, there is a chance that I would have jumped at the opportunity to buy the Fulcrum for myself. We are overly critical of those we love because we pay far more attention to them. I do not doubt that MK II will blow me away with the next release, or perhaps satisfy my cravings with a larger production run of their excellent TR-660 or Benchcraft Project 300. Though, for now, I am happy to have spent my time with the Fulcrum and am willing to pass it along. MK II