Hands-On with the Studio Underd0g: A Watch Review of Britain's Most Playful Brand
TL;DR: Studio Underd0g's 01Series Gen 3 is a £550 manual-wind chronograph that prioritises personality over everything else. Bespoke Seagull ST-1901B movement, 38.5mm case (now slimmed to 12.9mm), four colourways that look like nothing else in the microbrand space. Genuine mechanical chronograph at a price that makes the value argument for itself. Limitations: 50m water resistance, bold aesthetics that won't suit every setting, and a Chinese movement that some buyers will have philosophical objections to. If you can get past that, this is one of the most enjoyable watches under £600.
We've recommended Studio Underd0g in our microbrand guide for a reason: they're one of the few brands in the affordable space making watches that look like someone actually enjoyed designing them. While most microbrands at this price chase safe, heritage-inspired designs, Studio Underd0g makes mechanical chronographs in pink and green. And it works.
The 01Series is the watch that built the brand — a manual-wind bicompax chronograph in four colourways, now in its third generation with meaningful improvements over earlier versions. Founded in 2020 by designer Richard Benc in Brighton, the brand has since expanded to include the 02Series field watch and the 03Series monopusher chronograph with a Sellita movement. But the 01Series remains the core of what Studio Underd0g is about, and it's what this review covers — the Gen 3 specifically.
The Specs
Case: 38.5mm diameter, 44.5mm lug-to-lug, 12.9mm thick (down from 13.6mm on Gen 2), 20mm lug width. 316L stainless steel, brushed and polished. Double-domed sapphire crystal. Exhibition sapphire caseback. 50m water resistance.
Movement: Seagull ST-1901B (bespoke version exclusive to Studio Underd0g). Manual wind, column-wheel chronograph. 21,600 vph, 21 jewels, ~45-hour power reserve. Regulated to -10/+15 seconds per day.
Price: £550 on leather strap from Studio Underd0g's website.
Variants: Watermel0n, Mint Ch0c Chip, Go0fy Panda, Desert Sky.
Assembled in Great Britain — regulated and QC'd by Horologium in Berkshire.
The Movement: Honest Assessment
The Seagull ST-1901 platform has a complicated history. It's derived from the Venus 175 — a respected Swiss chronograph calibre whose tooling was sold to the Chinese military in the 1960s. Seagull has produced it in various forms since. At its best, it's a column-wheel chronograph at a price point where most brands can't offer mechanical chronograph functionality at all. That's the value proposition.
The Gen 3 brings a meaningful upgrade. When Seagull raised their minimum order to 10,000 units, Studio Underd0g negotiated a bespoke version — the ST-1901B — rather than switching suppliers. It features a black mainplate that looks significantly better through the exhibition caseback, and a redesigned swan neck regulator that allows tighter accuracy regulation: -10/+15 seconds per day, down from -15/+35 on the previous generation. That's a substantial improvement.
Honest note: Seagull movements have historically had mixed QC reputation. Some run beautifully for years. Some need attention earlier than you'd like. Studio Underd0g's assembly and regulation through Horologium helps mitigate this — each watch is regulated in three positions before shipping. But the risk profile is different from a Sellita or Miyota, and you should go in with eyes open. At £550 for a mechanical chronograph, you're getting functionality that would cost £1,500+ with a Swiss column-wheel movement. The price difference buys a lot of forgiveness for the Seagull's mixed reputation.
The Colourways
This is where Studio Underd0g earns its reputation. Four variants, each with a distinct character:
Watermel0n — pink and green. The brand's signature piece and the one that built their following. Photographs ridiculously well. Looks bold but wears more subtly than you'd expect at 38.5mm.
Mint Ch0c Chip — mint green and beige. The most wearable of the four for mixed settings. Enough personality to stand out, not so loud that it clashes with everything.
Go0fy Panda — grey and black. The "conservative" option, though calling any Studio Underd0g watch conservative is a stretch. Classic chronograph contrast with the brand's textured dial treatment adding depth.
Desert Sky — blue and tan. Evokes something warm and dusty. The most understated colourway that still carries the brand's identity.
All four use the same two-layer dial construction — satin sandblasted base with a coarse dégradé top — that gives them more visual depth than flat-printed alternatives. Applied markers carry Super-LumiNova C3. Bicompax layout with running seconds at 9 and 30-minute counter at 3. Tachymeter scale on the chapter ring.
How Does It Wear?
The Gen 3's slimmer case is a noticeable improvement. At 12.9mm (down from 13.6mm), it sits closer to the wrist without the slight top-heaviness the earlier generations had. The 44.5mm lug-to-lug keeps it wearable on wrists from about 6 inches up, and the curved case profile helps it hug rather than perch.
At 38.5mm with bold colours, these get attention through design rather than size — which is the right way round. The included Strap Tailor leather strap is good quality with quick-release spring bars. The 20mm width means aftermarket options are endless if you want to experiment.
The pushers have satisfying tactile feedback — crisp actuation for start, stop, and reset. Crown winding feels well-machined. The larger crown on Gen 3 is a welcome change for daily winding.
Honest Criticisms
50m water resistance. Fine for hand-washing and rain. Not fine for swimming, despite the sporty chronograph styling. At £550, this is an acceptable compromise. At higher prices it wouldn't be.
The colours are polarising. That's the whole point, and Studio Underd0g would be the first to agree. The Watermel0n is brilliant on the right day and completely wrong on others. If you need a one-watch collection, this probably isn't it. If you want something to rotate in alongside more conservative pieces, it's ideal.
Manual wind only. You wind it every day or it stops. Some people love the ritual. Others will forget and be annoyed. Know which camp you're in before buying.
Seagull movement perception. Some buyers have a philosophical issue with Chinese movements, regardless of actual quality. If "Swiss Made" matters to you for its own sake, Studio Underd0g's 03Series uses a Sellita SW510M monopusher — but it costs significantly more.
The Verdict
Studio Underd0g has built something specific and done it well. The 01Series Gen 3 isn't trying to be the best-specified watch at £550 — brands running Sellita automatics with 100m WR exist at this price. It's trying to be the most enjoyable. The mechanical chronograph functionality, the colourful dials, the manual-wind ritual, the British assembly — it adds up to a watch with more character per pound than almost anything else in the segment.
The Watermel0n is the one that built the brand's reputation, and it's still the one most people should look at first. Mint Ch0c Chip is the versatile pick. Go0fy Panda for anyone who wants the build quality and movement without the colour commitment.
If you've read our [microbrand guide], you know we rate Studio Underd0g for making watches with real personality at accessible prices. The Gen 3 01Series is the strongest version of that proposition yet.
Key Takeaways
£550 for a mechanical column-wheel chronograph is the headline. That's functionality you can't get from Swiss movements at this price.
Gen 3 brings real improvements — slimmer case (12.9mm), bespoke ST-1901B movement with tighter accuracy regulation (-10/+15 sec/day), and British assembly.
The colourways are the point. Watermel0n, Mint Ch0c Chip, Go0fy Panda, Desert Sky — each distinct, each memorable. If you want safe, buy something else.
50m WR and manual wind are the main compromises. Both are acceptable at £550; both are worth knowing about before you buy.
The Seagull movement is a considered trade-off — genuine chronograph functionality at a fraction of Swiss pricing, with improved QC through regulated British assembly.
If Studio Underd0g's approach appeals to you, the Gen 3 01Series is the best version of it. If the bold colours or Chinese movement give you pause, that's fine — the [microbrand guide] has plenty of alternatives.