Hands-On Debut: Vario X RZE UltraHex Trench Watch
I often say that successful collaboration watches should be an equal blend of both brands’ identities, with the resulting timepieces feeling like creations that wouldn’t otherwise be produced by either company on its own. For their very first collaborations with another watch company, fellow Singapore-based brands Vario and RZE have teamed up to create a trio of limited-edition models, and the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench takes the core blueprint of Vario’s vintage-inspired 1918 Trench watch and renders it in RZE’s decidedly modern and performance-oriented materials.
Based upon the smaller version of Vario’s WWI era-inspired 1918 Trench watch, the case of the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench measures 37mm in diameter by 10mm thick, with a 2mm domed sapphire crystal fitted to the rim of its smooth bezel. Wire lugs extend from either side of the case to create an overall lug-to-lug profile of 45mm, and since the lugs feature a true fixed-bar design, owners are limited to 18mm straps with a pass-through construction (or otherwise attach around the lug bars without a traditional spring bar setup). Rather than being made from stainless steel like Vario’s standard Trench models, the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench is crafted from grade 2 titanium with RZE’s proprietary UltraHex surface coating, which brings its hardness up to 1,200HV (about eight times more scratch-resistant than traditional stainless steel).
To further lean into the utilitarian nature of its case materials, the entire exterior of the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench receives a matte sandblasted finish, and this visually separates it from the brushed and polished surfaces that can be found across Vario’s own versions of the model. Additionally, the UltraHex Trench benefits from the same contemporary updates that Vario implemented into its standard Trench series, such as a solid screw-down caseback and a winding crown at the 4 o’clock location that also screws down to the middle case to help ensure 100 meters of water resistance. That said, rather than being engraved with Vario’s insignia, the tip of the winding crown is adorned with a luminous rendition of RZE’s logo.
The Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench series consists of three different 100-piece limited editions, with the differences between them being the materials of their dials and the colors of their straps. The first member of the trio features an enamel dial in RZE’s signature “Medallion Yellow” hue, while the second has a dial made from Timascus (the titanium equivalent of layered Damascus steel), and the third UltraHex Trench model is fitted with a dial constructed from a slice of luminous forged carbon fiber. Regardless of material, the fundamental design of the dial remains consistent across all three watches, with large Arabic numeral hour makers, cathedral-style hands, and the running seconds displayed by a contrasting white-finished register at the 6 o’clock location.
Aside from their distinct surface materials, the trio of dials for the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench otherwise follow the same core design as what can be found among Vario’s standard Trench models, although a luminous RZE logo has been discreetly added inside the white-finished running seconds register as the one other piece of co-branding that appears on the watches. Additionally, while the hands, hour markers, and RZE logo all glow blue on the three Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench models, the forged carbon version has green-glowing lume embedded within the carbon fiber of its dial, which creates a rather striking (albeit slightly less legible) display in the dark.
Just like their standard-production siblings in Vario’s catalog, the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench is powered by the Miyota Caliber 82S5 automatic movement, which is the no-date version of Miyota’s popular Cal. 8xxx series that relocates its running seconds hand to a sub-dial on the lower half of its display. As such, the Cal. 82S5 runs at a frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 40 hours, and the specific version used inside the UltraHex Trench features gilt-finishing across its components with Geneva stripes adorning its upper bridges. The Miyota 82S5 is less commonly used than the standard center-seconds versions of the Cal. 8xxx series, although its underlying architecture represents an extremely proven design that can be found inside countless different watches throughout the industry.
All three versions of the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench are fitted with the same type of bund-style strap, which is constructed from crazy horse leather (a type of full-grain cow hide frequently used for horse saddles). With that in mind, each strap appears in a different color to better complement the dial of its respective watch, with the “Medallion Yellow” enamel version paired with a black strap, the Timascus one receiving a brown strap, and the forged carbon model paired with a gray strap. Since the wire lugs on the UltraHex Trench are completely fixed, the strap connects to the case by looping around the wire bars and securing with flat-head screws that thread into the metal rivet-style structures on either side of the strap near the lugs.
Bund straps are easily one of the more divisive strap styles, and while I wouldn’t exactly call myself bund-adverse, rarely is a bund my preferred style of strap. However, when it comes to the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench, I actually find that the bund works extremely well with the model’s vintage-inspired design, and it adds a bold aesthetic flare while simultaneously preventing the compact case proportions from feeling undersized on larger wrists. For those who are adamantly opposed to bund life, the additional pad can easily be removed to convert the UltraHex Trench’s strap into a standard two-piece design, although the bund adds a distinct personality, and I would likely wear the strap in its bund-equipped configuration the majority of the time.
At its core, the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench is essentially just Vario’s 1918 Trench watch rendered in RZE’s decidedly modern materials, yet it still feels like a model that wouldn’t otherwise exist without the involvement of both collaborators. All of RZE’s watches are characterized by a definitively modern aesthetic, and its own field watches like the Valour 38 and Urbanist Solar represent a radical departure compared to the WWI era-inspired design of the UltraHex Trench. Conversely, Vario typically adheres to a vintage-leaning appearance, and materials like sandblasted titanium and luminous forged carbon are the thematic antithesis of the classic designs that inform its own models like the Art Deco-inspired Versa. From a design perspective, the UltraHex Trench hardly reinvents the wheel, yet it genuinely feels like a mix of both brand’s identities, and it is a distinct offering within each of their respective catalogs.
The three Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench watches will each be produced as a limited edition of 100 examples, with the Medallion Yellow enamel dial model having an official retail price of $439 USD, while the Timascus and luminous forged carbon dial versions are both slightly more expensive at $499 USD. At the time of writing, Vario is currently accepting orders for the UltraHex Trench on its website, with delivery set to begin in mid-August 2025. Even as someone who typically isn’t the biggest fan of bund straps or WWI-era styling, I personally find the Vario x RZE UltraHex Trench to be an immense amount of fun to have on the wrist, and the price for the model feels just right, where it is expensive enough to offer premium materials and well-executed details, while still feeling like a categorically affordable purchase (at least within the contest of watches). For more information, please visit Vario’s website or RZE’s website.
