The YES Zulu watch comes in a beautiful wooden presentation case.  The lockable case is lined with a black velvet-like material.  The hinges are brass.  There are internal pockets in the cover and two storage compartments on either side of the watch mount.

We compared the Zulu case to the case which came with the Rolex Tudor Mini-Sub.  The Zulu case was clearly superior, both in features, materials, and construction.  Of course, we are not going to recommend you base your purchase decision on the case, but we point this out to illustrate Mr. Kartomten's attention to the quality of the details of his products.

In the compartments are the link-removal tool, a dual-end pick, and two other high-quality bands (rubber diver's and black leather) for the Zulu. 

The face of the Zulu is protected by a sapphire crystal.  The material for the case and bracelet is titanium.  Each watch is waterproof to 333 ft (10ATM/ 100M) and is individually numbered on the back.

We'll describe in detail the features of the watch in a separate article.  In this FirstLook, we wanted to highlight some of the things which caught our attention...like the 24-hour hand.  We had mentioned it was one of the details we didn't like on the Solunar.  There is no such complaints with the Zulu.  The proportion of the pointed indicator and sunburst pattern in the center looks great on the Zulu.

Other elements such as the well crafted clasp and the highly polished crown and buttons are also worth noting in this FirstLook.  We also love the Sun and Moon stones in the rotating bezel...they are there for a reason.  We'll talk more about it in the "features" article:-)

The face of the watch is uncluttered compared to a mechanical chronograph, but don't let this clean interface fool you...this Zulu is currently displaying seven different time functions. 

The Zulu is a substantial watch.  It weighs in at close to five ounces and has a diameter of 1.75".  This watch will be noticed.  Sometimes it is difficult to properly gauge the size of something from a photo.  We placed the Zulu next to the Rolex Yacht Master for scale.  Do not let the larger size of the Zulu deter you from considering this amazing time piece.  We were surprised at how quickly we got used to the larger face of the Zulu.  Now the Yacht Master is oddly small and the Tudor feels down right tiny!

We'll have more about the Zulu in a few weeks.  There will definitely be more side by side comparisons of the Zulu and the Cozmo with our other watches:-)

The Chinese proverb below roughly translates as:

"An inch of daylight is worth an inch of gold, but it's difficult to buy an inch of daylight with an inch of gold."

The YES Zulu watch, as designed by Bjorn Kartomten may not let you buy back daylight, but it will certainly let you track it in a variety of ways.

We got interested in YES watches when readers asked us about them after reading our review of the Solunar a year ago.

The Zulu from YES is similar in functions (sunrise/sunset tracking, multiple time zones, etc...), but several orders of magnitude higher in quality (titanium bands, sapphire crystal, presentation case).

In this review, we'll take a closer look at the details of the Zulu.  In other upcoming articles, we'll look at changing the straps, the various functions, and our impressions after wearing the watch for a while.

Reviews:

1. FirstLook

2. Changing Strap

3. Features

4. FirstUse

5. InTheWild

Review Summary:

Initial Impression - Amazing quality

Usability - Well conceived interface

Durability - 2 year warranty

Price - List price: $750