It was very hard to get, but once I finally did, I dug deeper into its background, because I had a hunch it probably wasn’t fully UČZ’s own design. Soon enough I discovered that the Lunokhod E-8 was in fact almost identical to the Moon Walker, a watch produced by OVD Watches from Hong Kong. The only difference was on the caseback: the Lunokhod carried the silhouette of the Lunokhod lunar rover, while the “original” Moon Walker had Armstrong’s bootprint on the lunar surface.
Why am I writing about this? Because that was the moment I started following OVD Watches. Since then, they’ve released quite a few new models. Many still echo the basic Moon Walker concept, but they also explore plenty of unusual, even eccentric ideas. Honestly, some of them are a bit too unusual – even for me, and I really like quirky watches. The biggest drawback, though, is that they’re often not very legible. And unfortunately, I’ve reached the age where being able to read a watch without glasses is a pretty big deal.
Back when I was still actively collecting Soviet and Russian watches – and, on the other hand, watches connected to space – I came across a really interesting piece that ticked all the boxes for my collection. It was a watch from the more recent Russian watchmaking history: the Lunokhod E-8, made by the Uglich Watch Factory (UČZ).
For UČZ, this was quite a special watch – only 100 pieces were ever made. It stood out with a central luminous dome (representing the Moon), over which the hands curved elegantly. Extremely unusual and attractive.
At the beginning of 2025, I was invited to back their new Kickstarter campaign for a watch called Ronin, which they promoted as: OVD Ronin – a damascus watch inspired by the samurai spirit. In their presentation, they wrote (and I quote):
"Ronin (浪人) originates from Japan, reflecting a rich heritage. In the feudal era, samurai stood as a revered class, dedicated to their daimyo, thriving on the lands and salaries bestowed upon them. Yet, amid wars and political upheaval, some samurai lost their masters and transformed into ronin, embodying resilience and honor.
This watch draws inspiration from the elegant craftsmanship of samurai swords, crafted from Damascus steel, its very essence woven into the design. The watch radiates the spirit of traditional Japanese Bushido, a testament to strength and unwavering commitment."
The renders that followed (check the photo) suggested that the entire watch was made from Damascus steel, and two versions even featured a Timascus dial (Timascus being the name for titanium damascus), which instantly won me over. Especially the combination with a black PVD Damascus case – something I’d never seen before, despite my love for Damascus cases (as you might have noticed from my other reviews).
The plan was to fit the watch with a Miyota 9015 movement, with a very limited run using the Sellita SW300-1. The base Kickstarter pledge price was 435 USD (later 460). When I first got the invite, I hesitated. By the time I came back to it, it was too late. So no Kickstarter Ronin for me.
But soon after the official launch in August, I received an email: the Ronin was available. Even better – on the retail price of 705 USD, I was offered a 30% discount code. This time I didn’t hesitate.
Before pulling the trigger, I only wanted to check which courier they used for EU deliveries, since import costs can vary wildly. To my very pleasant surprise, they replied that the listed price already included all import duties – meaning the total for me was just 493.5 USD. With the dollar being weaker than at the beginning of the year, the watch actually turned out cheaper in euros than it would have been during the Kickstarter campaign!
When choosing among the five models, it was clear I’d go for one of the two with Timascus dials. The only question was: Black PVD or classic stainless steel? The fact that I’d never owned a black PVD Damascus watch made the decision for me.
They shipped it the same day, and a week later it was in my hands, straight from Hong Kong.
The wooden box it came in was relatively small but charming, nicely engraved with a samurai image, and tied with a cloth ribbon. Apart from a small instruction booklet, there were no papers inside. Strangely enough, the warranty text said it’s only valid with a signed warranty card – which was missing, even though I bought directly from the brand. Oh well, I assume the invoice would do if needed.
Of course, the main thing is the watch itself. The moment I saw it, I regretted going with the black PVD version. In real life, the PVD hides the Damascus pattern far more than in the renders – so much that it’s practically invisible unless you shine a light and look with a loupe. I was even doubtful at first that the bezel was really Damascus at all, until I checked it under different angles. The whole point of Damascus is basically lost, and what remains is just the look of brushed black PVD. A real shame, and honestly I wish I had chosen the plain steel case. That said, the Timascus dial shines brilliantly, and I admit it probably pops more with the black case than it would with the steel one. Such are the risks of buying online from the other side of the world. Renders don’t always match reality.
After that initial impression, I dove into the details. First, the dial. Timascus in real life is even more stunning than in photos – the color shifts, the waves, just beautiful. Then I looked at the indices and hands. On Kickstarter they wrote (and I quote): "Inspired by the elegance of a samurai's sword, the hour and minute hands feature a diamond-cut finish with sharp edges." And yes, both the markers and the hands are very precisely cut. But honestly, the hands don’t really remind me of a katana. If the inspiration truly was the samurai sword, then one-sided sharpness and an asymmetrical point would have been more appropriate than the blunt-ended design they went with.
For the second hand, they wrote: "The second hand draws its design from the guard of the Japanese sword." That one I can agree with – the ring near the center does recall a sword guard. Still, I’d say the vibe is more “sword” in general, not specifically Japanese.
Anyway, my criticism is only about the design and its samurai connection. The actual finishing is excellent – even under a loupe. From a practical standpoint, my only real complaint is that the lume on the hands is too thin and not particularly strong. At night, legibility is quite poor, especially for the minute hand. On the flip side, the contrast between the hands and the Timascus dial is strong, so daytime readability is perfect.
The case itself is again very well made. No sharp edges, which can sometimes plague Damascus watches. The PVD is solid. Overall it looks almost like a carbon case, helped by the watch’s very light weight (just 77g including strap and buckle). The crown, however, feels a bit plasticky and fragile.
A fun little detail: the date wheel shows the first day of the month with a Japanese flag. According to OVD: "1st (ついたち) marks the beginning of each month, a time for new possibilities. We thoughtfully crafted the calendar plate with the Japanese flag as the emblem for the 1st, symbolizing the rising sun that brings forth a fresh start each month." Cute touch.
The caseback I really like – it’s different, a bit more relaxed. Surprisingly, the PVD there doesn’t hide the Damascus pattern! If the rest of the case looked like that, it would’ve been much closer to what the renders promised. Also worth noting: the company name (OVD Watches) only appears on the back. The dial shows only the model name – Ronin. The back is dominated by the image of a Ronin.
The watch comes only on a leather strap with a pin buckle matched to the case. The strap is very good quality, and I love the Ronin engraving on it. At the top you’ll notice a nice stitch detail, which this time really does recall “the revered handle wrap of the samurai sword, known as Tatsu Ito,” as OVD described it. My only gripe is that the holes on the strap seem a bit too small for the buckle pin, making it hard to fasten and even harder to unfasten.
The case is 40mm across with a rather compact 45mm lug-to-lug. With those dimensions, you’d expect 20mm lugs, but they went with 22mm. Surprisingly, it works. The watch wears larger than its size, mainly thanks to the Timascus dial, which dominates – the sapphire crystal and dial underneath measure 36mm. That’s why the wider strap feels visually right, even on a 40mm watch. The thickness of the watch is under 12 mm including the slightly domed glass, and under 9 mm without it.
All this makes it wearable both for people with smaller wrists (thanks to the short L2L) and larger wrists (thanks to the visual presence and strap width). Personally, I think it suits slightly bigger wrists better. On my 19cm wrist, it looks great, and judging by the strap holes, it’s designed for wrists around 18–22cm.
As for the movement – nothing new to say. Every Miyota 9XXX I’ve had has performed well, reliably and accurately, and this one is no different. Worn 24/7, mine runs about +4.5 seconds per day.
Final verdict: For 705 USD (with shipping and duties included), this watch offers a lot. If you’re into Damascus steel or Timascus dials, you’ll have a hard time finding something of this quality at a lower price. I’m talking about retail prices, of course. The only comparable deals I’ve seen were from Oceaneva with their Damascus watches (with Sellita SW200-1 inside) during preorder, but regular Oceaneva prices are much higher. Factor in the Kickstarter price or the 30% discount I got, and the Ronin is once again a clear winner. I definitely recommend it – just be careful: if you want a strong Damascus pattern, don’t go for the PVD versions.
P.S.: Looking at my photos, you might get the impression that the Damascus pattern is actually quite visible. Trust me, I had to work hard with angles and lighting to bring those lines out. In reality, it looks much closer to the first photo and the wrist shots.
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