When it was launched back at Watches & Wonders 2024, the Zenith Defy Extreme Diver not only hammered home Zenith’s long-overlooked diving heritage, but proved itself to be one of the most genuinely interesting dive watches of the year. Sure, the ‘Plongeur’ revival grabbed headlines, but its modernised version was the real success. So, it’s no surprise that less than a year later, Zenith is extending the Defy Extreme Diver with a handsome, silver-white dial.

The Defy Extreme Diver is extreme by name, extreme by nature. On the surface is has all those dramatic angles and multi-faceted design touches that have made the collection what it is, backed-up by serious diving specs. It’s big, at 42.5mm of lightweight titanium, and solid, able to keep time 600 metres underwater. Paired with a unidirectional rotating bezel in hardwearing ceramic and you have an eye-catching watch that ticks all those professional necessities.

Granted the design is, as the name suggests, a touch extreme in its many, many facets. But honestly, the more brands out there doing their own things, the better. If you prefer your divers a little more retrained, there are plenty of other options elsewhere. Too many, some might say. None of that is new of course, I’m just describing Zenith’s Defy Extreme Diver from earlier in the year. So what here is new? Nothing more than the dial. Given just how dramatic a personality shift the new dial gives it though, it’s a change worth talking about.

The dial in question is a bright, silvery white engraved with the same four-pointed star emblem that defines the perennially cool Defy Skyline. It’s sunburst engraving emanates from the Zenith logo and, in a touch that every watchmaker should follow suit on, the date at 3 o’clock is perfectly colour matched to the dial. It’s eye-catching in the best possible way.

That said, a diver needs to be seen underwater as well as above. To that end, there’s plenty of Super-LumiNova across the dial, in three different colours no less. While it’s all the same in the light, in the dark you get blue, green and yellow split across the hours, minutes and seconds to easily distinguish one from the other.

Like the rest of the collection, the Zenith Defy Extreme Diver is powered by the El Primero calibre 3620-SC, a hyper-accurate high-frequency number that, despite the energy output, still has a 60-hour power reserve. That’s performance it should stick too even in harsh environments thanks to its paramagnetic components – read silicon.

Rounding things off, the Defy Extreme Diver comes on three different straps: the matching titanium bracelet, a chunky KFM rubber number with a Cordura-effect texture and, for the true professionals, an extra-long number meant to strap over a wetsuit. That last is also made from recycled fishing nets, which is thematically satisfying.

After most of a year with no more news from the collection, it’s good to see Zenith really hammering home their flagship diver. While I’d still like to see more colours of that Plongeur – imagine it in yellow or light blue, vintage Longines Comet sort of colours – the Defy Extreme Diver is a diver like few others. In a world of Submariner and Fifty Fathoms homages, that alone is enough to make it stand out. It’s a good thing that it has far, far more going for it besides.

More details at Zenith.

In the world of luxury watches, there are iconic designs that evoke instant admiration and timeless elegance. And then, there’s the Omega Ploprof. A watch so strikingly unconventional that it proudly earns the label of the “ugly duckling” of the watch world. Yet, despite its divisive design, or perhaps because of it, the Ploprof has managed to carve out a devoted fanbase since its debut in the early 1970s. How did such a polarising piece earn the love and loyalty of so many watch enthusiasts? Let’s dive into the history and unique charm of the Omega Ploprof 166.077.

A Purposeful Driven Design

The Ploprof, short for Plongeur Professionnel (French for “professional diver”), wasn’t designed to win beauty pageants. It was created to withstand the most extreme conditions of deep-sea diving. Omega developed the watch in collaboration with COMEX, the French commercial diving company and the legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. The objective was simple: create a robust timepiece that could handle the crushing pressures of the ocean’s depths. In 1971, Omega introduced the Ploprof 600, a watch capable of surviving depths of 600 meters (2,000 feet).

Its enormous stainless steel case, thick sapphire crystal and signature locking crown were all geared toward functionality, not fashion. The Ploprof’s monobloc case design ensured exceptional water resistance by eliminating the need for a screw-down case back. The crown’s placement on the left side further sets it apart. Offering protection from accidental bumps and preserving the watertight seal. When the Ploprof launched, it was priced at 795 Swiss francs, more than double the cost of a Rolex Submariner. Omega advertised it with the slogan, “When you take your life in your hands, you need a good watch on your wrist.”

Aesthetic Brutality

When it first hit the market, the Omega Ploprof 166.077’s looks were, to put it mildly, controversial. The asymmetric case and blocky design stood in stark contrast to the sleek, refined watches that Omega was best known for. Its bulky form, prominent crown guard, and unusual bezel locking mechanism added to the overall sense that this was a tool, not a fashion accessory. Yet, it’s precisely this “form follows function” approach that has won the Ploprof its loyal fans. For those who appreciate purposeful design and engineering over conventional beauty, the Ploprof is a symbol of uncompromising performance. The oversized bezel and massive case not only protect the movement but also provide a clear, readable dial even in the darkest depths of the ocean.

The Cult Appeal

Despite its initially lukewarm reception, the Ploprof has grown into a cult classic. Part of its appeal lies in its rarity. The original Ploprof 600 was only produced for a few years before being discontinued, making it a sought-after collector’s item. In 2009, Omega relaunched the Ploprof, this time rated to a staggering 1,200 meters. Bringing it into the modern era while retaining its original, unapologetically bold design. For many collectors, the Ploprof represents a refreshing departure from the delicate, minimalist aesthetics that dominate the luxury watch market. It’s a conversation piece, a statement of individuality, and a reminder that watches can be both tools and art. The love for the Ploprof isn’t about prettiness—it’s about appreciating the unapologetic boldness that Omega dared to pursue in creating one of the most extreme diving watches of its time.

An Unlikely Icon

In a world where slim, dressy watches often take centre stage, the Omega Ploprof has embraced its role as the industry’s lovable outsider. Its unique design and incredible functionality have made it an enduring symbol of Omega’s commitment to technical innovation. Whether you find it ugly or captivating, the Ploprof’s impact on watchmaking is undeniable. The Ploprof is not just a watch; it’s an icon for those who value function over form, innovation over convention and aren’t afraid to stand out in a sea of predictable designs.

This “ugly duckling” proves that beauty, as they say, is truly in the eye of the beholder. One of the most distinctive features of the Omega Ploprof 166.077 is its locking crown mechanism. Instead of a traditional screw-down crown, the Ploprof uses a push-button lock to secure the crown in place. The large, red button on the side of the case allows divers to release and adjust the crown when needed, providing additional security against water ingress. This mechanism, though odd-looking, ensured that the watch remained fully water-resistant to 600 meters (2,000 feet), which was groundbreaking for the time.

A Keeper For Sure

It defied convention, choosing practicality over polish, and in doing so, carved out its place as one of the most iconic tool watches ever made. The Ploprof isn’t just a dive watch—it’s a testament to Omega’s willingness to push the boundaries of both engineering and aesthetics. For those who seek more than just a pretty face, the Ploprof stands proud, embracing its legacy as a true diving legend.

As a proud owner of a vintage 1977 Omega  Ploprof 600, this watch truly stands out in my collection. Many vintage Ploprofs serviced by Omega have had their dials and hands replaced, making it increasingly challenging for enthusiasts seeking an authentic look to find examples with these original features. Fortunately, mine retains its original hands and dial, and it also came with an Omega Extract from the archives, confirming its origin and year of manufacture. Whether you love or loathe the Ploprof, there’s no denying its significance within Omega’s range, and it truly stands apart from anything else out there.

More details at Omega.

Sometimes there can be a bit of a disconnect between what watch collectors in a general sense think a watch should be and what the professionals actually using those watches need. That disconnect comes in myriad forms, but the one that stands out the most is a grudge match that’s been happening since the late 1970s: quartz vs automatic.

Automatic is, of course, the more prestigious of the two, purely mechanical and theoretically eternal – with a bit of servicing, of course. But the problem is, they’re simply less accurate and less reliable than their battery-powered siblings – which is why you often find that watches squarely aimed at professionals use quartz. After all, when accurate timekeeping is more important than resale value, there’s no competition between the two.

ProTek Official USMC Series, quartz (PT1016D)

It’s no surprise therefore that ProTek, who have been unashamedly building watches for the military, have thus far relied almost entirely on quartz movements. Unlike other brands, for them it’s never been about cost (quartz being markedly cheaper than mechanical), otherwise they would have settled for standard lume instead of the intense H3 gas tubes they’ve made their name with. Instead, it’s always been about building the best tool for the job – even when (or especially) when those jobs are off the books.

ProTek Automatic Carbon Composite USMC Dive Series (PT1212)

The thing is, if you make watches for a certain sub-set of professionals that do the job and look good doing it, you’re going to get other people interested, especially when those same characteristics make for a solid overall diving watch. And while the United States Marine Corps likely still want the tactical benefits of quartz, for collectors who simply love the intensely rugged aesthetic of ProTek’s USMC collection, an automatic movement would seal the deal. So, that’s what the brand has done.

The new USMC Automatic collection does what it says on the tin. It has the same gloriously chunky 42mm case in lightweight carbon composite; it has the same ratcheting unidirectional diving bezel with absurdly large grips and the same 300m water resistance, tested for once in water as well as air pressure. In short, it still looks and feels like the kind of Expendables-level hardware a spec ops unit needs.

ProTek’s Pro-Glo illumination system

It even houses ProTek’s signature Pro-Glo illumination system, which we’ve covered previously. For a quick recap though, their watches use tritium gas tubes which glow under their own steam – no need to charge them – for 25 years. Oh and they’re 100x brighter than conventional lume.

The only difference between the previous models and these is that the reliable Japanese quartz movement has been replaced by a reliable Japanese automatic, swapping the Miyota for a Seiko. If you want reliability and accuracy at an accessible level, you shop Japanese and the workhorse Seiko in the new USMC Automatic models is a watchmaking staple for a reason. It’s also one of the most ubiquitous – and therefore easily serviced and repaired – movements around, just in case the worst happens.

ProTek Stainless Steel Automatic 2200 Series

While the use of an automatic means that you will need to sync watches before a mission, it also means you won’t be left high and dry because you forgot to put in a battery – and means that both the superb Pro-Glo Illumination System and the movement are completely autonomous.

Of course, if the USMC watch is a bit too militaristic for you, ProTek has also updated their more style-conscious Series 2200, which offer a steel case and more colourful options for more everyday wear. The ethos is the same, offering a new autonomous movement to collectors put off by quartz, just in a more casual package.

ProTek Automatic Carbon Composite USMC Dive Series (PT1212)

So, what about price? Well, as I mentioned previously, automatic movements are generally more expensive than quartz, often by orders of magnitude. Here, not so much. The previous price for the quartz-equipped USMC Dive model was $495 (approx. £380), which for a watch with a carbon case, unique design ethos and tritium gas tubes is downright insane, regardless of movement. The automatic? That’ll set you back just $200 more.

Pair that uber-accessible price tag with some eye-catching new dials – the red in particular pops like nothing else in ProTek’s range – and you have a new heavy-hitter in sheer value. Yes, anyone taking their watch on a night mission will likely still opt for the original quartz USMC pieces, but for those of us that prefer the long-lasting autonomy and, yes, prestige of an automatic watch, the new collection absolutely nails it.

More details at ProTek Watches.

Omega watch out because there’s a new 300m diver on the scene. I’m talking about the brand new Prospex 300m Automatic Polygonal Divers watch from Seiko. Which feels like the first genuinely new, not-a-heritage-tribute watch in the Prospex collection that Seiko has produced in about three years – outside of crazy novelties like the 1/100^th Second Solar Chronograph. We got hands-on with the collection to learn all about it.

I called out Omega in the introduction because to my mind, this is the closest to Omega’s Seamaster Diver 300m that Seiko have ever been in terms of overall aesthetic. It measures 41.25mm in diameter in steel with mirror-polished surfaces, on top of which sits a distinctive polygonal bezel. The shape is technically an octagon but the edges are rounded, which makes it a touch more ambiguous. From a distance you’d be forgiven for think the bezel is completely round.

I will say it’s a slightly odd shape, like someone left out a circle and it melted a little in the sun. However, there is an ergonomic purpose to it. But having angled sides instead of a smooth arc, it makes it much easier to rotate. I can’t think of many facetted rotating bezels as the majority of polygonal bezels, such as those found on integrated sports watches like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, are fixed. And twisting the bezel here is very satisfying.

There are three versions of the watch available. First is the Coastline Cobalt edition with a blue bezel and matching blue coastline-pattern dial. Second is Pearl White, which unsurprisingly has a white dial paired with a black bezel. Lastly there’s the Ocean Grey and Bronze edition with a dark, almost anthracite tone dial and a bronze coloured bezel giving it a strong nautical equipment vibe. The coastline dial is interesting, like a hybrid between the horizontal lines of the Patek Nautilus and the waves of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300m.

To keep it nice and legible, the dial is completed with pencil hour markers coated with lume. That shape is mirrored by that of the central hour, minute and seconds hands. Completing the display is the date window nestled between 4 and 5 o’clock. The date disc is black on the grey and blue editions and white on the white one, which is appropriate.

On the wrist, all three models have an impressive amount of presence. They’re big to be sure but it’s not overwhelming and the weight of them is reassuring rather than cumbersome. They’re also presented on steel bracelets which always adds an extra layer of visual impact. Although I personally think you could slap this onto a rubber strap to increase the comfort and double-down on the dive watch vibe, it would look great.

Turning any of them over reveals a solid caseback with a wave motif in the centre. Solid casebacks are very common on dive watches because it can help to improve the water resistance rating. Generally, solid casebacks are made from a single piece of material, require less components than an exhibition back, so there are less failure points for water to enter the watch through.

Although I would also like to be able to see the Seiko Calibre 6R55 that’s housed inside the Prospex 300m Automatic Polygonal Divers as it’s one of the Japanese brand’s higher spec movements. It has a 72-hour power reserve with an accuracy of -15/+25 seconds per day. Recently Seiko’s higher end watches with movements like the 6R55 and 300m water resistance ratings have been on the pricier side of the scale, but the Polygonal is actually priced very reasonably.

Specifically, it costs £1,000. For a practical tool watch with good specs, that seems appropriate. After spending time with the watches I’m still not completely sold on the new design, but perhaps that’s simply because it’s new and I haven’t become accustomed to it yet. Arguably the same could be said for the Patek Philippe Cubitus which also drew clashing opinions recently. Who knows, perhaps in 20-years’ time we will be talking about them as the revolutionary iconoclasts of their time.

More details at Seiko.

Who we are, how we live our lives and our perceptions of the world around us are heavily influenced by where we come from and the family we grew up with. You might not think about it on a daily basis but the decisions and character of your parents, grandparents or even great grandparents impact even the smallest decisions you make all the time. However, one watch brand that does think about this fact is Nostas, founded by designer Francesco Nostas who channels all he has learnt of his family history into the modern, brutalist design of the Audace collection.

While the watch brand Nostas is thoroughly Italian, the family Nostas has a heritage that spans the globe. Francesco’s father, Hermes, grew up on the other side of the planet in Bolivia, South America, and moved to Italy in 1990. However, he only did so because his father Pietro had moved to Bolivia from Italy in 1945, after the war, where he then married into the Nostas family, who were prominent fabric traders in Santa Cruz.

In the span of just four generations you have multiple examples of people willing to uproot their entire lives and set out across the world to discover their fortunes. And by doing so become newly ingrained in the cultures and lifestyles they discovered there. How then do you express this familial willingness to sacrifice safety and security in order to follow your passions in the form of a wristwatch?

Well, first of all you have ensure that if you decide to suddenly up sticks and head off into the jungles of South America or disappear along the coast of the Mediterranean, your watch can keep up with you. It has be versatile and a natural explorer. Secondly, the design simply cannot be conventional – a plain circular case is not an option – in order to push the edges of your comfort zone.

With all this and more in mind, in 2023 Nostas launched the Audace. A collection that today consists of the standard Audace and the Audace 500 (there was also a limited production GMT edition that has sold out). Each variant has a case heavily influenced by brutalist architecture, bold and imposing. There are few architectural movements that push the boundaries of people’s artistic comfort zones as much as brutalism. The brand is also partners with Roberto Conte, a photographer known for his book “Brutalist Italy”, which documents how brutalism and Italian style go hand in hand and so in a roundabout way brutalism is also part of the Nostas heritage.

In terms of design, the watches are octagonal in shape with large, flat surfaces sitting at sharp angles and prominent facets. In watch design terms we would classify this as a late 1970s, 1980s style of design that was spearheaded by prominent figures such as Gerald Genta. They also have a tapering body that leads into the bracelet giving it an integrated appearance despite being interchangable.

As for being versatile and keeping up with the daring, explorer attitudes of the Nostas family, the Audace couldn’t just look the part, it needs specs to match. The standard Audace has a 200m water resistance rating and is equipped with a reliable Sellita SW200 movement. It’s ready for life on the move.

Pushing the collection even further in the tool watch direction is the Audace 500, a true dive watch interpretation of the piece. It adds a dive timer bezel to the watch and increases the water resistance rating all the way up to 500m, which is seriously impressive for a family business microbrand. This model also houses the Sellita SW200 with 38-hour power reserve, a widely used movement among microbrands and independents.

Nostas really offer a great example in how to take a concept and translate it into a product. However, I think the greatest trick that Nostas have managed to achieve is that you can know absolutely zero of the heritage behind the brand or their reasoning behind certain design features and the Audace is still a great accessible timepiece. The standard edition costs £712 while the Audace 500 is £1,000. I would happily pay that price for a watch with fundamentals as rock solid as this. This is the kind of foundation that can set a brand up for multiple generations and as we’ve seen, that’s what Nostas is all about.

More details at Nostas.

There’s often a point of discussion around what watches should be classified as dive watches. If a watch has a case and bezel that pay homage to iconic dive watches of yore but can barely survive a dip in your local pool, is that a dive watch? Aesthetically it fits the description but on a practical level certainly not. Fortunately we have the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) who publish globally recognised standards for the parameters a dive watch should meet. And for the first time ever Timex have met those standards with the launch of the Deepwater Reef 200 collection.

Timex Deepwater Reef 200 and Timex Deepwater Reef 200 GMT

The collection consists of three new models. There’s a steel edition with a quartz movement, a GMT edition with a quartz movement and a titanium model with an automatic movement. If you’re looking for a hyper accessible watch with a price tag around £200 or less, then certainly check out the quartz models, but for now we’re going to focus on the mechanical edition. It also happens to be the version made from more advanced materials.

Starting with the case, the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic measures 41mm in diameter with a thickness of 13mm, which is well proportioned for a diver. Large enough to make the dial and display nice and legible but not so large that it becomes problematic to wear day to day outside the water. On top of that its lightweight titanium construction off-sets some to the mass, making it easier to wear.

As the name Deepwater Reef 200 suggests, the watch has attained a water resistance rating of 200m. However, simply being water resistant isn’t enough to achieve ISO dive watch status. According to ISO standards, a dive watch must also be resistant to condensation, thermal-shock, shock-resistant, anti-magnetic and maintain excellent visibility in both light and dark conditions. In order to adhere to these specifications Timex have equipped the watch with a screw-down caseback and crown, lumed hands and hour markers, and a scratch-resistant sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating.

Zooming in on the dial, it’s a very traditional dive watch display. The black base makes for a very clean appearance with zero visual interference for the hour markers, making them as easy to read as possible. As noted, they’re coated with lume, specifically Super-LumiNova, in order to emit a glowing radiance in low light conditions such as when you’re deep underwater.

The exception is at 3 o’clock is a date window beneath a cyclops lens on the sapphire glass above. I’m personally not a fan of cyclops lenses, to me they create an oddly lopsided appearance and interrupt the smooth flow of glass. Also, the benefit they actually give is pretty small in the grand scheme of things, enhancing a date window that is already easy to read. However, stylistically it’s become a part of the dive watch aesthetic, mainly due to historic models like the Rolex Submariner.

Beneath the dial is housed the Miyota 8215 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve. There’s not too much to say about this movement other than it’s widely used across the industry, which has the benefit of making it more affordable and also meaning any service or repair centre worth their salt should be able to handle it. It’s protected by the solid caseback of the watch, no exhibition window here – not unexpected of a dive watch.

That brings us to the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic’s price, £415. As an entry-level dive watch that meets ISO standards, that’s really good. If you’re looking for a watch with the quintessential properties of a diver while on a budget, it’s a really solid option. If your budget is a little more extensive, check out our guide to the best dive watches of 2024 here.

More details at Timex.

Across 2024 Seiko have been steadily updating their Prospex Diver collections with the 1968 Diver’s Reinterpretation and 1965 Revival Diver both receiving 300m water resistance ratings. A big talking point has been how those updates have led to prices around £1,200 – £2,500, far removed from Seiko’s accessible tool watch image. However, Seiko have by no means abandoned their accessible dive watches designed to be used and abused every day, as evidenced by the new Seiko Solar Diver 41mm.

Alternative editions of the Solar Diver exist at 42.79mm and 38.5mm, meaning the new 41mm diameter case sits nicely in the middle, perfectly in the Goldilocks zone of dive watch sizes. Dive watches are generally on the larger side of the spectrum by necessity as a larger diameters allow for wider displays that are easier to read. Additionally, the added bulk allows for thicker case walls improving water resistance.

Hence, 38.5mm would be considered a touch on the small side. At the same time 42.79mm is so large that it begins to be problematic for people with slimmer wrists and is quite a hefty chunk of metal to wear daily. As such, Goldilocks zone an apt description for the Solar Diver 41mm because in addition to being in the middle, it’s also the perfect size for a diver, fitting just right. The same could be said for the thickness of 11.3mm.

There are three versions of the watch being produced. The first, and my favourite of the three, is a blue dial variant with matching blue diving bezel that has the first 15-minutes of the scale in red. It’s a classic aesthetic for a dive watch – although I think in my mind I make that connection because of the Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master worn by Owen Wilson in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. The other two versions both have black dials, with the difference between them being that one has a bare steel case while the other has a black coating.

The name Solar Diver comes from the fact that it houses a quartz movement that’s charged by light hitting the dial of the watch. It’s admittedly not a movement that you’re going to brag about in your horological group chat but when it comes to practicality, it’s tough to beat. With a 10-month power reserve without receiving any additional charge, it will basically never need resetting and will always be ready to go. Plus, with the high frequency of a quartz heartbeat, it’s incredibly accurate as well with a deviation of +/- 15 seconds per month. The movement is specifically the V157.

In terms of price, the Seiko Solar Diver 41mm is £470 for the blue or black steel variants and £530 for the full black. For a reliable tool watch with 200m water resistance, that’s perfectly reasonable. Whether you’re looking for a companion for rugged adventures or a convenient daily wearer with a dive watch aesthetic, this watch has got you covered.

More details at Seiko Boutique.

As someone who appreciates brands that fly both under and over the radar, I was eager to get hands-on and review the Raven Endeavour II Pistachio. While Raven Watches may not be as widely recognised internationally as some larger names, the quality and reliability of their watches make them worth considering, especially if you’re looking for something built with intention and purpose. The Endeavour II, in particular, showcases the brand’s expertise in crafting tough, capable timepieces, making it an excellent choice for those who value functionality and long-lasting performance.

Raven Watches is a small, independent company based in Overland Park, Kansas, which falls almost dead centre in the    United States, where I am writing from. Owned and operated by Steve Laughlin since 2008, Raven has been creating rugged, reliable timepieces that are designed and assembled right in the heartland of America. Laughlin’s background in visual arts and his passion for watches have shaped Raven’s identity, producing watches that reflect a no-nonsense, practical approach to design. You may have heard of Raven most recently from their collaboration on the TrailTrekker with NODUS Watches, another American-based watch brand. Raven’s dedication to quality craftsmanship is notably evident in the Endeavour II, their marquee dive watch that balances durability with solid performance.

The Raven Endeavour II’s design is centred on practicality, starting with the full-bodied case. Made from 316L stainless steel, the 42mm case is both corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic, ensuring it can handle the elements while remaining comfortable on the wrist. At 12mm thick, it offers a nice presence without being overly bulky and the 47mm lug-to-lug distance ensures a good fit on a variety of wrist sizes. The brushed and polished finishes on the case give the watch a refined yet utilitarian look, striking a balance between robust style and function.

Raven has equipped and rated the Endeavour II to 500m of water resistance, making it more than capable of handling demanding underwater environments. The flat sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective (AR) coating on the inside ensures durability and clarity, even in bright conditions. The unidirectional bezel, made from ceramic and fully lumed, adds another layer of practicality, making it easy to time dives or other activities.

One premium feature that sets the Endeavour II apart is the automatic helium release valve. While not something most people will use regularly, it’s a thoughtful addition for those who need their dive watch to withstand pressure changes during saturation diving. It’s details like these that highlight Raven’s commitment to delivering a well-rounded and highly functional timepiece.

The Pistachio version of the Endeavour II immediately grabs attention with its light green dial, which features raised indices for easy readability. The dial’s unique colour is complemented by the black ceramic bezel. Plus, the use of Super-LumiNova X1 blue lume ensures visibility in low-light conditions. The polished black hands, for hours, minutes and seconds, offer clear contrast against the dial, further enhancing legibility. The softness of the green dial helps tone down the ruggedness inherent in the watch’s design – my personal favourite of the options, although the yellow may speak more directly to the brand’s ethos of adventure and bold horizons.

At 42mm, the case is perfectly sized for a dive watch, offering enough wrist presence without being too imposing. The 22mm bracelet, tapering down to 18mm, gives the watch a streamlined appearance, and the quick-release mechanism allows for easy strap changes. Whether you’re wearing it with the bracelet or swapping it out for a different strap, the Endeavour II maintains a versatile, functional look.

The bracelet itself is well-designed, featuring a NodeX adjustable clasp that makes it easy to adjust the fit on the go. This is a particularly useful feature for divers or anyone needing to wear the watch over a wetsuit or thicker clothing. Drilled lugs also add to the practicality of the design, making it easier to swap out straps or bracelets without hassle.

Underneath its rugged exterior, the Endeavour II is powered by the Miyota 9015 automatic movement, known for its reliability and accuracy. With a 42-hour power reserve, it’s a dependable choice that aligns well with Raven’s philosophy of building practical, functional watches. The movement also features hacking seconds, which allows for precise time-setting—another thoughtful inclusion for those who prioritise accuracy. The date window, positioned at 6 o’clock with a white date wheel, is unobtrusive and blends well with the overall design. It’s a simple, functional addition that complements the watch’s focus on legibility and ease of use.

What makes the Endeavour II even more interesting is the fact that it’s designed and assembled in Kansas. Raven Watches takes pride in its American roots and that’s reflected in the straightforward, no-frills approach to watchmaking. The focus is on delivering high-quality materials and solid engineering, rather than flashy design elements or unnecessary complications.

Steve Laughlin, Raven’s founder, brings decades of experience to the brand, having been passionate about watches from a young age. His hands-on approach to every aspect of the business—design, marketing, photography, and production—ensures that each Raven watch is crafted with care and precision. This personal involvement sets Raven apart from larger brands, giving the Endeavour II a sense of authenticity and purpose.

The Raven Endeavour II Pistachio is a dive watch built for those who value practicality and reliability over hype. With its 500m of water resistance, durable stainless steel case, and thoughtful design features like the helium release valve and fully lumed ceramic bezel, it’s a timepiece that can handle extreme conditions while maintaining a distinctive and refined look.

If you’re in the UK or elsewhere and searching for a robust dive watch with a distinctly American edge, the Raven Endeavour II deserves serious consideration, especially at a price of $620 (approx. £470). Its combination of technical capability, durability and understated design makes it a solid option for anyone seeking a well-crafted tool watch. Raven may be a smaller, independent brand, but their commitment to quality shines through in every detail of the Endeavour II.

More details at Raven Watches.

Every year it feels like there’s a prevailing trend that takes over the watch industry. And if you believe the narrative (which are just as guilty of spreading) then 2024 is a year that has been dominated by vintage proportions and the return of classy dress watch design. However, there is one truth in the watch industry that must never be overlooked: trends are temporary, the popularity of dive watches is forever. It’s true, while the spotlight is on vintage inspired watches, this year’s fleet of dive watch releases has been spectacular. Here’s a look at the best dive watches of 2024 (one per brand) for every budget.

Dirty Dozen Watches from circa 1945. Image credit: Christopher Beccan for Watches of Knightsbridge

Military watches have long held interest for collectors with their many variations in service throughout the 20th century. This article looks at some recent vintage military wristwatches sold at auction highlighting their often-fascinating history, extensive range of makers, and current auction prices.

Collecting Vintage Military Watches: A Dealer’s Perspective

Lemania stainless steel monopusher chronograph, used by military test pilots for the B.A.C, (British Aircraft Corporation), during the 1960s, with an original dial showing the British military property broad arrow ‘↑’ and circled ‘T’ for tritium luminescence, the caseback is marked ‘B.A.C. L4’. Sold by Watches of Knightsbridge for £3,500 hammer price, before fees. Image credit: Watches of Knightsbridge

To start this article, I caught up with Paul Maudsley from Remontoire Ltd to get his thoughts on collecting vintage military timepieces. Paul is a fine watch dealer who has worked in senior level positions within the auction world including roles as Director of Watches for both Bonhams and Phillips. Paul noted:

“I have always found military watches interesting. There is a big market out there amongst collectors, but it is still a relatively niche market as such. I think the historical element combined with the technical aspects of the watches attracts collectors. It is also a wide collecting category, spanning at one end vintage military pieces that you might pay around £1500 for at auction including fees right through to a watch like a Rolex Submariner ‘MilSub’ for which you could potentially pay over £300,000 for a good example at auction”.

“The other fascinating part comes with researching and finding out about a particular set of military watches or a specific model. A good example would be the Lemania military wristwatches that were used on Royal Navy submarines. When buying originality is the key and anything with a good story or provenance. Make sure any military markings are correct, do your homework which is also a great way to learn about these watches”.

Military Pilot’s Watches

Rare Lemania ‘Viggen’ ref. 817, a stainless steel chronograph wristwatch from the 1970s, made for Swedish Air Force pilots flying the Saab 37 Viggen fighter jet, image credit: Sotheby’s.

Flying at speed in a Saab 37 Viggen fighter jet over the forests of Sweden with the arctic circle on the horizon must have afforded Swedish Air Force pilots in the 1970s a stunning view. Should they have had time to glance at their wrists some of those pilots would have been wearing a Lemania, Reference. 817 ‘Viggen’ stainless steel chronograph wristwatch. Today this watch is a collector item with an example from circa 1970 selling at Sotheby’s, Important Watches sale in New York on 5 June for US $20,400, (approximately £15,710), including buyer’s premium. The result flew well above the estimate of US $7,000 – 11,000. Sotheby’s noted that only about 400 watches were commissioned.

Another equally rare military pilots’ Lemania wristwatch to be auctioned recently was a stainless steel, monopusher chronograph wristwatch used by military test pilots for the B.A.C, (British Aircraft Corporation), during the 1960s. With a 39mm diameter case and fixed lug bars. The chronograph was auctioned by Watches of Knightsbridge at their Modern, Vintage & Military Timepieces sale on 1 June. Given an estimate of between £3,500 – 4,500 it fetched £3,500 hammer price, before fees. The caseback is stamped ‘B.A.C. L4’, providing an excellent example of how stamped markings on military watches can identify their use.

Omega ref 34/62, a rare stainless steel monopusher chronograph with hacking seconds, made for the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1960s, accompanied by photographs of the original fighter pilot owner, military documentation, and a storybook of 433 Squadron. Sold by Sotheby’s for US $8,400, (approximately £6,460), including buyer’s premium. Image credit: Sotheby’s.

An Omega pilots’ wristwatch also featured an example of a monopusher chronograph wristwatch. This being a Reference 34/62 stainless steel watch with hacking seconds. Made for the Royal Canadian Air Force from circa 1960. Featuring a Calibre. 2221 mechanical movement and sized at 38 mm diameter with ‘RCAF’ stamped markings on the caseback. The watch sold for US $8,400, (approximately £6,460), including buyer’s premium at Sotheby’s, Important Watches sale in New York on 5 June. The estimate was US $8,000 – 12,000.

Military Diving Watches

Rolex Submariner MilSub ref 5517 from circa 1978, stamped for the British Royal Navy. Sold by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo for HK$3,429,000, (approximately £337,590), including buyer’s premium. Image credit: Phillips

High on the check list for many collectors are the famed 20th century military diving wristwatches often used by elite units. Four of the most sought-after watches are the Omega Seamaster 300, Reference. 165.024 / Panerai Radiomir, Reference. 3646 / Rolex Submariner, Reference. 5513 & 5517 known as the ‘MilSub’ / Tornek-Rayville TR-900 wristwatch made for the US military.

Examples of three of these watches have recently sold at auction, these being the Omega, Rolex, and Tornek-Rayville. Diving straight in, let’s start with the Rolex. The Rolex MilSub, (short for military Submariner), was made for the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the early 1970s. It is arguably the best-known military wristwatch in existence. Before considering the MilSub example this is a perfect time to talk about the importance of originality. Put simply the more original a military watch is, with the correct dial, hands, bezel, in fact any part, along with the correct military markings the more collectable it will be. Originality however can be a challenge with vintage military wristwatches given that they were tool watches and used as such. Additionally, post their military service these watches in civilian life may also have had replacement parts fitted over assorted servicing. Patina is less of an issue with military watches, as many collectors like a well-worn look, indicative of active service and the history of the watch.

Rolex Submariner MilSub ref 5517 from circa 1978, stamped for the British Royal Navy. Sold by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo for HK$3,429,000, (approximately £337,590), including buyer’s premium. Image credit: Phillips.

Back to the Rolex MilSub, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo offered a very rare, fine, and highly collectable example at their Hong Kong Watch auction held between 24-25 November 2023. Their Rolex Submariner, MilSub, Reference. 5517, dated to circa 1978. Made from stainless steel with a 40mm diameter case on a NATO style strap. The wristwatch was used by the British Royal Navy as indicated by the stamped military numbers on the caseback. The markings also include the British military property broad arrow ‘↑’ symbol. Powered by a Calibre. 1520, automatic movement, with a hacking seconds feature. The watch has the correct military specification fixed lugs, bezel calibrated for 60 minutes, sword-shaped hands, and encircled ‘T’ for tritium luminescence. In addition, Phillips noted that the Reference. 5517 is very rare and made specifically for the MOD. They also catalogued that research indicates the existence of Reference numbers, 5513, double reference 5513/5517, and 5517 for the Rolex MilSub watch. Estimated at HK$1,950,000 – 3,900,000 the watch sold for HK$3,429,000, (approximately £337,590), including buyer’s premium. A price that reflects the esteem that collectors give to examples of the MilSub in as near as possible original condition.

By way of direct comparison in terms of a Rolex MilSub with later added parts, Bonhams offered an MOD military issue Rolex Submariner, MilSub, Reference. 5513, from circa 1974 at their Knightsbridge sale on 22 May. As Bonhams catalogued this watch had later added non-military Rolex Mercedes hands, a replacement bezel marked for 15 minutes rather than the military spec 60-minute calibration, and with the military markings removed from the caseback. Additionally, the military specification fixed bars between the lugs had been replaced with spring bars. The watch did however have excellent provenance having originally belonged to a Royal Navy diver. At auction the watch fetched £25,600 including buyer’s premium.

Rare British military Omega Seamaster 300 ref 165.024 from circa 1969, with a full 60-minute calibrated bezel, tritium luminescence shown by the circled ‘T’ on the dial, oversize sword hands and military caseback markings. Sold by Bonhams for £23,040 including buyer’s premium. Image credit: Bonhams

Omega’s famed Seamaster received the full British military specification treatment in the mid-1960s to meet the requirements of the MOD. As noted by Bonhams this included solid fixed bars between the lugs, a full 60-minute calibrated bezel, tritium luminescence with the circled ‘T’ on the dial, and oversize sword hands. The example shown here was sold by Bonhams at their New Bond Street auction on 19 June. This Seamaster 300, Reference. 165.024 is from circa 1969. Powered by a Calibre.552 automatic movement with a stainless steel case sized at 41mm diameter. The screw down caseback bears stamped British military markings including the military property broad arrow ‘↑’. This watch is fitted with spring bars. In the early 1970s the Omega was replaced by the Rolex Submariner MilSub. With an estimate of £15,000 – 20,000 the Omega made £23,040 including buyer’s premium.

When faced with import restrictions to the USA in the 1960s Blancpain could not directly supply the US military with its Fifty Fathoms diving watch. This was because the US Military could only buy US made products. As Antiquorum pick up the story in their cataloguing – Blancpain’s US distributor, Allen V. Tornek then established the US based Tornek-Rayville entity. As a result, the now legendary Tornek-Rayville TR-900 diver wristwatch was created for the US military. Effectively the watch is a modified Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. The original Fifty Fathoms was launched in 1953, the same year that Rolex released the Submariner, making it one of the early modern era 20th century diver wristwatches. Antiquorum further noted that the Tornek-Rayville TR-900 wristwatch is very rare due to the limited number produced plus many watches were destroyed by the US Navy at the end of their service.

An extremely rare Tornek-Rayville TR-900 US military divers’ wristwatch. The watch has been retrospectively fitted with an original period correct dial with the humidity indicator at 6 o’clock. The caseback is inscribed: ‘If found return to nearest military facility’ ‘Danger Radioactive Material’. Sold by Antiquorum for €72,160, (approximately £61,540), including buyer’s premium. Image credit: Antiquorum

The Antiquorum, US military Tornek-Rayville TR-900 example was sold at their Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces auction held in Monaco on 13 July. The collector who owned the watch had originally purchased it with a later non correct dial. He was able to source an original Tornek-Rayville period correct dial and have this fitted to the watch. Antiquorum documented this clearly in their cataloguing. The stainless steel watch is sized at 41 mm diameter on a NATO style strap and is from circa 1965. The replacement dial features a humidity indicator at 6 o’clock as per the original watch design. The wristwatch sold for €72,160, (approximately £61,540), including buyer’s premium. The estimate was set between €50,000 – €150,000.

The ‘Dirty Dozen’

‘Dirty Dozen’ British military ‘W.W.W’ Longines wristwatch from circa 1945, with an original dial, a British military property broad arrow ‘↑’ symbol and military markings. Sold by Watches of Knightsbridge for £3,800 hammer price, before fees. Image credit: Watches of Knightsbridge

Some military watches have become iconic, such as the diving wristwatches mentioned above. To this group can be added the Mark 11 RAF pilots’ and navigator’s wristwatch introduced around 1948. Both IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre made this watch for the British MOD. Another watch for the group would include the French Ministry of Defence, Type XX flyback chronograph from the mid-1950s. This wristwatch was famously made by Breguet and Mathey-Tissot. But no group of iconic military wristwatches would be complete without mention of the so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’. A name later given to the set of 12 watches, in reference to the 1967 war action movie.

Made to the specifications of the British MOD during the Second World War, 12 watch companies supplied these watches including Buren, Eterna, Grana, Longines, Vertex, Lemania, Record, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Omega, Cyma, and Timor. The watches became available to the British armed forces at the end of the war. Occasionally the whole set of 12 wristwatches can come up for auction. The most elusive watch in the group is the Grana. Bonhams sold a ‘Dirty Dozen’ Grana wristwatch from circa 1945 in February this year for £17,920 including buyer’s premium. Pictured for this article is a Longines ‘Dirty Dozen’ British military ‘W.W.W’ stainless steel cased wristwatch from circa 1945. The movement is a manual wind Calibre. 12.68Z, with the case sized at approximately 37.5mm diameter. The watch was auctioned by Watches of Knightsbridge at their Modern, Vintage & Military Timepieces sale on 1 June. Estimated at £3,000 – 4,000 it fetched £3,800 hammer price, before fees.

Watches with Military Affiliations

A rare modern limited-edition Tudor, Pelagos ‘Royal Navy Clearance Diver’ ref 25600TB, made for the 70th anniversary of the Royal Navy Clearance Diver division. Sold by Sotheby’s for £10,800 including buyer’s premium. Image credit: Sotheby’s.

A smaller niche area for military watch collecting are those more modern wristwatches produced to pay homage to military forces or specific units, usually issued as limited editions. This also includes watches made to recognise military anniversaries and events, along with ongoing relationships between a watch brand and a particular military force. Examples include Bremont with their ‘Approved by His Majesty’s Armed Forces’ watch range and Breitling with their Royal Air Force – Red Arrows team watches. Often these timepieces include the use of military shields, emblems, or the depiction of military equipment such as fighter jets, belonging to the military forces celebrated by the watch. While these pieces are not military watches in the purist sense, and are often available for the public to buy, they can offer watch enthusiasts another collecting area.

An excellent example sold recently by Sotheby’s was a modern 2022, Tudor, Pelagos ‘Royal Navy Clearance Diver’, Reference. 25600TB, titanium wristwatch made for the 70th anniversary of the Royal Navy Clearance Diver division. This watch is a limited-edition version of the brand’s Pelagos wristwatch with the addition of a special script on the blue dial and an engraved caseback with the military division’s emblem. Sotheby’s noted that the watch was available to Royal Navy divers. The inscribed ‘E.O.D’ on the caseback stands for ‘Explosive Ordnance Disposal’. The original owner of the watch served in the Royal Navy. Auctioned on 29 May at Sotheby’s in London the watch fetched £10,800 including buyer’s premium against an estimate of £10,000 – 20,000.

By way of comparison a standard pre-owned, 2022, Tudor, Pelagos titanium wristwatch, Reference. M25600TB, will sell for around £3,250 with box and papers via a secondary watch market dealer. It must be noted however that this type of differential is enjoyed only by the very rarest of these military style wristwatches which must also be exclusive only to members of the military unit for which the watch was made for. Most of these military style watches are sold directly to the public and therefore are considered less collectable as such.

Servicing Vintage Military Watches

The movement and inside case back for a Lemania stainless steel, monopusher chronograph wristwatch. Used by military test pilots for the B.A.C, (British Aircraft Corporation), during the 1960s. Image credit: Watches of Knightsbridge

Many vintage military watches that come up for auction will have lived a bit of a hard life and are obviously very unlikely to be box fresh. Indeed, for collectors it is this very element that makes these watches interesting, their history, military service and resulting patina. But if you are planning to bid on a vintage military watch at auction, to borrow some military terminology, take time to do some prior reconnaissance. As noted by Paul Maudsley at the beginning of this article do your research. Find out as much as possible about the watch, how original is the condition, what makes it interesting to collect, and is there any relevant provenance? Check if the stamped military markings are correct and learn what they mean. Also, find out what the auction house fees are, plus any additional online bidding fees, and think about the maximum you want to bid.

Service work on a watch movement. Image credit: Harris Horology

Finally, like any piece of military kit, you need to make sure it is in working order. Take time to read any auction house condition reports and ask the auction watch specialists for more information if needed. Remember that once you have purchased the watch at auction, unless it has been misrepresented, its yours. This means if the watch movement or other part such as a crown and winding stem break you will need to have it repaired. So, this brings us to the question of servicing and repair when it’s time for your watch to have some well earnt ‘R&R.’ This is a topic on its own right, but I thought it might be helpful to include a few general comments on the subject. To do this I spoke with James Harris FBHI, an award-winning horologist and accredited watchmaker at Harris Horology in London. I asked James for his views on servicing vintage military watches:

“There is nothing inherently different from servicing other vintage timepieces. However, you should be confident that whoever carries out the work has experience with them and understands the importance of sympathetic repair to maintain as much as possible the originality of the watch. At HH we specialise in vintage and so our practice is always conservation-based. Replacing dials, hands, bezels, crowns etc, or even fixed bars on vintage military watches can all detract from originality and ultimately the value of the watch. Typically, military watches like the ‘Dirty Dozen’ have good quality movements and provided they have not been too badly treated over the years. Servicing tends to be cleaning the movement, regulating, and applying fresh lubrication with some repair and restoration if needed”.

Service work on a military Lemania chronograph watch dial. Image credit: Harris Horology

I also asked James about radium luminescence, (or lume), that was used on earlier vintage military watches before the introduction of tritium luminescence, and now modern non-radioactive Super-LumiNova.

“You should be careful: The consensus seems to be that you need not be scared of these watches, but it needs to be respected. Don’t open watch cases with radium lume as potentially this could release particles into the air which you might breathe in. When we service timepieces that have radium lume, we work in a special air evacuation clean space”.

Resources and Reading

For those entering the world of military watch collecting there are some useful websites and reference books. One informative website is CWC ADDICT which is a dedicated collector website covering the topic of British military timepieces made by CWC. Apart from the CWC content the website also lists other resources for military watch collectors. A few reference books for collectors include:

Zaf Basha; ‘Vintage Military Wristwatches’
Konrad Knirim; ‘British Military Timepieces’
Marvin. E Whitney; ‘Military Timepieces.’

A number of these titles might also be available as second hand books. Another quick but helpful read for entry level collectors is a posted article by Bonhams titled: ‘Collecting 101 Military Watches.’.

Check our our luxury watch auction calendar for the latest auction information.

Golden dive watches are always a divisive topic in the watch community. Gold’s soft properties and easily scratched surface make it objectively bad for use in and around water, running completely counter to the stated purpose of a dive watch. On the other hand, in 90% of scenarios ‘dive watch’ is more an aesthetic appellation based on the style of the watch rather than an indication of how the watch will be used in daily life. See. Desk Divers. If you’re not a professional diver, does it matter if your dive watch is gold? The reason I bring up this discussion is the launch of the new Zodiac 18k Gold-Plated Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver Limited Edition.

This is not the first high profile gold dive watch of 2024, as earlier in the year Rolex released the Deepsea in full golden Smurf getup. Which means there has been plenty of time for people to think about the pros and cons of gold dive watches recently. Looking at the new Zodiac with its 40mm brushed, 18k gold-plated case (which does boost its diving credentials as it’s a more solid watch if you don’t mind some obvious scratches), my most heartfelt reaction is that it looks brilliant.

The brushed finishing across the case and straight lugs is flawless. As is the five-link bracelet it’s presented on with its mix of polished and brushed links adding a lovely contrast to the finish. Speaking of contrast, the golden grip around the edge of the unidirectional rotating bezel sits in beautiful opposition to the rich black colour of the bezel itself with stark white dive time scale.

I think the reason I really like the use of gold here is the fact that the context is wrong. I see dozens if not hundreds of gold dress watches every year to the point where you lose sight of how precious the material actually is because it’s the norm. Here though, the fact it’s presented with the bold aesthetic of a dive watch makes you look at and reconsider the metal in a new way and to appreciate it with fresh eyes. The case still has a 200m water resistance rating to boot, but as already noted, I would not recommend making regular use of that fact.

The dial also works really well in my opinion with an inky dark tone that has a blue hint to it as the light strikes it. Again, it contrasts to the gold colour of the blocky, rectangular hour markers and hands. The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compressor has historically been a very colourful collection and the hour markers and dial have always been a big part of that, almost to the extent that it can feel toy-like in its brightness. That couldn’t be further from the case here, as the dial feels sophisticated and mature. The same sort of sophistication that the Titanic is viewed with today, slightly retro in its feel but always laced with a hint of luxury (here’s hoping it doesn’t sink the same way).

Beneath the surface is the STP 1-21 from Swiss Technology Productions, which has a 40-hour power reserve. This was actually reduced from the 44-hour reserve of the original STP 1-11 that this movement was the replacement for. It’s an intentional decision as by reducing the reserve they could boost the actual power output and therefore improve other qualities such as reliability and accuracy.

The Zodiac 18k Gold-Plated Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver is a limited edition of 300 pieces, which comes presented in an exclusive Zodiac watch box. It’s priced at £4,999, which is on the more expensive side for Zodiac but compared with most gold watches that are around the £12k mark lately, it’s not too bad of a price. That’s possible because the Zodiac is gold-plated, meaning there’s less of the material present, bringing the cost down a touch. It’s very clear that this limited edition has put style front and centre, which I know not everyone will like, but at least they’ve executed on the style perfectly.

More details at Zodiac.

Let’s kick this article off by getting a little philosophical. In the debate of what is the most significant horological development of the year, which is more impactful: an immediate, practical change that is wide spread or a cutting-edge, future development that will take years to implement? An example of the latter is Horage’s Revolution 3 MicroReg, a watch that completely changes the game when it comes to how we regulate watches, but that is highly exclusive and won’t reach people’s wrists until 2026. As for the former, you have the Seiko Prospex watches that went from 200m water resistance to 300m such as the new Prospex 1968 Diver’s Reinterpretation.

The Prospex 1968 Diver’s Reinterpretation is actually the second of Seiko’s models to make the jump from 200m to 300m water resistance this year. The first was the 1965 Revival Diver’s 3-Day 300m back in March. This improvement in water resistance is a big deal because it pushes the Prospex up to what is known as professional dive watch level. Essentially meaning it can reliably spend extended periods of time underwater and you can actually wear it while scuba diving.

As reminder, water resistance ratings do not correspond to the actual depth that a watch can operate at. Instead, they denote the equivalent pressure that they can withstand, which is why water resistance is often given in units of pressure such as bar or atm. Most aren’t even tested in water. 300m water resistance means it would be fine at a real depth of 300m but only if it was completely still – as soon as it moves and the water exerts more pressure on the watch due to that movement it might fail. Therefore, 300m water resistance means that the watch is practical for use at conventional scuba diving depths such as 40m.

This improvement is huge for people who actually want to take their Seikos into the water and while that won’t be everyone, it’s going to be a lot more people than those who get their hands on a horological innovation like the Horage. Hence my argument that Seiko’s improvement of the Prospex line is one of the biggest watch developments of the year.

Getting into the specifics of the Prospex 1968 Diver’s Reinterpretation’s design, it’s broadly the same as the 2023 limited edition ‘Cave Diver’ of the same name. Except of course it has that improved water resistance and doesn’t have a textured dial. It measures 42.6mm diameter x 13.4mm thickness in stainless steel with a broad unidirectional rotating bezel and a crown located at 4 o’clock.

The display is hyper legible with oversize hour markers and plenty of lume for low light conditions. The same is true of the central hands as well, which are in pencil shapes. As for dial colours, there are two versions. One of the options is white while the second is black, both very common in professional dive watches because they provide a clean backdrop that don’t distract from the markings and readability of the watch.

Powering the Prospex 1968 Diver’s Reinterpretation is the same movement as used in the ‘Cave Diver’ variant, the 8L353 automatic. It operates at a high frequency of 4 Hz (although that is much more common these days than it once was) and has a power reserve of 50-hours with an accuracy of -10/+15 seconds per day.

In terms of price, the new watch is £2,580, which is £20 less than the ‘Cave Diver’ despite the increase in water resistance. That’s likely due to the fact that the 2023 limited edition was both a limited edition and had a really intricate dial, whereas the 2024 edition is much more of a staple, core collection type of watch. Although at this price for a standard edition watch, Seiko really is knocking on the door of luxury brands.

More details at Seiko Boutique.

While I’m a big fan of the Spirit Zulu, if I were to add a Longines to my personal collection, it would probably be a Legend Diver. The retro vibe is immaculate and the super compressor style case and dial work well as a backdrop to some interesting colours. For example, there’s the lovely fumé 36mm series. However, until now, the 39mm model has only been available in black and blue, lagging behind the colourful offering at 36mm and 42mm. Fortunately, for the Legend Diver’s 65th anniversary Longines have expanded the range of colours available at 39mm to include green, terracotta and anthracite.

Jumping right to the colours, they’re an attractive bunch. The green is a lovely forest shade, which is my personal favourite, not so bright and brilliant as emerald but more intense than olive. The terracotta edition has a copper-like tone that faithfully emulates the actual colour of terracotta. Lastly, there’s the anthracite grey edition, which is the most restrained of the three new colours. Because they are matte without any gradients, they have consistent tones across both the central dial and peripheral internal rotating bezel.

Beyond the new colours, the style and structure of the watches are the same as we’ve come to expect. The Arabic numerals have retro, angular shapes and coated with Swiss Super-LumiNova so that they emit light in dark conditions. The cases are well sized at 39mm in diameter with a thickness of 12.7mm in steel, which feels like the perfect Goldilocks zone between the 36mm and 42mm editions.

Beneath the new coloured dials is housed the Calibre L888, a really solid movement that has automatic winding and a 72-hour power reserve. It’s protected by a solid caseback that features a depiction of a diver and also the inscriptions “Chronometer Officially Certified” and “Magnetic Resistant” which relate to the COSC certification and the movement’s silicon balance spring. You can also see that the watch has 300m water resistance, giving it professional dive watch specs.

One of the other notable feature of the 65th anniversary Legend Diver 39mm collection is the fact that it’s presented on a seven-link beads of rice style bracelet for the first time. In fact, the existing blue and black editions of the watch have also been updated to have this bracelet as an option in addition to the NATO and leather strap options they had previously. Due to the steel bracelet, these are the most expensive Legend Divers in the current range, all priced at £3,200. Although I think that’s a justified reflection of the level of quality on display here.

More details at Longines.

Left handed watches aren’t new to the market but neither will you find them in abundance. For the first time in its history the automatic Doxa Sub has joined the lefty club with the new Doxa Sub 300T Aristera.

Since the Sub launched in 1969 it’s become a favourite among the Doxa collection thanks to the vibrant orange dial. With this new release Doxa have aimed to stay true to the Sub 300T series aesthetic whilst providing ease and comfort for the left hand wearer. The name Aristera is Greek, meaning left and has a nice symmetry with origins of the Doxa name. Doxa being Greek for Glory.

In essence, a left handed watch simply involves moving the crown from the 3 o’clock position to the 9 o’clock position. This makes the crown more usable for left hand wearers who place the watch on their right wrist. In practice the repositioning of the crown isn’t quite so simple. The crown is connected to the movement so move the crown and the rest of the movement needs to be rotated. In the Doxa Sub 300T Aristera the entire movement has been rotated 180 degrees to accommodate the new crown position. Doxa CEO Jan Edocs noted that “this repositioning required technical adjustments and a revision of the final tests.”

The new Aristera shares many of the same design elements we all know and love from the Sub 300T Professional. The case size remains consistent at 42.5mm x 44.5mm and there is no change to the case material which is made from stainless steel. The date window remains in the 3 o’clock position and as with the Sub 300T Professional the aluminium bezel is unidirectional with the built in no-decompression dive time calculator. Alongside showing the length of your dive time the outer ring of the bezel indicates how long you can remain at each depth without the need to pause for decompression. The no-decompression bezel is a unique feature of many of the Doxa Sub series and was also present on Doxa’s Sub 300T Shark Hunter Clive Cussler Limited Edition from earlier this year.

Apart from the crown’s positioning there is little else to differentiate the Sub 300T Aristera from the Sub 300T Professional. Both carry a 1,200m water resistance and are powered by a Swiss automatic movement decorated by Doxa with a 38-hour power reserve. Take a look at the reverse of the Aristera and you’ll see the usual sailing vessel on the case back. However, in a nice nod to the left hander the sailing vessel is reversed compared to the Aristera’s right handed counterpart.

Included with the standard ‘beads of rice’ stainless steel strap the Aristera comes complete with a black NATO strap with orange centre line. The NATO strap is a new edition to the Sub 300T range and isn’t currently available as standard on the right-hand version.

The Aristeria is a limited edition of 300 pieces of the iconic orange dial only. So, if you’re a left handed Doxa fan you might not want to hang around. The great news with this watch is that it will be a ‘fastest finger first’ situation. Doxa have said that from the 29th August you will be able to pre order the Aristeria from their website and in October the Aristeria will be available at all Doxa points of sale.

In summary, this left handed Sub 300T is for a very select few. With no major changes to the watches design Doxa clearly felt the need to satisfy the left handed customer base. Perhaps they’ve had a few letters and requests from pleading customers. I’ll be interested to see how quickly the 300 watches sell out and if demand was high enough would Doxa then consider left handed versions of other models. At CHF 2,290 (approx £2,045) this Doxa Sub 300T Aristeria is an exciting release for the left handed diver.

More details at Doxa.

Christopher Ward enjoy making things glow more than a mad scientist with a penchant for the radioactive. They literally have an ongoing series of improbably bright complications with ‘glow’ in the name. They’re not subtle about it. And therein lies the problem –  which pieces like the Moonglow are definitely talking points, they’re not wearably down-to-earth. It turns out that now and then, subtlety can be a good thing. Case in point, the handsome new Christopher Ward C60 Trident Lumière.

‘Lumière’ isn’t just the name of a sentient candlestick; it’s French for light and that’s the starting point for Christopher Ward’s new diver. After all, what’s the biggest challenge for telling the time underwater? Other than keeping the water out of course. It’s actually reading your watch. And so, the Lumière uses indexes made entirely of Globolight, the solid lume created by specialist Xenoprint. It’s the same stuff that Christopher Ward uses for the moons on their C1 Moonglow and Moser & Cie use in their Heritage Dual Time. Needless to say, it’s incredibly bright; hide-this-in-your-bedside-drawer kind of bright. It shines twice as brightly and for much longer than other, similar lume.

For a proper dive watch, that level of brightness is perfect, a lovely light blue across the sharp baton indexes, the 12 o’clock triangle, Christopher Ward’s signature handset and even their flag logo. They’re shaped and chamfered with a level of precision you don’t often get with lume, or even most indexes for that matter. The result with the lights on is pretty cool; with the lights off it’s spectacular.

The bezel also has some luminescence to it, not using Globolight. The coin-edged bezel has a hardwearing ceramic insert that’s had the numerals and indexes machined out and filled with lume. It’s not as bright or eye-catching as the dial lume of course, but it still does the job the best it can. I can’t imagine anyone wants big, applied numerals on the most at-risk part of the watch. Oh, and as with all Trident watches, it’s got a solid feel to its unidirectional clicking.

There are three dial variations and the orange we have here is by far my favourite. There’s a good reason diving specialists like Doxa lean heavily on the colour. It’s the last colour to disappear underwater, so between this and the Globolight, there’s arguably no more underwater readable timepieces. It’s also just a cool, eye-catching flash of brightness on the wrist. The blue and grey are still handsome, but this for me outshines them completely.

That said, on the grey version both dial and bezel are exactly the same colour. I’d have loved to see the same thing here with even more orange, rather than the orange-grey dial-bezel pairing. I can see some sense in toning down what could be a rather domineering colour of course, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

As you might have guessed from the distinctive hue of the case, ‘Lumière’ isn’t just talking about the lume. The entire watch, bracelet and all, is made from Grade 2 titanium, making it much, much lighter than it’s 41mm across might suggest. Not that it’s particularly bulky to start with at just 10.85mm thick and the entire watch has been given a slight overhaul to make it the most svelte the C60 Trident has ever been.

A chunk of that waistline has been trimmed thanks to the Sellita SW300 movement. It’s a notable step up form the SW200 used in the C60 Trident Pro, bumping up the power reserve to 54 hours and the chronometer-certified accuracy to -4/+6 seconds per day, on top of its thinness. It’s not quite Christopher Ward’s in-house number, but it’s the next best thing and makes the watch accessible, despite the host of improvements the watchmaker’s lavished on the Lumière.

Speaking of improvements, this is the first Trident in recent memory with a helium escape valve. For most people that’s nothing more than an aesthetic quirk or, at most, a fun little talking point in the vein of ‘guess what my watch can do’. But for the borderline insane denizens of the deep that are saturation divers, it’s vital to stop the crystal popping right out.

Bottom line, this might just be my favourite Christopher Ward diver to date. Sure, I love the retro vibes of the C65, but if you’re looking for a professional standard diver – one with 300m water resistance, a unidirectional rotating bezel and low-light readability – I can’t think of any that can stand up to the C60 Trident Lumière for its mix of good looks and practicality. And price. Always price, with Christopher Ward – which in this case is £1,985 on the bracelet. It’s a punchy price point for the British brand, but you can’t deny that’s some serious value.

More details at Christopher Ward.

What is the watchmaking connection between Portugal and the UK? If you said the cool microbrand Escudo, you’d be correct. Escudo are inspired by the joint naval heritage of Britain and Portugal, two of the most far-reaching nations in the golden age of exploration, an age of traversing the globe’s oceans and setting out into the unknown. As such, their signature watch, the Ocean Seacrest, is a versatile tool ideal for tackling the trials of adventure as well as day to day life. Part of that versatility comes from the different colours it’s available in – an array now expanded with the release of the Escudo Ocean Seacrest Deep Azul.

If you’re at all familiar with the Ocean Seacrest then you may know that an Azul edition already exists with a blue dial and blue aluminium insert bezel. The new Deep Azul edition builds on this concept by keeping the blue bezel but pairing it this time with a black dial. It’s one of the most classic dive watch colourways in existence, combining the clear legibility of a black display with the aquatic flair of blue.

It works really well for the Ocean Seacrest because both the dial and bezel have details worth exploring and by having different colours, it encourages you to inspect both closely. Starting with the dial, I really like the arrowhead hour markers at 12/3/6/9, they’re reminiscent of the compass rose, which is the iconic compass diagram found on old nautical charts and maps. Doxa’s Clive Cussler editions use a similar motif to also convey the concept of adventure. As for the bezel, you’ll see that the arrow marker at the top features the colours of the Portuguese flag, which is a nice touch.

The Escudo Ocean Seacrest Deep Azul measures 39mm in diameter and is made from stainless steel, giving it solidly durable specs. It has a 200m water resistance rating, which is what you’d expect from a go anywhere, do anything tool watch. It’s not quite at professional dive watch level but then, when you’re sailing across the high seas you tend to be in a ship and not in the water. But if you happen to take a brief spill overboard, your watch should be fine – or in more day-to-day life, you don’t need to worry about the rain or the kitchen sink.

Housed beneath the new black and blue display is the Escudo Calibre 1488, which is a decorated version of the Sellita SW200-1 no date. It’s Swiss-made automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. It’s a real stalwart movement of the entire industry, widely used by microbrands and major names alike. However, now that Sellita have upgraded their movement range, it will be nice to see Escudo transition to the improved calibres once their current stock runs out.

In terms of price and availability, the Escudo Ocean Seacrest Deep Azul is £1,645 and limited to 300 pieces. It’s presented on a 3-link steel bracelet but also comes with a complimentary rubber Tropic rubber strap. To me, the Ocean Seacrest is a great execution of the themes of exploration and adventure and the Deep Azul builds on those themes nicely.

More details at Escudo.

Following the conclusion of the Paris Olympics, which saw more than a few athletes wearing Omega watches, Omega’s sport timing duties are called upon again immediately. This time though it’s not for athletics but the prestigious America’s Cup, the oldest international sailing competition in the world. Now in its 37^th edition, Omega are celebrating the race with the launch of a new Omega Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup edition.

Measuring 42mm in diameter with a steel construction and 300m water resistance, it’s robust and rugged enough to withstand the rigours of life aboard a racing boat. It also features a regatta timer scale on its unidirectional rotating bezel, providing a 10-minute countdown to the start of race. If you’re unfamiliar with how sailing races work, the combination of waves and wind makes a static start virtually impossible. As such, boats will move around behind the starting line ahead of an agreed start time, aiming to cross the line exactly as the race officially starts for the biggest advantage.

In terms of colour, the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M America’s Cup is presented with a white, laser-engraved ceramic wave dial with blue accents and a blue-red gradient minute hand. These are the signature colours of the event, making them thematically appropriate while also creating a hyper legible display for sailors who need to read the time with a split-second glance. A further thematic detail on the dial is the trophy-shaped counterweight on the seconds hand.

Powering this watch is a 145m² sail. Wait, no, that’s what powers the boats in the race. Actually powering the watch is the master chronometer movement Omega 8806, a co-axial calibre with 55-hour power reserve. You can view it through the sapphire exhibition caseback, which is itself finished with the America’s Cup logo.

Priced at £5,800 on rubber strap or £6,100 on steel bracelet, it’s among the more accessible Seamaster Diver 300Ms in the range. Which makes sense because it’s effectively a special edition of the standard steel Diver 300M. It definitely has a nautical flair to it that makes me want to head to the nearest harbour and get out on the waves.

More details at Omega.

Decompression timers are one of the most niche scales you can find on a watch. They are a niche within a niche – designed to show divers the amount of time they need to spend on decompression stops as they resurface. The likelihood that they will actually see practical use is miniscule when diving computers exist. As such, they’ve almost become an aesthetic alternative to the clean, barren dials found on most dive watches, offering a cool and often colourful design. Case in point, the new Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 Limited Edition in black PVD.

As the name of the watch suggests, this watch is a revival of a design from 1961. Mido have been revisited this design a handful of times in recent years, with the first time being the 2020 edition 2020 edition, which is a watch that arguably caused an upsurge in the niche design’s popularity. Since then, we have seen popular Decompression Timers from the likes of Delma and Christopher Ward.

This latest limited edition from Mido features many of the same features as the previous editions. The dial has the signature colourful rings that form the timer scale in yellow, green, pink and blue. You use it by finding the coloured ring that corresponds to your depth then follow it clockwise the number of minutes you have spent at that depth. Then, the black markings tell you how much time you need to spend on decompression stops while resurfacing.

Where the new limited edition differs is the case, which has a black PVD coating for the first time in the Decompression Timer series. It gives it a dark, sporty appearance that would be stealthy if it weren’t for the bright dial.

The Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 measures 40.5mm in diameter in steel with a matching black unidirectional rotating bezel. PVD, or to give it its full name Physical Vapour Deposition, gives a watch a thin coating that is very tough, ideal for rugged tool watches like the Ocean Star. Although if you do manage to scratch it, which is an impressive feat, the scratches will be more apparent due to the colour of the steel showing from beneath.

Inside, protected by a solid caseback, is the Mido calibre 80. It’s an ETA C07.621 base automatic movement with an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Considering that the Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 in black PVD is priced at £1,270, that’s solid value. Especially as it’s a limited edition of 1,961 pieces. What do you think of the combination of the retro design of the Decompression Timer and the modern, sleek aesthetic of the PVD case?

More details at Mido.