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Dive Watches · Page 17

Watches Of The SAS: What British Special Forces Pilots Wear Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 19, 2026

Watches Of The SAS: What British Special Forces Pilots Wear

It’s easy to think of watches as falling purely within the accessory realm, valued for their aesthetic and their finish detail. Sure, they fulfill a practical utility by telling the time, but that could be considered a redundant byproduct these days, as most of us are rarely outside of reach of any number of devices that provide the same utility. How watches serve their purpose today is very different from how they were used in the past. While much of that is out of necessity for the sake of self-preservation, the humble, purpose- built tool watch carries a deep history of use as just that, a vital tool used by servicemen and women. The stories that these watches tell serve as a reminder of the role watches once played, and connect with a new generation of enthusiasts.  Every military across the globe has a history of using specialized tools in their endeavors, and watches have been a big part of that kit - from UDT divers and their dive watches, to pilots relying on their wrist-bound timers to calculate fuel flow rates. These watches enjoy an enviable lore that inspires many of the designs we see today from brands large and small. One particular outfit known for its use of spec-built watches is the British Special Air Service, or the SAS. While much of the information about the SAS is highly classified, we do know a thing or two about the watches these specialized service members have employed throughout the years.  [toc-section heading="A (Brief) History of SAS"] P...

Seiko Launches a Pair of Updated Marinemasters with their Higher End 8L45 Movement Worn & Wound
Mar 19, 2026

Seiko Launches a Pair of Updated Marinemasters with their Higher End 8L45 Movement

A common critique leveled at Seiko over these last few years is that they’ve abandoned the affordable enthusiast dive watch market and have been creeping toward a higher priced product. Honestly, it’s fair. Those of us of a certain age can fondly remember the days when an SKX diver could be had for a few hundred bucks, and it basically stood alone in the Venn diagram of pedigree, dive watch bona fides, enthusiast credibility, and affordability. The fact is, there’s a lot of competition for affordable divers these days, much of it driven by the popularity of a handful of key Seiko references.  So it’s no wonder that they’ve sought to expand their footprint elsewhere and make a higher end, more expensive product. What often gets lost in these conversations is that the higher priced Seiko divers are actually very good dive watches that still cover much of that hypothetical Venn diagram, perhaps leaning a little further away from affordability. Seiko recently announced a handful of new references and while many of us hoped a truly affordable SKX alternative might be in the mix, they’ve once again debuted a new diver at a higher rung of their pricing ladder.  The highlight for collectors and serious Seiko fans will likely be the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch (the official Seiko naming conventions are always a bit cumbersome). Yes, this is yet another mostly historically accurate take on the first ever diver rated to 300 meters of water r...

A Legend is Born: Squale Just Dropped a New 37mm Diver Worn & Wound
Mar 19, 2026

A Legend is Born: Squale Just Dropped a New 37mm Diver

If you have been following us for a while, you are likely well versed in Squale’s divers, vintage-inspired designs, and limited edition runs. The brand has quietly been a leader in the realm of dive watches since the 60s with a cult following from hardcore dive watch nerds. In the past decade in particular, Squale has been getting more and more traction and recognition. In 2019, the brand notched its 60th anniversary and with that, introduced a new collection: the Sub-39. This limited edition fittingly paid homage to Squale’s early 1960s divers, using an original prototype with a 39mm case as reference. Following its success, the brand ultimately made the Sub-30 a permanent collection, upping the ante with COSC-certification and complications like a GMT. Today, we get the next evolution with the Sub-37 Legend. Focusing on the brand’s core tenants – proportions, function, and character – the new slightly sized down 37mm diver emphasizes form over function in a way that is faithful to the golden age of diving, an era when watches were designed to perform rather than to impress. Beginning with the dial, you have a fairly quintessential execution in matte black with a sapphire glass-box crystal reminiscent of vintage plexiglass while ensuring durability and optimal dial legibility. Visibility remains at the forefront of this utilitarian design with both the dial and hands treated with SuperLumiNova Old Radium. Framing the dial is a clean, highly readable unidirection...

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Review: Utility Meets Horology Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 19, 2026

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Review: Utility Meets Horology

Blancpain, founded in the Swiss village of Villeret in 1735, has been making timepieces for almost 300 years, but perhaps its most impactful contribution to wristwatch history was relatively recent - and began its heralded life as a military tool rather than a luxury item. In 1953,  Blancpain was headed by Jean-Jacques Fiechter, an avid diving enthusiast who had long wanted to develop a watch that would be ideal for his hobby. Fiechter worked with Captain Robert Maloubier, a French naval officer, to design a reliable, mission-ready timepiece that Maloubier’s elite combat diving team could wear. Here we will take a look at the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, a more everyday take on the iconic diver. [toc-section heading="Blancpain Fifty Fathoms: A Historic Divers’ Watch"] The watch, called the Fifty Fathoms, had a 42mm steel case - exceptionally large for the time - and it was water-resistant to 91.45 meters, or 50 fathoms, the maximum depth recommended for scuba divers. Its dial was black and its numerals were luminescent for greater legibility underwater. It was the first divers’ watch with a self-winding movement, the first with an antimagnetic case, and the first to employ the patented, double-sealed crown that Fiechter had developed. Most notably, the Fifty Fathoms was the first watch to include a lockable bezel with dive-time scale that rotated in only one direction. This practical and potentially life-saving innovation prevented a diver from acciden...

Inspired by the Lunar Surface, Yema Introduces the Superman Titanium MoonTide Worn & Wound
Mar 18, 2026

Inspired by the Lunar Surface, Yema Introduces the Superman Titanium MoonTide

What is it about the moon? Earth’s only satellite has been an inspiration to watchmakers for as long as watchmaking has been a thing. The moonphase of course is the perhaps the most romantic of all complications (at least in a contemporary setting where the actual use case is somewhat unnecessary for almost everyone), and finds its way into a surprising number of watches aimed at the mass market. If you think about it, there are probably thousands upon thousands of ordinary people looking at little renderings of a moon whenever they check the time, perhaps unaware of the long history of the astronomical complication and what it represents.  And then of course there’s the moon and space travel, which gets you into an entirely different segment of watches, led of course by the Omega Speedmaster but serving as a home to an enormous variety of watches from brands as diverse as Seiko, Sinn, and G-SHOCK, all of whom claim either officially or unofficially some connection to manned spaceflight. The moon looms large in a number of ways.  So it should come as no surprise that it also serves as a purely aesthetic inspiration, which brings us to the Yema Superman Titanium MoonTide, a new limited edition from the French brand clad in our favorite lightweight metal and designed to conjure images of the lunar surface. The Superman, for anyone who might need a refresher, is Yema’s core dive watch, originally launched in the 1960s heyday of recreational diving. It features a uniqu...

Seiko’s New Marinemaster Gives the People What They Want SJX Watches
Mar 18, 2026

Seiko’s New Marinemaster Gives the People What They Want

Less than two years out from its 2024 relaunch, Seiko refreshes its flagship dive watch with the new Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch HBF001 and its limited edition counterpart, the HBF002. Both models feature a ceramic bezel, longer power reserve, better promised timekeeping, and a much-requested tool-less micro-adjust clasp - tangible upgrades that justify a near 25% premium over the previous generation. The regular production model launches alongside a more flamboyant 1,000-piece limited edition designed in collaboration with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). Initial thoughts Seiko relaunched the Marinemaster brand three years ago with an unexpected trio of compact skin-divers. This was followed by a return to form the following year with a pair of 300 m Hi-Beat Diver-inspired models that dispensed with the “Professional” branding, front-loading case construction, and helium impermeability that distinguished Marinemasters of the past, but offered a more compact 42 mm size and a much improved bracelet. However, it still used the same stamped clasp body found on entry-level divers, just with an upgraded swing arm, and relied on the aging cal. 8L35 movement while Seiko rolled out the improved cal. 8L45 in the similarly priced King Seiko Vanac. The new HBF001 solves all of those problems, and introduces only a few new ones. Given the similarity to the SLA079, Seiko clearly felt the need for unambiguous differentiatio...

First Look - Seiko Prospex Revamps the Marinemaster, with the 1968 Heritage Diver HBF001 and JAMSTEC Limited HBF002 Monochrome
Mar 18, 2026

First Look - Seiko Prospex Revamps the Marinemaster, with the 1968 Heritage Diver HBF001 and JAMSTEC Limited HBF002

Prospex Marinemaster… When you hear these two words, you know things are about to become serious. The name Prospex is all about tool watches for Seiko, being the contraction of Professional Specifications. This is the line of watches where you’ll find instruments made for exploration and diving. Marinemaster is another name with great importance for […]

Baltic Aquascaphe Review: The Microbrand's Cult-Classic Diver Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 17, 2026

Baltic Aquascaphe Review: The Microbrand's Cult-Classic Diver

A forerunner of both the rise of microbrands and the ongoing revival of France’s watchmaking industry here in the 21st Century, Baltic Watches emerged on the scene in 2017, originally as a Kickstarter project. Founder Étienne Malec discovered the inspiration for his watchmaking enterprise in his father’s watch collection and named the company in honor of his father’s Polish roots, after the sea off the country’s northern coast. The goal from the start, according to Malec, was to produce “timeless pieces, of the highest quality, for fair prices,” and most would agree that Baltic has delivered on this mission statement. Baltic watches are all assembled in a workshop in Besançon, France, the nation’s historical cradle of watchmaking, and evoke vintage timepieces like the ones Malec’s father collected and extensively catalogued in his journals. Here we will look at the Baltic Aquascaphe, one of their most recognizable watches. The first Baltic watches were the three-hand HMS 001 model, with a Japanese Miyota caliber, and the hand-wound Bicompax 001 chronograph, with the Chinese Seagull ST19 movement. While both these watches were successful, and put Baltic on its path to fan-favorite microbrand status, the small company has since become best known for its Aquascaphe series of dive watches. The Aquascaphe, which was launched in 2018, takes its design inspiration from early “skin diver” watches of the 1950s and ‘60s, with no small amount of influence from...

Long-Term Review: Five Years Owning The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch And Omega Seamaster 300 Fratello
Mar 17, 2026

Long-Term Review: Five Years Owning The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch And Omega Seamaster 300

Inspired by RJ’s recent article on five years of owning the Omega’s current Moonwatch, today, I’ll reflect on my experience. Indeed, 2021 was a barnstorming year for Omega. On the first Tuesday of 2021, the brand released an updated Moonwatch with many design and quality improvements. Then, in March, came a slew of new references, […] Visit Long-Term Review: Five Years Owning The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch And Omega Seamaster 300 to read the full article.

Hands-On With The Three New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Diver Watches In Steel Fratello
Mar 16, 2026

Hands-On With The Three New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Diver Watches In Steel

The 150 Heritage pocket watch, the Neo Frame Jumping Hour, and the skeletonized Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar might have stolen most of the limelight when Audemars Piguet presented many novelties in January. Nevertheless, the pieces I was probably most curious to see and try on were a series of three tool watches. Well, these are […] Visit Hands-On With The Three New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Diver Watches In Steel to read the full article.

Hands-On With The Fortis Marinemaster M-44 DLC Gravity Black And Black Resin Fratello
Mar 13, 2026

Hands-On With The Fortis Marinemaster M-44 DLC Gravity Black And Black Resin

When these two new Fortis Marinemaster M-44 models landed on my desk, I quickly checked when the Marinemaster collection debuted. It stunned me to read that it has already been almost five years since Fortis introduced the Marinemaster series. While the name hints at a line of dive watches, Fortis seems to see it as […] Visit Hands-On With The Fortis Marinemaster M-44 DLC Gravity Black And Black Resin to read the full article.

Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Submariner Alternatives In 2026 Fratello
Mar 13, 2026

Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Submariner Alternatives In 2026

Another Friday, another list. After highlighting our favorite releases from February 2026 in last week’s article, we return to the series focused on finding alternatives to some of the greatest watch icons. For this week’s list, we picked our five favorite Rolex Submariner alternatives. The question is whether the Submariner can truly be replaced. Rolex’s […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Submariner Alternatives In 2026 to read the full article.

Traska Watches Review: An EDC American Brand Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 11, 2026

Traska Watches Review: An EDC American Brand

When we look back to mid-century watchmaking, some of the industry’s most iconic designs were originally conceived as essential, life-saving instruments. The Rolex Submariner, for example, was originally created for professional divers working in cold, deep waters while breathing compressed air. The Omega Speedmaster was a vital analog calculator for astronauts traveling through the vacuum of space. The Rolex Explorer is another example, forged to survive the brutal, oxygen-deprived ascent of the Himalayas. These tool watches were designed with a clear purpose and were built to endure knocks, scrapes, and harsh conditions without missing a beat. Fast forward to today, and while modern iterations are undeniably better engineered than their vintage ancestors, boasting superior metallurgy and tighter tolerances, their exorbitant price tags have put some collectors off regular, daily use. A modern steel sports watch can easily demand anywhere from $6,000 to well over $15,000 at retail, and that’s assuming you have the willpower to ensure the waitlists to acquire one. And while some collectors are happy to invest that kind of money, others are on the lookout for something more accessible. Enter Traska watches. This psychological friction has spawned a new enthusiast community for the ultimate Everyday Carry (EDC) watch, or the “go-anywhere, do-anything” (GADA) watch. Many collectors today are looking for a watch that slides effortlessly under a tailored cuff during a hi...

Meet The Third Iteration Of The BND Dive Watch Fratello
Mar 11, 2026

Meet The Third Iteration Of The BND Dive Watch

We’ve been following the horological adventures of Vincent Bonnaud (1991, France) since 2021, when he introduced his first BND dive watch. What caught my attention was that Vincent received a lot of praise for his BND watch from former Rolex ambassador and COMEX diver Théo Mavrostomos. Someone who worked for COMEX for two decades and […] Visit Meet The Third Iteration Of The BND Dive Watch to read the full article.

Comments 1

  1. Tomek
    ISO 6425 is real standard, not marketing talk. Good that article mention this. Too many watches claim 'dive ready' but not certified. Unidirectional bezel and screwed crown are not optional if you go deep.

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