Serica Introduces the 5330 Dive Chronometer
One of watchmaking’s simplest but most iconic complications, the date window, is the source of much admiration, and yes, a little bit of ire. One of the biggest points of contention on any inclusion of a date window is the balancing of it on the dial; after all, how do you place it to not ruin the symmetry (or asymmetry) of a carefully-crafted design? With their new Ref. 5330 Dive Chronometer, Serica has chosen a sleek solution for their first date window inclusion: nestle it at 3 o’clock, taking the place of the marker, and give it a crisp red accent to stand out. Sure, it’s not necessarily revolutionary, but it adds a sophisticated touch to an already clean dial. The core tenets of the 5330’s design carry over from other models in Serica’s Dive Chronometer lineup, with circular hour markers and a double graduation bezel being the most recognizable, and a 39mm 316L stainless steel case housing an identical SoProd M100 Swiss automatic movement. The matte black dial and anthracite-grey outer bezel ring contrast with the steel of the inner bezel and case, and the cream Super-LumiNova on the hands and hour markers. Similarly, the cream date window and red numeral add both a sense of cohesion and a highly legible flash of color to give the dial an extra layer of aesthetic complication. It’s certainly a welcome addition visually, and keeps the design from feeling too austere. At 12.2mm in thickness and 46.5mm lug-to-lug, the 5330 is sized well for most wrists, and...