Dive Watches · Page 78

eBay Finds: A Rare Vintage Benrus, a Nostalgia Fueled Swatch, and a Cool Timex LED

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Ollech & Wajs Navichron Regatta   Starting off this week strong with a killer vintage Ollech & Wajs Navichron Regatta chronograph. The watch itself looks to be original and vintage, but the box and ‘papers’ that are with it are not, and neither is the bracelet. That said, the watch is really nice. The large steel skin diver case looks unpolished and the black dial looks to be in good shape. The black acrylic 12 hour bezel insert looks to be in good shape too, which is not always the case. Seller states the watch is powered by the classic workhorse Valjoux 7733 and that it’s running well and keeping time. The bracelet may not be original, but it’s the same beads of rice style as the original. Not sure what’s up with the modern/made up box/papers, but the watch head looks legit to me. View auction here Vintage Tissot Visodate Seastar  Here is a neat vintage Tissot Visodate Seastar that has a unique look. The square steel case is sharp and unpolished, and has a personal engraving dated 2/19/66. The silver dial is clean, with a vertical brushed finish and has applied steel hour markers and slim steel dauphine hands. There is a date window at 6 o’clock, preserving the symmetr...

The Aquastar Benthos Returns As The Heritage One Limited Edition

With more than a few releases under their belt since the brand's formal re-launch in 2020, Aquastar has had our attention for a while now. They currently offer a mix of faithful re-editions as well as new models inspired by previous designs. But so far, dive watch nerds have been curious about another Aquastar diver lurking deep within the shadows of dive watch history.

Introducing: Aquastar Brings Back The Benthos Diver

A mostly faithful reissue of Aquastar's 'other' do-it-all dive watch.

First Look – The New Doxa SUB 300? Collection, With Ceramic Bezel and Modern Look

Beta or ?… The second letter in the Greek alphabet, but also the sign of renewal for Doxa. The second phase of its life… Sleeker, more modern, less instrumental and rugged, revamping the classic look we’ve known for years, with a more urban touch, but still the same diving capacities (what else would you expect […]

Wave hello to the all-new Doxa SUB 300β collection

The legendary dive watch brand follows up the controversial 300β Sharkhunter with a more versatile collection.The post Wave hello to the all-new Doxa SUB 300β collection appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Shinola Introduces the Bronze Monster GMT, with a Brown Fumé Dial

One of the most interesting developments in the collector community over the past few years is the emergence of Shinola, and their acceptance in enthusiast circles. It’s no secret that Shinola hasn’t always been widely praised by the most discerning and hardcore enthusiasts, but a series of more restrained releases (along with some that are just the right level of wacky – remember the square cased, yellow dialed Mackinac yacht timer?) has bought them some goodwill with new audiences. A new GMT in bronze would seem to capitalize on multiple trends in the enthusiast simultaneously.  Part of the Monster collection, the aptly named Bronze Monster is a 40mm GMT equipped sports watch with a robust appearance and 100 meters of water resistance. The aesthetic feels aviation inspired, which makes sense given the GMT complication, although unfortunately this is a “caller” style GMT without an independently set local hour hand (it runs on a Sellita SW 330). Still, it’s attractive, and feels lush in bronze with a matching brown fumé dial. Fence post hands oversized Arabic numerals reveal that legibility was of primary importance to the design team on this reference.  The case has gentle, curvy lines at the lugs, and the key visual impression of the Bronze Monster outside the dial is the 24 hour bezel, also in bronze, with numerals in relief. It’s a striking look that reminds me of watches that the collector community has praised, like Omega’s “Nekton” Seamaster ...

REVIEW: Hands On With The New Bremont Supermarine GMT Diver

We go hands on with Bremont’s newly released Supermarine GMT Diver, the S302. With a bright and vibrant blue/green bezel and blue rubber strap, we think this could be a quiet hit for the British Brand! What We Love Contrasting blue and green bezelSuper comfortable rubber strapNicely proportioned and easy to wear What We Don’t Bezel action could be smootherUni-directional bezel on a GMTLack of quick change strap system Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for money: 8.5/10Wearability: 9/10Design: 8.5/10Build quality: 8/10 Bremont’s new Supermarine GMT collection was launched last month, a refreshed and refined range under their new CEO, Davide Cerrato. We covered this release (which you can read here) with three models, including a Jet Black, a Blue/ Green on blue rubber, and the limited edition Ocean in grey with Bremont’s new brand ambassador, marine biologist, shark and marine conservationist – Ocean Ramsey. The new Bremont Supermarine GMT Diver collection Since taking the helm at Bremont, we’ve been keen to see what Davide Cerrato would do as his first move when it came to the actual watches, and with a focus on their core lines, the first to be given a refinement was the Supermarine collection, starting with the S302 Diver GMT. Bremont is one of those brands that you want to win. They’ve a great origin story, and this for me is a major part of what makes a watch brand appealing. Why does it exist and what was the rationale for it being started outside of it being...

Luxury Sports: The Patek Philippe Nautilus and Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie

Oris Returns to the “Cotton Candy” with a Sepia Tinged Divers Sixty-Five

There’s been a flurry of Oris news over the last few weeks, between the ProPilot X Laser and their collaboration with Collective Horology on a sunbaked Divers Sixty-Five. A third new release, timed to coincide with Dubai Watch Week, has flown a bit under the radar. It’s another Divers Sixty-Five, and it technically falls under the popular “Cotton Candy” umbrella, which until this point featured dials clad in pastel shades. This execution, however, is darker in tone. The Divers Sixty-Five Date Cotton Candy Sepia is, on the surface, a much more traditional execution of the vintage inspired diver than the brand’s output as of late, and it slots in nicely with its more adventurous candy colored siblings.  The Cotton Candy Sepia’s name would seem to come from a generally old-fashioned vibe that the watch is giving off. Instead of pairing the bronze case and bracelet with fun, spring-like colors, the dial here is black, which when matched to the bronze case puts out a decidedly different energy. Dial accents are in matching bronze as well, including the Oris wordmark. It provides another example of the chameleon-like nature of the Divers Sixty-Five. A simple skin diver at its core, it can express any kind of aesthetic that is scaled over it, which Collective proved with their recent collaboration. Here, the Sepia is playing up the watch’s original vintage inspiration, particularly when one considers how the case and bracelet are likely to patina over time.  I rev...

Seiko Looks to the Early 1970s for their Latest Speedtimer Release

When we last checked in on Seiko’s Speedtimer line, we saw it in an unusual execution that made us think (fondly, for the most part) of funky watches from the 80s and 90s. Like their dive watches, Seiko’s chronographs have run the gamut over the years from the straight laced and traditional to the truly absurd, but unlike the brand’s dive watches, the chronos have never truly become ubiquitous. Nevertheless, there have been some wonderful chronograph designs from Seiko over the years, and a new release looks to a classic from the 1970s as inspiration. This one is just slightly more traditional than the reference linked above.  The SRQ047 is a three register chronograph with a tried and true “panda” dial execution. The white main dial here is a gentle cream color with a subtle vertical brushing, and blue-gray subdials each have raised outer rings on their perimeters, providing depth to the dial as a whole. The orange tipped chronograph second hand and panda layout are both callbacks to specific features from the vintage Speedtimer from 1972 that served as design inspiration.  The case is 42mm in stainless steel, and measures 14.6mm thick. It borrows its case lines as well as the unusual bracelet design from the original 1972 Speedtimer. The watch runs on the 8R48 automatic chronograph movement, which features both a column wheel and vertical clutch. It has 45 hours of power reserve with a minutes-hours-running seconds configuration at the 9, 6, and 3 positions. ...

New: Longines Legend Diver 39mm

The Longines Legend Diver is a modernized version of the super compressor dive watches that Longines produced from the late 1950s through the early '70s. The watch has been a flagship offering for the brand for the past decade and a half. The latest iteration now comes in a 39mm case, with a new beads of rice bracelet.

Circula Adds New Dial Colors to their Protrail and Aquasport II Collections

Fresh off the heels of Circula’s latest release, the DiveSport 500m diver, the German maker is at it again and just in time for the holiday season, introducing two new colorways to each of their existing ProTrail and AquaSport II lines.  In case you are not familiar with the Protrail, it is Circula’s take on a modern field watch, boasting significant anti-magnetic properties (up to 80,000 A/m), a 1,200 Vickers scratch resistant stainless steel case, and an Elaboré Grade Sellita SW200. This robust go anywhere, do anything watch has a diameter of 40mm, lug to lug length of 46mm and 12mm thin, which is well within “Goldilocks” parameters. All this and 150n water-resistance to boot. The two new colors for the Protrail are green and grey. All are available on a sailcloth strap or matching stainless-steel bracelet. Pricing starts at around $800 for this model. Also seeing a refresh is the AquaSport II, Circula’s version of a modern skin-diver. Equally capable in the boardroom, as on the dive boat, this formidable 200m dive watch boasts many sophisticated details. Sporting an attractive hand-brushed stainless steel case, a 120-click sapphire bezel and the same Elaboré Grade Sellita SW200. Similar to the Protrail, this one is 40mm in diameter, 46mm from lug to lug and an impressive 12.6mm thick. “Goldilocks” parameters checked off once again.   A new brown/gilt dial joins the  AquaSport II collection, alongside recently introduced anthracite and red colorways. ...

Awake Introduces the Summetria, a Concept Watch Inspired by the Inherent Symmetry of the Natural World

Over the course of the last year, we’ve been keeping regular tabs on Awake, a microbrand with roots in France that operates within very narrow niches. Their watches are high concept and put a premium on storytelling, which admittedly is not everyone’s cup of tea. But we appreciate their creativity, and believe that this hobby is better and more interesting when brands like Awake are around to remind us that the watch world is encompasses a lot more than black dialed dive watches and vintage reissues. Their latest project, the Summetria collection, is based on perhaps their most abstract idea yet: the inherent beauty in nature, and the symmetry of all living things.  The specific idea of symmetry is tackled here through guilloche dial treatments, which Awake relates to the natural symmetry of things like a butterfly’s wings or flower petals. Awake notes in their press materials for the Summetria collection that to human beings, symmetry seen in nature appears almost unimaginably complex, but the reason it exists at all is because “nature prefers simplicity.” From Awake’s perspective, it’s all about simplicity, and there’s a clear dichotomy there between the inherent complexity of watchmaking (and the application of guilloche) and the visual and functional simplicity of natural symmetry.  Like I said, it’s abstract. But I appreciate that Awake is trying to draw connections between their watch designs and the natural world in ways that other brands do not ...

Longines’ New Legend Diver in the Old Size

Recognised by its distinctive dual crowns and an internal rotating bezel, the Longines Legend Diver pays homage to history while embracing modern enhancements. Already a mainstay of Longines’ reissue sports watches, the Legend Diver has undergone a transformation and now features a redesigned and smaller 39 mm case that faithfully echoes the original (while it predecessor was 41 mm). Initial thoughts The new Legend Diver carefully retains the vintage styling of its predecessor. Traditionalists will appreciate the absence of the date that was found on the prior version. The absent dial preserves the dial’s clean and uncluttered aesthetic. But the new Legend Diver is not just a remake. Inside is the cal. 888.6, an upgraded ETA calibre that stands out with a 72-hour power reserve and magnetic resistance that exceeds the ISO 764 standard by ten times thanks to a silicon hairspring. And the dial similarly retains the design of the vintage original, but is executed in a modern manner with two colours of Super-Luminova, green and blue. This not only adds a touch of excellence to the design but also enhances readability in low-light conditions. On its face, the downsizing to 39 mm may not align with the conventions of a tool watch, especially one conceived for diving. However, this shift in size caters better to daily wear and better reproduces the original’s dimensions. Unfortunately, the reduction in diameter doesn’t go hand in hand with a decrease in thickness, so the ...

A reinvented flagship – the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1965

59 years on, Seiko debuts three new Marinemasters, paying homage to not only Seiko's first diver but also the first Japanese dive watch.The post A reinvented flagship – the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1965 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Seiko’s New High-End Diver Is Gunning for Your Swiss Watch Money

Hands-On: the ochs und junior Settimana Seasons “Autumn”

There are relatively few brands out there that don’t need a name on the dial. Sure, you can tell apart a Submariner, Seamaster, and Aquis with all branding removed. But how about recognizing a whole brand rather than a single model? One brand that doesn’t need a name or logo on their watches, yet still remain distinctive and recognizable to many enthusiasts is ochs und junior. From displaying the date through a series of holes around the dial, through to a moon phase complication accurate to 1 day every 122 years, the brand has continued to push ingenuity in function and display while keeping steadfastly true to its design ethos. Like many others, my admiration for the brand and designs have continued to grow, yet this is the first time I’ve held one in my hands. $2300 Hands-On: the ochs und junior Settimana Seasons “Autumn” Case Titanium Movement Sellita SW200-1 Dial Light Orange Lume SuperLuminova Lens Sapphire Strap Textile Water Resistance 50 meters Dimensions 40 x 41mm Thickness 13mm Lug Width 22mm Crown Screw down Warranty Yes Price $2300 The watch I’m looking at today forms part of ochs und junior’s more affordable (and non-customizable) collections. What you see offered is what you can get. There is no choice of case material. No long list of dial, hand, disc and marker combinations. For some customers this probably doesn’t represent the full ochs und junior experience. For others, like me, restricting the choices to a small selection of pre-defined...

Seiko Debuts a Smaller, Thinner Prospex Marinemaster

Seiko has remade its high-end dive watch with a new, slimmer movement and consequently more compact watch. Still known as the Prospex Marinemaster, the new model is available in three variants (SJE097, SJE099, and SJE101), all sharing a design heavily influenced by the brand’s first-ever dive watch, the “62MAS” from 1965. Initial thoughts Marinemaster models long been solid but chunky watches, with examples including the Hi-Beat 36,000 limited edition or the forest green model from 2021. A more compact iteration enhances its appeal, especially with the recent popularity of smaller, vintage-inspired dive watches. The “62MAS” model from 1965. Image – Seiko The design still echoes the original 62MAS, particularly in the dial and bezel layout. However, the new model, especially the light blue variant, gains a more contemporary feel with the horizontally striped dial along and the engraved markings on the bezel. The patterned dial easily brings to mind other sports watches, so it does seem a bit derivative, but Seiko’s position as a maker of dive watches is strong enough that this still looks and feels like a Seiko. The latest Marinemaster is priced at US$2,800, reflecting Seiko’s gradual upmarket move over recent years. This places it squarely within the mid-tier dive watch segment also occupied by brands such as such as Doxa or Longines. While it remains a compelling option at this price, it is no longer such a clear value proposition relative to the competit...

Three Pilot’s Watches Worthy of Any Collection

Of all the archetypal sport watches that have so gripped our ever-growing community, the pilot’s watch might be the most enigmatic. It’s not as singularly focused or popular in the mainstream as the dive watch, and it doesn’t revel in the romance of travel or flaunt a colorful bezel like a GMT does. Its function is ostensibly straightforward enough – tell the time legibly in the air – yet the how and with what is so undefined that no singular complication or model is the obvious poster child from which all other designs are merely descendents. With a pilot’s watch, you can truly understand how brands flex their creativity and interpret what they see as an aviator’s invaluable tool. The three watches in the spotlight today may all fall under the same broad category, but each takes such a different approach that it wouldn’t be farfetched to have all three in a collection. It might even be a good idea. Of all the archetypal sport watches that have so gripped our ever-growing community, the pilot’s watch might be the most enigmatic. It’s not as singularly focused or popular in the mainstream as the dive watch, and it doesn’t revel in the romance of travel or flaunt a colorful bezel like a GMT does. Its function is ostensibly straightforward enough – tell the time legibly in the air – yet the how and with what is so undefined that no singular complication or model is the obvious poster child from which all other designs are merely descendents. With a p...

Seiko Has Announced a New Marinemaster based on the Original 62MAS, the High End of their Prospex Dive Range

While it’s true that it’s certainly Dubai Watch Week as I sit here and write, an argument could be made that we’re in the midst of an unofficial Seiko Week as well. Recent new product announcements run the gamut from the affordable and fun to the ultra niche collector focused limited edition. Today’s announcement might be the one that ultimately gets enthusiasts most excited, however. After some teasing through social media earlier in the week, Seiko has unveiled the new generation Seiko Prospex Marinemaster, officially dubbed the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1965 Diver’s Modern Re-interpretation. This is technically a product line that has been available for a while in the Japanese domestic market, but Seiko is pointing out with this launch that the Prospex Marinemaster is now global, and represents the top tier of Seiko dive watches worldwide.  The broad strokes here will of course be familiar to anyone who has strapped a Seiko diver to their wrist over the years. The format here is based on the original Seiko dive watch, the 62MAS from 1965, a watch that Seiko has returned to over and over again for inspiration through the years. Particularly in recent years, a crop of divers in the “SPB14X” range (which we’ve covered extensively) have become mainstays in enthusiast watch culture by presenting themselves as affordable dive watches in the spirit of the 62MAS without being direct recreations (but if it’s a recreation you want, Seiko has you covered). The ...

The Longines Legend Diver is Now Available in a Smaller, 39mm Case

The Longines Legend Diver is a perennial contender insofar as enthusiasts are concerned, and it truly feels like it has always been relevant. Dual crown case, distinctive hands, inner rotating bezel – these have really come to define a model that has become a core of the Longines sport watch lineup. Indeed, it was part of the opening salvo of vintage-inspired tool watches that shifted an entire industry towards that genre over the last decade; in fact there is a non-zero chance the timepiece you are wearing as you read this exists thanks in part to the Legend Diver. Lately the Spirit line has garnered a lot of attention (and for good reason) but Longines has not left its dive watch to languish. After 16(!) long years since Longines reintroduced the model back in 2007, they have refreshed their most famous dive watch. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot to like. Updates to the Legend Diver have been made both inside and out. There’s no need to bury the lede here: the most notable change is that the case has been redesigned and downsized from 42mm to 39mm. More on that in a moment. It still utilizes Longines’ exclusive L888 movement, which is now COSC certified. Longines claims their movements are cased then tested continuously for 15 days across three temperature levels and numerous positions before certification.  Another notable change is that the date at 3 o’clock is now nowhere to be found. This is part of Longines’ effort in achieving ISO 6425 certification, whi...

Introducing: The Longines Legend Diver – Now In 39mm

Refreshing the brand's mid-century diver for 2023 with a smaller case size and two dial colors.

A Classic Reborn: The Longines Legend Diver 39 mm “No Date”

Longines’ cult-favourite Legend Diver has received a period-correct makeover

A smaller case size and a proper steel bracelet adds to this diver's already-insane value proposition.The post Longines’ cult-favourite Legend Diver has received a period-correct makeover appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.