Tool watches are meant to be used and while most dive watches will never see the water, that’s precisely what they’re designed for. But occasionally divers need something even more specialised – especially when they’re the kind of madmen that make their living defusing underwater mines. Those madmen are the French navy’s EOD divers association and their watch of choice is the new Serica 5303 PLD.
The EOD is the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, and their job is terrifying. Essentially, they go around blowing up unexploded mines, torpedoes and other hangovers of naval warfare. It’s a mix of technical diving, bomb disposal and sheer insanity and one of the most demanding jobs in the French navy. And they need a watch to match.
The EOD need to work quickly and know precisely how long they can remain at a certain depth without needing decompression stops on the way up. If you’re about to set off an explosive, you don’t want to have a stop on the way up. So, Serica present the DT Max scale on the new 5303 PLD’s bezel. At a glance, the DT Max scale tells you precisely how long you can stay at a certain depth, from 40 minutes at 5 metres down to 18 minutes at 50 metres down, without needing those pesky stops later.
The scale is not all that’s new with the bezel. The specific Abyssal Blue ceramic insert has been newly developed for this watch and it’s a handsome one, emphasizing the signature colour-split of the collection’s bezel.
Otherwise, the PLD is business as usual for the reference 5303. It’s a Serica staple, the brand’s gloriously retro twist on a classic dive chronometer, and the new PLD version doesn’t really mix things up too much. Indeed, the funky indexes on the dial – moved right to the tip of the hour hand’s sweep – are exactly the same.
The stainless-steel case measures 39mm across and the goldilocks sizing follows through to the 12.2mm thickness, nice and slim for a dive watch. It’s available on either a matching stainless-steel bracelet or a cool brown nylon number more in keeping with the military angle of the PLD. Inside is the COSC-certified M100 calibre, an automatic number with a 42-hour power reserve.
I already love the 5303 as a quirky but really well thought out diver. It’s more original than most other divers yet still fits into that retro 60s style we all know and love. That Serica have done something this granularly specific is just the icing on the cake. Sure, most of us won’t be detonating explosives, but then most of us don’t even dive, so that’s a moot point. And for €1,690 (approx. £1,460), it’s a seriously tempting summer buy.
Price and Specs:
More details at Serica.
