Heritage revival brand Favre Leuba has teamed up with French strap maestros Jean Rousseau for the first time to launch a trio of limited edition Deep Raider Revival Jean Rousseau watches. Each watch pairs a custom strap with special dial elements to create a cohesive visual for the diver. Jean Rousseau has provided straps for watch launches in the past but this is the first time in recent memory where the watch brand has given them equal billing on the collection, which is cool to see.
The base watch for the three special editions is the same. A 39mm x 12.75mm steel dive watch with 300m water resistance equipped with a 60-minute unidirectional bezel. Inside is the FLD01 automatic movement based on the La Joux-Perret G100 with 68-hour power reserve. The dials have a sunray brushed finish on a grey base paired with beige accents across the hands and hour markers.
Where the three watches differ is the colour of the seconds hand, the colour of the hourglass logo between 10 and 11 o’clock. They also have custom casebacks dedicated to the material of each of their straps. Speaking of which, let’s get into it.
First of the Deep Raider Revival Jean Rousseau watches is the black calf leather with soja grain and light brown top stitching. It’s the darkest of the three with matching black seconds hand and a black logo. The caseback of this edition displays an image of a hide to tie in with the leather aspect of the design.
Second is fabric made from recycled material, a sustainable and durable material in a brown colour paired with dark brown stitching. It provides a very distinctive pattern flecked with light beige points of light. For the caseback, it depicts a picture of Earth to represent the natural, sustainable fibres of the fabric.
Third and final is the beige rubber edition which is the most dedicated to the diving archetype as it’s fully waterproof. It’s also the sportiest on land, which is why the caseback features the picture of a rubber wheel from an automobile.
Choosing a favourite from among the three is difficult but I do find myself leaning towards the beige rubber because of that extra sportiness and also I think the colours work well for the Deep Raider Revival itself. The lighter, sandy tone logo and seconds hand are great in conjunction with the already retro colour of the hour markers. All three watches are limited to 33 pieces for a total edition of 99 watches.
For pricing, the Deep Raider Revival Jean Rousseau watches are £2,250, which is really solid value for a 300m dive watch with La Joux-Perret movement. It’s also exactly the same as the regular Deep Raider Revival on steel bracelet so you’re not paying any premium for the alternative colours, custom casebacks or Jean Rousseau straps, which is really nice for collectors.
Price and Specs:
More details at Favre Leuba.
