They say that style is cyclical and, if the watch world’s current obsession with the 60s and 70s is anything to go by, the proverbial ‘they’ are right. Retro is now everywhere, with pretty much every watchmaker at Baselworld bringing back some archival pieces from the hippie decades. It’s about time then that one of the most iconic names from the era is also making itself known on the world stage. Say hello to Aquadive.
Back in its heyday, Aquadive was one of the go-to names for professional divers, water sportspeople and pretty much anyone with a love of the ocean. It’s not hard to see why; they were big, rugged and crafted to survive the hardships of marine life. They also looked the part, too, veering away from the Submariner blueprint into their own stylistic waters – waters that are being charted once again.
In fact, while the first collection of its new era appeared back in 2010, there’s no brand quite as innately tapped into the modern zeitgeist for retro diving than Aquadive. For them, it’s not just a throwback; it’s in their DNA. They are the 70s design company – as shown rather nicely in the seriously cool Bathyscaphe 100 GMT.
Aqua Dive Watch Bathyscaphe 100 GMT Orange
The Bathyscaphe really shows off Aquadive’s industrial design to its fullest. From the curved, 43mm cushion case to the chunky bezel, it’s not subtle in its tool-watch credentials. At a glance you can tell this is a serious watch, meant for serious professionals. Unlike most new diving watches though, the spec sheet lives up to the look.
If most watch names reference the depth it can reach then Aquadive is missing a zero. Granted, the name was taken from the original 1972 models and we’ve come a long way in watchmaking since then. Even then, it’s impressive that the Bathyscaphe 100 GMT can reach the dark, shuddering depths of 1,000m.
Aquadive isn’t afraid of colour either. Like many of its models, this one has lashings of fluorescent brightness, with either orange, yellow or turquoise 24-hour rings and matching second-time-zone hands. Sure there’s also a white version, but the colour’s always good.
Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100 Bronze
Inside you have a Swiss-made ETA 2893-2 movement. It’s nothing flashy but then, again, this is a tool watch. There’s no space for over-the-top complications and exquisite in-house finishing on something that has the singular mandate of survival.
Everything else is much as you’d expect from a decent diver: a unidirectional rotating bezel, plenty of lume and an ISOfrane rubber strap. The bezel even has a hardwearing ceramic insert for added durability. In short, it has everything you need and more, all the more impressive given its price tag of just $2,268. That’s less than £1,750… at least until Brexit shifts things again.
For any professional-standard diving watch that’s a good number. For something that can reach 1,000m down and look like the current wave of retro divers wishes they could look, it’s damn fantastic. You can find out more at aquadive.com.
