Category: Dive Watches

Baselworld 2018 – Seiko Prospex Diver 300m Hi-Beat SLA025 – The Recreation of the 1968 Ref. 6159-7001

Seiko’s reputation in terms of professionally oriented dive watches is not to demonstrated anymore – and that since 1965, with the creation of the Seiko Diving Department, and later the Prospex nomenclature. For our biggest pleasure, the brand has been opening its old grimoires and digs into its rich history to offer us some of the best vintage re-editions we’ve seen recently. Last year was about the Seiko’s first ever dive watch. This year, the brand looks at yet another icon, with the re-creation of the 1968 Automatic Diver 300m Reference 6159-7001. Meet the brand new Seiko Prospex Diver 300m Hi-Beat SLA025.

7 years ago

Introducing – Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 79030N with a new 39mm case

The retro revival is in full swing and the late 1950s are a recurring source of inspiration. Even Vacheron Constantin played the vintage card with a whole new collection – the FIFTYSIX – designed to capture the mood of the fifties and appeal to a hipper client base. Tudor’s latest Black Bay model shrinks in size to 39mm to emulate the brand’s first dive watches and is kitted out with a new in-house movement.

7 years ago

Baselworld 2018 – Omega Seamaster Diver 300M – The Bond Watch is Back

The Omega that many people have always referred to as the ‘Bond watch‘, is the Omega Seamaster Professional, which is already for some time known as the Seamaster Diver 300M. And now it’s back! Not that it was gone or anything, but it has been rather quiet on this watch. The watch that was once lovingly referred to as the Bond watch or the SMP (Seamaster Professional), and later came with a glossy ceramic dial, has been revamped and Omega is launching fourteen new models of the legendary Bond watch.

7 years ago

Give-away – Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver 40mm

Although MONOCHROME has always been about high-end mechanical watches, we manage to find (and show to you) a nice value proposition from time to time. One brand that stands out from our ‘value proposition’ crowd is a watch that is A) very affordable and B) very cool and C) very well build. It’s the Dan …

7 years ago

Introducing – DOXA SUB 300T Divingstar “Poseidon Edition”

Doxa is a watch brand that is mainly known to ‘those in the know’. Dive watch enthusiasts for instance. The brand is best known for the orange-dial dive watches they manufactured in the 1960’s and 1970’s when scuba diving became a popular sport. We’re talking about the iconic (and I’m not exaggerating) Doxa Sub 300T. In the past years, Doxa has recreated several highly collectable pieces from the 1960’s and 1970’s, like the Sub 300 50th Anniversary and the Sub 300 Black Lung. And now there’s another recreation of an old and highly collectable Doxa, again one that collectors will line up for. Here’s the Sub 300T Divingstar ‘Poseidon Edition’. 

7 years ago

Interview – In Conversation With Nick Harris, Founder of Orion and Watches By Nick

A somewhat surprising, yet very encouraging trend seems to be emerging in our tiny watch ecosystem. Young people from around the world, millennials who aren’t supposed to even care about traditional (‘outdated’) technology, are discovering a passion for mechanical wristwatches. And what’s more, they are finding interesting ways to explore and develop their own ideas, leveraging the boom in crowdfunding to help them create their own products and brands, many of which offer genuinely interesting additions to an already crowded market.

This seems all the more remarkable when you consider that none of these young creators has ever even had the need to wear a wristwatch, thanks largely to the advent of things like smartphones. Still, they are making the active choice to be a part of this world and to try and make a living from mechanical wristwatches. Today, we’re speaking to one such individual, a young man from the USA by the name of Nick Harris. The Seiko fans among you might recognise Nick’s name from his first watch-related project, Watches by Nick, which focused on modifying Seiko watches. Now, he’s studying full-time at watchmaking school and has launched his own brand, Orion, to help fund his studies.

7 years ago

Introducing – Oris ‘Source of Life’ Limited Edition – Based on a new Aquis Circular Date

Oris is a frequent contributor to the limited editions. The Clipperton Limited Edition, the Movember Edition, the Royal Flying Doctor Service Edition… Yet, many of these special watches are linked to a good cause or a mission to bring “change for the better”. Oris continues its mission with a new limited edition of the praised Aquis, the ‘Source of Life’ Edition, a watch that celebrates water (the source of life…) – and good news is that it is based on a new version of this cool dive watch, now with circular date feature.

7 years ago

Favre-Leuba Raider Sea-Sky – Combining the Best of Both Worlds

Combining a dive watch and a chronograph is always tricky, both visually and technically. It indeed means adding holes in a case that required to be waterproof. Quite a technical nonsense. Visually, it also means combining land and sea, racing and diving, depth and height. Two worlds that are, at first, in complete opposition. Diving chronographs are hard to master, but Favre-Leuba took up the challenge and proposes its vision of such a watch: the Raider Sea-Sky. The best of both worlds? Let’s find out.

7 years ago

Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver “PADI Samurai” SRPB99J1

Back in 2017, Seiko treated us with a nice surprise, as one of its most iconic watches was back in the collection: the Samurai. Praised by many enthusiasts, tested and certified by most as a reliable dive watch, updated for 2017 with slight evolutions and new colours, there was not much to complain about… Except maybe for the lack of a PADI edition. Well, the honour is safe as the “warrior” can be now ordered in the super-cool blue and red combination dear to PADI editions. Meet the Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver “PADI Samurai” SRPB99J1.

7 years ago