Three of the best dive watches, including one beloved by Japanese hipsters
Stylish and functional timepieces from Squale, Ulysse Nardin and Zenith for your next underwater adventure
We start with Squale, the Italian-owned Swiss dive watch specialist that is something of an internet phenomenon. Up until a few years ago, the only people who knew about Squale were professional divers and hipster Japanese watch aficionados who are always ahead of the trends. Recently, Squale has taken off, with YouTube vloggers zeroing in on the brand, hailing it as being a hidden gem that combines heritage, build quality, legitimacy as a tool watch and affordability. Demand has now outstripped supply for even an entry-level Squale and you could be left waiting a while for delivery.
The Squale 1521 50 ATM Professional isn’t exactly new but recent tweaksare likely to lead to a frenzy from fanboys. Among the impressive dive features are 500 metres of water resistance, luminescent markings, a rubber strap, an orange minute hand and a unidirectional bezel (Squale is famed for its case construction, so the action and noise the bezel makes as it clicks around is divine). The 42mm steel casecan take a hefty knock or two, making this an ideal everyday watch even if you never set foot in deep water. Inside the 1521 is a fairly average ETA 2824-2, which has about 40 hours of power reserve. The 1521 50 ATM Professional is priced at US$899.
