SYNCHRON SEALAB Ti300M [modern-day aquanaut]

The NEW Synchron SEALAB Ti300M exemplifies an almost twenty-year tradition of resurrecting diver’s wristwatches from a formative era of oceanic exploration, reviving lauded names such as the venerable Aquastar for modern-day aquanauts, breathing life back into forgotten icons in their purest aesthetic forms while meeting the exacting technical standards expected today.

It also nods to the corporate history that defined the Man-in-the-Sea era, when the U.S. Navy quite literally planted men, real men, not square-panted buffoons but old-school aquanauts on the ocean floor and expected them to live and thrive down there–not in pineapple houses either but in high-tech, hermetically sealed environments, more akin to a moon-base and outfitted to the nines with advanced measuring equipment.

While the SEALAB missions of the mid-to-late 1960s became synonymous with Blancpain, Jaquet Droz, Tudor, and Rolex, Doxa remained one of the most accessible entry points for collectors seeking a piece of that rich dive-watch heritage, forever linked to the era’s unmistakable orange dials. 

Yet it was the lesser-known Synchron Group, established in Switzerland in 1968 that pioneered the watch conglomerate model, manufacturing Doxa SUBs during the height of the Navy’s underwater habitat testing. 

While Synchron was a significant part of DOXA’s history, the modern-day DOXA, now almost a staple brand among dive-watch aficionados largely owes its success to the man behind Synchron and Aquastar, a connection between the two names (DOXA and Synchron) that undeniably endures to this day. 

In 1968, Synchron brought together Doxa, Ernest Borel, and Cyma under shared resources. From that year forward, the Doxa SUBs carried the Synchron "star" logo on their casebacks and crowns. Today, under the leadership of Rick Marei, who led the modern resurgence of Aquadive, Aquastar, and the original strap brands Tropic and ISOfrane), Synchron is reclaiming its role as the manufacturer behind this distinctive design language.

SEALAB 300Ti, it’s a name forged under pressure, carrying the weight of both success and tragedy, extolling the virtues, the brawn, and daring of the undersea pioneers of the U.S. Navy’s SEALAB SAT (saturation) -diving experiments of the 1960s, a period when real men slept on the seabed, not in pursuit of a good night’s kip, but in the pursuit of hard data and harder limits.

SEALAB II (1965) stands as the program’s greatest success story. Aquanauts lived at 205 ft. for 45 days off the coast of La Jolla, proving that humans could survive and function in a pressurized environment for over a month at a time. It was a defining moment for commercial diving, military operations, and the future of underwater exploration.

SEALAB III (1969), coinciding with the first full year of the Synchron era, ended in tragedy. During a dive to 610 feet, aquanaut Berry Cannon lost his life due to a CO₂ scrubber failure, bringing the Navy’s ambitious habitat program to a sobering close. Progress, especially at depth, has always carried a price.

The SEALAB 300Ti carries that legacy on its shoulders, equal parts triumph, risk, and earned respect, a fitting tribute to those undersea heroes.

The SEALAB Ti300M honors the late-1960s aesthetic but executes it with thoroughly modern engineering. The case, caseback, bezel, and crown are all realized in Grade 5 Titanium, delivering approximately 40% less heft than Stainless steel while offering superior tensile strength and scratch resistance, exactly what a modern professional instrument demands.

At 41mm in diameter and just 11.9mm thick, the proportions strike that rare balance between vintage correctness and modern wearability. More importantly, Synchron retains the full-size dial geometry of its historical models, preserving the uncompromised legibility that real dive watches live and die by. No gimmicks. No unnecessary bulk. Just clarity and function. 

Tactical Straps, Tropic® and ISOfrane®

True to the Rick Marei era of Synchron, the SEALAB Ti300M is paired with rubber that actually matters.

Standard issue is a genuine Tropic® strap, the iconic 1960s basket-weave design, softer and more compliant than original vintage examples while retaining the unmistakable period-correct look.

Optional is the legendary ISOfrane® strap (currently offered at a special pre-order price of $99). 

With its ladder-style ventilation and proprietary isoprene compound, the ISOfrane defined the professional dive-watch aesthetic of the 1970s and remains one of the most comfortable and durable rubber straps ever produced. It adds an unapologetically utilitarian stance that feels right at home on a serious tool watch.

Specifications:

Case: 41mm Grade 5 Titanium; 45mm lug-to-lug; 11.9mm thick.

Movement: La Joux-Perret G100 (Soigné/TOP grade), adjusted in 4 positions; 60-hour power reserve.

Dial: Vibrant orange with X1 Super-LumiNova® and date window.

Water Resistance: 300m (990 feet).

Pricing and Availability

The Synchron SEALAB Ti300M is a limited edition of 500 pieces worldwide.

Pre-Order Price: $990 USD (Regular MSRP $1,390).

Pre-Order Window: Ends January 31, 2026.

Delivery: Scheduled for February 2026.

PRE-ORDER the Synchron SEALAB Ti300M

H2O Kalmar 2 Deep Diver DAMASCUS® [DEEP EXOTICA]

Every year I assume H2O Watch is surely running out of ways to surprise us, and each year they politely demonstrate that I am, once again, wrong. 

The 2025 BLACK FRIDAY lineup is classic H2O Watch: technically bold, aesthetically distinctive, and built with the sort of obsessive engineering that feels almost unnecessary in the best possible way.

The standout this time is the H2O Kalmar 2 Deep Diver DAMASCUS® with its almost unbelievable 25’000-metres of water resistance—officially certified in Germany, no less (insert muscle emoji). 

It’s the kind of specification that makes you check the number twice, then shrug your shoulders and accept that H2O have decided to treat oceanic physics as more of a suggestion.

The case material is especially interesting. This isn’t Timascus, nor is it a typical pattern-welded titanium. It’s an in-house developed alloy with the precise composition kept closely under wraps—very Clemens, very H2O. 

You still get all the characteristic Damascus-style striping, but the tone, weight, and finish make it quite clear you’re dealing with something out of the ordinary. It looks exotic without trying too hard, and it suits the watch’s purpose.

There are two bezel choices: the epic TURBINE bezel with sapphire inlay, which has a clean mechanical presence and could probably be used to bore a hole into the seafloor.

And the new WINDOW or porthole bezel, which adds depth and a slightly more architectural asthetic that you might expect to find on Captain Nemo’s Nautilus submarine. 

Both rotate with the familiar H2O precision—positive, deliberate, and exactly what you’d expect from a watchmaker that machines everything with the seriousness of hardcore industrial equipment.

Dial options include: meteorite, gradient fades from black to orange or black to blue, and the titanium-zirconium variant emblazoned with a luminous 25000M so you can boast to all your mates down the pub or any passing giant squid when you're down there, in the abyss.

Each has its own personality without drifting into novelty for novelty’s sake. They work because the underlying watch is so uncompromising. There really is nothing quite like them, truly a class of their own.

If 25’000 metres feels a little excessive for daily wear and it likely is for the average man on the street, the rest of the H2O Black Friday range still offers plenty for mere mortals. 

The Kalmar 6000M in stainless or DLC picks up H2O’s venomous new SNAKE-style dials in green, turquoise, black, blue, and brown—textures that shift just enough in the light to keep things interesting. 

The Marlin line returns with a splash in 40mm and 44mm with red and blue dials, remaining one of H2O’s more approachable designs without sacrificing any robustness. 

And the Kalmar 2 6000M in stainless or DLC continues the theme with a smoldering red dial option.

As always, production remains limited. H2O simply doesn’t make watches in large batches, and many of these configurations are likely to be fleeting or one offs. 

BLACK FRIDAY is one of the rare moments when you can secure something genuinely unusual without waiting for a custom run or hunting the secondary market months later.

If you’ve been eyeing-up an H2O for a while—or if you’re in the mood for something that won’t turn up on every other wrist—this year’s offerings are well worth a checking out. There’s innovation here, but handled with the quiet confidence H2O has made its trademark.

Explore the BLACK FRIDAY 2025 H2O lineup here:

https://www.h2o-watch.com/black-friday-2025-sale.html

AQUASTAR Benthos Professional DLC [evolved resistance]

The legendary Aquastar Benthos Professional has evolved for the modern era, gaining an additional edge over its predecessors with a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating. This enhancement gives the Benthos Professional a sleek, sophisticated new look—equally at home on the wrist of a stylish gentleman about town or as an integral part of a professional diver’s gear. While often mistaken for just an alternative black finish, DLC is a subtle yet significant upgrade. Its roots, like the original Benthos, date back to the early 1970s research by Aisenberg and Chabot. This tough, stealthy black shield is an amorphous carbon film that mimics the extreme hardness of diamond itself. Its industrial pedigree speaks to its durability: DLC was first used in high-stress environments, including offshore and maritime industries, protecting internal components in deep-sea oil and gas drilling equipment from pressure, friction, and abrasion. This extreme resistance makes it perfect for a high-performance diver’s watch, providing remarkable scratch resistance against daily scuffs and marks. Beyond toughness, DLC offers superior wearer comfort: its chemical inertness provides an exceptional hypoallergenic quality for sensitive skin. The result is a stunningly modern watch—rugged, comfortable, and finished with industrial-grade sophistication. Aquastar has unveiled the Benthos Professional, the latest addition to its iconic Benthos family of tool watches. Developed in collaboration with professional, commercial, and sports divers, the new model reimagines the legendary Benthos 500 (1970) with a contemporary design built for modern underwater exploration. First released in 1970, the Benthos 500 quickly became a benchmark in the evolution of professional dive watches. Worn by military and commercial divers—including pioneers such as Jacques Mayol—the watch earned its reputation as a dependable companion in extreme conditions. The new Benthos Professional distills that spirit into a modern tool watch stripped back to its essentials: time-only functionality, rugged engineering, and uncompromising utility. Faithful to the original Benthos 500 in form and silhouette, the Professional introduces modern refinements to enhance durability and wearability: 42mm 904L stainless steel case (47mm lug-to-lug) with reduced height of 13.9mm DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating for extreme scratch resistance Crown at 2:00 and helium escape valve at 4:00 for professional-grade usability Flat sapphire crystal with triple anti-reflective coating 300m water resistance (990ft) Movement & Performance At its core, the Benthos Professional runs on the tried-and-true Swiss ETA 2824-2 Elabore Grade automatic movement, offering hours, minutes, and seconds with proven reliability for divers and collectors alike. The time-only format strips away distractions, reinforcing Aquastar’s philosophy of creating purpose-driven instruments. Dial & Bezel The dial embraces clarity and legibility under all conditions: Semi-gloss black surface Applied markers filled with X1 Super-LumiNova for maximum luminosity 120-click ceramic unidirectional bezel, also filled with X1 Super-LumiNova Straps & Wearability The Benthos Professional ships with a 20mm ISOfrane VS 1969 rubber strap re-edition, a nod to the golden era of dive watches while offering comfort and durability for modern divers. Thoughts? A DLC Benthos is something myself and many others have been waiting for. We've seen how incredible this enhancement looks on a retro-styled diver's watch, how well it wears, feels on the wrist and holds up to even the toughest of environments, bravo! Please make a DLC HI or HII.

HELBERG CH11 POISON GREEN [deadly aesthetics]

Inject a little vibrancy into your life, courtesy of H2O Watch’s Helberg CH11, providing a deadly dose of Poison Green–venomous verdure for your wrist!

Inspired by nature, the CH11’s Poison Green dial takes on an almost ophidian nature with its snakeskin-like  texture and striking green that alludes to a green viper or even the eye of a giant anaconda.

Each of the dials have been painstakingly handcrafted in. Germany by H2O Watch, resulting in a unique pattern, meaning that no two dials are ever alike.

When paired with the CH11, which is available in high-tech, high-grade Titanium or DLC coated (in Germany) Titanium or one of their exotic Mokune Gane cases, the results are as always, truly breathtaking.

As is typical of H2O’s Summer releases, the watches are only produced in very limited quarantines. The CH11 remains one of H2O's most beloved models, a non-diver but with all the prowess of a serious aquatic dress watch, as fit for the seaside as it is the urban jungle.

Head on over to H2O Watch’s online SHOP to discover more about the new CH11 Poison Green and other models in their extensive line up. Now all you need to do is decide which variant you want. 

There is also some specific information for those you ordering from the USA on tariffs.

Thoughts? I'm always intrigued by H2O’s innovation, the Poison Green dial is a captivating offering. It looks absolutely killer with the black DLC coated Ti Grade 5 case. What about you? https://www.h2o-watch.com/poison-green.html