SYNCHRON Military Poseidon Ice Diver [from beneath the GREY ICE]

Destined for a different type of cold warfare! 

This is the new Synchron Military Poseidon Ice Diver, a diver’s watch with a storied past, a bone-chilling present and a long and felicitous future on the wrists of the Synchron faithful. 

Making its return just two short years since it disrupted the calm waters of the Swiss retro diver’s watches space, this unapologetic child of the 70s is back again with an icy new look and steely intent.

Because this new Poseidon Edition of the Synchron Military watch now boasts not one but two exceptional co-collaborators; first and foremost of which is the famous Swedish dive-gear manufacturer, Poseidon Diving Systems whose emblem proudly adorns the dial like a black eye on prize-fighter's face. But also the Swedish Armed Forces Diving units who will be real-world testing the watch in the frigid, artic waters that are known to plummet to temperatures as low as -30 ◦C, and whose valuable input contributed to specific design elements of the watch.

These tests will be conducted alongside other military-spec. diving gear, most notably from Poseidon, who is a regular supplier to the Swedish Armed Forces diving units. 

Fittingly, the new Synchron Military Poseidon Ice Diver will make its official debut on the eve of COLD DIVEX 2023 winter demonstration, an invite-only event hosted by the Swedish Armed Forces Diving and Medical Centre in Boden, Northern Sweden.

Showing deference to that rare tool diver, once issued to Swiss combat divers during the 1970s, Synchron makes its return with another Military Limited Edition diver’s model combing the best of modern watchmaking tech, expressed through the flamboyant design language of that same era. And like its predecessor, the 2023 Military Poseidon Limited Edition watch is built around a 42mm tonneau-shaped CNC-machined, 316L marine-grade Stainless steel case that is water-resistant to 300 meters. Its case is topped by domed crystal and a 120-click unidirectional rotational diver’s bezel with a sapphire inlay and featuring a luminous dive-time scale with ten-minute increments and a luminous 12hr marker. Meanwhile, beneath the AR-treated sapphire glass is the inimitable high-contrast ‘Military’ dial with its ecru “Old Radium” colored SuperLuminova, the base of which is a light grey (not the typical snow white that one might expect to see on an “ice diver”) that alludes to the newly formed “grey ice” found floating atop the frozen Nordic sea. Yes, grey-ice is really a thing. But moreover this pale grey which is picked up by the Ice Diver’s barrel-shaped steel case and repeated once again in its ISOfrane strap reflects the stony stares of those specialist operators of the Swedish Armed Forces diving units as they breach said grey-ice. Powering this ice-diving, pale-faced fiend is a La Joux-Perret manufacture automatic movement, a Top Grade Swiss-made caliber using the workhorse ETA 2824 as its base. The G100 caliber has also been adjusted to four positions, and is further enhanced by a solid Tungsten uni-directional oscillator, and is set on ball bearings, is with KIF shock-protection, and has a power-reserve of up to 68 hours from a full wind.

Limited to 1,000 numbered pieces, the Synchron Military Poseidon will be available with a pale grey / off-white dial. Buyers will be able to choose from two handset colors: black or white. 

It has an official retail price of $1,290 USD. However it may be pre-ordered for $990 for a limited time during the launch period with expected delivery during February 2023. ONLY available from synchronusa.com

Thoughts? As I look up to the Nordic sky on a cold winter’s night I am in awe of the Northern Lights with all their swirling waves of light. But beyond the dancing green and purple, the stars have aligned – bringing into play a troupe of elements. 

The Swiss Army heritage as seen in the dial, the iconic dive-gear manufacturer and of course the (soon to be part of the World’s greatest defense alliance aka NATO) Swedish Armed Forces diving units. 

That’s why I would gladly crawl over broken glass just to lick the wrist of one of those guys that were lucky enough to test one. 

But what do you think? Don’t think too hard or too long, the last batch of these SOLD OUT in under 24hrs!

DEEP BLUE Watches DAYNIGHT STEALTH OPS CARBON [a diver fit for the field]

It is a sad truth that the World is once again at war; at least one is raging in Europe. Being watch lovers we might be forgiven for pausing for a moment, putting aside the cruel and grim nature of war to consider an aspect of war or indeed peacetime that is relatable to us. And that is, what are most of active soldiers wearing on their wrists these days? What are the brave men and women on the frontlines in Ukraine wearing as they repel Putin’s illegal invasion forces? If you are one of them please let us know in the comments. The truth is that most soldiers likely go into battle wearing whatever watch is on their wrist. If it is reliable, keeps good time and can be seen in the dark then it will do the job. And most soldiers like most people don’t give that much thought to their wristwatch beyond this. However there is a different kind of soldier that puts a far great emphasis on their wrist attire, those ones operating in specialist diving and tactical units, those that require their timepieces to perform to a far higher level. G-Shocks are among those favored by Special Forces operators, despite claims from those luxury watchmakers that have collaborated with them for special editions. Another type of watch used by the US Navy SEALs and the like are ones made of tough lightweight polycarbonate like the one featured. DB Watches make no claims about their watches being used by any Special Forces or Specialist Tactical Units (that I know of) but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that some were because it is exactly these types of affordable, lightweight yet hard as nails wristwatches that fare the best in the line of fire. However you don’t need to be carrying out underwater demolitions with the British SBS to appreciate the virtues of a well-built tactical wristwatch. These watches make excellent everyday beaters and exceptional nighttime companions owing to their excellent dial and bezel illumination. This is the new DayNight Stealth Ops Carbon from Deep Blue Watches with its tough, lightweight carbon case weighing a mere three ounces and equipped with a sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and case-back, allowing for 300m of water-resistance. And powered by an automatic Seiko NH 35 movement with a date function, and boasting T100 Tritium Capacity tubes in green, orange or blue which are utilized for the watch’s indexes, hands and 12hr bezel marker.

Follow the link HERE to discover the full collection. Thoughts? I have a couple of the Luminox NVY SEALs watches and I love them because they are so tough and comfortable. But they are quartz powered and they don’t have sapphire crystals. What are your thoughts? 

 

H2O Watch Kalmar 2 MEGA DOME

This one’s got more dome than the Pantheon! H2O Watch has just dropped an epic new Kalmar II variant boasting a similar type of spherically domed crystal that the famous Helberg CH1 has. The actual height of the crystal is 10 millimeters which is five times the thickness of most well equipped diver’s watches and more than double that of most deep diver’s. Of course this is a specialty model where the crystal does most of the talking; however the crystal’s height and curvature adds a sense of drama when looking down onto the watch dial. Speaking of dials, there are two style options available, a gradient black to blue as seen on the 25’000M watches and a handmade Damascus steel with its mottled patterns. Both dials are equipped with H2O’s signature handset inspired by a merry-go-round with Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9. The gradient black to blue dial has applique indexes also with BGW9 while the Damascus dial is a sandwich dial with its hours cut out with a CNC machine and SuperLumiNova placed beneath it. Basic specs of the Kalmar II includes: a 42.5mm 316L Stainless steel with a 44mm diameter, a diver’s bezel and a Sapphire display case-back. Water-resistance is 3’000 meters. Powering the Kalmar II with its mega domed crystal is a Swiss ETA 2824, automatic caliber with up to 38hrs of power-reserve and beat-rate of 28’800 bph. The watch is part of H2O’s special editions collection and is available now with a special price of 950euros excluding VAT. It comes with a shark-mesh bracelet. Thoughts? Of course the mega-domed crystal isn’t the most practical as far a being able to neatly slide beneath a shirt cuff or regarding potential for bumps but it takes the Kalmar II to the next level.

Follow the link HERE or the one embedded below to be taken directly to H2O Watch’s online shop to discover this and other models from their current line-up.

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H2O Watch KALMAR II 25’000M BLACK2ORANGE

No, I didn’t accidentally add one too many zeros; this watch’s stated water-resistance isn’t a respectable 2’500 meters, it’s in fact depth rated to ten times that! This 25’000M deep sea submersible comes from the German high water-resistance specialists H2O Watch and is based on that little known project made for OceanicTime, the 10 MILES. You might scoff at any water-resistance exceeding the diving capabilities of man and machine but in recent years both ROLEX and OEMGA have sought to conquer extraordinary depths. However this watch has been tested and officially certified by a leading German institute to withstand a pressure of more than 2500bar AKA 25’000 meters, more than double the WR of its closest competitors. To put that into perspective, the Challenger Deep, located at the southern end of the Mariana Trench, is the deepest spot in the ocean; it is 11’034 meters deep, so this watch has a depth rating of more than double that too. It might then be better suited for a dive in (Jupiter’s largest moon) Europa's ocean which has an estimated depth of 40 to 100 miles (60 to 150 kilometers). Now you’re probably also assuming that any watch engineered with this level of water-resistance is most likely unwearable. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The watch’ case is made from lightweight Titanium the dimensions of which include a diameter of 42.5mm and a case height of 22.85mm. The Kalmar 25’000M also comes with a slew of special aesthetic and technical features such as its graduated sunburst dial which fades from inky b to black to burnt orange with beautiful 3D appliqué indexes along with H2O’s signature “merry go round” handset. While the dial doesn’t advertise the watch’s whopping water-resistance there is bold reminder laser-etched into the watch’s custom rubber diver’s strap which bears the “DEEP DIVER” name along with “25000M”. There is also a discreet lug engraving with ‘’25300M CERTIFIED’’ its officially certified depth rating. Housed inside the 25K’s almost indestructible solid Titanium Grade 5 case is a Swiss made mechanical automatic movement, the Selitta SW300 with a beat-rate of 28.800 vibrations per hour; 4 Hz. For full list of technical specifications and pricing, please follow the link HERE or the one embedded, below to be taken to H2O Watch’s online store where the KALMAR II 25’000M BLACK2ORANGE currently priced at just 950€.

Thoughts? This is a far more practical and functional version of the TEN MILES thanks to its minute track and of course the proper diver’s bezel complete with dive-time scale. The gradient orange to black dial is on another level. It’s stunning!

 

DEEP BLUE Watches OCEAN AQUA [next level wave pattern]

For fans of the genre few things evoke the ocean quite the way that a diver’s watch does when it’s strapped to wrist. You glance down, set the ceramic timing bezel in preparation for an inviting plunge into the deep blue sea. And now DB Watches have a stunning new dial option that invites a little piece of the sea with its aqua blue and cresting white waves onto your wrist. But not just your typical wave pattern, rather a small swath of the ocean itself.

Introducing Deep Blue Watches NEW Ocean Aqua dial, available in both 40mm and 44mm diameters, powered by an automatic Seiko NH 35 movement and equipped with a ceramic luminous bezel, a sapphire crystal and an exhibition case-back. 

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