ORIS Aquis Date 39.5MM [Oceanic Blue]

Oris has launched two new Aquis models for 2020, one with a new case size of 41.5mm made in answer to customer feedback; and the one shown here boasting a new Oceanic Blue gradient dial that joins the existing collection of 39.5mm models.

Both models are water-resistant to 300 meters and feature unidirectional rotational diver’s bezels, the model shown here has a tungsten bezel inlay while the second larger Sunray Blue model gets ceramic.



Both are available on Stainless steel link bracelets featuring Oris’s clasp-extension system designed so that it can be easily adjusted allowing the watch to fit over a wetsuit.

The 41.MM model is also available on a rubber strap featuring Oris’s folding clasp system that protects the watch from falling off the wrist.



Ref. No. 01 733 7732 4155-07 8 21 05PEB has a Swiss MSRP of 2’050CHF and is available, now.

ORIS Aquis Date 41.5MM

Oris has launched two new Aquis models for 2020, one with a new case size of 41.5mm made in answer to customer feedback; and a second with a new OCEANIC BLUE gradient dial that joins the existing collection of 39.5mm models.

Both models are water-resistant to 300 meters and feature unidirectional rotational diver’s bezels, the model shown here with its Sunray Blue dial has a ceramic inlay while the 39.5mm model gets a tungsten inlay.



Both are available on Stainless steel link bracelets featuring Oris’s clasp-extension system designed so that it can be easily adjusted allowing the watch to fit over a wetsuit.

The 41.MM model is also available on a rubber strap featuring Oris’s folding clasp system that protects the watch from falling off the wrist.



Ref. No. 01 733 7766 4135-07 8 22 05PEB has a Swiss MSRP of 2’200CHF and is available, now.

SPINNAKER Piccard

Paying tribute to the legendary Swiss oceanographer, Jacques Piccard, who along with US Naval Lieutenant, Don Walsh descended an astonishing 10’911 meters to the bottom of the Mariana Trench near Guam in the Pacific Ocean – this is the Spinnker Piccard.

On the 23rd of January, 1960 the two men went down in the equally legendary, Italian-built deep-diving research bathyscaphe, Trieste into the Challenger Deep, the deepest point of Mariana Trench.



The Trieste which was designed by Jacques Piccard’s father, Auguste Piccard famously took one more deep diving pioneer along for the ride, a Rolex experimental watch named the Deep Sea Special.

I guess we could say that the Spinnaker Piccard while unique in its design draws inspiration from that watch.



The Piccard has an imposing 47mm in diameter by 25mm-thick case made from Titanium. This is offered in two finishes: one in plain Titanium and a second with a gold IP coating.



The case is equipped with a Helium Escape Valve and a massively domed Sapphire crystal glass. Beneath the Sapphire dome is the dial the design of which was inspired by the Trieste’s instruments.


Powering the Piccard is a Swiss made Sellita SW200 automatic movement. Water-resistance is 1000 meters. MSRP is 950USD.



Thoughts? I had to check the water-resistance several times to make sure that I wasn’t mistaken because given the watch’s ample build I was expecting something a little more extreme perhaps even an extra zero.


It's no CH1 but the design of the watch has plenty of appeal to fans of these sorts of experimental-type dive watches. There are some really nice design elements;

the case design itself, the offset HEV, the dial and the case-back engraving but it hasn’t got the depth rating to back it up, so I am wondering what the point is? What do you think?

BREITLING Avenger Automatic GMT 45 RED ARROWS Limited Edition

Breitling celebrates a more than 3 decade long partnership with one of the world’s most exciting and famous jet display teams, the UK’s RAF Red Arrows.

I have fond memories of watching the Red Arrows as a little boy growing up in England.



Breitling is an official partner of a several air forces including several RAF squadrons. They periodically release special edition timepieces for the pilots of these teams.



Not all of them are made available for sale to the general public but here’s a really cool one that can actually get your hands on.



Introducing the Avenger Automatic GMT 45 Red Arrows Limited Edition watch, made in tribute to the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team AKA, the Red Arrows.



Bold, extremely robust and shock resistant, the Avenger Automatic GMT 45 Red Arrows Limited Edition features a sturdy 45mm Stainless steel case with 300 meters of water-resistance.



The watch is characterized by a stunning blue dial that proudly sports 9 red arrows flying in their famous Diamond Nine formation.



Divers features include rugged diver’s bezel and screw-down crown with special grip-pattern, so that it can be easily operated wearing gloves.



The case-back features an engraving of the British RAF insignia with the words “RED ARROWS EDITION” above.



Limited to 220 pieces the Avenger Automatic GMT 45 Red Arrows Limited Edition watch Ref. A323951A1C1A1 from Breitling has a UK MSRP of £3,950.



Thoughts? As a Brit I’m perhaps a little biased and also because I have a fondness for the Avenger, but this the nicest Breitling air force model I’ve come across. What do you think?

BREITLING Superocean Auto 48 TITANIUM & BLACK TITANIUM

Breitling has added a further two models to their Superocean 48 collection for 2020.

The Superocean 48 debuted last year with a Black Titanium case and blue ceramic bezel and dial. It has to be the brand’s most clunky looking diver;

owed largely to that big f*#k-off thing on the side of its case which is in fact a bezel-locking device, so to be fair, I guess we could say this is Breitling’s tool diver.



All Superocean 48 models get 48mm in diameter Titanium cases; two of those are Black Titanium which is DLC-coted Ti.

Water-resistant to 300 meters the SO 48’s Titanium case houses a soft-iron inner case AKA Faraday Cage to protect the watch’s movement from any magnetic interference.

The plain Titanium variant ref. E17369241I1S1 has a yellow (looks orange) dial and has a Swiss MSRP of 4'950CHF.



The new Black Titanium SO 48 ref. V17369241L1S1 comes with a gorgeous dark green dial with orange lumed hands and hours. It has a Swiss MSRP of 5’350CHF.

The existing Black Titanium SO 48 ref. V17369161C1S1 with its dark blue colorway that includes; dial, bezel and rubber crown sleeve has a Swiss MSRP of 5’350CHF.

All watches are delivered on Breitling’s new vented rubber diver’s straps, engineered to counteract the effects of water-pressure ensuring optimum levels of tightness.



Thoughts? I’d definitely take one of these diving but they do look at little bulky even for me. The green dial is an absolute beauty.What do you think?

BREITLING Superocean Auto 46 BLACK STEEL

This watch actually made its first appearance last year with a blue colorway but for 2020 the Superocean Automatic Black Steel gets a new yellow face.



Yellow is color that Breitling typically reserves for their more hardcore divers such as the Avenger Seawolf, so it is fitting that the 2000m SO 46 Black Steel has this cool color.



In addition to the yellow and blue, the SO 46 Black Steel is naturally offered in a very dependable black.



The watch has a 46mm case in DLC-coated Stainless steel AKA Black Steel and comes on a Breitling Diver Pro III rubber strap with a pin buckle or folding clasp.



Power comes from a Breitling 17 self-winding mechanical movement with a power-reserve of approx. 38hrs.



It has a Swiss MSRP of 4’600CHF.

BREITLING Superocean Auto 44 YELLOW

In addition to the existing black and blue faced Superocean 44 models, for 2020 Breitling has added a further two new models.



First up is this new yellow dialed variant that joins the very cool collaborative model from Breitling and OUTERKNOWN.



The Superocean Automatic 44 features a sturdy 44mm Stainless steel case and comes on a Stainless steel link bracelet.



Alternatively it can be a color-matched to a rubber strap that fits either a Stainless steel pin buckle or folding clasp.



The watch has a pressure-resistance up to 100 bar or 1000 meters and is powered by a Breitling 17 self-winding mechanical movement with a power-reserve of approx. 38hrs.



The Superocean Automatic 44 in Steel and Yellow ref. A17367021I1A1 has Swiss MSRP of 3'950CHF.

BREITLING Superocean Auto 44 OUTERKNOWN

In addition to the existing black and blue faced Superocean 44 models, for 2020 Breitling has added a further two new models.



First a very cool collaboration model from Breitlling and OUTERKNOWN that joins a new YELLOW SO 44.



The Superocean 44 Outerknown has a Stainless steel case measuring 44mm in diameter and is water-resistant up to 1000 meters.



Co-designed with Kelly Slater’s surf wear brand, the sporty, the Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown features a special ECONYL NATO strap.



This is constructed from nylon repurposed from waste pulled out the ocean, such as fishing nets.



The Superocean Automatic 44 Outerknown ref. A17367A11L1W1 has a Swiss MSRP of 3’950CHF.

UNION GLASHÜTTE Belisar DATE SPORT

Whenever we hear the name Glashütte associated with a diver’s watch, we know that we are going to see something exceptional; at least in terms of manufacture.

The small town of Glashütte is what the Jura Valley or perhaps La Chaux-de-Fonds is to the Swiss watch industry. It is the birthplace of German watchmaking.



Even within the humble sphere of diver’s watches there’s: Glashütte Original, Glashütte Tutima, Wempe, Mühle-Glashütte and newcomer, Cronus.

Today we can add one more brand to that esteemed club of dive watches produced in Glashütte.



However there is one final piece of background info. to depart before we take a look at this lovely new German dive watch.

Union Glashütte has been owned by the SWATCH Group since 2000 - that’s two decades already!



Introducing the Belisar Date Sport, Glashütte Union’s debut diver’s watch boasting two SWATCH Group innovations;

a Sapphire crystal bezel inlay which was first introduced for the Fifty Fathoms more than a decade ago and later adopted by Omega for the Ploprof 1200M –



and an Si Balance Spring such as those now seen on the whole spectrum of SWATCH Group divers from the humble new Tissot Powermatic 80 to the Blancpain Bathyscaphe, allowing the movement to be resistant to magnetic fields without the use of a Faraday-Cage.



In addition to the above diver’s features and thanks to its: screwed crown and screwed Sapphire crystal case-back, the Belisar Date Sport’s (45mm x 12.5mm) Stainless steel case is water-resistant up to a pressure of 20 bar (200 meters).

The sporty character of the watch is further highlighted by the screwed-on flanks, a style element typical of the Belisar collection, coated with black rubber on this model.



Power comes from a hardy UNG-07.S1 automatic movement providing a power reserve of up to 60 hours and featuring said silicon balance spring -

which in addition to its anti-magnetic properties is also particularly lightweight, temperature-stable, corrosion resistant and not mechanically deform-able.



A small gold plaque on the balance cock indicates that silicon has been used while brightly glowing SuperLumiNova can be found on the watch’s hands and indices.

Finally, the Belisar Sport Date can be worn on either a black rubber strap or a second strap made of brown vintage calf-leather.



The straps can be easily changed without tools just like the SWATCH Group’s new Longines Hydroconquest. ;)

The Belisar Date Sport has an MSRP of €1’980.



Thoughts? The best of both worlds’? I couldn’t really say that it’s like buying a Lambo before Audi took over because I’m sure that any watch hailing from Glashütte would be more than up to scratch

but those SWATCH Group innovations certainly don’t hurt. Despite this a very Germanic-looking offering; I quite like it. What do you think?