Aquadive Offers a New Deep Diver in a Bold Blue

Aquadive has introduced a new watch in their BS100 platform, a series of divers meant to be extremely capable as dive instruments, but also wearable on a day to day basis. Aquadive is a brand with considerable history, having been part of the early dive watch heyday of the 60s and 70s, when lots of firms were experimenting heavily with watch design, and recreational diving was at a peak in popularity. The brand went dormant for a period of time, but has been resurrected and gaining in traction in recent years as the vintage inspired sports watch market has boomed. This new watch, in a bold blue that screams summer, has a lot to offer serious divers and more casual watch enthusiasts alike. Let’s take a closer look.

Aquadive 100 Blue Edition

• Case Material: Stainless steel 
• Dial: Blue
• Dimensions: 42.9 x 12.5 x 49mm 
• Crystal: Sapphire     
• Water Resistance: 1000 meters
• Crown: Screw down        
• Movement: ETA 2824-2
• Strap/bracelet: ISOfrane rubber strap
• Price: $1,890
• Reference Number: BS100BLU-1
• Expected Release: Mid February 

The Aquadive 100 Blue Edition features a classic cushion case design and a tough, hardened stainless steel case measuring 42.9mm in diameter. That’s a big watch, and the Aquadive is a real tool, but because of the compact cushion design, the lug to lug span still comes in under 50mm (Aquadive’s measurement is 49mm from top to bottom). What’s more, the Aquadive 100 is only 12.5mm thick, which is pretty wearable width for a dive watch like this. 

The size and wearability is that much more impressive once you consider the technical characteristics of the watch. The Aquadive 100 is rated to 1000 meters, which has become something of a standard depth rating these days for watches that purport to be real tools. While it’s almost inconceivable that even a fraction of Aquadive customers will need to make use of the full depth rating, it’s a useful calling card for a brand to say that they’re capable of engineering a watch capable of such a feat. The watch also features a helium release valve (creatively hidden away at 6:00), another sign, however unnecessary for most, that the watch is made to an extremely high engineering standard.

In the extremely likely event that you’re not a professional diver, or planning on strapping your watch to the side of a submersible (you know, just for fun), you’ll be glad to find that Aquadive has built a watch that is aesthetically pleasing enough to keep on your wrist while performing more mundane task, like ordering drinks at a beachside bar, or washing the car, or perhaps timing something on the stove or the grill. You want your watch to make you smile when you look at it, and the Blue Edition of the Aquadive 100 is going to deliver for many. Besides the shade of blue that Aquadive has selected for this watch, they’ve also applied thick hour markers around the dial’s perimiter. This is the first time Aquadive has used applied markers on this smaller case shape, and the result is a dial with a notably premium look. The legibility benefits are obvious here, but more than that it just makes the dial appear fuller and better finished. 

Another key feature is the ceramic bezel insert, which has been given a blue finish to match the dial, and is also fully lumed. I’ve been on record many times citing the wisdom of brands that add lume to their dive bezels beyond the standard glowing pip at 12:00. It adds a great deal of functionality, and simply looks great when executed well. 

This Aquadive ships with two ISOfrane straps (one blue, one black), a favorite of many experienced divers, and will begin deliveries in mid-February. The retail price is $1,890, but can be pre-ordered with a substantial discount at $1,590. That seems like a steal for a good looking tool watch with a bunch of impressive tech behind it. Aquadive