Discovering The DuFa Freitaucher, A Bauhaus Inspired Dive Watch With Soul

DuFa watches is proud to present their newest watch, the Freitaucher. Inspired by the Bauhaus school of design, their watches are minimal, functional, and manufactured to a high degree of precision. The Freitaucher is a new dive watch from DuFa that blends modern minimalism with the charm of a 1960s skin-diver. The result is a clean, legible watch that remains interesting thanks to DuFa’s playful use of color throughout the design. Let’s take a closer look at this interesting new diver from the German brand.

Drawing inspiration from the slim dive watches of the 1960s, the Freitaucher is housed in a simple dive style case with a large signed crown that stands alone at 3 o’clock. The lack of crown guards adds to the minimalist appearance, while remaining true to the roots of classic dive watches. At 41mm wide and only 12.5mm tall, the 316L stainless steel case is sized just right for nearly any wrist. You’ll notice a polished chamfer on the transition between the top and side of the case that adds a touch of refinement amongst the brushed surfaces. A slim unidirectional bezel runs around the dial with 12 hour markings, rendered in a thoroughly modern typeface. The case is rated to 150 meters of water resistance, which is more than enough for water activity.

Moving within the bounds of the bezel, you’ll find an open dial protected by a box domed sapphire crystal. There’s a square-shaped applied index denoting each hour that’s treated with luminous paint. When exposed to light, the lume will glow into the night. Large applied numerals at 3, 9, and 12 are rendered in the same modern typeface used throughout the watch, while the date window rests at 6. DuFa’s use of color for the minute markings and custom date wheel really help liven up the watch. Depending on the base dial color, the accent colors vary. On the white and gray dialed versions, a bright and cheerful blue make up the 5 minute markings and base color for the date wheel. If you opt for the darker black dial, the pops of red really stand out amongst the sea of black.

To read the time, DuFa designed their own unique set of hands. For the hours, a short and slim rectangle tells the time. For the minutes, a pointed pencil-shaped hand gets the job done. As another throwback to vintage dive watches, the seconds hand features a small rectangular plot of lume towards the tip of the hand. Each hand is brushed and treated with lume to maintain maximum legibility in dark conditions. 

Inside the watch is Miyota’s 9 Series automatic movement. It features 24 jewels throughout with the ability to hand wind and hack the seconds hand for precise time setting. The movement also has a date display which is visible through an aperture at 6 o’clock. Miyota’s 9 Series movements have proven to be both affordable and reliable with a solid set of features.

Securing the Freitaucher to your wrist is a stainless steel bracelet that tapers slightly from the 22mm lugs to the clasp. In the box, you’ll also find a tropic style rubber strap with DuFa’s logo on the buckle. If you’re like the look of vintage divers, but want something a little more modern, this new watch from DuFa blends the two themes quite well. Minimalist German design, a few nods to the history of dive watches, and playful pops of color make the Freitaucher an interesting and unique option amongst the sea of vintage-inspired divers currently on the market. 

Learn more and pick up your very own DuFa Freitaucher for 639 Euros right here.