Hands-On: the Victorinox Dive Pro

When I think of Victorinox, only one thing comes to mind: their iconic Swiss Army knife. Growing up in the scout program, I thought that a Swiss Army knife was the coolest thing ever, even if I couldn’t find one with the perfect tool set. Years later I’ve come to learn that Victorinox has an impressive line of products, ranging from iconic multi-tools, travel gear, fragrances, and of course, watches. When the Dive Pro landed on my desk, I was quite intrigued with its angular design and rugged appearance. Throughout this review, we’ll take a look at the technical specs and ultimately my opinion on the watches in general.

The Dive Pro line from Victorinox is an extension of their dive watch offering with eight new references, bringing an increased depth rating of 300 meters, new case materials, and some bold colorways. While all of the new Dive Pro watches feature a 43mm case, faceted unidirectional bezels, and sapphire crystals, you have the option of two case materials: 316L Stainless Steel and Grade 2 Titanium. I feel that both of these materials were carefully selected for their unique properties they bring to the table. While titanium is a lighter material with more inherent corrosion resistance, these benefits come at a cost, literally. Stainless steel provides slightly less corrosion resistance but can be machined much easier allowing the material to be manufactured to the same quality at a cheaper price. Depending on the environments you expect to dive in, you may find that one material is a clear winner for you, but both are excellent choices. For this review, both samples I was provided featured a stainless steel case, so I can’t offer a side by side comparison. Based on the various photos I’ve seen, I can say that the titanium models have a very “matte” appearance, whereas the stainless models combine brushed and polished finishes for visual contrast. I do have a personal bias towards titanium for EDC items, but I actually prefer the visual contrast of the stainless case in this model, as it differs from any of the other dive style watches I currently have in my collection. 

Regardless of case material, you’ll find a multi faceted bezel that features markers for various information. Each bezel will contain a blue luminova pip, straight hour indices, Arabic numerals in 10 minute intervals, and a segment of the dial is marked for 20 minutes. Depending on the dial and strap choice, these engravings will either be filled with black, white, or an accent color. Each of the models I was provided featured black engraving which was easy to read in natural light, as it contrasted against the stainless bezel. I did not test the legibility of these markers underwater, as I have no experience diving nor did I have an environment with deep enough water to test in.

Diving inside the case, these new models come with two different movements. If you prefer to have a quartz movement, you’ll find a Rhonda 715, which has been proven to be a reliable movement over the course of many years of production in watches of all kinds. Per Rhonda, this movement should be accurate to -10/+20 seconds per month, and have an average battery life of 60 months. If you opt for the automatic version, you’ll find a Selita SW220-1 inside, featuring a power reserve of roughly 38 hours. Looking at the manufacturer’s specs, this movement has varying degrees of accuracy based on the grade, but should be accurate to at least +/- 12 seconds a day. During my testing, I didn’t notice any discrepancy in time keeping, but did enjoy the quickset date feature on the automatic when I purposefully allowed it to run out while testing the quartz model. Furthermore, I was happy to see that the day/date promptly flips at midnight, rather than the typical 12-3 AM switch found in many watches.

If you’re a fan of subdued dials with bright accent colors, then these new models are right up your alley. Of the 8 new models, you’ll find either a black or navy blue dial. The quartz models have a “flat” dial with a date complication and crown at the 3 O’clock location, while the automatic references have a “layered” center dial section and a “flat” outer ring, creating additional visual contrast, with a day/date complication at 3 o’clock and a crown at the 4 o’clock position. On every model you’ll find 12 green luminous markers, one of which is the Victorinox shield logo at the 12 o’clock position.

Looking at the hands, you’ll find that each model has a blue lumed hour hand, and green lume on the minute and second hand pip. While the quartz versions have a solid accent color seconds hand, the automatic models have a striped seconds hand providing a touch of additional visual differentiation. 

Depending on the model, the Dive Pro comes with either a rubber strap in one of four colors, or a black paracord/nylon hybrid strap. Both of the models I received had the rubber strap, which I found to be quite comfortable on the wrist. I feel it’s important to note that during my time testing these watches, New York was experiencing a heatwave with daily temperatures at or above 90 degrees, while temperatures in the subway system could be noticeably higher. As such, I spent a lot of time adjusting the strap to accommodate for my wrist swelling, which was easy to do thanks to the standard pin style buckle. One thing to note is that this line of watches all feature 21mm lugs, which may present a challenge if you wish to change out your strap. However, there are several options on Victorinox’s site in 21mm if you wish to swap the rubber for a canvas, para-cord, or leather option.

Overall, I think this extension to the Victorinox dive line offers something interesting, whether you’re an aquatic or desk diver. The mix of materials, finishes, and bold colors create a multitude of styles that will blend in, or stand out, to your heart’s content, and the increased depth rating ensures that your watch will stay safe and functioning, provided you screw the crown down.  As of today, the Dive Pro line ranges in price from $800 (stainless steel/quartz) to $1,500 (titanium/automatic), and offers the most water resistance of the Victorinox watch collection. As someone who generally likes larger watches, the Dive Pro felt like it was “right in my wheelhouse” and felt great on the wrist. Despite not being a diver, I feel that these offer an approachable yet functional take on the classic dive watch. It’s my opinion that the Dive Pro line up creates a solid anchor for Victorinox in the dive watch game. Victorinox