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Serica has unveiled the new 5303 PLD, a new dive watch the brand has developed in partnership with the French Navy. Specifically, the watch was developed with the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team, which, I think most people will understand, is a fairly highly specialized and dangerous diving discipline. The watch follows the form and function of Serica’s popular 5303 diver, but with a few small tweaks that distinguish it from the standard version without calling out to its inspiration too overtly.
The most notable and obvious change from the standard 5303 is the new bezel, which has a “DT Max” scale as opposed to the standard dive bezel that allows you to count minutes from a given start time. The DT Max bezel features twin scales (minutes and meters) that display the “maximum working time” at a given depth. This allows a diver, in theory, to ascend continuously without decompression stops, a necessity for EOD divers. The number at the outer scale (“profonduer,” or depth) relates directly to a number on the inner scale, the number of minutes a diver can safely work. Not super functional for anyone not on a dive, but it provides a very real reminder of the danger of the sport, and adds a certain charm to the piece. The bezel itself is rendered in a shade the brand refers to as “abyssal blue,” and it’s a very nice shade that further sets this diver apart from other watches in the Serica lineup.
Serica has also tweaked the dial in small ways for the 5303 PLD. The seconds hand is a new “fat lollipop” design with a healthy lume application that serves as a running indicator to make sure the watch is functioning before a dive. This, of course, is true for every seconds hand on every dive watch, but Serica underlines its importance here with the lollipop treatment. We also have the word “Amagnètique” on the dial rather than a depth rating. Again, this is related to the highly specific work of an EOD diver – it’s important for any watch used by an explosive disposal team member to not have any magnetic qualities, as this can inadvertently trigger an explosion in some situations.
In terms of specs, the 5303 PLD hews close to the standard iteration of the watch, with the same 39mm stainless steel case with those elegant lyre lugs, and 300 meters of water resistance. It runs on a chronometer certified Soprod M100 movement with 42 hours of power reserve, and the dial has the same distinctive arrangement of rectangular and circular markers, all of which are loaded with lume.
The 5303 PLD is a limited edition of 350 pieces, and carries a retail price of €1,690. It will be available to order beginning May 20. Serica
