Squale Goes Skin Diving with the New Super-Squale

What makes a watch “Super” in 2022? In Squale’s case, the “Super” designation means that the watch fits into the skin diver category, as opposed to divers oriented more toward professionals. The skin diver is a classic invention of the 1960s, born out of the burgeoning popularity of diving as a recreational activity. Skin divers were made to be functional for amateurs in and out of the water, and sat at a price point that made sense if you were only using your dive watch casually. While modern skin divers are usually water resistant to depths that are comparable to serious pro divers, back in the day they were certified for shallow dives, and could thus be made a bit thinner. While the need for a distinction between skin divers and professional grade dive watches isn’t as important today, there’s a notable aesthetic difference and some enthusiasts swear by the skin diver look. 

The idea behind the new Super-Squale collection is a simple one. This is an extension of the original Super-Squale line from the 60s, and takes the familiar skin diver silhouette as a starting point. The specs, however, are in line with what is expected from any contemporary dive watch. The Super-Squale divers are all rated to 200 meters and feature all the conveniences of a modern diver, including sapphire crystals, screw down crowns, and a solid Sellita SW-200 movement. They measure a compact 38mm in diameter and are just 12mm thick. The lug to lug measurement is 45mm. Visually, the cases have a long and lean look to them, with a tapered effect that’s bolstered by lug width of just 18mm. In short, they have classic skin diver looks that will make vintage watch fans quite happy, I’d imagine. 

The launch of the new Super-Squale line sees a total of five dial variants, each available on a stainless steel bracelet or leather strap. The color choices include brown, gray, and black, all with a  sunray pattern that strengthens the vintage look, as well standard matte blue and black options. The black and blue versions both have color matched aluminum bezel inserts, while the sunray colorways feature a steel bezel. The other key dial side difference is that the sunray options have traditional lume plots in circles and trapezoids at each hour, while the black and blue dials feature large Arabic numerals at the cardinal positions. Purists will be pleased that date windows are nowhere to be found on any of these watches. 

Squale doesn’t always get the attention they deserve from the enthusiast community. For whatever reason, there’s a perception that they’re a brand you might start out with, and then leave behind once you discover the wider world of watches. A huge, sometimes impenetrable catalog might be part of the reason. But Squale is a brand with real heritage, and if you spend some time sifting through their large selection of watches, you might find something that clicks. The Super-Squale, priced at CHF 1,105 on a bracelet, represents a solid value for a Swiss made dive watch and could present a solid alternative to those looking at similarly priced Seikos and Doxas who are after a good looking, vintage inspired diver. Squale