Fratello On Air: The Greatest Dive Watches Of All Time
Welcome back to another episode of Fratello On Air! This week, we enter the depths and declare the greatest dive watches of all time. Yes, there are some expected entries, but we also offer a surprise or two. Enjoy the listen!
While neither Balazs nor I dive, we’ve realized that the style of watch used for this activity has probably become the most popular genre. Not so long ago, a dive watch was relegated to casual and sporty environments. Now, these capable pieces, for better or worse, are worn everywhere. So, what made us want to take on a topic like the greatest dive watches? Well, we like to get people talking, so feel free to tell us why you agree or, more likely, disagree with our choices.
Handgelenkskontrolle
With increasingly dreary and wet days, we’ve been enjoying a bit of television. Some interesting shows are on right now, including The Beast In Me, Pluribus, The Task, and The Outsider. We also briefly discuss sneaker news, a topic we haven’t mentioned in a while. For the Handgelenkskontrolle, Mike is on topic with the new Ollech & Wajs OW C-1000 Y, a release inspired by the original ’60s Caribbean. Balazs is wearing his Fratello × Nivada Grenchen Racing Chronograph. Before moving on to our main topic, we take some time to discuss last week’s long-awaited release, the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean.
The greatest dive watches of all time
For certain, “the greatest dive watches of all time” isn’t an easy subject to tackle. There are so many great candidates. From the innovative pieces in the ’60s that were actually attempting to solve real-world issues to the wild movement and material updates that came in the later decades, it’s a tough topic. Like many of our episodes, we didn’t share our picks before recording, so, interestingly, we came up with some common thoughts. We challenged ourselves to choose three models per person, but gave ourselves some leeway due to shared picks. Get your pitchforks, or tridents, ready!
It’s impossible not to start a list of the greatest dive watches of all time with anything other than the Rolex Submariner. For us, it is the absolute king, bar none. In terms of quality, reliability, and reputation, it’s impossible to beat. But there are plenty of other legends. The Seiko Tuna, particularly the original Grandfather Tuna 6159-7010 and the first Golden Tuna 7549-7000, brought innovation and an entirely new design language to the dive watch.
Rolex, Omega, Seiko, and more!
Omega enters the conversation with one of the most focused, purpose-built divers ever: the mighty PloProf. Yes, this watch is audacious, but it’s an incredible piece of equipment that deserves its place on the Mount Olympus of dive watches. Seiko returns to the show with a watch that became a legend for its looks and approachable pricing, the 6309 Turtle.
For our last two picks, we chose watches from smaller brands. The Doxa Sub 300 is an absolute dive legend. Its famous no-decompression scale may not be easy to read, but it was a sign of the times. Plus, the use of dial color was an early attempt to provide enhanced legibility. Our final selection may be surprising, but we love the Sinn U1 and its smaller counterpart, the U50. Twenty years after the release of the larger model, the watch still looks fresh and seems impregnable. These are modern legends that deserve serious credit. Naturally, we mention other pieces from Blancpain, Aquastar, Longines, Citizen, and more. However, you’ve seen our choices, so let us know your thoughts!
As always, thank you for listening to Fratello On Air! If you have any ideas for future show topics, please feel free to let us know.
