Since the introduction of the Omega Seamaster 300 in 1993, watches with wave patterns on their dials have become increasingly popular. Here’s a closer look at some of the current models.

Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional
Tissot’s very large and robust dive watch is water-resistant to 600 meters and impresses with its irregular wave pattern, which resembles the surface of the sea in a strong swell. The hour markers, attached to the edge of the dial, float above it and call to mind surfers or sailboats that barely touch the water as they glide along its surface. The watch is available with a blue, turquoise or anthracite-colored dial. The case is equipped with an automatic helium valve for saturation diving.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 46 mm, ETA C07.111, automatic, $1,025.

Breguet Marine 5517
Like all the watches launched since the collection’s last major refresh in 2017, the Marine 5517 maintains a classic, naval chronometer-inspired design, is distinguished by both luxurious and sporty elements, and hosts signature hallmarks of the collection such as Roman numerals, a 100-meter water resistance, and Breguet-style hands, to name a few.
Rose gold, 40 mm, Caliber 777A, automatic, $28,600.

Baume & Mercier Riviera
The Riviera that Baume & Mercier has now reactivated is inspired by a model from 1973. While it’s not a dive watch, it’s certainly a sporty companion for a vacation. The wave pattern on the dial is particularly architectural, but this in no way detracts from the overall impression made by this lighthearted accessory. The blue version with the matching rubber strap calls to mind the clear waters of the Mediterranean or South Seas. The pressure resistance to 100 meters is sufficient for boat trips, kite surfing and relaxing hours beside the pool.
Stainless steel, 42 mm, Sellita SW200, automatic, $2,500.

Mido Oceanstar 200C
Green has been popular in the watch world for a number of years, but the combination of fir green and maritime-inspired dial engraving looks quite unusual. Mido uses this daring combination in its Oceanstar line of dive watches. The number in the model’s name stands for the water resistance in meters and the “C” refers to the newly introduced ceramic bezel, which teams up with the sapphire crystal to protect the dial against scratches. There are even waves on the stainless-steel back, where they share the limelight with a starfish engraved in relief.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 42.5 mm, ETA C07.621, automatic, $1,150.

Seiko Prospex SRPE07
Joining Seiko’s highly coveted “Save The Ocean” series, the SRPE07 “King Turtle” brought an improved bezel and large cyclops to the collection in 2020. The dial design is themed around Great White Sharks to mark the preservation and understanding of these beautiful creatures (there’s even a shark dorsal fin hidden near the 8 o’clock index).
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 45 mm, 4R36, automatic, $595.

Oris Aquis Pro Date Calibre 400
The subtle wave pattern on the dial is the only bit of playfulness Oris allows in this extremely useful watch for professional divers. All other details are rigorously functional: the bezel’s entire scale glows in the dark, the Rotation Safety System allows the bezel to rotate only after the surrounding safety ring has been pulled up, and the water resistance to a depth of 1,000 meters is well beyond a casual diver’s deepest descent. These features, plus the well-thought-out bracelet with its loss-prevention and quick-extension mechanisms, almost make you glad to discover the nonfunctional pattern on the dial.
DLC-coated titanium, ceramic bezel, 49.5 mm, manufacture Calibre 400, automatic, $4,600.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300
The 43-mm version of the new Aquaracer has straight transverse grooves on its dial, while the 36-mm version shown here is more playful. The wave pattern boasts the softest, most curved shape of all the watches here and makes the dial almost look like a casually thrown piece of fabric. This small version of the Aquaracer is equally convincing in other details with water resistance to 300 meters, intensely radiant luminous material in green and blue, and a secure folding clasp with quick-extension mechanism.
Stainless steel, ceramic bezel, 36 mm, Calibre 5 based on Sellita Caliber SW200, automatic, $2,800.

After the limited edition in bronze, the Oris Divers Sixty-Five is now available as a regular production chronograph model. Unmistakably influenced by history, this watch follows the current retro trend, but offers modern solutions in every detail. We give it an-depth look in this feature from the WatchTime archives, with original photos by Olaf Köster.

In 1965, Oris launched a divers’ watch that was ultramodern for its time. It had a case that remained water resistant to a depth of 100 meters, a unidirectional rotatable bezel and large luminous numerals. Reissued 50 years later as the Divers Sixty-Five, it proves to be one of this manufacturer’s most successful new models – thanks in part to the still-unflagging popularity of the retro trend.

The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph is based on a watch from 1965.

Based on Oris’s First Divers’ Watch
The high-fidelity reissue of the three-handed watch from the 1960s was followed by a retro-modern facelift, various special models – also with innovative wristbands made of recycled plastic – and finally a chronograph. This model too was first released in 2018 as a limited special edition and, after a three-handed watch, was the second Divers Sixty-Five model to be dedicated to Carl Brashear, who became the U.S. Navy’s first amputee diver in 1948 and the first African-American seaman to earn certification as a master diver.

It’s well known that Oris honors noteworthy people with special timepieces and that this brand is committed to environmental protection, to saving the world’s oceans and to other philanthropic causes. What could be more appropriate to Carl Brashear’s biography than a divers’ watch that reflects the style of his era?

The special edition consists almost entirely of bronze, a material that’s currently in vogue in various timepieces, but bronze is used only for the unidirectional rotatable diver’s bezel of this 43-mm serially manufactured chronograph, our test watch. The outfit of the rotatable bezel has changed too. The former massive component with raised numerals has morphed into a blackened aluminum inlay with a flush minutes scale. The bezel clicks into place in 120 individual settings, which makes it difficult to adjust the bezel so it corresponds to the nearest minute with the scale along the dial’s periphery. The difficulty is further exacerbated because the highly domed curvature along the rim of the sapphire crystal tends to distort the view of the rose-gold markings on the black dial.

The black dial is dominated by broad hands and prominent hour markers.

The strongly curved contours of the crystal allude to the past and contribute to the timepiece’s retro charm. The original crystal was made of plastic in the 1960s, but nowadays the glass above the dial is crafted from scratch-resistant sapphire and given an anti-reflective coating on its underside.

The case’s diameter has grown from 36 to 43 mm over the years and is now made of stainless steel rather than the original chrome-plated brass. But with a water resistance of 100 meters, it isn’t quite as watertight as the cases of most other contemporary divers’ watches. Pressure resistance to 200 and even 300 meters are more in keeping with the current state of the art.

Of course, Oris doesn’t need to prove that this brand can build contemporary divers’ watches. Any doubts are immediately dispelled, for example, by the Oris Aquis or Prodiver model lines, both of which are professional devices with high resistance to pressure and diverse innovations within the collection. The fact that the Divers Sixty-Five can only withstand pressure of 100 meters should be interpreted as an homage to history and is acceptable in this line, even if the name “Divers” would initially suggest a more pressure-resistant case. Bathing, swimming, snorkeling and diving at shallow depths pose no problem at all for the Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph.

This model is an equally pleasant companion on terra firma. Its black dial is dominated by the broad hands and prominent applied indexes that characterize this line. All of the displays are generously filled with yellow Super-LumiNova “Old Radium.” This luminous material underscores the watch’s retro style by day and glows bright green in the dark. Also luminous at night are the hand on the subdial for the continuously running seconds, which shows at a glance that the movement is still running; the chronograph’s elapsed-minutes hand; and, of course, the orientation dot on the unidirectional rotatable divers’ bezel. Only the chronograph’s elapsed seconds remains dark, but every diver knows that the smallest unit of time isn’t very important in this sport, where minutes count most.

“Old Radium” luminous material accentuates the watch’s retro character and ensures good legibility.

Bronze, Retro and Bicompax Reflect Current Trends
When measuring an elapsing interval, the current number of elapsed minutes can be read on the black counter at 3 o’clock. This subdial is slightly recessed and bears anthracite-colored calibrations. The subdial for the continually running seconds is identically styled. It’s positioned diametrically across the dial at 9 o’clock.

Together with its counterpart at 3 o’clock, this results in the so-called bicompax chronograph arrangement, which is just as trendy as retro design nowadays. Retro and bicompax go together perfectly because a chronograph dial with only two counters similarly recalls the past. A bicompax arrangement also gives a dial the clarity and tidiness that are likewise increasingly in demand these days. This fidelity to the past is further accentuated by the absence of a date display and the presence of both a screw-down crown modeled after its original counterpart and little capped push-buttons to operate the chronograph.

The chronograph’s functions can be triggered by pressing the corresponding buttons. The crown can be screwed and unscrewed very conveniently and protrudes quite far from the case in its hand-setting position. The buttons and crown operate Oris’s self-winding Caliber 771, which is based on the Sellita SW510 in its reduced version without date display and without a 12-hour chronograph counter. It runs with only average accuracy and, in some positions, showed even larger deviations of more than 10 seconds per day. Although the mostly unadorned caliber remains hidden behind a massive, opaque, fully threaded back, it is, of course, equipped with Oris’s typical red rotor.

The 43-mm case, domed sapphire crystal, and bronze-and-aluminum bezel blend retro and modern elements.

The Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph can be worn with either a leather strap a or stainless-steel bracelet: the leather strap reaffirms the retro style with its stitching and buckle, while the stainless-steel bracelet radiates a sporty, modern charm. The connecting pieces firmly attach the case to the metal wristband, which is supple, soft and culminates in a one-sided folding clasp. Only the process of shortening the bracelet proves somewhat cumbersome because the wristband’s links are pinned rather than screwed together.

Two Expressive Outfits
The bottom line: anyone who is looking for an expressive retro watch will find it in the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph. This model is convincing thanks to authentic details, which it realizes in a modern way. We would suggest that Oris make some improvements in the fine adjustment of the movement and a simple system to switch from one wristband to another would also be welcome – because even if you wear it with the stainless-steel bracelet, this watch always makes a strong impression.

SPECS:
Manufacturer: Oris SA, Ribigasse 1, 4434 Hölstein, Switzerland
Reference number: 771 7744 4354 8 21 18
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chonograph (central elapsed- seconds hand, 30-minute counter), bezel is rotatable in one direction only
Movement: Oris 771 based on Sellita SW 510, automatic, 28,800 vph, 27 jewels, gold-plated nickle balance, Nivarox hairspring, bipartite index fine adjustment, Incabloc shock absorber, 48-hour power reserve, diameter = 30.0 mm, height = 7.90 mm
Case: Stainless steel/bronze, domed sapphire crystal anti-reflectively treated on its underside, water resistant to 100 meters
Bracelet and cla­­sp: Stainless steel with one-sided stainless-steel folding clasp
Rate results (Deviation in seconds per 24 hours, fully wound/after 24 hours):
On the wrist +7.2
Dial up +5.3 / +8.4
Dial down +6.1 / +8.7
Crown up +10.2 / +11.6
Crown down +7.5 / +12.3
Crown left +3.7 / +7.3
Greatest deviation 6.5 / 5.0
Average deviation +6.6 / +9.7
Average amplitude:
Flat positions 314° / 298°
Hanging positions 292° / 270°
Dimensions: Diameter = 43.19 mm, height = 16.44 mm, weight = 162.0 grams
Variations: With leather strap: $4,000
Price: $4,250

Criticism and watch journalism have always been on edge with one another. One could argue that there is a great dependency between the writing press and the watch brands. Even at WatchTime, many of the brands we cover also advertise with us, so we better be nice to them, or not? We are indeed, but the general conviction among myself and my fellow editors and contributors is that when constructive criticism is in place, it should be given. It not only ensures correct representation towards the most important people in the WatchTime universe, you as our readers, but it also helps the brands to become even better than they already are.

As Editor-at-Large, nobody tells me what to write. While this may seem to be the privilege of a senior position, it is not, as nobody here has to write something they don’t want to. While we come from different walks of life and have a wide variety of interests, we all share a deep passion for watchmaking. We strongly believe that you need to read this passion in what we write, so when you don’t feel passionate about the subject, you shouldn’t write about it. So perhaps it says more about the watches we don’t cover than the watches we do.

While it is crucial to remain critical, so is to give credit where credit is due. When I started writing about two decades ago, there were still some watches that didn’t live up to their expectations. The industry has grown bounds and leaps every since. When I look at the watches presented by brands such as Oris, Seiko, Tissot, or Longines, the quality is often very impressive, even at their entry-level models. They are so good that they come with the obligation for higher-tier brands to do even better, a challenge to which many are happy to oblige. So when I write about watches that I feel passionate about, there is often not that much to complain about. But as the perfect watch has yet to be built, there are still the pros and cons that need to be presented and explained to you, our readers. Not because they are good or bad, but more so that you can form an educated opinion about what matters to you and what doesn’t. So when my colleagues and I sound pretty excited about the watches we write about, it is not because we get told to do so, but because we picked the topics we actually like to begin with. Call it a perk of the job, as we get paid anyway.

As we like to keep things positive, let us know in the comments the watch that, in recent years, impressed you the most!

Three years ago, Oris caused a sensation with the Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115 – a technical-looking skeleton watch with manual winding, ten-day power reserve, small seconds and power reserve display. The new ProPilot X Calibre 400, introduced at Watches & Wonders 2022, has the same distinctive angular design of the case and bracelet, but comes with a closed dial in blue, gray or salmon. The timepiece is powered by the automatic calibre 400, which was also developed in-house.

Although it offers “only” a power reserve of five days instead of ten and is focused on the indication of time and a date, it boasts a high resistance to magnetic fields and a long service interval of ten years, as well as a ten-year guarantee. In addition, the 44-mm titanium case has been slimmed down to the Goldilocks size of 39mm, which also makes it interesting for watch lovers with slender wrists or aficionadas.

Pricing for the new Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 is currently marked at $4,300 USD.

And here’s the version with salmon dial on Oris Co-CEO Rolf Studer‘s wrist, seen during Watches & Wonders 2022:

To learn more, visit Oris, here.

Of the various ongoing trends in the watch world, ever-improving power reserves in mechanical timepieces are among the most practical. With collectors often owning a variety of pieces they like to change in and out on a daily basis, owning a mechanical timepiece that’s still running after it’s been put down for a few days is a luxury that many appreciate.

For a long time, exceptional power reserves were frequently reserved only for watches within the mid to high range of manufacturing and pricing, but in the past few years especially, that is beginning to change. There are now plenty of watches in the sub-$3,500 price category available with three-day or better reserves. We put together a list of six of these pieces, which includes offerings from Baume & Mercier, Christopher Ward, Certina, Hamilton, Tissot, and Oris.

Certina DS-1 ($650+)

Certina is a brand best known by most for its popular dive watch, the Certina DS PH200M, which we recently went hands-on with last month (and which you can read more about here). In addition to that popular diver, however, the brand also has some hidden gems in its catalogue, one being the 80-hour power-reserve-equipped Certina DS-1.

The DS-1 is available in a number of different colorways, in all-steel or two-tone cases, as well as silver, black, gray, and blue-accented dials. All of them share the same movement: the 3-day+ Powermatic 80. The automatic mechanism is derived from a base ETA 2824-2, which by slowing down its frequency to 21,600 vph from the standard 28,800 provides the movement an almost doubled reserve, at 80 hours.

The brand currently prices the watch at about $650; depending on the dial color it can frequently be found via an authorized dealer for a couple hundred less. Certina.

Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium ($775+)

Certina’s Swatch Group sister brand, Tissot, uses its own application of the Powermatic 80 movement in the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium, the first in Tissot’s extensive collection to use that movement.

It was actually through the initial news of this Tissot watch that we learned the Powermatic 80 caliber not only has a reduced frequency, but also makes use of various silicon parts, including for its spring barrel which, according to the brand, results in more efficient operation without a major sacrifice to the ultimate timekeeping ability of the watch.

Like the DS-1, the Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium is available in an array of dial colors and case materials, though it is the steel, blue-dial model and two-tone crème-dial edition that seem to most frequently catch the eyes of collectors. Pricing begins at $775 for steel models on leather straps, and rises up to $1,495 for two-tone examples on metal bracelets.

You can find this watch and a number of other more recent releases containing the Powermatic 80 in Tissot’s online store here. Tissot.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Power Reserve Auto ($1,245+)

The final Swatch Group watch we have on our list is the Hamilton Jazzmaster Power Reserve Auto, which like the previous two watches also features a 3-day+ power reserve (aka 80 hours), though in this instance accomplished via the Hamilton Caliber H-13.

Like the previous two models, the Jazzmaster is a relatively classical-looking timepiece, though with some additional features accounting for its higher price tag. Among these, we find a number of new dial colors including sunray silver, black, crème, and blue, all with a power-reserve indicator on the dial in addition to the date window.

While not confirmed by information from the brands, it has been speculated the H-13 automatic movement inside the Jazzmaster is a Hamilton-modified Powermatic 80 (itself, as mentioned, derived from the ETA 2824-2), especially because Hamilton also falls under the Swatch Group umbrella. Nonetheless, with classic looks, an 80-hour reserve, and a price point just topping $1,000, the Hamilton watch can surely draw attention to itself in its own right.

The Jazzmaster Power Reserve Auto is offered directly through the Hamilton website here, with prices starting at $1,245 for a steel model on a leather strap, and only going up slightly to $1,495 when the watch is placed on a five-link metal bracelet instead. Hamilton.

Christopher Ward C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition ($2,170)

British watchmaker Christopher Ward might not be the brand you think of first when it comes to timepieces with great power reserves, but the brand’s in-house Caliber SH21 movement with its 120-hour power reserve and COSC-specification timekeeping ability is nothing to scoff at.

The caliber comes standard in a handful of Christopher Ward’s watches since its initial release in 2014, including the racing-inspired C1 Morgan 3 Wheeler Chronometer ($2,050) and C1 Morgan Aero 8 Chronometer ($2,685), as well as the Bauhaus-style C1 Grand Malvern Small Seconds ($1,540).

Our choice for this list is the C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition, which is a luxurious take on the brand’s signature C65 Trident Diver design, and one highly limited to only 150 pieces. Equipped with a five-day power reserve, chronometer certification, 150-meter water resistance, and a solid vintage-inspired design, all in a 41-mm steel case and a blue dial — there is a lot to like about the model.

While currently stock is very limited as a result of its limited production run, some models are still available directly through CW, here, priced at $2,170. Christopher Ward.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic ($2,990+)

The Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic was much discussed upon its release, and for good reason. With a COSC chronometer certification, a five-day power reserve, magnetic protection, extended service intervals, and a very classical design, the watch has had a lot to offer since its initial introduction in 2018 and subsequent expansion in 2019.

Pricing for the standard Clifton Baumatic — that is, a time-and-date model — begins at $2,990 for either a dégradé blue, dégradé grey, or silver dial on a leather strap, and climbing slightly to $3,190 if you prefer it on a five-link metal bracelet. Depending on the case material and additional complications, prices on Baumatic models range up to $12,200. Baume & Mercier offers a number of models for purchase now directly though its online store, which you can find here.

Want to learn more about the Clifton Baumatic? We had one in for a watch test last spring; you can read the results here. Baume & Mercier.

Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 ($3,500)

If the previous models each generated discussion upon their releases, then Oris’ unveiling of its Calibre 400 movement — and shortly thereafter the new Aquis Date models that contained it — sparked serious conversation throughout the watch community.

Not only was Calibre 400 the first self-winding in-house movement produced by Oris, but the movement, and thus the new watch that contains it, come equipped with a five-day power reserve, serious antimagnetic properties, a 10-year warranty, and an astonishing 10-year service suggestion. All of this came together with the already widely praised design of the Aquis Date and its 300-meter water resistance, culminating in a high-value proposition that is likely to find its way into the collections of collectors young and old.

The Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 costs $3,300 for the 43.5-mm version on a rubber strap and $3,500 on a metal bracelet, though it is highly anticipated other sizes and models containing the movement will become available in 2021. The watch is available both directly through Oris, here, and via authorized dealers globally. Oris.

What do you think of our list, and would you want to add any of these watches to your collection? Are there any watches we’re missing that fit this category? Let us know in the comments below!