The New, Retro-Cool Eska Amphibian 250 White Shark

Though Eska is a “newcomer” at the moment, it’s really a historic Swiss model that goes again over a century. In early 2024, the primary watch from the revived model (now primarily based in France) emerged because the Amphibian 250 (ref. 1094), an in depth remake of the 1959 Eska Amphibian 600. That watch was impressed by the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms from 1953 and is so uncommon at the moment that some speculate it was solely produced as a handful of prototypes for the French Navy. The most recent launch is a white dial variant of the Amphibian 250 (ref. 1095) dive watch, nicknamed the White Shark. 

Eska was initially based in 1918 in Granges, Switzerland, and the title is a play on the founder’s initials, Silvan Kocher – S.Okay. The model was a worldwide success with sturdy markets in North and South America, Australia and Asia. Like too many watchmakers, nonetheless, it couldn’t overcome the Quartz Disaster of the Nineteen Seventies and closed for good within the late Eighties. Fortuitously, two fans and collectors, Sinicha Knezevic and Christophe Chevreton, not too long ago introduced the model again and selected the elusive Amphibian 600 as inspiration for the 2024 watches. The black dial Amphibian 250 was a hit, so the White Shark is a logical follow-up. 

The stainless-steel case is 40mm in diameter and 13.5mm in peak, which is kind of versatile for a contemporary diver. Lug-to-lug is 46mm, as soon as once more guaranteeing nice consolation. The extensive unidirectional rotating bezel has basic “coin edge” knurling and field sapphire over the black bezel insert. Outdated radium lume is used for the reverse setup of Arabic numerals and you may clearly see the Fifty Fathoms inspiration. Nonetheless, it’s once more primarily based on Eska’s personal mid-century diver. The double-domed AR sapphire crystal has that outdated acrylic vibe and water resistance is rated at 250m (it’s proper within the title). A screw-down crown and strong case again reinforce its diving chops and two strap choices can be found – black two-piece NATO and “Sand” canvas. The latter matches the dial components nicely.

The white dial has a sandwich design with the indices being cutouts over an Outdated Radium lume clean beneath. Every has a printed crimson tip. Outsized Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock are printed in Outdated Radium and the hour and arrowhead minute arms have matching lume inserts. Though White Shark makes you consider the menace from the film Jaws, the title really comes from the white sails of Requin class sailboats.

Powering the White Shark is the at all times dependable Sellita SW200 automated with 26 jewels, a beat charge of 28,800vph (4Hz) and a 38-hour energy reserve. Capabilities embrace central hours, minutes, hacking seconds and date (which isn’t utilized right here). It is a huge and welcomed improve from the sooner mannequin that used a Seiko NH38 automated.

The brand new Eska Amphibian 250 White Shark retails for EUR 908 (excl. tax) and is accessible to order instantly from Eska’s web site. Deliveries are anticipated by the tip of October.