Squale is commonly considered form of a hidden gem of the dive watch scene, a model that speaks principally to hardcore divers and seasoned aquatic watch fans. Created by Charles Von Büren in 1959, who additionally made instances for a number of different firms (army Fifty Fathoms watches, for instance), the model gained fame because of its connections with celebrated explorers and divers, amongst that are Cousteau and Mayol. Alongside the Squale-Grasp line, one other mannequin exemplifies what the model does finest: the Squale 2001, a late Nineteen Sixties barrel-shaped watch that was reproduced in restricted version final 12 months – for the model’s sixty fifth anniversary – and now comes again as a everlasting assortment.
Final 12 months, as a part of its 65-year celebrations, Squale unveiled an interesting watch, a trustworthy copy of the reference 2001. This watch is especially vital for the model as it’s based mostly on the historic mannequin that legendary explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau gifted throughout the 1972 Antarctic expedition to Michel Laval, first officer of the Calypso, Cousteau’s famed analysis vessel. In comparison with the Squale Grasp, the 2001 is available in a barrel-shaped case with hidden lugs and was the primary watch to include the “push to launch” expertise, permitting the bezel to be locked after setting the dive instances. A stable watch with 100ATM water-resistance, it paved the way in which for iconic collections just like the Squale 2002 and 2003. Final 12 months’s restricted version, consisting of solely 300 items, was a trustworthy copy of the mannequin chosen by Jacques Cousteau, with the identical color mixture – black and orange bezel over a black dial.
This 12 months, the Squale 2001 Dive Watch comes again within the model’s everlasting assortment in three new (and totally different) combos of colors. Identical to the LE of 2024, the brand new fashions are faithfully reproducing the design and proportions of the unique, but now with extra fashionable supplies and mechanics. As such, the basic, well-protected barrel-shaped case retains its 40mm diameter, with a compact size of solely 43.6mm – completely wearable, but solidly constructed. Now with a 600m water-resistance, the case is 13mm in thickness. The crown is seamlessly built-in into the case and positioned as soon as once more at 4 o’clock.
The bezel, not like the historic bakelite model, now includes a single-color sapphire glass insert for enhanced sturdiness. Identical to within the Nineteen Sixties, the bezel is supplied with a complicated “push-to-release” system – a security mechanism that permits it to unlock in each instructions solely with perpendicular stress, guaranteeing most safety even within the occasion of unintended impacts. The dial is protected by a flat AR-coated sapphire crystal and the again is a stable metal factor screwed to the case.
Three variations of the Squale 2001 are actually being launched. The primary one includes a black bezel with a luminous 60-minute scale and a matte orange dial. The second retains the identical bezel insert however brings a sunray-brushed darkish blue dial. Lastly, the Sand model comes with a completely luminous bezel insert with a 60-minute scale printed in black and a matte black dial. On all three, the dial is surrounded by a white minute observe, and all components of the dial – fingers and utilized markers – characteristic a beneficiant quantity of Tremendous-LumiNova C3.
Contained in the case, the ETA 2772 discovered within the authentic fashions has been changed by a Sellita SW200, a tried-and-tested Swiss motion recognized to be an excellent different to the ETA 2824. Utilized in its élaboré model, it runs at 4Hz and shops about 38 hours of energy reserve. One other, very cool historic contact is the return of a period-correct stainless-steel bracelet with open “ladder-style” hyperlinks, closed by a contemporary folding clasp. A really good contact that provides lots of character to this already good, vintage-oriented watch.
Now accessible from the model and its retailers, the brand new Squale 2001 assortment is out there from EUR 1,770, CHF 1,490 or USD 1,590… Not unhealthy for a storied re-edition with stable specs and really interesting design. Extra particulars at www.squale.ch.
