CHF 1,890, Doxa
Recognisable by its characteristically Seventies oval case, this is one of the most legitimate modern dive watches. Its maker, Doxa, played a key role in the development of dive watches as the co-inventor, in the late ‘60s, of the helium escape valve: a vital feature when deep-sea diving. Now the brand is back centre-stage with an offering composed entirely of dive watches. This SUB 300T is an icon. Better still, it won’t break the bank.
SUB 300T Professional in steel, 42.5 x 44.5mm, automatic movement, date in an aperture, steel bracelet.
CHF 2,450, Maurice Lacroix
Launched in 2016 and a creative mainstay at Maurice Lacroix, the Aikon is the sport-luxe watch par excellence. Perfect for all occasions, it is astonishingly well priced for a mechanical movement (visible through the sapphire back) with a personalised oscillating weight. The orange dial is decorated with traditional Clous de Paris. Swapping out the steel bracelet for a rubber strap takes seconds, with no need for tools, thanks to the EasyChange system. Available in 42mm, 39mm and 35mm sizes.
Aikon in steel, 42mm diameter, automatic movement, date in an aperture, steel bracelet. Limited edition of 888.
CHF 4,850, Breitling
This authentic dive watch, rated water-resistant to 300 metres, harks back to the first dive watches of the 1950s. Orange stands for style, with an on-point rubber strap, as well as visibility, with an orange hand and two orange indices against a black dial. In fact not just orange, but yellow, red, green, blue, indigo and violet, too. A professional tool watch gets the rainbow treatment, to fabulous effect.
Superocean in steel, 42mm diameter, automatic movement, rubber strap.
CHF 7,400, Zenith
The Zenith Defy Revival A3648 is an authentic reissue of the 1969 Defy A3648, now one of the most sought-after vintage dive watches among collectors, and a vivid reminder that no decade embraced orange like the Seventies. Its octagonal case jumps out for the position of the winding crown, at 4:30. Inside, an Elite 670 automatic movement is on show through the sapphire back, while the five-link bracelet in steel has the same Gay Frères design as the original.
Defy Revival A3648 in steel, 37mm diameter, automatic movement, date in an aperture, steel bracelet.
CHF 8,000, TAG Heuer
This resolutely modern chronograph channels TAG Heuer’s longstanding ties to motorsport. With an aesthetic modelled on the inside of an engine, the in-house skeletonised TH20-00 calibre effectively replaces the dial by carrying the indices, hands, subdials, small seconds and date. Further referencing motor racing, the attachments for the integrated rubber strap are inspired by the air intakes on a racing car.
Carrera Extreme Sport in titanium and ceramic, 44mm diameter, automatic skeleton chronograph movement, date in an aperture, rubber strap.
CHF 8,720, Hermès
A so-chic newcomer joins Hermès’s watch collection in the form of the Cut, a model that stays true to the house’s “if you know you know” elegance. What at first glance looks like a round case in fact has a sliver of metal shaved from its sides. Several versions are available, including this one in rose gold and steel on an interchangeable rubber strap whose colour has nothing to do with trends but tradition, as orange has always been Hermès’s signature shade.
Cut in rose gold and steel, 36mm diameter, automatic movement, rubber strap.
CHF 11,900, Bell & Ross
One of the most “extreme” Bell & Ross watches. The BR-X5’s multi-part case construction includes top and bottom plates in carbon surrounding a titanium container, which in turn protects a formidable manufacture movement: the automatic Calibre BL-CAL.323 that supplies 70 hours of power reserve. It would have been a shame not to protect this high-flyer with an orange gasket between the carbon and titanium layers. A colour-matched rubber strap seals the deal.
BR-X5 in carbon and titanium, 41 x 41mm, automatic movement, power-reserve indicator, panoramic date, rubber strap.
CHF 26,900, Hublot
Bang on trend, Hublot was the first brand to utilise orange ceramic for its watches. Powering this chronograph is a skeletonised version of the in-house Unico 2 movement. Skeleton watches are not always the most legible but the orange numerals, hands and subdials of this Big Bang Unico ensure that won’t be a problem here. This tool watch is mounted on a rubber strap that can be instantly swapped out thanks to Hublot’s patented One Click system.
Big Bang Unico in ceramic, 42mm diameter, automatic skeleton chronograph movement, date in an aperture, rubber strap. Limited edition of 250.
