Launched in 2002, its now more than ten years since Geneva based, Aquanautic, has been making waves with its collection of contemporary dive watches.
The main feature of Aquanautic watches is that they are one of the few companies to feature interchangeable parts on its timepieces, meaning that each watch can be customised to the preference of the wearer. In addition, each timepiece features a patented second hand designed in the shape of a propeller along with a specialised locking system for the crown that ensures excellent water resistance.
Aquanautic uses a fair amount of diamonds in its watch design, which isn’t often seen in many dive watches and could well divide opinion amongst dive watch enthusiasts. That said, the use of diamonds helps to add an element of versatility, meaning that some are suitable enough to wear in an everyday setting, which wearers of some diver’s watches struggle to get away with.
From a technical viewpoint, generally speaking, Aquanautic timepieces are pretty good, despite the issue of readability coming into play should you actually be doing any deep sea diving.
Aquanautic King Cuda 3 Hands
Launched in 2005, the Aquanautic King Cuda 3 Hands was one of the brand’s first releases. The watch is driven by a Swiss automatic ETA 2834-2 movement and features the trademark ‘propeller’ second hand. The titanium and 316L steel case measures 47mm in diameter and includes a treated sapphire crystal. You’ll also find an interchangeable rotating bezel, screw down crown and a screw down titanium and crystal case back.
The watch displays hours, minutes and seconds and has date and day displays at 6 and 12 o’clock respectively. The Aquanatice Kind Cuda is water resistant to 300m.
Aquanautic Super King Diving Tourbillon
Aquanautic introduced its first tourbillon complete with an eye catching composition back in 2009. The watch features a hand wound BNB 1450 calibre movement, flying tourbillon with 33 rubies. Beating at 21,600vph the Super King also has a 120hr power reserve. You can also start, stop and reset the chronograph function via its monopusher, which is useful.
The whopping 52mm case is crafted from titanium and 5N 18k pink gold and includes a rotating unidirectional bezel (also pink gold) and sapphire crystal with double anti reflective coating on the front and back. The watch is water resistant to 300m.
Whilst some may find the Aquanautic Super King Diving Tourbillon impressive, others will almost certainly find it all a bit overwhelming and you can’t help but wonder what happened to the idea that a divers watch should be rugged, able to withstand the odd bump or two and offer the wearer (or diver) crystal clear legibility under water. Ahh, I get it now, this is one of those ‘dive’ watches that only ever gets as far as desk diving around the office!
Aquanautic Furtiva
Released in the latter part of 2012, the most recent addition to the Aquanautic collection is the Furtiva watch. The watch’s main feature is undoubtedly the 66 diamonds that can be found on the bezel and dial. The 54 diamonds on the bezel weigh approximately 0.85ct, with the 12 diamond hour markers weighing in at 0.15ct.
The case is made from 316L stainless steel, measures 42mm diameter and includes a sapphire crystal. A second time zone is also displayed at the position of 6 o’clock.
The Aquanautic Furtiva includes a Quartz Rhonda 2603B movement and is water resistant to 200m. I have to say that I’m not sure about the inclusion of diamonds on a dive watch and for me the whole piece looks too elegant to go diving in, yet not stylish enough for a more dressy occasion, it’s kind of stuck somewhere in between. In fact, it could well fall into the all encompassing ‘sports watch’ category, uh oh.
Aquanautic King Cuda 3H Xtreme
Now that’s more like it, at least the Aquanautic resembles something like a diver’s watch! This is the King Cuda 3 Hands Xtreme collection. Measuring 47mm in diameter the dial offers pretty good readability. The dial also includes a day and date indicator between 4 and 5 o’clock.
The watch is driven by an ETA automatic 2834-2 movement, with a 38hr power reserve. The stainless steel and titanium case has been PVD treated meaning that it is as every bit as sturdy as it looks.
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