Aquadive a unique watchmaking company. Founded during an era where dive watches were on every company’s to-do list. The company, whose headquarters are located in Austria and its watchmaking facilities in Germany and Switzerland, sets itself apart from other competitors. It has a very specific approach to manufacturing instruments solely for the dive watch sector. Aquadive is owned by the Synchron group, who also owns the Tropic strap bands company and ISOfane. Passionate dive watch historian, Rick Marei decided to revive the company name, reclaiming its approach to developing reliable yet affordable dive watches from modern materials using expert assembly and production techniques.
Aquadive was founded in the 1960s during a time when steel sports watches were beginning the enter a cult like craze. The fascination for sporty, water ready watches has, since then, never diminished making every Aquadive watch as relevant and desirable now as it was 60 years ago. The first few Aquadive watches entered the market before digital wrist computers were ever a thing, meaning that the reliability and robustness of a dive watch, not to mention its legibility, was paramount. Underwater watches and depth gauges were a much needed tool to prevent a skilled diver from overstaying his time underwater and running out of air.
One thing that gained Aquadive watches such popularity was the brand’s unique position within the industry. Its products were positioned alongside wet suits and other diving equipment in specialist surfer and dive shops, granting the brand instant association to the diving world. The entire Aquadive collection covers everything from shallow snorkelling watches to expertly crafted deep sea instruments. The Aquadive 1000 was one of the company’s most successful wristwatches since it was one of the very few first five watches on the market to offer an impressive 1000 metre water resistance. Engaging their distinct character even more were their range of vivid dial colours and tropical coal reef inspired hands.
The company’s most famous dive watch of all time however, was the Time Depth Model 50, created in 1970. Its oil filled depth gauge was combined with a huge rotating bezel, a case depth of 20mm and a staggering 47mm case diameter, a size that was unfounded during this era. It was powered by a Dynatron electronic movement. The innovative design resolved the problem of a diver having to wear a watch on one wrist and a depth gauge on the other. The Time Depth Model 50 combined the two.
Sadly, the rise of the quartz watch market shortly after caused Aquadive to lay dormant for some years until finally, in 2011, it was revived again. Rick Marei chose to pull original watch cases from the brand’s archives into modern designs, fulfilling his passion once again for diving and reinventing the Aquadive name. Updated seals, crystals and dials were then added to these reborn dive watches. In addition to this Aquadive has since launched the Bathyscaphe watch inspired by the original Time Depth Model 50 timepiece, which remains the flagship watch within the current Aquadive portfolio.
