To be considered a dive watch, a timepiece must be rugged and durable. It must be able to survive the rigors of a deep dive and keep perfect time coming out the other side. That’s why most dive watches are solid, thick pieces of metal, the better to protect the movement, while any idea of elegance is set aside. Reverie’s latest collection, simply called Diver, is not that.
This isn’t your usual 60s-style watch that attempts to recapture the glory days of diving that we’ve become so accustomed to lately. Reverie has approached the humble tool, always elegant school of design through their own lens.
After all, Reverie isn’t your average tool watch maker. Since 2014, their limited edition mechanical models have chosen elegance and beauty above all else, seemingly at odds with something as practical as a diver’s. However, Reverie sees it differently, hitting that sweet spot between utilitarianism and aestheticism.
The 40mm stainless steel case is already much slimmer than most chunky underwater timepieces on the market. Even more impressive, however, is that it’s only 11mm thick – despite having a sapphire caseback and a true diving bezel. This makes it thinner than almost any other diver, while retaining the same wear-resistant essentials to survive at depths of 200m. The end result is that it’s one of the few proper divers that’s truly wearable for slender wrists like ours.
The three dials, available in grey, blue and a stunning olive green, feature a gorgeous guilloché pattern, while legibility is maintained through the use of a scalloped layout and contrasting lume hour markers. In daylight, light gleams off the engraved colours; in the dark, you can clearly see the necessary information at a glance. Of the three, our favourite is the olive; it’s more interesting than the more common standard forest green, especially among divers, and strikes a nice balance between elegant minimalism and ornate decoration.
Inside, the Diver uses the Miyota 9039 movement, but it’s not like the micro-brand staple you’ve seen before. Reflecting the movement maker’s Japanese roots, and in keeping with the watch’s nautical theme, the rotor is engraved with an ocean wave “Seigaiha” motif. It’s certainly nicer looking than a generic branded rotor that finishes off a third-party movement, and it’s nice to see a brand not only acknowledge their outsourced movements, but include it as a feature.
Of course, Reverie is their micro-brand, and you don’t just get a great-looking, very practical timepiece; you get it secretly. The Diver is currently on Kickstarter, and early birds can get their hands on it for just $325. Even after the campaign ends, you’re looking at a full retail price of $500. That’s just under £400.
Price and Specs:
Brand: Reverie
Model: Diver
Case/Dial: 40mm diameter x 11mm thickness, stainless steel, guilloché dial
Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Movement: Miyota 9039, automatic
Power reserve: 42 hours
Frequency: 28,800 bph (4 Hz)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Strap: Brushed stainless steel bracelet with additional rubber strap
Price: $325 (early bird) or $500 (retail price), limited to 175 pieces per color
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