Modern naval watches

« Luxury with nautical caliber »

Ever since the construction of precise marine chronometers for determining longitude was first achieved in the 18th century, seafaring has been inextricably linked with advanced timekeeping. From Breguet to MÜHLE Glashütte, many watch brands look back on a rich history in shipping and let the heritage live on into their collections today. Let’s set sail and explore some of the most spectacular marine watches in 2022 – without spinning yarns, promise!

What features must a marine watch have?

First designed for mass use in 1759 by John Harrison, mechanical marine chronometers had to meet the highest precision standards of their time and were of elementary importance for navigation on the high seas. Today’s marine watches for the wrist are not systematically different from other timepieces, but rather distance themselves from other types of watches through their history. Breguet, for example, can base its marine collection on the proud function of the company’s founder as French Minister of the Navy, while Mühle Glashütte maintains its own department for the production of nautical instruments – nautics is even mentioned in the manufacturer’s logo. The extent to which the technology of the timepiece is optimized for ocean use, in addition to its appearance and marketing, depends on the manufacturer. Sinn, for example, builds marine watches for the special maritime units of the GSG 9, which requires extensive adaptation for use on the high seas.

MÜHLE Glashütte Seebataillon GMT

Designed as an operational watch for the German Navy’s maritime battalion, this marine watch (Ref. M1-28-62-KB) brings not only 300-meter water resistance but also a second time zone to the hanging wrist of soldiers frequently deployed abroad. In the dial, double indices and a split triangle marking day and night ensure outstanding legibility, which is further enhanced by the hefty case diameter of 45 millimeters. Nevertheless, to ensure good ergonomics, the body is made of lightweight titanium and features an offset crown at four o’clock to prevent pressing into the back of the hand. Despite all its professionalism, the MÜHLE Glashütte Seebataillon GMT does not let itself be deprived of emotional details: A visible case back, for example, which allows unobstructed views into the automatic SW 330-1 (Mühle version). No question: this marine watch has earned its title.

Sinn UX S GSG 9

The 44-millimeter Sinn UX S GSG 9 (Ref. 403.062) also strives for maximum professionalism, which begins with the special case hardening (TEGIMENT technology) with subsequent PVD coating and continues inside, where HYDRO technology ensures absolutely mirror-free reading of the marine watches by means of an oil filling. The case’s water-resistance makes for open mouths: made of German submarine steel, it can withstand a whopping 12,000 meters of depth (1,200 bar of pressure), putting it in the shade of the entire diving watch market. Still, things are likely to get uncomfortable at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, because the special quartz movement of the marine watch can “only” handle a water depth of 5,000 meters. Still an unrivaled value, which makes the Sinn UX the official service watch of the maritime GSG-9 special forces. Extensive testing procedures in accordance with European diving equipment standards ensure that every UX keeps its promises during missions that can mean the difference between life and death.

Breguet Marine Automatic

Pure luxury brings the Breguet Marine Automatic (Ref. 5517BB/Y2/5ZU) to the wrist: crafted in 18-karat white gold, the 40-millimeter instrument catches the eye with the beautiful blue hue of its dial, the center of which is crowned by an elaborate wave pattern. Somewhat surprising for a handmade piece of royalty is the sporty rubber strap, but it suits the Marine excellently and is rounded off by a folding clasp in the prestigious case material. Whether we would really use the luxurious, clearly five-digit priced work of art in tough marine use, we dare to doubt. We’d rather admire the automatic manufacture movement 777A, let the bold Roman numerals take their effect on us, and relax in the certainty that the marine can withstand 100-meter water depths – but we’d rather not test it out.

MIDO Ocean Star Chronograph

The MIDO Ocean Star Chronograph (Ref. M026.627.37.051.00), with its 44-millimeter diameter and black-coated stainless steel case, can be taken to its limits with less pain. A particular highlight is the nautical tachymeter scale for calculating speed in nautical miles, but the Ocean Star’s history also speaks for itself: first introduced in 1944, it was one of the world’s first water-resistant watches, with its stainless steel monocoque case and specially developed cork gasket. The model shown here can dive down to 200 meters and, with its automatic chronograph, has a function that not every marine watch can boast. Our opinion: An outstanding overall package at a fair price.

Fortis Marinemaster

Inspired by cool mountain water, the new Serenity Blue hue in the Fortis Marinemaster (Ref. F8120004) is intended to bring peace of mind and relaxation to the wearer. Given the special sustainability, no problem: the 40-millimeter case of the marine watches is made of recycled steel, withstands 200 meters of water resistance and has been equipped with a technical innovation. The so-called Gear Bezel is a bezel made of black stainless steel that is optimized for maximum grip. The time indicator is just as unlikely to get lost from your eyes as it is from your hand, because the high-end luminous material Superluminova X1 ensures a particularly bright glow in the dark. Our tip: If you order the Marinemaster on the “Horizon Strap,” a chic rubber strap, a perfect color match between the dial and bracelet is guaranteed.

U-Boat Classico 45 Bronzo A BR

Marine watches through and through are the extravagant creations of U-Boat – after all, the entire history of the manufacturer is built on construction plans developed by the grandfather of today’s owner and design fanatic Italo Fontana for the Italian naval fleet during World War II. The U-Boat Classico 45 Bronzo A BR (Ref. 8103) is one of the most striking creations in today’s product portfolio – not because of its 45 millimeter diameter, but because of its bronze case with left-hand crown and safety bar. In typical U-Boat fashion, the dial features huge numerals at 4, 8 and 12 o’clock.

U-Boat Classico 38 Pink Mother of Pearl

The same layout also characterizes the dial of the U-Boat Classico 38 Pink Mother of Pearl (Ref. 8480), which combines the concept of a marine watch from the pink mother-of-pearl dial to diamond-set numerals with feminine accents. The left-sided crown with safety latch is something the ladies’ watch inherits from its big brothers, but not the dimensions – 38 millimeters is a well-proportioned measurement. From a functional point of view, 50 meters of water resistance do not make the Classico a high-performance marine watch, but who cares? Ladies with a penchant for exotic and self-confident wrist accents should definitely get to know this piece of jewelry.