One surefire way to design a great homage watch is to borrow bits and pieces from a collection of iconic influences with a common thread, creating a mosaic dedicated to a certain time period or genre, rather than a specific watch.
Héron nailed this exercise in 2023 with the Marinor dive watch, a well-balanced and enthusiast-pleasing ode to 1950s aquatic tool watches. After being out of stock for more than a year, the Quebecois watch brand unveils a new-and-improved version of its best-seller.
The Marinor II is streamlined in both size and appearance, with the most obvious visual update being the removal of Héron’s flying bird logo from the dial. It creates a cleaner look, more in tune with its influences.
Classic diver fans will spot those influences right away, but the Canadian watchmaker cites its sources on a detailed product page. The Marinor collection draws from 1950s examples of the Rolex Submariner, Omega Seamaster 300, and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms.
The second generation of the Marinor, developed by tinkering with the original design for over a year, is available in four dial colors with matching bezels topped with curved sapphire crystal inserts.
There are three fumé dials in the grayish Atlantic Blue, the teal Caribbean Blue and the minty Menthol Green. But the option that comes closest to its vintage inspiration is the black-and-gilt dial.
