This Navy-Exclusive Dive Watch Is Now Available to the Public for the First Time

If it weren’t for the naval forces of the world, the dive watch as we know it today likely wouldn’t exist.

The first modern dive watch is widely considered to be the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, which was created in 1953 at the behest of France’s Marine Nationale.

Subsequent years saw additional innovation in the dive watch space in conjunction with various navies, including the Rolex Mil-Sub and Omega Seamaster 300 for the UK’s Royal Navy, the Tudor “Snowflake” Sub for the Marine Nationale and the Tornek-Rayville TR-900 and Benrus Type I/Type II for the U.S. Navy.

Another brand with deep (no pun intended) aquatic military ties is Squale. The Italian dive watch specialist famously produced reliable dive watch cases for brands like Blancpain and Doxa throughout the 1960s and ’70s, and in the 1980s, it began partnering with the Italian Navy, the Marina Militare.

Squale

Last year, Squale produced a new dive watch for the Marine Militare to issue exclusively to its members, built to the military branch’s exact specifications. Now, for the first and only time, that very same watch is being offered to the public in a limited run.

In the Navy

The Squale 2001 Marina Militare is a special version of the brand’s 2001 diver with some Italian Navy-requested modifications that are unique to this version.

Most significant is the case, which is a design you won’t find anywhere else in Squale’s catalog. It generally looks the same as other stainless steel 2001 cases, complete with the 4:00 crown, a signature of the collection since its 1960s debut, but it has been upsized at the Marina Militare’s request.

Rather than measuring 40mm across the case and 43.6mm long, this version boosts the diameter to 41.5mm and a length of 47.2mm for greater wrist presence.

Squale

The dial has also been redesigned for enhanced legibility. The indices are now applied in domed Super-LumiNova indices and are in a classic Submariner-style layout with an inverted triangle at 12:00, bars at 6:00 and 9:00 and dots elsewhere, giving them more surface area for greater illumination.

The color used for the sunray dial and fully graduated sapphire bezel insert is custom, with the exact shade being specified by the Italian Navy. It’s a deep, gorgeous blue that not only provides strong legibility when contrasted with its luminous markings, but also takes aesthetic inspiration from the branch’s official dress uniforms.

Squale

The caseback features an engraving of the Italian Navy emblem, and the watch comes with two straps: a blue rubber strap and a three-row steel bracelet with ladder-like ventilation for the first three links.

The rest of the specs are the same purpose-built features you’ll find on other Squale 2001 divers, including a flat AR-coated sapphire crystal, a push-to-turn locking bidirectional bezel, 600m of water resistance with a screw-down crown and a Swiss-made Sellita SW 200-1 automatic ticking away inside.

Squale

Availability and pricing

Squale assures that nothing has changed from the Navy-issued watch to this consumer-facing version. All specs, dimensions and markings are exactly the same. Even the way the watch’s serial number is assigned is just like it is on the military versions.

As part of Squale’s agreement with the Italian Navy that allows the brand to sell this military watch to the public, it has assured that this case and dial color will never be featured again together on the same watch. So if you like the look of this one, this is your only chance to get one.

The 2001 Marina Militare is limited to just 500 examples and is priced at $1,965, which includes the strap, bracelet and a wooden presentation box.

Squale

Squale 2001 Marina Militare

Specs

Case Size	41.5mm
Movement	Sellita Cal. SW 200-1 automatic
Water Resistance	600m

• $1,965 at Squale

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