The U.S.-based watchmaker keeps pleasing us with new models of their inexpensive, yet lovingly designed and finely crafted timepieces. The recently introduced Deep Blue Marine Diver 500, for example, is rated for depths of 500 meters and is elegant enough to be worn on a daily basis, not just with a dry suit.
Like it is often the case with professional-grade divers, the watch, however finely executed it is, is not for everyone.
I mean, a man of a normal physique (i.e. below 180 cm of height and less than 85 kilos of ripped muscle tissue) will probably look somewhat stupid while wearing such a huge timepiece with jeans or, God forbid, formal attire (yes, last year I have seen a guy in a business suit wearing a Breitling Super Avenger, and I am still struggling to recover from the moral trauma.)
However, if you spend a great deal of time in a gym or are naturally a man of heroic proportions, then, as I said, this timekeeper may become a nice casual watch for you.
Similar in styling to their Depthmaster 3000 super-diver, which is rated for whole 3000 meters, the new watch is considerably smaller.
In fact, with its case 46 millimeters in diameter and 15 millimeters in height, it is based on another 500-meter diver: the sporty Alpha Marine 500 that was revealed last month.
I am not sure about this, but it looks like both models share the same stainless steel body, as well as (of that I am certain) the same Swiss-made ETA 2824-2 automatic movement.
Visually, the watches are different from each other only with their dials, as well as the bezels (the Alpha Marine 500 sports a Rolex style bezel, while the Marine Diver 500 is inspired by models from Breitling.)
Talking about the dials, it must be noted that the timekeeper comes with a choice of four faces: black, blue, orange, and yellow. Both serve as a flawless background for the huge luminous hands, hour markers, and the oversized Arabic numeral at 12 o’clock, the dials are not the same.
As you may have already noticed in the nighttime photos, the blue (as well as the orange and yellow) dial is slightly luminous, while the black one is totally inert.
To my taste, the black not only looks better but also serves its purpose more effectively: there is no need for a luminous dial, when all its elements are luminous, too.
As far as I understand, the watch is available right now both in stainless steel and in a black PVD steel body. You can order it on Deep Blue’s website at a ridiculously low (well, at least for a watch that is powered by a real Swiss-made movement) price of $599.
See also: Deep Blue Daynight T-100 Tritium Flat Tubes Diver
Photos: Deep Blue
Deep Blue Marine Diver 500 specification
Price: $600
Movement: Automatic, caliber ETA 2824-2, 25 jewels, Swiss Made
Movement frequency: 28,800 vph
Movement decoration: Personalized Deep Blue oscillating weight
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 38 hours
Case: Stainless steel or black PVD steel
Shape: Tonneau
Bezel shape: Round
Size: 46.00 mm
Lug width: 24.00 mm
Case height: 15.00 mm
Dial: Black, Blue, Yellow, Orange
Numerals: Arabic
Hour markers: Luminous
Hands: Steel, luminous
Water resistance: 500 meters
Strap: Steel bracelet
Crystal: Sapphire, antireflective
Back: Transparent