Your average dive watch is perfectly capable of withstanding laps at the pool or an afternoon of snorkeling. But the new Oris AquisPro Date Cal 400 really ups the ante: It’s built for professional saturation divers, whose work brings them on extended dives hundreds of feet below the water’s surface. It’s a proudly utilitarian dive watch, and its upgraded automatic movement represents the forefront of mechanical dive watch tech.

 

 

The AquisPro Date Cal 400 is a new version of Oris’s existing AquisPro Date dive watch, and it comes loaded with features for professional divers. First of all, it’s big: The case measures 49.5mm in diameter. But it’s made from high-grade titanium, so it still feels light on the wrist. The rotating bezel—a common sight on dive watches—features a unique “Rotation Safety System,” or RSS, which allows the wearer to adjust the bezel, then lock it in place. This ensures you get an accurate time even if the watch bumps up against something. It’s a critical consideration for divers, who need to closely monitor their time underwater to ensure they have enough air supply. In addition, the bezel is made from scratch-resistant ceramic and lined with a grippy rubber bumper, so it’s easy to manipulate, even with gloves on.

 

Even the strap comes with thoughtful innovations. One is the Sliding Sledge Clasp, which allows the wearer to make fine adjustments to the fit of the watch without taking it off (particularly helpful when trying to dial in the fit around a wetsuit). The AquisPro also comes equipped with Oris Safety Anchor: If the watch clasp is released accidentally, two hooks grab the strap to keep it in place. When you’re working in the dark depths of the ocean, the last thing you want is to have to go looking for a watch that’s suddenly floated right off your wrist.

The watch’s technical specs are equally impressive. Oris’s automatic Calibre 400 movement powers the watch, and it boasts a five-day power reserve (and a 10-year guarantee). And as you’d expect, the AquisPro is highly water-resistant—it can resist water penetration down to 1,000 meters.

On top of all that, it’s a very handsome timepiece. The simple indices and subtle wave-pattern dial keep it from looking too overbearing, and the yellow markers on the bezel add a nice pop of color to an otherwise muted watch. “Tool watch” is an understatement—the AquisPro has strength and style in equal measure.

[$4,600; oris.ch]

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