In this review video, we will have a closer look at the Squale Atmos 20 automatic dive watch (Blue Ray variant) and we'll also examine the Beretta Teknys pocket knife.
Also, regarding being a Submariner homage, there is no doubt of that. It is Rolex (and James Bond of the 60s!) who made this watch design so popular. It's a shame that Rolex and their stepchild company Tudor original designs are so expensive. New steel Rolex Submariners go for about $8k now; WELL out of reach of the common person. Clean used ones start at about $4500. The Tudor dive watches are over $2k used, and have the same movement as these Squales. To me, the Rolex has better lume and a better clasp & bracelet (after many years of offering poor ones) But way too much advertising printed on the dial. I don't like the dials completely devoid of artwork, this Squale seems to hit the sweet spot. Steinhart's Ocean 1 series is a good option, but at 42mm case diameter, is not good for those of us with wrists smaller than 7" circumference. MK II makes a nice one, but costs double what a Squale 20 Atmos costs. Invicta is a customer service nightmare, and their original 8926 and similar models use a 5 bps Miyota movement. Nice bracelet and case though. Seiko is better than Invicta, but don't make a direct homage copy; just similar models, for example SKX007 (full size) and SKX013. (midsize) Those have quite a tall bezel that does not do well with shirt cuffs. This is one of the real strengths of the Submariner. (and its homages) The bezel is easy to grip, if machined sharply enough, yet it doesn't catch on cuffs. The Seikos, and Orients too, don't have hacking, hi-beat movements, and are not as accurate as the Swiss ETAs. Invicta makes a Swiss series, but they cost nearly as much as the Squale and only have a "fusion" crystal. (mineral with a sapphire coating) and again, the poor customer service in case you get a dud. I noticed Squale has a 50 Atmos out now, but they ask nearly $900 for it! They will price themselves out of the market at this rate. I hope they're smart enough to keep these original models in the $500 range.
I have a few different automatic watches and have always heard that hand winding will not hurt the movement. In fact impossible to overwind. Why is this watch different? Glad you're back with the best reviews on the internet!
You can indeed not overwind an automatic watch, but I read several times that the ETA 2824 is rather fragile when handwinding. People who tend to wind it often and completely have more risk for failure. Hence my recommendation to only wind enough for the movement to start.
If nothing else, hand-winding will wear the crown seals faster, so it will lose water resistance sooner. I second MrDagon007's recommendation to wind it just enough to get it going; maybe a turn or two more, but that's all.
Been shopping for watches for a while now and haven't found anything that really catches my eye. The Squale you have here looks to my eye elegant and would probably suit me better than other watches I've seen for casual everyday wear. I have a Rolex Datejust which was my grandfathers and after my 18th birthday was handed down to me. He died while I was too young to know him, but it's a beauty and has sparked my interest in watches! Of course I adore the Submariner but for now it's outside my budget and demographic, me being so young. The Atmos 20 seems to be something worth considering given it's looks against the Submariner. Thanks for sharing! Though for now I'll continue to shop around :)
For probably the best reasonably priced and good looking automatic dive watch, check out the Seiko SBDC001. I will eventually review it. It is really quite something. For incredible elegance, check out the German brand Nomos, though you already have a Datejust for formal occasions.
I own this Squale and a Steinhart Ocean One. There is no comparison. The Squale is really better. The only advantage of the Steinhart is the ceramic bezel. For the rest, the Squale wins.
I really like your reviews. Just a feedback; It will be nice if you tell the approximate price of the items that you present. Not in all your videos it is done.
Hi, I own a Squale 20 Atmos MAXI dial. Is it advisable for me to actually bring it for scuba diving since it is a diving watch? It says "water resistant 200m" but not "diver's 200m" right?
+MrDagon007 yea my lume too. It's a C3 but I think the lume duration is not up to my expectation. It turns way too dim in a very short period of time, about 10-15 minutes.
+Chiew See Hau I had a Deep Blue Master 2000 with the full lume dial. The lume wouldn't stay BRIGHT long, but it would last all night. When your eyes become dark adjusted, you can see it for a long time.
Thanks for the excellent review. I have some watch and knife reviews (but not in the same video) on my channel; check it out! I like your accent. Sounds Flemish? or maybe Swiss.
