Among the canon of purpose-built watches for the armed forces of the world, there is perhaps none that’s as function-forward in the purity of its design as the mil-sub dive watch. Australian-founded watch brand Bausele has just announced its own take on this iconic design, with a pair of diver watches that celebrate the famed asymmetric case shape and champion its wearers by being assembled by US military veterans.
Both members of the Bausele US Army collection are made to the strict military specifications MIL-W-46374F, featuring blacked-out cases that measure 39.5mm in diameter and 9.5mm thick (without the domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal) and unidirectional 60-minute rotating dive bezels. A detail present in many of Bausele’s watches is the hollowed-out crown filled with a few grains of sand, in this case, gathered from US military forts. The sandwich-style dials are available either in a sandy beige tone or black to match the case, while the hands and hour markers are filled with luminescent material to be easy to read no matter the lighting conditions.
Powering the Bausele diver watch is the bulletproof Sellita SW200 movement with 38 hours of power reserve, protected by an engraved solid caseback that guarantees the watch 200m of water resistance. While the “anti-negative vibes” engraving might be polarising for some, it’s a reminder of the spirit the watches were created in. The Bausele US Army collection is currently available at the brand’s online store and its Sydney boutique, with an RRP of $1,774 (with a current pre-order discount down to $1,242).
