Glashütte Original Debuts Its First Diver Chrono: The Enticing SeaQ Chronograph

Including a chronograph function in a dive watch is not a new concept. In an underwater environment, when seconds are precious, precision is critical, and the ability to do additional event timings is a natural and welcome complication. Throw in the needs of so-called working divers – welders, engineers, nautical researchers, photographers, videographers, and so on – and a chronograph becomes downright essential gear.

The new SeaQ Chronograph from Glashütte Original, the latest entry in the watchmaker’s Spezialist collection, may be a late-comer to the undersea chrono game, but the designers made sure that being one of the last ones in the pool created a very BIG splash.

How? What makes this diver special? Well, for starters, the SeaQ Chronograph’s tallying function is also a flyback timer, bringing an even fuller world of chronography to the owner’s wrist, above or below the seas.

Based on the in-house Calibre 37-23 automatic movement, the SeaQ Chronograph’s flyback ability allows you to quickly reset the central seconds hand to zero with one push. However, the chronograph timing continues instantly and unabated, so you can easily time multiple events. Which can be helpful, like when you’re asking yourself: “Are those sharks back there approaching me at about 10 feet every 20 seconds?”
 

An intriguing added functionality, to be sure, but the SeaQ Chronograph also impresses with its thorough and nuanced execution of the laundry list of must-have dive watch capabilities. These include Rhodium-plated indices and hands with Super-LumiNova; water resistance to 30 bar (300m or about 623 feet); knobby rotating dive bezel with a ceramic gauge inlay; “weekend proof” 70 hours of power reserve; DIN 8306 and ISO 6425 dive-testing certification; prominent screw-down crown; glove-friendly mushroom chrono pushers; and a solid 43.2mm stainless steel case.
 

I could go on, but the bottom line is that SeaQ Chronograph is a thoroughly pro-grade diving companion (and off-road companion and trail companion and so on).

So, while the Glashütte SeaQ Chronograph checks all the authenticity boxes, the designers also made great efforts to cover the style and design elements that are as important to the appeal of a dive watch as its legitimacy chops.

Appropriately, this premier edition is awash in deep blue (although, given Glashütte Original’s penchant for playing with color, you might be correct to expect more color options for the SeaQ Chronograph down the line). Plus, that cerulean hue is matched up to the sophisticated sunray main dial, the bicompax chrono sub-dials (30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, small seconds at 9 o’clock), the prominent double-digit date window at 6 o’clock, and the ceramic bezel insert.
 

The cardinal indices of 12 and 6 are delivered in large Arabic numerals on the hours and minutes, with only minimal but necessary indexing for the two sub-dials. That leaves the rest of the gauging as a technical symphony of bar markers and hash marks, leaving the entirely of the dial relatively uncluttered and open feeling, even with the large date at 6 o’clock.
 

Additionally, if you look closely, you’ll spot a small white lumed dot halfway down the small seconds hand and a large arrowhead on the hours hand; nice design touches to highlight critical, at-a-glance functions.

An exhibition caseback reveals the Calibre 37-23 movement, which brings an air of unexpected elegance to the rugged presentation with gold-accented details, a column-etched rotor and bridge plates, and more.