Aquadive is one of those brand names that died out during the Quartz Crisis years but has been brought back to enjoy new popularity thanks to the uptick in interest in retro dive watches. The new Aquadive brand has been careful to stay true to original designs while updating where it counts, like materials, movements and in some instances, size. Now the brand has announced plans to produce a version of its vintage-style dive watches with a manufacture movement from Vaucher Fleurier and it’s a pretty intriguing proposition.

Aquadive’s first efforts since its rebirth focused on two Bathyscaphe models, the 100 and the 300, that harken back to the Time-Depth 50 watch of yore, as well as a “new old stock” reference that put new movements in original 1970s cases. The tonneau-shaped steel (and one bronze version) cases of the Bathyscaphe are made in Germany and are well finished with tall fluted bezels and quality that rivals watches costing a lot more. The 300 has one of the deepest water resistance ratings available, at a whopping 3,000 meters. Swiss ETA movements tick inside, protected by soft iron movement holders that provide a measure of magnetism resistance. All the Aquadive watches come in at considerably less than $3,000, making them attractive alternatives to the bigger brands in the dive watch space. With the new Bathysphere 500 Fleurier Twin Barrel, that alternative got even more attractive.

Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier builds movements for Parmigiani Fleurier and for the high end pieces from Hermès. While Vaucher is known for some complicated calibres, its twin barrel motor to be fitted in the Aquadive Bathysphere 500 Fleurier Twin Barrel is time-and-date only. The difference between this movement and the ETAs in other Aquadives comes down to those nuances that watch nerds have such a hard time explaining to non-watch nerds. A clear case back, not found on the Bathyscaphe 100 or 300, is a giveaway that this is a movement to look at. Finishing is befitting a high end Swiss manufacture, with lots of circular graining, Geneva stripes, chamfered edges and polished screws, in addition to an attractive skeletonized and engraved rotor. The twin barrels mentioned in the watch’s full name endow it with 60 hours of power reserve, which is better than the 38 you might get from an ETA, but the real advantage is the steady chronometric rate it allows across most of that power reserve. The movement is adjusted in five positions but will not carry a chronometer certification.