Master Titanium 120ATM 65th Anniversary

To celebrate its 65th birthday, Squale reintroduces yet another fantastic timepiece to reflect on its distinguished watchmaking legacy. With a blend of a classic design, modern materials, and spectacular underwater performance, the Squale Master is an excellent titanium timepiece from Squale, packed full of exciting features for both professional divers and avid watch enthusiasts. Best yet, it's the first time Squale bringing back its iconic Squale Masters from the sixties.


Since its founding in 1946 by dive enthusiast Charles von Büren in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Squale has pushed the boundaries of dive watches with its continuous pursuit of avant-garde innovation. This was remarkably demonstrated in the late 1960s with the release of the groundbreaking Master collection, achieving the first-ever 1000m dive watch without needing a helium escape valve. Before even a time when rubber gaskets and screw-in case-backs were widely implemented on dive watches, Squale designed an ingenious ring lock system, securing the case back with a threaded metal ring, in tandem with several state-of-the-art engineering.


Squale Master Titanium 120ATM 65th Anniversary

Having understood the requisites of divers, Squale strives to bring professional divers with highly reliable timepieces to withstand unforgiving underwater environments. As a highly-respected leader in the dive watches industry in the '60s and '70s, numerous renowned Swiss watches manufacturers such as Tag Heuer, Doxa, and Blancpain sought out Squale's watchmaking expertise to manufacture robust and well-designed cases for their watches. Today, Squale remains an illustrious family-run business based in Italy - ceaselessly creating magnificent timepieces that faithfully embody the adventurous spirit of Charles von Büren.


Intriguingly, Squale not only re-mastered this reissued skin-diver based on the current Squale's signature Master series case but also executed with a case material that has never been used in Squale's entire history. Until recently… The masterfully crafted, high satin-polished Grade 5 titanium case of the Squale Master clads a classic silhouette that harks back well over six decades, where the watchmaker even engineered the renown Fifty Fathoms 3H Bund for Blancpain during the seventies. The iconic case certainly reflects Squale's extensive experience in the artistry of producing exemplary watch cases, as robustly built and over-engineered just like the ones made for the Bundeswehr Kampfschwimmer, as it is with the newest Galeazzi and Marina Militare divers.


This timeless and distinctive case design, known as the esteemed "Von Büren case," bears a classic '60s aesthetic. The case features a screw-down crown at the 4 o'clock position cleverly tucked underneath the case construction, minimizing the risk of accidental knocks that may harm the movement. The use of grade 5 titanium material allows it to be extremely lightweight without affecting its technical features.

Retro "sandwich" dial technique


This time, Squale went above and beyond to upgrade the dive watch case with an additional helium escape valve at the 9 o'clock position, providing uncompromised driving performance up to 1200m water-resistant, as it discharges built-up pressure during decompression. Again, a vital but straightforward feature aligns with Comsubin's values of design excellence in developing powerful underwater technologies.


Dimensions on the titanium diver are upgraded from the previous special Galeazzi edition. It hits the sweet spot between a classic vintage size and bold tool watches of the present. In the same spirit as the original Master collection, it measures a gratifying case diameter of 41.65mm, a lug-to-lug distance of 48.9mm, and a case thickness of 16.15mm. It is a piece that excels in its beautifully proportioned case, keeping it highly wearable on a wide range of wrist sizes while tackling the ocean's depth. 


Since the entire case is lightweight titanium, the watch wears more comfortably without feeling the hefty weight of a usual stainless steel case with the exact dimensions. It is then fitted with convenient drilled lug holes for an easy strap change; the Squale Master pairs well with a 20mm titanium bracelet for the first time ever. Made out entirely of grade 5 titanium, it is also the first bracelet specifically designed for the “Von Buren” case, while the design can hark back to those that were made in the 1960s. With its lightweight yet sturdy built, the bracelet guarantees comfortability for its wearer.

Multi-polished finishings found throughout the case

The bracelet is further defined by its bushing pin adjustment system, allowing one to adjust the length by removing each link easily. To strap it on, the titanium bi-fold deploying clasp comes with a safety system with its side wings in which user allows to release.

This time, Squale went above and beyond to upgrade the 50 ATMOS case with an additional helium escape valve at 9 o'clock, providing the watch with uncompromised driving performance as it discharges built-up pressure during decompression. A vital but straightforward feature aligns with values of design excellence in developing powerful underwater technologies.

While a vintage-inspired dive watch, the Squale Master pulls off a classic look with phenomenal modern materials. The scratch-resistant ceramic bezel is brush finished in black, a 120-click unidirectional diving bezel exhibits a pleasing lustre in different angles, capturing the utilitarian look with its aged Super-Luminova minute markings. This design is instantly recognizable as a style reminiscent of the stunning bezel in one of the exceedingly iconic dive watches. For a vintage touch, each hour marker on the dial, including the 12 o'clock triangle, is treated with old radium Super-LumiNova luminescent for a charming aged look while bestowing a bright glow in the dark.

Superluminova glows in the dark

Zooming into the main highlight of the Squale diver, the captivating multi finished dial ensures maximum legibility with its substantial round and block-shaped hour markers and broad pencil-style hands. The Squale further clads much Italian flair with a "sandwich" dial design where the markers are placed below the matte black dial, forming two different layers. Not stopping here, the top surface on each hour plots are then applied with metallic frames that outlines the holes of the dial, finished in brush polishing to match with its hands and case.

Under the deep dark depths of the ocean, overcoming the lack of light and decreased legibility is a menacing challenge for divers. Fortunately, underwater legibility is one of the most vital attributes of the watch; packing a matching minute hand and a generous filling of "Swiss SuperLumiNova luminescent treatment, " the hands and markers are applied with the same luminous. Together, they exhibit a charming retro appeal while offering bright green glow-in-dark lighting.

Marking the special anniversary for the respected brand, the dial of the Squale Master displays both the Squale logo at the 12 o'clock position and the iconic shark logo with red “Master” text at the 6 o'clock position. At the 3 o'clock position, the hour marker is replaced with a subtle date window, matching the dial seamlessly with a black date wheel with contrasting white text.


120 ATM Water Resistance - Helium Valve

With an emphasis on incredible underwater performance, the titanium diver has a thick 4mm scratch-resistant sapphire crystal protecting the exquisite dial and a screw-down case back, achieving a hefty water resistance of 1200m, ready for undersea adventures. The case back signed with its proud logo, marked with a unique wave pattern to signify its tribute to its heritage.

Underneath the solidly-built exterior, the watch is driven by the Swiss-made Sellita SW200 Elaboré grade automatic movement, which has a 4 Hz beat rate of 28,800 beats per hour (BPH), calibrated to achieve higher accuracy. This 26-jewel movement is a tried-and-tested "workhorse" movement renowned for its impeccable reliability, featuring hand-winding and hacking capabilities with a power reserve of 40 hours.


All that said, the Squale Master truly sets itself with a new milestones, where the brand had honed its crafts with never-been-used case material, made specially to celebrate its 65th anniversary. Apart from these novelties, the brand has consistently delivered impressive performance and stunning designs, which is no surprise with Squale's rich heritage of producing fine dive watches. Lastly, the Master timepiece takes things to a new level with a watch that combines all the correct elements to accomplish what many would describe as a perfect tribute watch from Squale.