The 5 Best Gnomon x Squale Limited Editions Watches

Gnomon Watches has an excellent working relationship with Squale, often collaborating on limited-edition timepieces that are hugely popular among watch collectors and enthusiasts. The other day, one of our colleagues remarked that he wondered how sought-after some of our Gnomon x Squale limited edition watches have become. Intrigued, we decided to do some digging. We plowed through our archives to find limited edition timepieces from Squale, exclusively sold through us, and agreed on five models to showcase today.

The models featured in this article were produced in extremely limited quantities and generated quite a bit of buzz when they first launched. Going into our archives took us down memory lane and reminded us of the excitement we felt when the watches were first introduced.

This article will look at five unique models and compare their retail prices to those on the secondary market. Price is not everything, especially when it comes to watches. What’s most important to collectors is the intrinsic delight and exhilaration of getting a timepiece they love. That delight is sweeter if it’s is a rare, limited-edition model.

As a close retailer and partner of Squale, we can share and propose ideas to the brand, creating incredible watches that we know are what fans have been longing for. The five timepieces we will be showcasing today are precisely that – a combination of the watchmaking expertise of Squale and our in-depth know-how and understanding of the watch market and consumers.

Squale 20 ATMOS 18K Yellow Gold Ref. 1545YG (2019)

The first watch on our list today is a heavy-hitter. Literally. Made of solid 18K gold, this Squale 20 ATMOS weighs 72g without any straps. The case, bezel, and crown are made of precious metal, featuring a mixture of high-polished and satin-brushed finishing. A full-gold Squale might surprise you, but this isn’t Gnomon x Squale’s first rodeo with the luxury metal. In May 2014, we released another 20 ATMOS in solid 18K gold, and that model sold out in no time.

Similarly, this 2019 edition was limited to only 20 pieces, and they too were sold out after just a few days. The main difference between the 2014 model and this would be the dial color. The former features a champagne dial matching the golden case, while the latter has a rich black dial. As an exemplary case maker for some of the most renowned brands in the industry, it is little wonder that Squale can deliver an expertly crafted gold watch case. The multifaceted finishing and beautiful rich black dial combine to make the 20 ATMOS 18K Yellow Gold a sight to behold, catching the eye from across the room. The 20 ATMOS 1545YG was also not exorbitantly priced for what it offered. At just USD 3,980 retail, the timepiece was priced significantly lower than its full-gold luxury counterparts. Thus, it provided tremendous value for the money, allowing one to enjoy a solid gold case without having to fork out a pretty penny. While we realize that value for money on a luxury gold watch can be a bit of an oxymoron, keep in mind that a solid gold Rolex Submariner retails for USD 36,950.

Curious to find out what the watch would be worth today, we decided to do some digging. Remember, Squale only produced 20 of the timepiece. Additionally, knowing that people who bought the watch would most likely keep it in their collection as any huge Squale fan would, it would be almost impossible to find one on the market today. After scouring the Internet, we saw a watch listing on a Danish website. The Squale Ref. 1545YG commands a price of 41,800 Danish Krones, which converts to about USD 6,000 (at the time of writing) – a 1.5 times increase from the retail price!

To be honest, the increase in price on the secondary market for the Squale 1545YG is of little surprise. When you have a precious metal watch produced in an extremely limited quantity, an increase in retail price is bound to happen. Also, a yellow gold Squale is unheard of and would be highly coveted. The rise in price squashes the thought that smaller brands like Squale do not hold their value well, and buying one is akin to throwing your money down the drain (harsh words, we know, but we have heard them before!)

Before you scoff at the USD 6,000 asking price for the Squale 1545YG now, the Rolex Submariner mentioned above would still be more than six times the price of the Squale. Now just let that sink in.

Squale 101 ATMOS Bronze Poliza Italiana di Stato Sommozzatori

Next, we have an exciting collaboration between Gnomon, Squale, and the Italian Police. Launched in June 2018, the bronze-case watch commemorated the Italian Police Dive Unit’s 60th anniversary. The Poliza Italiana commissioned Squale to produce the timepieces, and the dive unit was issued the wristwatches for operational use. Twenty-five pieces of the watches engineered to the police’s specifications were presented to the elite department on 8 June 2018. As part of their agreement, 60 wristwatches were approved to be sold to the general public. Gnomon Watches was the exclusive retailer of these prized pieces.

The brilliant bronze tonneau case was a marvel to look at, and despite its extravagant 1,000m of water resistance, the watch wears nicely on the wrist, thanks to its lug-less design. Apart from the standalone case design, the 101 ATMOS Bronze Poliza Italiana strap is also made from shark leather. The strap pairs beautifully with the marine-grade bronze case. Furthermore, the choice of materials here is also a match made in heaven, as Squale’s curved shark logo has been synonymous with the brand for decades.

When it was first released, the timepiece garnered much fanfare as it was a rare occasion that the watches used by the Italian police were made available to the public. It became an iconic watch instantly, with the 60 pieces up for grabs sold out in a few days. The wristwatch has become scarcer nowadays, but how much would it cost you if you were hunting for one? We did the heavy lifting for you and found that pieces hover around the USD 4,000 to 5,000 mark. The retail price back in 2018 was USD 1,780.

Every one of us at Gnomon is a watch enthusiast and shares the same passion for our brands – just like you do. With prices on the secondary market soaring to 2.6 times the retail price, it seems Squale fans love a unique collaboration between the brand and the Poliza Italiana. We do too, and that is why we worked, and still work, so hard to bring our fans unique collaborations with the brands that have been with us since day one.

Squale 50 ATMOS Originale Opaco

If we had to pick, this watch would be the one that we hold nearest and dearest to our hearts. Released in December of 2015, the timepiece was launched to celebrate the opening of our new boutique in Singapore at Millenia Walk. A limited-edition of 99 pieces, the watch borrowed design ideas and techniques from the original 1960s 50 ATMOS, hence the name Originale, whichis Italian for original. Our previous boutique was at Shaw Tower, and the move signified a step in the right direction for Gnomon Watches.

The Originale Opaco was also individually handmade using traditional watchmaking methods and artistry from the 1960s. Staying true to its original design, the 50 ATMOS Originale Opaco featured a no-logo case at nine and a bezel devoid of markings except for a triangle at 12. The Originale Opaco can also draw similarities to another Squale-made watch case for Blancpain – the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 3H Bund. You might wonder what a dive watch’s point is if the bezel has no markings. However, the lack of markers was a specification requested by the West German Bundeswehr Kampfschwimmer, the German naval commandos. The German commandos stayed underwater for hours (using rebreathers) rather than minutes; thus, a regular bezel’s markings were redundant.

The Squale 50 ATMOS Originale Opaco retailed for USD 990 back in 2015. Prices have varied over the years, but the most recent piece sold on watchuseek fetched USD 1,250. Watches sold earlier also commanded as high as USD 2,000, which is more than double the retail price.

Squale 30 ATMOS Tono-Argento Gnomon Exclusive

Of course, we are not claiming that all of Squale’s limited edition watches will rise in value like *cough* Rolex. If we did, this article would be all smoke and mirrors. We would also like to share a couple of Squale x Gnomon exclusives that are still beautiful limited edition watches with historical links that hold their value well despite not increasing in value.

The first one would be the Squale 30 ATMOS Tono-Argento. Released in October 2019 with a retail price of USD 1,280, the watch marked the diamond jubilee of the Squale brand. The phrase Tono-Argento means “silver-tone” and is reflected via the smokey-grey sunburst dial. The Tono-Argento draws inspiration from the first dive watch case that von Büren created – the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Aqualung diver.

Clearly, the 30 ATMOS Tono-Argento has rich historical references. Apart from that, it also inspired the new generation of Squale cases – the slim mid-case is a unique hallmark of the case construction and is now found on Squale’s modern 1521 50 ATMOS offerings.

When we tried to find pieces available online, there were not many listings. This lack of sale listings may show that owners thoroughly cherish their purchases and are not moved to sell them. We found a listing on eBay for the limited-production model at USD 1,400, but it seems the listing is already sold out. Used examples traded for USD850 on places like MyWatchMart in 2020.

While it might seem like the value fluctuates volatilely, it is worth noting that this comparison is based on brand new and used examples listings. Furthermore, there is a far greater intrinsic value attached to the timepiece than any price would suggest. This watch celebrated the 60th anniversary of Squale, is based on the famous 1960s Aqualung, and further resulted in the creation of the 1521 50 ATMOS cases today. There is nothing in Squale’s catalog quite like it.

Squale 30 ATMOS Giramondo GMT Robin Blue

The last watch on the list is quite the looker. With a painstakingly crafted enamel bezel insert, the timepiece is a marvelous piece of watchmaking from the esteemed case manufacturer. We already know that Squale is a fantastic case manufacturer, but who knew they were capable of producing stunning bezels like this?

The making of the enamel bezel insert is entirely done by hand by the finest craftsmen and is one of the most tedious skills to master. Every step is executed carefully, from cleaning the base plate to the oxide application and firing. After the bezel insert is baked and shaped, steel markers are applied to the surface and filled with epoxy to seal it completely. Due to their handmade nature, no two bezel inserts will look the same. The enamel bezel insert exudes a vintage charm that makes the whole piece compelling. This limited-edition timepiece is value-for-money at the retail price of USD 1,080, offering a Swiss-made GMT watch with a beautifully hand-crafted bezel insert.

Since its release in 2019, the Giramondo GMT Robin Blue has appeared on a couple of watchuseek listings for around USD 750 to USD 800. That is incredible value for such a rare, wonderfully executed timepiece. Alternatively, you can pick up a brand new set over at Yahoo Japan for 191,482 Japanese Yen or around USD 1,432 (at the time of writing) after currency conversion.

The value of the Squale 30 ATMOS Giramondo GMT Robin Blue, while not rising exorbitantly, has remained relatively consistent over the years. The stable prices of the timepiece show that the value of Squale watches does not depreciate wildly over time and can hold its value decently.

Long Story Short

Our colleague wondered, and we delivered. The five watches featured above are some of the Gnomon exclusive Squale models we pridefully brought to the world. From precious metal watches to a timepiece commemorating the opening of our new boutique, we’ve got everything covered. While the value of some pieces has since risen exponentially, others have not. However, it does not mean that the other limited edition pieces have no value. Instead, it seems like Squale fans and collectors value the watches, and thus there is not much of a secondary market for these timepieces.

If you were previously on the fence about purchasing a Gnomon exclusive Squale model, this article should help alleviate some of your concerns. Even if you don’t like the watch (which is highly unlikely) and end up selling it, you will not be taking a massive hit on the resale market.

If you were just curious about the value of Squale x Gnomon timepieces, this article should also curb some of that curiosity. Our exclusive models have proven to be highly sought-after pieces enjoyed by watch collectors worldwide.

That said, Squale watches offer much more than their monetary value. The brand’s deep history as a case maker and subsequently as a watchmaker is fascinating and puts to sword what many deem as a downside of smaller brands – that they have no “history.” When you purchase a Squale timepiece, limited-edition or not, you are getting one of the best dive watch cases ever made and can be assured that the quality and craftsmanship rival that of the major brands in the watch industry.

Squale has become increasingly popular among watch enthusiasts, and it is not hard to see why. We are delighted that more people are taking notice of the brand and will continue to work with the Maggi family to release brilliant limited edition watches. Stay tuned.

References:

Squale 20 ATMOS 18K Yellow Gold Ref. 1545YG (2019)

(Retail: $3,980 USD)

http://www.kronometer.dk/alle-1/squale/squale-20-atmos-18-k-gold.html

Squale 101 ATMOS Bronze Poliza Italiana di Stato Sommozzatori

(Retail: $1,780 USD) (Current selling price $4,946 USD)

https://www.chrono24.sg/squale/atmos-101-dive-2002-a-polipetto-bronzo–serie-limitata-polizia-di-stato–id20952133.htm

Squale 50 ATMOS Originale Opaco

(Retail: $990 USD) (Current selling price $1,250 USD to $2,019 USD)

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/sold-squale-50-atmos-originale-opaco-1521-sold.5400299/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Watchexchange/comments/g3vsb8/wts_squale_50_atmos_originale_opaco/

Squale 30 ATMOS Tono-Argento Gnomon Exclusive