Whilst most watch manufacturers were trimming millimetres from their waistline, Ball was upping its case size on the evocatively named Skindiver II. The original Skindiver was unveiled in 2012, itself based on a historic diver from the Ball back catalogue and the golden era of scuba diving.
Those extra millimetres could make all the difference though offering greater, more instant dial legibility in real-world dive conditions. Superfluous and potentially distracting details have also been removed with date complication replacing an unnecessary day/date.
Ball’s trademark tritium micro-gas tube illumination is also present with 15 double-sized tubes lighting up hour, minute and second hands as well as hour markers on the dial.
While the Ball’s 1960s looks and multi-link bracelet might suggest the watch is simply an exercise in retro revival, the Skindiver II should be taken seriously with 500m water resistance and a COSC-certified automatic movement contained within.
