I think we can all agree the ’60s were a veritable horological heyday. Even if we can’t, that’s okay, because obviously, brands like Baltic agree. They are clearly inspired by and pick up where that era of design left off. Their line of Aquascaphe dive watches are no exception. Instagram photos of the faux-gilt, glossy blue dialed watches caught my attention and the vintage charm imprinted itself in my dreams until I finally purchased a Baltic Aquascaphe Blue Gilt . As a self-described vintage watch enthusiast with small(ish) wrists and equally small(ish) wallet, this is an absolutely delightful watch.

From design details to wearability to the value proposition the Baltic Aquascaphe checks a lot of boxes for me. Equally exciting is this watch comes from a small, independently owned company. Maybe that’s a good starting point, small, independent ownership, that is. While it’s been said many times I will reiterate, this is an exciting time for fresh perspective in the watch world. We’re able to benefit from an influx of really good design and I, for one, really enjoy supporting these exceptional designers. As I mentioned earlier, Baltic is clearly inspired by vintage era dive watches. Their design doesn’t emulate any particular brand or model but rather builds off of the design sensibilities of that time with some modern material applications.

The glossy blue dial with faux-gilt paint and faux-patina lume has depth and character. Some may not be a fan of the faux look but for me it adds to the charm. The Baltic Aquascaphe Blue Gilt is a good design. It simultaneously appears classic, fresh, timeless, and unique. It also wears nicely. At 39mm diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, and 12mm thickness this is a well-proportioned and versatile watch. It fits my 6.75” wrists very comfortably. With a low-profile case back and curved lugs it wears close to the wrist. Mine is currently on the tropic strap and results in a casual look. I’ve heard such great things about the beads of rice bracelet that I’m likely to order one soon. I suspect that will dress it up a bit if I wanted to wear it into the office.

The use of sapphire for the double domed crystal and bezel insert gives the watch heft. More heft than my vintage Rolex. But that’s not necessarily the bad thing about the sapphire. While it’s clearly been well designed, it just doesn’t have the same charm as acrylic. Perhaps this is as good a time as any to address a few of the areas that leave room for improvement. While the value proposition is good it comes with an apparent threshold for material quality at the price point. The domed sapphire is a charming detail that lacks the clarity of comparable domed acrylics or higher price point anti-reflective sapphire crystals. The edges of the hands and engravings are unfinished and show the machining marks. Likewise, the screw down crown action is a hair rough. Even the rubber tropic feels rubbery if that makes sense. I’d say in today’s market of new watches this does represent a good value. At about USD700 you get great design, terrific wearability, and good craft. Compare that against what’s available and I’d say you did well.

But where I stumble a bit in convincing myself of this is comparing to the idea of buying vintage: For instance, purchasing a similarly priced vintage Seiko will provide you with a distinctly different watch but it will provide you with a watch of, in my opinion, high quality craftsmanship. Or consider the actual cost of a watch in 1960 and what that equates to today considering only inflation. Are these fair comparisons? Maybe not. But it poses the question of why we cannot provide the same level of quality at comparable prices. Perhaps the topic for another day. Back on topic, the Baltic Aquascaphe is an exceptionally well-designed, vintage inspired watch that wears nicely and comes at an affordable price point. Well worth adding to your collection.