I don’t know about everyone else, but for me when I purchase a watch it is based on how it looks first and foremost, and everything else second. There are a lot of things that go into the decision to buy a watch (price, brand, movement etc.) but if I don’t like the way a watch looks, I am not buying it. And when it comes to good looks, my Squale 60 Atmos ‘Squalematic’ in cyan blue has it in spades. Squale is an established Swiss brand, @WatchBrocephus gives a brief overview of their history in his review of his Squale 1521, and you can get even more information from sites like Monochrome, so I won’t go into it here, other than to say they have a long history of making dive watches.

As noted, my Squale is their 60 Atmos ‘Squalematic’ model, which comes in a variety of colours. Mine features a sunburst dial in a light ‘cyan’ blue colour that I haven’t seen anywhere else. The dial features metal indices and sports a date window at 3’oclock. The wide bezel is two-tone with a Bakelite inlay with hand applied steel markers reminiscent of old acrylic dive bezels. Combined with a dome crystal the watch is beautiful to look at, but can be difficult to accurately capture in pictures! The case is large at 44mm (including bezel) but features short, curving lugs and an inset crown at the 4’oclock position, making it wear smaller. Lug width is 22mm so there are heaps of options for straps.

The case is tall though, 15.8mm to the top of the crystal. This one is definitely not slipping under the cuff! The case is also what I would call ‘Slab Sided’, with the side opposite the crown being a flat up and down surface that does nothing to disguise the height of the watch. The polished case is also a scratch-magnet. I’ve come to terms with it, but if that is the kind of thing that bothers you, consider yourself warned.

The 60 Atmos ticks the usual boxes for a diver, screw-down crown, unidirectional bezel and a massive water resistance rating of 60 atmospheres or 600m, which is far more than I will ever need. Inside the watch is powered by a reliable ETA 2824. As I have said, the highlight of this watch is the appearance. This is the only watch I get compliments on from ‘non-watch’ folks when I wear it. Together the dial and bezel look great – bright and cheerful with a hint of retro charm. Looking down at the watch instantly brightens my mood, it’s like having summer on your wrist.