ReviewBuilt For All Terrains—The Favre Leuba Raider Sea Sky Chronograph

Here’s a watch you don’t get to see every day. Replete with classic hour/minute hands, a big and unusual design, featuring a super-chunky case with a thickness of almost 15mm; the Favre Leuba Raider Sea Sky is a watch that’s built for adventure—whether on land or at sea. The watch is imbued with the Swiss brand’s powerful DNA as its signature cushion-shaped case exhibits a robust construction, and combines the functionality of a chronograph along with a rotating bezel.

The Sea Sky was, in fact, Favre Leuba’s most successful diving chronograph that gained immense popularity in late 1960s. We expected the re-edition to be completely different from the original but the brand decided to retain the vintage look from that era to deliver a very reliable chronograph for the 21st century. But does it do justice to the original watch? Let’s find out.

The Sea Sky Saga

Established in 1737, Favre Leuba is the second oldest watchmaking company, right after Blancpain, which was founded in 1735. The brand’s core ideology from the very beginning was to deliver technically-advanced timepieces that were supremely reliable. The Sea Sky joined the family in the late 1960s with features that were considered groundbreaking at that time. This superior Valjoux chronograph was equipped with a water resistance of 200m—a remarkable feat that most watchmakers weren’t able to achieve, back then. For collectors and brand loyalists, it was just another example of Favre Leuba’s excellence in technical watchmaking. The vintage Sea Sky is a highly coveted model even today, particularly among dive-watch collectors.

The Sea Sky was Favre Leuba’s most successful diving chronograph in the 1960s, and the re-edition retains the vintage look from that era to deliver a very reliable chronograph for the 21st century

The watch is imbued with the Swiss brand’s powerful DNA as its signature cushion-shaped case exhibits a robust construction, and combines the functionality of a chronograph along with a rotating bezel

Favre Leuba Raider Sea Sky

₹3,58,000

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The Dial

The new Sea Sky features similar design cues as found in the original watch—a blue bezel with white numerals, an inner minute ring done in white, and features the same simple hour and ‘diamond’ minute hands. Notable differences are the hour markers, which are almost the same as found in the brand’s newly released timepieces i.e. raised rectangular indexes filled with blue Super-LumiNova. The dial features a much lighter shade of blue with white chronograph counters. Inspired by the Monaco Le Mans? Perhaps!

Favre Leuba have done everything right with this timepiece and delivered a ‘reliable companion for extremes’ with the same vintage charm

₹3,29,000

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Also, it combines the functionality of a chronograph with the practical benefits of a rotating bezel

₹3,29,000

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The dial features small seconds, minutes, and hours counters fitted in a horizontal setup. These sub-registers are controlled by pushers that flank the crown

₹3,29,000

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All chronograph functions have red hands, i.e., chronograph registers (at three and six o’clock) have red hands that pair with the central seconds hand, whilst the running seconds (at nine o’clock) has a black hand, thereby giving quick visual references for seasoned chronograph users. The new Sea Sky also makes its debut in a completely new colour scheme: black dial with an orange bezel, white chronograph counters, and orange chronograph hands.

The new Sea Sky features similar design cues as found in the original—a blue bezel with white numerals, an inner minute ring in white, and has the same simple hour and ‘diamond’ minute hands

Notable differences are the hour markers, which are almost the same as the brand’s newly released timepieces i.e. raised rectangular indexes filled with blue Super-LumiNova

Favre Leuba Raider Sea Sky

₹3,79,000

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The Case

The Sea Sky has an extremely well built, brushed stainless-steel case with a diameter of 44mm (up to the bezel). If we were to add the thickness 15.77mm and the added length of case and lugs, this watch would feel like wearing something between 50mm to 55mm. It’s big and there’s no denying that at all, and naturally, the question that comes to mind: Is it uncomfortable? The case is uniquely shaped but not necessarily uncomfortable. It is ‘square-ish’ when you see it on your wrist, but the sides of the case are scalloped, which give a lot of room for the wrist to flex. So, despite its intimidating dimensions, the watch fits and sits comfortably on the wrist. What the case also features is a unidirectional ‘anodised aluminum’ bezel, the benefits of it being that it’s extremely rugged and will develop a natural patina as it ages (just like any other vintage timepiece).

Favre Leuba Raider Sea Sky Shop the Collection

Impressive Specs

We almost forgot what the watch can do under water! The Sea Sky features a secure screw-down crown with the Favre Leuba ‘Hourglass’ logo. The sapphire crystal protection and the solid caseback ensure the watch achieves a good depth rating of 200m. The sealed caseback of this watch is a spectacle in itself—featuring the same design of the original watch, which probably speaks for the great pride the brand still takes in their work. Under the hood lies one of the most accurate chronograph movements in the world, the Valjoux calibre 7753, which is operated by two ergonomic pushers on either side of the crown.

Final Thoughts

Whether at unfathomable depths or at breathtaking heights, under exceptional circumstances or in day-to-day life… Favre Leuba have done everything right with this timepiece and delivered a ‘reliable companion for extremes’ with the same vintage charm. The classic design and the highly accurate movement add to the charm of this chronograph, where probably the only notable drawback could be its dimensions. But we suggest you try it on your wrist since it isn’t as heavy as it looks.