ReviewAn in depth review of the new Titoni Seascoper – Modern twist to a vintage model
The Watch Guide's take on the comeback of a beloved diver's watch, the Titoni Seascoper.
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“Life is a circle, so is time”, is what Daniel Schluep abides by to keep the successful family business going; a family legacy built on principles that focus on delivering only the best ‘Swiss made’ mechanical watches. Titoni’s mantra is simple: “Created to delight those who appreciate exquisite design, combined with the greatest horological precision”.
Daniel Schluep is the third generation of the Schluep family, in charge of carrying forward the Titoni legacy that started in 1919. It was a mammoth responsibility considering the brand has relentlessly been delivering on its superior standard of watchmaking, and are the pioneers of ‘Swiss made’ luxury watches, especially in Asia. Schluep states that Titoni “does not peddle dreams”, a belief that is slowly blurring even in premium brands due to the conflict between aesthetic and functionality. Since its foundation, Titoni has always aimed at reaching new markets, which has resulted in its exceptional popularity in markets other than just Switzerland; Asia being the biggest example here. In fact, the brand has the largest customer base in Asia with over 50% of sales in China alone. Interestingly, such is the aspirational value of the brand that in China, people work particularly hard to own a Titoni, and Titoni consistently delivers this level of excellence in every market it enters.
Every watch that passes the gruelling quality control at the Grenchen factory is put together manually, and checks are done by automatic machines to eliminate even an iota of human error, making the timepiece worth every bit its value.
Comeback of a Popular Diver’s watch
To mark their 95th anniversary, Titoni relaunched one of their most successful models historically – the Seascoper. The Seascoper was first belted out in 1979 and the watch was an instant success. But the new Seascoper has just upped the ante to a whole new level of design and functionality. This time, the Seascoper offers an extremely aesthetic version of the traditional watch. It embodies the spirit of adventure, executed with mechanical prowess. The stylish tribute to the predecessor is a superb amalgamation of functionality and clean aesthetics. In fact, the watch is so versatile that it easily qualifies both as a statement piece as well as a functional watch.
Titoni Seascoper: The nuances
Diver’s watches have been in vogue since 1950. From a visual viewpoint, this is not surprising since these watches look amazing when fastened around the wrist. From a practical sense, though not everyone who buys them is a diver or even close to being one, but the functionality these watches offer and the level of engineering and durability that they represent, is reason enough to invest in them. And the Seascoper is in sync with this perspective.
The Seascoper comes in two references – The blue model (reference 83985 SBB-518 ) has a blue aluminium bezel with a blue dial and a steel bracelet, whereas the red version (reference 83985 SRB-RB-517) is highlighted by a contrasting red aluminium bezel and black dial with the name ‘Seascoper’ proudly embossed on the black rubber strap. Both models feature anodized push and pull crown inserts that are colour coordinated with the bezel. While the blue version bears a resemblance to the Tissot Seastar (even sounds similar!) the red Seascoper looks quite like the Tudor Black Bay. But then it might be incorrect to make these comparisons since the original Seascoper too came in the same colour tone. Also as with most diving watches like in the Oris Divers 65 or the Rolex Submariner, the functions are very similar so they invariably have similarities to one another.
The Seascoper is unmistakable on any wrist considering its sizeable dimensions. With a 41 mm case, and a decent 20 mm strap width, the watch is remarkably noticeable once strapped on. The unidirectional rotating bezel features a ratcheted design and stands out impressively given the colour tone (on both versions). Value is what the brand screams and that is what it delivers. At the heart of the Titoni Seascoper is the Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement. The SW200 is a Swiss movement produced by Sellita – a strong competitor of ETA (the Swatch Group owned mega movement maker). Variation is the need of the hour and Titoni recognises the importance of giving its admirers what they want (choice, of course). The watch therefore comes in rubber strap and a steel bracelet options, to match the black and blue dials respectively.
The dial:
The dial has large hand applied markers and sits under an anti-reflective double curved sapphire glass. The luminosity on the markers makes the Seascoper highly legible (and hence dependable) in extremely low light conditions. Luminosity is also extended on the hour, minute and the arrowhead second’s hands. The luminous head of the seconds hand has an arrowhead tip that has been given a blue/red frame (depending on the model you choose); a nice continuation of the colour theme. A date indicator is placed next to the 3 o’clock marker – a non intrusive addition to the dial. With a white background and frame, the date window is extremely clear. On the stainless steel version, while the case has an impeccable brushed finish, the lugs, crown and bezel have been given a polished finish. This enhances the aesthetics of the watch.
The case back: A mark of craftsmanship
The screw down caseback on the Seascoper is a mark of fine craftsmanship. It has a beautifully engraved scuba diving helmet with ‘Seascoper’ etched beneath it. Since, it is a tool watch, the strap has a fold-over deployant clasp with diver’s extensions and is adjustable. The watchmakers have given the Seascoper a good water resistance of up to 200m.
Why should you take the ‘Seascoper’ plunge?
The large success that Titoni enjoys today is solely on the basis of its performance and the trust that the brand has earned with its clientele. To vouch for the aforementioned is the fact that the brand does not market itself extensively and relies on its flawless technology and value-for-money timepieces. From a plethora of divers watches, the Seascoper stands out because like other Titoni watches, it is handcrafted to perfection (which some of the best brands are unable to offer). It is a classy dress-sportive watch, the kinds you’d walk out of the ocean wearing and head straight for a formal dinner with. With an immaculate movement, great design and standards, and interesting heritage that the watch offers, a price tag of INR 94,000 is pretty justifiable, in our opinion.
You can explore the Seascoper and the entire Titoni collection at Ethos Watch Boutiques.
Did you like the watch? Let us know in the comments section below.
