FeatureAnonimo: Innovating Military-Style Dive Watches From Marine Bronze

Florentine watchmaker Anonimo (Italian for ‘anonymous’) may be relatively young, founded in 1997. However, they are renowned for their military-style dive watches in bronze. The big reason for this feat: a significant percentage of the craftspersons and engineers are ex-employees of another Florence-based watchmaker, Panerai—the luxury brand known for having created watches for the Italian military. While it appears like a classic case of ‘poaching’ employees, this historical mish-mash happened when the Richemont Group (currently owns brands such as A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Piaget, etc) acquired Panerai and relocated the headquarters to Switzerland. Sensing an opportune moment, Federico Massacesi, the then business partner of fashion company Salvatore Ferragamo, formed his own watch brand, Anonimo, by salvaging all that Panerai left on Italian shores—a sizeable quality equipment and manpower. Joining this team in 2003 was former naval officer and Panerai CEO (1972-97), Dino Zei, as chief designer.

Affinity To Panerai: Same Same, But Different

Anonimo is Italian for ‘anonymous’ as Massacesi believed that a high-quality brand will place impetus on crafts over a designer’s name. Agreed that Anonimo watches starkly resemble Panerai models with similar features such as the burly cushion-shaped case, mechanical crown protector and oversized hour markers, as part of their design vocabulary. Yet Anonimo are credited for their grand features such as the screw-in crown-locking system at 12 o’clock, a phenomenal water resistance up to 2,000m and water-resistant push buttons! Some of these patented inventions emerged in the now defunct foundation collection, Professionale, which made waves for its water-resistant diving watches.

Marine bronze, redolent of vintage diving helmets, gets a distinctive layer of patina that some find poetic. Encashing on this sentiment, Anonimo claims  to be the first to create a diving watch using this alloy as case material. For the Professionale line, Anonimo specially created casts in-house to mould bronze salvaged from shipbuilding yards for the nautical watch’s case. When Dino Zei joined Anonimo, he took forward Professionale’s nautical expertise by designing the Nautilo and Militare lines. The brand, however, hit a financial lull from 2010-13 after Massacesi quit. A group of private investors took over and created Anonimo Switzerland SA, and now, the watches are assembled in Switzerland, but the bronze cases are still manufactured in Florence. In 2018, the third existing line, Epurato, was launched.

All Anonimo watches run on Swiss manufacturer Sellita’s automatic mechanical movements. The Nautilo and Epurato are powered by the SW200-1 movement, while the SW300-1 with a Dubois-Dépraz 2035-M dual sub-dial chronograph module equips the Militare Chrono. Here is a brief overview of the brand’s three existing lines.

Ocean Rider: Anonimo Nautilo Dive Watches

The Nautilo Automatic blends vintage with modern aesthetics. The first noticeable feature is the sloping crown guard, a slight hood-like construction that protects the fluted crown at four o’clock. Nautilo dials use stick indices as hour markers, where double digits occupy the 12, four and eight o’clock positions to subtly form ‘A’ for Anonimo.

the first noticeable feature about the Anonimo Nautilo 42mm Vintage watch is the sloping crown guard, a slight hood-like construction that protects the fluted crown at four o’clock

Nautilo watch dials use stick indices as hour markers, where double digits occupy the 12, four and eight o’clock positions to subtly form ‘A’ for Anonimo

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The three-hand (hour, minute and sweeping seconds) watch has a monochrome date aperture and engraved bezel. With the biggest case (44mm) and the chunkiest lugs, Nautilo offers better readability and grip. If the leather strap does not impress divers or watersports enthusiasts, there are nylon and rubber options as well. To take things a notch higher, Anonimo collaborated with an adventure sports organiser as a main sponsor of their 2020 edition and launched Nautilo Nendaz Freeride dive watches.

To take things a notch higher, Anonimo collaborated with an adventure sports organiser as a main sponsor of their 2020 edition and launched the Nautilo Nendaz Freeride watch

₹2,34,300

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Along with the 42mm steel case, satin-finished blue sunray dial and unidirectional bezel, the watch is offered with a black rubber strap

₹2,34,300

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Anonimo Nautilo Nendaz Freeride Shop The Collection

Along with the 42mm steel case, satin-finished blue sunray dial and graduated unidirectional bezel, the watch is offered with a black rubber strap.

Rapt Attention: Anonimo Militare

The Militare line represents Anonimo’s legacy of creating military watches. First eye-catching element is the crown with protective case atop the 12 o’clock marker. Then, the chubby ‘cushion-shaped’ case, at 43.50mm, offers a water resistance of 1,000m, and ample space to house the movement. The Militare variants allude to the ‘A’ of Anonimo either as a red triangle on the seconds hand or at the 12 o’clock marker, or spelling out 12, four and eight o’clock hour markers as Arabic numerals like points of a triad. The Militare is either a time-only watch, with a small second sub-dial at three o’clock, or chronograph with a 30-minute sub-dial at nine o’clock and small seconds sub-dial at three o’clock, controlled by two pushers.

The Anonimo Militare Chronograph has a 30-minute sub-dial at nine o’clock and small seconds sub-dial at three o’clock, controlled by two pushers

₹3,98,200

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The Chrono watch offers dial options like off-white ‘Panda’, black ‘Newman’ and green khaki matt dials

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The burly Militare Chrono case made from 316L steel and DLC, and together with the anti-reflective sapphire crystal and crown protection system provide 120m water resistance

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The self-winding SW 300 calibre offering a 42-hour power reserve, is housed in a burly Militare Chrono case made from 316L steel with DLC treatment. Together with the antireflective sapphire crystal glass and crown protection system the case is water-resistant to 120m. This Chrono watch offers dial options including an off-white ‘panda’, black ‘Newman’ and green khaki matt dials, with a straps in aged black, regular Mohawk calf leather, or green khaki fabric.

Subtle Charm: Anonimo Epurato

After the 44.4mm size of the Nautilo and 43.4mm of the Militare, patrons can enjoy a slightly reduced dial size of 42mm with the Epurato line of watches. With an overall thickness of 11.9mm, the Epurato can slip easily under a shirt cuff, making it suitable as a dress watch.

The bronze case of Epurato watches have a fluted bezel and cradle a warm anthracite sunray dial, with matching applied indexes and markers

₹3,06,900

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After the 44.4mm case size of the Nautilo and 43.4mm of the Militare, patrons can enjoy a slightly reduced dial size of 42mm with the Epurato line

₹3,06,900

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With 11.9mm overall thickness, the Epurato can slip easily under a shirt cuff, making it an ideal dress watch

₹3,06,900

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This line sees the crown with protective case occupy the conventional three o’clock position and the date aperture, six o’clock position

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The sapphire exhibition open case back exhibits the Sellita SW200 automatic movement—a skeletonised rotor decorated with Côtes de Genève—‘Swiss Made’ certification, 50m water resistance and brand name and logo

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The bronze case of Epurato watches have a fluted bezel and cradle a warm anthracite sunray dial, with matching applied indexes and markers. This line features an onion-shaped crown at the conventional three o’clock position and the date aperture at six. The sapphire crystal open caseback exhibits the Sellita SW200 automatic movement—featuring a skeletonised rotor decorated with côtes de Genève. The ‘Swiss made’ certification, 50m water resistance, brand name and logo are also seen on the back.