Christmas Buying Guide – Our Top 5 Dive / Sports watches of 2015

Yesterday, we showed you our Top 7 Chronographs of 2015, a category that we believe to be one of the most important of them all… “One of”, yes because there’s a second one that must be regarded as pretty damn important, first because this category certainly represents the largest portion of sales for most brands and also because that’s the one collectors cherish most. We’re talking about dive and sports watches. And here is our buying guide focused on the best Dive / Sports watches of 2015.

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Black Ref. 79220N

This is THE ONE that collectors were expecting (and us too, as we already imagined this edition almost 2 years ago, in our usual Baselworld predictions). After being launched with a burgundy bezel and gilded accents, followed by a cold and cool blue edition with silvered accents, Tudor finally creates the proper vintage-inspired edition, a watch that reunites all the beloved features of antique Submariners: black bezel with red triangle, matte black dial, gild indexes, tracks, hands and logos, chamfered lugs, big crown… This watch is a time capsule, made for vintage lovers. And it does work very well. If you’re looking for a great quality watch, for a reasonable price, the Tudor Heritage Black Bay has to be considered (but that’s something you already knew). Up to you now to choose the right color. And this Black ref. 79220N should be well positioned on your wish-list. Price: 2,910 Euros on leather strap and 3,210 Euros on metallic bracelet (both with an extra-fabric strap). All the details in our review here.

Omega Seamaster 300 SPECTRE Limited Edition

When a watch turns itself into a movie-star, it becomes the Omega Seamaster 300 SPECTRE Limited Edition. In order to better fit its new character (being one of James Bond 007 best ally), The SM300 endorses a new actor’s suit: new bezel with 12-hour scale (instead of the typical 60-minute dive scale), new dial with larger logo (and not 12 index anymore, making the dial more balanced in the flesh), new military-inspired lollipop second-hand (don’t forget that Bond is a military commander) and a new NATO strap (inspired by the original RAF strap worn by Bond in Dr. No). Even if technically identical to the normal Seamaster 300 (fully reviewed here), this Spectre Limited edition has a slightly different feeling on the wrist – and it looks properly good. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy the hyper-innovative in-house / antimagnetic / chronometer movement. Its name is Seamaster, Omega Seamaster… and you probably won’t forget it. Price: 6,300 Euros, limited to 7,007 pieces. All the details in our exclusive review and photoshoot here.

Rolex Yacht-Master ref. 116655 (Everose gold on Rubber Strap)

There are things in the watchmaking industry that I’m usually not really fond of: rubber straps, gold watches mixed with black ceramic or rubber and Rolex watches (not because they are not good – they are excellent products – but because they are overseen). However, a recent phone conversation between me and Frank (our Editor-in-Chief) about this Rolex Yacht-Master ref. 116655 (the new one in Everose gold and on Rubber Strap) ended-up to this usual “I have to have one”… Well, I have to admit it, but even if made of pink gold, matched with a black ceramic bezel and a black rubber and if being a Rolex, I love this new edition. Why? Not only because it looks good, with its reasonable size and its matte black bezel, with polished numerals, but also because it wears extremely well.

The Oyster-Flex rubber strap is a revolution at Rolex (and at first, we all thought it was nothing more than another rubber strap). But, we’re at Rolex and when they do something, they do it like no-one else. This strap is a piece of engineering made to be comfortable: it supple, smooth, pleasant to touch and balanced (thanks to these flappy parts under the strap) but also extremely flexible and rigid at the same time. Well, I’ll again have to say it: I have to have one… Price: 21,700 Euros. Details to be read here.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1R-001 – Rose Gold with Chocolate Dial

This full gold edition of the Patek Philippe Nautilus is an heresy. Why? Simply because it goes against everything the Nautilus was, when designed by Gerald Genta and launched in 1976 – meaning a sports watch in stainless steel made with the same quality as all the other Patek watches and priced even higher than these simple, elegant dress watches. The Nautilus is born in steel, to fight against conservative gold watches… and it now comes in full rose gold, with a chocolate brown dial! Whatever, the new Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1R-001 looks superb. The combination of this warm material with the dial is a faultless.

What doesn’t change however is the overall quality of the construction, with a case and a bracelet made to the perfection, with plenty of details and different execution (polishing, brushing, chamfering) all perfectly realized. Is it still a sports watch? It depends on the way to wear it (and we clearly encourage you to mix it with a pair of jeans and sneakers). Price: 44,580 Euros. For more details, read our in-depth article here.

Richard Mille RM 27-02 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

Even if priced at nearly 800k (yes, 800k), the RM 27-02 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal is not even a sports watch anymore but a watch designed for sports, to the requirements of one of the greatest actual tennis players and tested on field, during major tournaments. The goal of Richard Mille when collaborating with Rafael Nadal is to push boundaries, to break the rules, to set new limits. You certainly always thought that playing tennis or golf with a mechanical watch was risky. Richard Mille proves that a delicate and super-light tourbillon watch can resist to Rafael’s services – or to a 5000g force…

Everything is superlative. The case is made in TPT quartz, composed of hundreds of layers of quartz filaments piled on top of each other. Then, silica layers are inserted between layers of NTPT carbon, creating this unusual but super-light and resistant black and white material. The watch is constructed like a Formula 1, with a monobloc chassis to resist to shocks. The entire movement weights 3.35 grams but is finished to the perfection and features a tourbillon. It is watchmaking to the highest level but still, you can wear it in almost every situations. Price: 777,000 Euros. Details here.