The Glashütte Original SeaQ 39.5mm in Luxurious Red Gold and Sapphire Caseback

When Glashütte Original’s vintage-inspired dive watch appeared in 2019, it caught many fans of the brand by surprise. With a portfolio of classical German School of Watchmaking timepieces in its Senator collection complemented by asymmetric models in the Pano and the lively Sixties and Seventies designs, Glashütte was probably not your go-to brand for a robust, sporty diver. However, the diver had credentials and after digging into the brand’s archives, a dive watch for combat and professional divers made during the state-run chapter of GO surfaced. The compact utilitarian Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 of 1969 would become the inspiration for the SeaQ dive watch. Revisited with different dial colours since 2019, the 39.5mm SeaQ now appears in a luxurious red gold case, and for the first time with a sapphire caseback to reveal the finely finished manufacture movement.

upping the luxury

Slowly but surely, the 39.5mm version of the SeaQ is polishing its act and adopting some of the more luxurious attributes of the larger 43.2mm with Panorama Date. Revisited in two-tone steel and gold cases and even a model with diamonds in the bezel, the latest upgrade to the 39.5mm is a red gold case that brings a more elegant touch to the sporty diver.

No matter how luxurious the case material might be, the SeaQ is first and foremost a dive watch. All models fulfil the ISO 6425 international divers’ watch standard and Germany’s national industrial standard for dive watches, DIN 8306. With its compact dimensions – 39.5mm diameter x 12.15mm height – the SeaQ is a perfect fit for most wrists. The profusion of matte satin-brushed finishings on the case underscores the sporty nature of the watch, while the polished accents on the sides attest to the extra care taken in finishing the relatively simple case. To ensure the 200m water-resistance of the watch, the large crown is screwed-down, and the black ceramic unidirectional dive bezel has a notched edge to enhance grip.

Unlike an earlier model with a black dial, this SeaQ dispenses with the Old Radium beige luminescent paint and uses white lume inlays inside its large applied Arabic numerals, hour markers and hands. Details like this and the black background of the date window matching the dial subtract some of the retro vibes of the first SeaQ and make it more contemporary. Made at GO’s dial manufacture in Pforzheim, the glossy black galvanic dial has a sunray finish.

sapphire caseback Revealing the calibre 39-11

For the first time in this smaller version, the mechanical heart of the SeaQ can be seen through a sapphire crystal caseback. Fitted with the robust manufacture calibre 39-11 with automatic winding, the movement delivers a 40-hour power reserve for the hours, minutes, seconds (with hacking seconds) and date. The finishings of the calibre include classic Glashütte stripes on the skeletonised rotor and bridges. Although the movement has a swan-neck fine adjustment, it is not hand-engraved.

availability & price

The Glashütte Original SeaQ 39.5mm in red gold is available with a sporty black rubber strap or a grey synthetic fabric strap, both with a red gold butterfly folding clasp. The watch is available now in all Glashütte Original Boutiques and selected dealers worldwide. The price is EUR 23,000.

For more information, please visit Glashütte Original.com.