The Edox Hydro-Sub Automatic Chronometer Limited Editions (Live Pics & Price)

Edox has a long history in the field of dive watches, with several important models in its archives. In recent years we’ve seen a bit of a resurgence of the brand’s collections of divers through various Skydiver models in either a vintage or more contemporary design. Looking back at historic models on a regular basis, something quite common in watchmaking, of course, Edox now re-introduces the well-known Hydro-Sub name with a series of special models, called the Edox Hydro-Sub Automatic Chronometer Limited Edition.

The original Hydro-Sub was introduced by Edox in the 1960s and was quite the capable dive watch. It featured a special crown system with a tension ring and a shock-absorbing gasket ensuring a water-resistance of 500 meters, which was a formidable achievement at the time. It would be the foundation for multiple rugged, dive-oriented watches by the Swiss brand.

Fast forward to today, and the family-owned manufacturer is embracing its heritage and combining it with modern materials and mechanics in a range of interesting and relatively affordable tool-like watches. Collections like the North Sea 1967, North Sea 1978 or SkyDiver hark back to the days where Edox solidified its reputation as a manufacturer of robust dive watches. Edox now ups the ante a bit more and brings back the historic Hydro-Sub name in a series of limited editions.

The design of the new Edox Hydro-Sub is vintage-oriented, with a stainless steel barrel-shaped case that’s inspired by a 1965 Hydro-Sub. The case measures 42mm in diameter and 12.5mm in height on top of the crystal. It features mostly brushed surfaces, alternated with polished details. The shape is very sixties, with lugs integrated into the caseband. The uni-directional bezel has a ceramic insert with a 60-minute scale. The screw-down crown with a double o-ring ensures a water-resistance of 300m, along with the solid caseback.

Three models are available, two of which you see here. First, there are two steel models, with a blue and orange or black and beige. The third model is a black PVD coated steel version with bright yellow markers, hands and a diving scale on the bezel (we didn’t have access to this version). Each dial has a sloped minute track on the perimeter. On the inside of that, we see large rectangular indices, filled with Super-LumiNova. The central hour and minutes hand fall in line with this rectangular style, with a slender central seconds hand to complete the timing indications. At 3 o’clock there’s a simple date window revealing the white disc with black digits underneath.

Edox fits the new Hydro-Sub Automatic Chronometer Limited Edition series with the Edox Calibre 806, based on the automatic Sellita SW 200 movement. This movement is regulated to chronometer specifications and comes with COSC certification. As such, it is accurate to within -4/+6 seconds of deviation per day. It runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4Hz) and provides 38 hours of power reserve.

The Edox Hydro-Sub Automatic Chronometer Limited Edition comes with a three-link stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp. Each variation is limited to 500 pieces, with “One of 500” inscribed on the caseback. The blue and orange or black and beige models are priced at EUR 1,790, which is not too bad considering the solid specs that the Hydro-Sub brings to the table. The black PVD coated version (not photographed here) is priced slightly higher, at EUR 1,849.

For more information, please visit Edox.ch.