Welcome to Talking Points, a series that looks at what makes some products worth talking about, brought to you by Gear Patrol Studios.
Baltic is a young brand quickly weaving itself into horology. Its lineup is simultaneously inspired by and building on vintage watchmaking and each new piece from the brand totes another, greater technical advancement. Its first releases paid homage to classics from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s while harnessing new materials to evolve the category altogether.
Its latest Aquascaphe Titanium Collection offers a “more technical evolution” on its Aquascaphe Classic. Made with a light, resistant titanium case, sapphire crystal and a unidirectional, brushed ceramic bezel; this watch is built to take the brand into the future.
Baltic
BalticThe Backstory
A Collection Built On Collecting
Baltic founder Etienne Malec has designed the brand as a tribute to – if not evolution on – his father’s meticulous watch collection. Malec inherited his father’s collection along with a journal in which he’d recorded the history, price or item traded for every watch he owned. Sifting through these notes led Malec to other collectors and pulled him into a larger world, legacy and history of horology.
Now, versed in vintage watches and their transformation over time, Malec aims to create “timeless pieces.” Moreover, Baltic’s direct-to-consumer sales have allowed the brand to remove the traditional industry margin and create better prices. And while increasing access has meant welcoming more users into the tradition, it’s also allowed Baltic to focus on creating watches that shine individually, and as a collection.
The Gist
360° Reliability: Sturdy, Dive-Ready & Always Legible
What immediately sets the Aquascaphe Titanium Collection apart are the watches’ light and resistant titanium cases. Available in either glossy blue or grained black, the Titanium models feature a case that is strong, light and corrosion-resistant. This is complemented with sapphire crystal to ensure greater resistance and is surrounded by a unidirectional (120 click) brushed ceramic bezel. Made with scratch-resistant ceramic, the bezel offers the watch a unique character and ensures users can accurately measure their dive time. Ultimately described as, “a real tool watch” this piece is also water-resistant up to 300 meters.
Notably, the team equipped the Titanium collection with the 9039 movement from Miyota. This self-winding movement offers a 42-hour power reserve and ensures the Aquascaphe Titanium optimal precision. Then, in either colorway, fans can find an ultra legible dial. This means one quick glance is all you need to quickly tell the time, even underwater.
In each colorway, the watch’s indexes and hands are coated with Super-LumiNova for added legibility (Super-LumiNova C3 X1 for the black model and Super-LumiNova BgW9 for the blue model). The sleek glow cast by the Super-Luminova means you’ll be able to easily tell the time in the dark, no matter where you are.
BalticOur POV
Unmatched Quality for The Price
Between its water resistance and underwater legibility, this piece is a sleek dive watch ready for anything. Plus, with the added security of a Titanium case and self-winding movement, the Aquascaphe Titanium collection offers a reliable watch built for every day – and every dive.
Another element that makes Baltic stand out is its commitment to high-quality craftsmanship. These models are no exception, as each piece is hand-assembled, adjusted and tested in France. Yet even with each watch’s painstaking craftsmanship and high-quality materials, Baltic is still able to offer each model at 710€ (approximately $741). This kind of pricing is relatively unheard of across premiere models and makes this watch an easy piece to get behind.
The collection will open with 600 numbered units (300 in each colorway) before joining Baltic’s permanent collection at the end of 2022.
Price: $741
