This Affordable Dive Watch Boasts a Rare Vintage Feature

Christopher Ward makes some big improvements to its unique and underrated retro diver.

close up of a christopher ward dive watch crown

Published July 11, 2024

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With few exceptions, modern dive watches pretty much all follow the same formula established by the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Rolex Submariner in the 1950s.

They have rotating external bezels and maintain their high water-resistance ratings through the use of gaskets and screw-down parts to prevent moisture ingress.

But before this formula became the standard, watch companies in the mid-twentieth standard were still experimenting with ways to improve the dive watch. The most notable was the Super Compressor.

What Is a Super Compressor?

The Super Compressor case was patented by Ervin Piquerez SA (EPSA) in 1956 and was used by brands such as Longines and JLC throughout the 1960s and ’70s.

a person holding a watch — The Longines Legend Diver is probably the most recognizable example of a Super Compressor diver, though the modern version is not a true Super Compressor.

Super Compressors typically use a dual-crown case, with one crown for winding and setting the movement and another for operating the internal rotating bezel. But the real innovation is hidden inside the watch, as a Super Compressor utilizes a unique spring-loaded caseback that becomes tighter as pressure around the watch increases, effectively making it more water resistant the further you dive.

The style fell out of favor in the 1970s, but in 2020, Christopher Ward reverse-engineered the technology and launched the first new true Super Compressor watch in five decades. Now, the brand is at it again with a new and improved version of its retro-powered diver.

The Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor Elite

Christopher Ward has made several improvements to its Super Compressor to make it “Elite.”

Christopher Ward

Rather than a reinvention, we should look at this new CW Super Compressor as an evolution. It uses essentially the same case as the original — which makes sense, as the R&D cost to develop the Super Compressor spring was likely quite high — but makes key changes to the dial, movement and caseback.

First, on the dial. Tapping another largely forgotten vintage dive watch feature, the Super Compressor Elite now sports a decompression timer on its dial. The colored rings represent different dive depths, while numbers on the rings inform you of how long you need to stay at each decompression stop while resurfacing to prevent getting a case of “the bends.”

christopher ward watch dial — The colorful decompression timer on the dial of the C65 Elite is another vintage throwback.

The movement has seen a serious upgrade, as this C65 Super Compressor is now a chronometer while the original was not. The automatic caliber inside has gone from a Sellita SW200-1 to a COSC-certified Sellita SW300-1 in the Elite. In addition to the improved accuracy, the new movement also offers an increased power reserve of 56 hours over the original’s 38.

Finally, while the original C65 Super Compressor had a sapphire display caseback to show off both the movement and the Super Compressor ring that holds the compression spring — the first time the latter had ever been done — the Elite version makes a premium change that also honors the heritage of the Super Compressor.

The caseback remains sapphire, keeping the compression ring visible, but in its center is a stainless steel “coin” featuring a deep engraving of EPSA’s diving helmet logo that appeared on the original Super Compressors of the mid-century.

christopher ward dive watch caseback — The steel “coin” in the caseback features the same official Super Compressor seal of approval found on vintage Ervin Piquerez-made cases.

Cool Watch or Pointless Gimmick?

If your ultimate goal is a dive watch that can handle extreme depths, then a Super Compressor isn’t for you. The compression ring technology has its limits, and the C65 Elite, like the original C65 from four years ago, has a depth rating of 150m — half what you’d get from a standard Submariner or Omega Seamaster Diver.

But let’s be real, no one is diving 300m or even 150m with any of these watches. Like most mechanical watches, the compression ring inside the C65 Super Compressor Elite exists because it’s cool, it’s fun and it makes a great conversation piece — especially since you can see it.

The watch’s decompression timer dial and engraved medallion caseback add more vintage fun to the watch — while also providing additional talking points — and the COSC-certified movement adds a premium element that is consistent with the upmarket moves we’ve seen in CW over the past couple of years through releases such as The Twelve and Bel Canto.

The C65 Super Compressor Elite slots in nicely alongside Christopher Ward’s other more premium modern offerings like The Twelve.

Photo by Johnny Brayson for Gear Patrol

Personally, I love both the design and theming of the C65 Elite. It’s an incredibly fun watch, especially for summer, and I hope it brings some renewed attention to what is probably CW’s most underrated line.

The C65 Super Compressor Elite is available to pre-order now from Christopher Ward for $1,675 on a Tropic-style rubber strap, $1,690 on an FKM rubber “Aquaflex” strap, or $1,825 on a three-lin stainless steel bracelet with an on-the-fly micro-adjustable clasp.