One of the biggest names in the burgeoning ‘not-quite-microbrand’ watch scene is French outfit Baltic. Etienne Malec’s brand has gone from strength to strength in the five short years there’s been around, moving from retro-dressy to diver with ease. The latest entry in the latter category is a technical take on their popular Aquascaphe, the Aquascaphe Titanium.

The Low-Down

It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the major point of difference with this watch is the titanium case. The classic aquascaphe was already a fairly light wear on the wrist, so I’m very interested to see how ultra-light titanium plays out. But case material isn’t the only difference. Overall the new titanium models (available in glossy blue or grained black) have a slightly souped-up (dare we say ‘maxi’), technical feel to them, which is apparent in the brushed ceramic bezel, and a dial that’s been cribbed from the Aquascaphe dual crown. The case measures 41mm across, and is rated to 300 metres — funnily enough, the first run of each variant is limited to 300 pieces — and it is powered by a cost-effective and capable Miyota 9039. It comes on a rubber tropic strap, and the whole kit and caboodle is assembled, adjusted and tested in the epicentre of French watchmaking, Besançon.

IMHO

What baltic is doing is genuinely exciting and, for all the apparent traditionalism in the designs, feels very contemporary. The brand has a clear vision and offers a strong proposition. The Aquascaphe is clearly Baltic’s most popular release, and the brand is doing an excellent job of iterating the design and offering versions that suit a wide range of people, and this titanium piece is no different.

Tech Specs

Movement: Miyota 9039, automatic, 42 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Case: Titanium, 41mm by 13.6mm, ceramic bezel, water-resistant to 300M
Strap: Black or blue rubber tropic with titanium buckle
Price and availability: Limited to 300 pieces in the initial production run, EURO 710 (excluding VAT)