Dive watches are one of the most popular watch styles, although it is no secret that mechanical dive watches have little practical use in today's world of high-tech diving computers.
For the most part, traditional dive watches have been relegated to the role of a primitive backup timing device. However, Singer has reimagined this fan-favorite genre of dive watches, giving it a unique place in the modern digital era. The Singer Divetrack model, presented in Geneva during the Watches & Wonders 2024 exhibition, is a powerful diver with a fully mechanical central 24-hour chronograph that extends the traditional functionality of dive watches and makes them relevant for underwater enthusiasts above and below the water.
Aside from timekeeping, the primary functionality of a dive watch lies in its rotating bezel, which allows for tracking events lasting up to 60 minutes. Modern dive computers automatically calculate all the critical metrics such as bottom time and decompression stops, meaning they are a one-stop solution for any real diving. While traditional analog dive watches can serve as a reliable backup for tracking elapsed time, they are only useful while underwater, and after the dive, they no longer serve as a diving tool and have no more functionality than a regular three-hand wristwatch.
However, the Singer Divetrack goes beyond just underwater timing, designed as a dive watch that can track your entire dive, including surface intervals between dives and even the time your body needs post-dive before you can safely board a plane and head home.
The Singer Reimagined Divetrack ref. SR401 watch case, crafted from grade 5 titanium with sandblasted and polished accents, measures 49 mm in diameter and 19.67 mm in thickness. However, thanks to its cushion-shaped profile, titanium construction, and ultra-compact skeletonized lugs, the Singer Divetrack is far more comfortable to wear than it might initially appear. The top of the case features a flat sapphire crystal, surrounded by a unidirectional rotating bezel made from marine-grade 316L stainless steel and equipped with a black ceramicized aluminum insert.
Despite its substantial water resistance of 300 meters, the Divetrack's reverse side features a screw-down caseback with a sapphire crystal to showcase its intricate internal mechanism, though the most unique feature of the Divetrack case is its 'sandwich' style construction with a sapphire ring integrated directly into the mid-case beneath the bezel.
Since the Singer Divetrack was specifically created for diving, its face is entirely dedicated to the central 24-hour chronograph. Instead of displaying the time of day on the front dial, the Divetrack offers it on a horizontal rotating ring visible through the sapphire strip on the side of the case at the '6 o'clock' position. A small luminous triangle on the side of the case indicates the current value (marked in quarter-hour increments), while three centrally positioned hands on the front dial are dedicated to the 24-hour chronograph. Although the chronograph ring can only approximately determine the time, the advantage of such an unconventional layout is a truly reliable display and a main dial entirely dedicated to diving.
The Singer Divetrack chronograph dial with a matte black surface, applied indices, and luminous markers looks quite traditional, although the center features a 24-hour ring with an inner section divided into three segments - Fly, Chill, and Dive. The three centrally located hands are for the chronograph: a small arrow-shaped hand tracks elapsed hours, a large bright orange hand shows minutes, and a thin needle-like hand indicates elapsed seconds. Additionally, as expected from a watch specifically designed for divers, all the hands and markers are coated with Super-LumiNova luminescent compound, and luminous material is used on the bezel insert, chronometer peripheral ring, and central chronograph marker for maximum legibility in low-light conditions.
The idea behind the Singer Divetrack is for divers to start the chronograph upon first entering the water and leave it running the entire time, using the orange-finish minute hand and rotating bezel to track essential metrics like decompression stops and bottom time. Instead of stopping the chronograph after the dive, the central 24-hour chronograph of the Divetrack is intended to keep running after the diver surfaces. The hour hand measures the amount of time needed to rest between dives (signified by moving from the 'Chill' section to the 'Dive' section) and the minimum time needed after a dive before safely flying on a plane (when the hour hand moves into the 'Fly' section). While traditional dive watches are only useful during active diving, Singer wanted the Divetrack to be a new type of dive watch that remains relevant before, during, and after the dive.
The Singer Divetrack is operated via a signed screw-down crown located at the '4 o'clock' position, along with two double-gasket pushers located at the '10 o'clock' and '2 o'clock' positions. The button at '2 o'clock' starts and stops the 24-hour chronograph and is equipped with a bright red flip cover to prevent accidental activation. The button at '10 o'clock' serves to reset the chronograph, and since it can only be activated when the chronograph is stopped, the risk of accidentally resetting the chronograph during a dive is eliminated if the button is accidentally pressed.
The mid-case is crafted from grade 5 titanium, the crown and pushers are made from marine-grade 316L stainless steel, and the start/stop pusher's protective cover is coated with bright red ceramic. Additionally, to make the Divetrack as suitable for diving as possible, a helium escape valve is recessed into the side of the case at the '8 o'clock' position, crafted from polished marine-grade stainless steel matching the crown and pushers.
The Singer Divetrack is powered by the automatic 24-hour chronograph Caliber AgenGraphe with 56 jewels, consisting of 479 individual components and operating at a frequency of 21,600 vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 72 hours. Alongside the central 24-hour chronograph with jumping hours, jumping minutes, and sweeping seconds, the intricately finished Singer Reimagined AgenGraphe movement displays peripheral time through the model's sapphire caseback. Additionally, despite being an automatic movement, the rotor is not visible through the caseback, and as with other Singer calibers, the automatic winding assembly in the 24-hour AgenGraphe chronograph is located on the front side of the movement under the dial.
Since the Singer Divetrack is designed for diving and performs a practical role both in and out of the water, it comes supplied with two different straps. The first is a durable vented black rubber strap complemented by a signed stainless steel folding clasp, and the second option is a black textile strap with a wrap-around design and Velcro closure.
The infinite adjustability of the Velcro strap makes it perfectly suited for transitioning from bare wrist to wetsuit, although both straps are made quite well, and either can be easily used for diving. Despite the rather unconventional cushion-shaped case design of the Divetrack and its unique 'sandwich' construction, the compact skeletonized lugs ultimately conform to a traditional style, meaning compatibility with a wide range of third-party straps if the wearer already has preferences in this category.
Despite its rugged appearance and specially designed functionality, the complex architecture of the Singer Reimagined Divetrack ref. SR401 case combined with its advanced mechanical chronograph movement makes it a rather premium offering in this segment, and its price is certainly commensurate - 85,000 Swiss Francs (or approximately 93,000 USD at the time of writing). Furthermore, although the Divetrack model is not a limited edition with production constrained to a specific number of units, its annual production will be quite limited: in 2024, Singer will release only 25 pieces.
The cost of the Singer Divetrack is nearly six thousand dollars, and it is unlikely to suit the average diving enthusiast, yet it is undeniable that this innovative model, specifically created for diving, pushes the boundaries of traditional mechanical watches and offers unique functionality that you won't find in any other watches.