50 ATMOS Onda Sunkist

Squale is a legendary brand founded by Charles von Büren in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 1959. In the beginning, they were more famous for being an excellent manufacturer and supplier of watch cases - supplying their cases to brands like Blancpain, Doxa and TAG Heuer. The brand’s curved shark logo was also featured on some of the brands’ watches as it was considered a hallmark of quality.

A 1968 Blancpain Fifty Fathoms with the Squale Logo (Credits: Bachmann & Scher)

Squale also sold watches bearing its own name and today, they are well regarded as a brand steeped in history, offering quality Swiss made timepieces at an excellent price point. The history of the Squale 1521 50 ATMOS case has been well-documented. Aside from it being produced for the big brands, Squale has also adopted it for its own watches - even today. You know the famous saying “don’t fix what is not broken”? Squale did exactly that.

The new Squale 50 ATMOS Onda Sunkist has a very familiar case design if you’re a fan of the brand. It features the eloquently designed “von Büren case”. The most prominent feature of the watch is the signed crown recessed at 4 o’clock. This is done to prevent accidental knocks damaging the crown stem and movement. The case measures 41mm in diameter (the bezel makes it 42mm), has a lug-to-lug of 48mm and a thickness of only 12.5mm. Despite the 42mm size, the Squale 50 ATMOS Onda Sunkist wears extremely well on even smaller wrist sizes, thanks to the ingenious case design and the downward curving lugs.
 

Unique wave dial with applied markers

The watch is entirely high polished 316L stainless steel and also features a 120-click unidirectional dive time bezel that allows you to track elapsed time. The bezel is also steel but has a silverish look to it, with raised 3D markers that give the bezel a tactile feel when rotating it while also adding a little design flair. The timepiece is certified to a mere 500m of water resistance. Just kidding. 500m of water resistance is pretty impressive, given that there is no helium escape valve on the watch. No one will be diving 500m deep into the oceans with this watch, but it is sure as hell reassuring to know that the watch on your wrist can really take a tough beating.

Onda is the Italian word for wave and the Squale 50 ATMOS Onda Sunkist lives up to its name. The bright orange dial features a striking wave pattern, allowing the watch to showcase its beauty whilst still being a proper dive watch. It utilises the classic Squale 50 ATMOS handset and has baton indices throughout. A white date wheel at 3 o’clock adds a functional aspect to an aesthetically pleasing dial. Protecting the dial from the elements is a piece of flat sapphire crystal,guaranteeing robustness and durability as it will be resistant to scratches.

Polished raised markers with matte background

Squale applies a generous coating of Swiss C3 Superluminova on the indices and hands. The result is a bright green glow in dark conditions. Dive watches should be readable in even the poorest of lighting conditions, and the generous amount of lume on the watch indicates that while it might look pretty, the Squale 50 ATMOS Onda Sunkist isn’t just here to play.

The workhorse calibre powering the Squale 50 ATMOS Onda Sunkist is the Selita SW200-1. It has 26 jewels, beats at 28,800 BPH and has a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. It is an extremely reliable movement that has been used by many manufacturers. With an expertly manufactured case design, the usage of the Selita SW200-1 is a no-brainer as it will be as rugged and reliable as the watch case.

Super-LumiNova offers excellent legibility under any lighting conditions

To complete the watch, Squale attached a 20mm blue stingray leather strap which tapers to a nice butterfly deployant clasp. The strap features vintage orange stitching which complements the watch dial. It also has a unique texture, giving the watch a good wrist presence as it definitely stands out from your typical leather straps.

Squale 50 ATMOS watches have always been well regarded by watch enthusiasts as they are a part of the brand’s rich history. It was a hallmark of quality back then and it is still the same now. This latest release in Squale’s line of 50 ATMOS watches is sure to turn many heads as it combines the appeal of an extremely well-constructed watch with a beautiful wave dial - a mix of elegance and robustness. The unique stingray leather strap tops it all off, offering a little something extra than many dive watches on the market. You may just have sunkissed skin after putting the Onda Sunkist on your wrist.