CWC 1980 RN Diver Re-issue Review
Newest addition to the family has finally arrived.
A quick high level review with a few pics.
Have had my eye on this for number of years and finally decided to pull the trigger.
It’s my forth CWC, with the other 3 being quartz and my second CWC RN Diver.
This has been reproduced to look like the original 1980s diver that replaced the Rolex MilSub that was issued to Royal Navy Divers.
Including original CWC dial logo, light vintage faux patina markers, small circled ‘T’ on dial (although the lume is super-luminova, rather than tritium) and automatic movement.
The issued automatic version of this watch was replaced in 1982 with a quartz model and a revised dial.
The case is 41mm polished stainless steel with sapphire crystal, an unsigned crown, fixed spring bars and a uni-directional 60-click bezel.
Lug width is 20mm, lug to lug 47mm and a height of 12.7mm, with 300m of water resistance.
The reliable ETA 2824-2 movement with a 38hr power reserve is housed inside.
There are a number of subtle differences between the re-issue and standard RN Diver, all of which I feel enhance the re-issue.
These include:
Removing the gap between the markers and the edge of the dial, which makes the watch wear bigger than the standard version.
Adjusting the size (chunkiness) of the second hand which makes it look more in proportion to the sword hour hand and a diamond at the tip of the second hand.
A lumed (numbers and 12 o’Clock triangle) acrylic bezel insert with larger numerals and markers in place of the aluminium insert.
Of the 3 dial lume options (Dark Vintage, Light Vintage and modern [C3]) the Light Vintage is my favourite as I feel it gets the balance just right.
For me the re-issue feels and looks like an upgrade to the standard model, however these upgrades come at a cost (not a small one!).
However, I’m biased and absolutely love this watch
Apologies for the crap photos, I’ve lifted a few stock photos also.
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This looks amazing. Great get!
Perfect 👌
So so cool.
That raised bezel, I guess is for gloved hands? My milspec diver is designed with a raised bezel as well. Maybe that’s a requirement for these watches?
Funny I had no idea what CWC was until I watched “The Diplomat” on Netflix just this week. And, now, here one is “in the wild”.
One of the show’s main characters, Hal Wyler, played by Rufus Sewel, wears, what I think is, CWC’s W10 reproduction. An aviation watch.
Yeah, design comes from an MOD Spec
Absolutely love CWC. I have a G10 Fatboy-80 which I bought... I have many colleagues that have been issued theirs. Interesting my father in law, who is also still serving in the Royal Navy, is a mine clearance diver. He was issued a CWC diver is the 80s (I think after 1982 so would have had the circle logo) but he was a good boy and returned it after that particular appointment! No one I know (apart from him) does that. It would be so easy to say you lost in on a dive. But he's an honest guy. Either way, if he'd have kept it he would have a real gem, just like you have there. Enjoy! 👌
That’s a cool back story about your father in laws watch, I love the heritage behind these. 👍🏻👍🏻
Great watch from a company with some cool history.
Super dope piece fam 👊🏾
Damn that looks good!