Introducing: The Baltic Aquascaphe Dual-Crown

Quick Take When it comes to relentlessly pursuing the classic watch ideal in a modern package, few independent brands can top Baltic. It has the vintage-inspired game on lock with dive, chronograph, and field watch designs across its collections. Now, it's taken a core model, the Aquascaphe, and adorned it with a second crown (because, you know, two is better than one). Say hello to the Baltic Aquascaphe Dual-Crown, a super-compressor-style evolution of the existing vintage-inspired diver. This new watch features a double-crown design, but also an internal bezel. In typical Baltic fashion, it's available in multiple dial variations and case materials. There are two steel models – with a black or blue dial – and one DLC-coated case variant with a black dial, and each comes fitted to either a tropic rubber strap, beads-of-rice bracelet, or a recycled plastic strap. The Baltic Dual-Crown updates the original Aquascaphe design, with the brand taking lessons learned over four years developing watches, and applying them in a more thoughtful (and useful) manner. Initial Thoughts Baltic watches always feel more like a hat-tip to a given era and style rather than homage. In this case, the era is the 1960s and the style is the super-compressor. What's a super-compressor? Well, it's a reference to a patented case-sealing method developed in the '60s. It's since been colloquially defined by a watch with two crowns – one to wind, and the other to operate the internal bezel. At 39mm, the case hits the sweet spot in sizing with a 47mm lug-to-lug measurement and 12mm thickness – including the crystal. The duo of crowns flank the right side of the watch, (as crowns tend to do, unless built for the left-wristed ), each stylized with a vintage-influenced waffle pattern. Baltic noticeably opted against the signed "B" crown used in prior models. The sapphire crystal is decidedly flatter compared to the original Aquascaphe's highly domed crystal (likely due to the crystal's enlarged surface area without the external bezel). This helps provide the dark dials with a less reflective look and vastly improves the dial's legibility compared to the original outer bezel, which – for all its praise – falls short in that department. In terms of finishing, the bezel (the outer bezel that is) features a radial brushing which Baltic refers to as a tourbillon shape. Additionally, the bezel surface is polished along its edges. Its flat construction provides a sturdier look, and the radial brushing is an intriguing touch I've not seen before on a watch. The super-compressor-style dial is encircled by a rotating inner 60-minute diving bezel curved along its edge. The dial features highly legible hands and hour markers, each filled with lume. The markers are much larger than prior iterations. This is basically Baltic's version of the Rolex maxi dial (though with one extra crown – cue tomato toss ). In another noticeable change to previous Aquascaphes, the sandwich-style hour indices are no more – which, actually, improves the watch's legibility. Moving to the backside, six holes adorn the screw-down caseback, giving the impression that a specialized tool should be used to open and close it. It's otherwise sparse and utilitarian. It's worth noting, however, that the models photographed are pre-production prototypes, so the production casebacks might appear slightly different. Inside beats the Miyota caliber 9039, an affordable and easily serviceable Japanese movement typically regarded as a "workhorse" – which is also quite possibly the most overused idiom in the watch world. Horse, or no horse, the 9039 boasts a respectable 42-hour power reserve and features a hacking seconds mechanism. The new Baltic Aquascaphe Dual-Crown is the latest riff on the Aquascaphe design, a watch that, itself, took design cues from a vintage Waltham-branded Blancpain Bathyscaphe owned by Baltic founder Etienne Malic (and inherited from his late father at a young age). It's a remix of a remix. In that way, the Dual-Crown is something completely new – the latest development for a brand pushing the vintage-inspired trend to its limit in a continued effort to bring interesting affordable watches to the masses. The Basics Brand: Baltic Model: Aquascaphe Dual-Crown Reference Number: Diameter: 39mm x 47mm Thickness: 12mm Case Material: Steel or black PVD coated steel Dial Color: Blue or black Indexes: Printed, luminous at all 12 positions Lume: Super-LumiNova BGW9 Water Resistance: 200 meters Strap/Bracelet: Tropic rubber strap, beads of rice steel, and recycled plastic The Movement Caliber: Miyota caliber 9029 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, hacking mechanism Diameter: TK Thickness: Tk Power Reserve: 42 hours Winding: Automatic Frequency: 4Hz Jewels: TK Chronometer Certified: No Pricing & Availability Price: €550 ($655 USD) during pre-order campaign until May 4, €650 ($774 USD) afterwards Availability: Available for pre-order now, production to begin at start of May, shipping to begin in September Limited Edition: First 300 units numbered, non-numbered production afterward Photos: Kasia Milton Shop Talk As you may know, the HODINKEE Shop is an Authorized Dealer for Baltic , so if you're looking to pick one up, don't forget to check The Shop.Instagram’s favorite sub-$1,000 dive watch gets a makeover