Swatch SCUBAQUA review – Why is everyone talking about them when they’re (just) more Swatches?

Tags: Review | Swatch | Classic | Fashion

19.11.2025 | 3 MIN

The principle of a good article is to tease the reader into sticking around for the payoff at the end, right? To hell with suspense—I’ll say it straight away: because Swatch Scubaqua are sensational watches with excellent specs, 100 m water resistance, a fun dive-inspired design, and they don’t cost twice as much just because of a tie-in with Omega or Blancpain. Want to know more? Now comes the part where you read through to the end.

Abroad, Swatch ScubAqua inevitably get compared to the MoonSwatch or the later Scuba Fifty—mainly because they share the same material: Bioceramic.

But Swatch was using Bioceramic before those:

Not that this makes them any less interesting. The Swatch ScubAqua case combines bioceramic (crown, case body) and bio‑based plastic made from castor-oil origins (for the transparent sections). Thanks to that, the watches are extremely light (about 38 grams), the ceramic composite looks better than regular plastic, and they’re very pleasant to the touch.

What’s genuinely new with the Swatch ScubAqua is the 100 m (10 ATM) water resistance. That’s anything but typical in Swatch’s current lineup. 30 m is the norm, although… with Swatches that’s always been a bit different.

Swatch offered dive models in the past as well. The best known are the early‑1990s Swatch Scuba with 200 m water resistance. Even then they didn’t shy away from bold colors and patterns.

Official guidance will always say not to expose a watch to more than what it’s tested for—so 3 ATM means hand washing and rain only. In practice, though, we know Swatches can take much more. They owe that mainly to their one‑piece construction and press‑fitted crystal. The only potential weak point is the crown, or if a crack develops in the crystal.

8.7.2021
Swatch – The story of a company that saved Swiss watchmaking

Still, when you’ve got a watch that gives you 100 m water resistance outright—no “maybe, probably”—that’s a great feeling. Especially when it’s a watch made for the water!

And the ScubAqua absolutely are. The summery colors, the unidirectional rotating bezel, excellent legibility with broad hands (with lume) and indices—all of it works in their favor.

Granted, that plastic glass can throw reflections, the lume is weak and short‑lived, and you probably won’t take them as the watch you rely on at real depths. But it’s good to know that when you’re collecting shells a few meters from shore, they’ll be more than fine.

They come in five colorways, with both hues and names inspired by specific jellyfish species. Hence the combination of a transparent case and dial that creates a “jelly effect.”

The crown positioned unusually at 10 o’clock threw me off at first. According to Swatch, it’s less a nod to left‑handers than a way to improve protection (there are small crown guards, too). The whole construction is finished to eliminate any sharp edges that could snag on clothing, for example.

And I have to say, they’re incredibly comfortable watches. Despite a 44 mm diameter and 15.4 mm thickness (you can forget about slipping them under a tight cuff), they feel cloud-light on the wrist. Not just because they’re light; the lugs are rounded, drop away quickly, and they wear great even on small wrists.

And that strap! The material—again bio‑sourced—is silicone‑like but softer, more pleasant to the touch, matte, and very compliant. I haven’t yet had the chance to expose them to peak summer heat to see how the skin fares under the strap, but it should be much like silicone—and perhaps even better.

Speaking of comfort and heat exposure… One advantage of the ceramic used for the case is strong temperature resistance, so time in the tropics won’t bother it. It also doesn’t heat up as quickly as metal, which makes it nicer on the wrist in summer—it won’t burn you, and there’s no risk of deformation.

Let’s be honest. Swatches were always meant primarily as style pieces (or a basic tool for telling time). Expecting them to harbor ambitions of professional‑grade performance in any category would miss—and undervalue—their playful pop‑cultural status.

Photo credits:

• Hodinky 365
• official images from the manufacturer

You might also like:

12.10.2023
Blancpain x Swatch: Bioceramic Scuba Fifty introduction