Iconic watch art prints. Made in Switzerland, lifetime guarantee

The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

When I was looking for a nice watch in early 2024, I stumbled upon the Kickstarter for this watch, or rather, the first model with a Seiko movement. I had already fallen in love with the Serica 6190 and had given up on the idea of owning this watch.

But after the release of the white, then the red, and then the green versions, I couldn't resist the urge to own it.
So, objectively speaking, the watch is absolutely magnificent. It was sold with a green Rubstrap strap, which I quickly removed for the Bonklip of my 6190.
It sits perfectly on my 16.5 cm wrist. Admittedly, it's less comfortable than the Serica, but it's a good, reliable option for everyday wear.

With its now reliable and robust Swiss movement.

I would have liked, objectively speaking, a diameter of 38 or 39 mm instead of 40 mm, and a slightly thinner profile. Apart from that, I love it.
A beautiful piece for a true enthusiast.

Eska amphibian 250 green turtle 

Eska is a watch brand founded in 1918 in Switzerland by Sylvan Kocher (S. Kocher &amp; Co.), with the name echoing the pronunciation of the initials &ldquo;S-K&rdquo; (es-ka). Born from dress watchmaking with clear legibility, the brand became known for guilloch&eacute; or grained dials, elegant small-to-mid sizes and, later, for a mythical diver that is now almost impossible to find. After going dormant at the end of the 20th century, Eska was revived in the mid-2020s with a stated intent to honor its historic pieces while adapting them for contemporary wear.
<h3>From &ldquo;S. Kocher &amp; Co.&rdquo; to Eska: Selzach, then Grenchen (1918&ndash;1937)</h3>
In the aftermath of World War I, S. Kocher &amp; Co. was established in Selzach before relocating to Grenchen in the 1930s to support international growth; this geographic shift accompanied the ambition to evolve from a small workshop into a brand geared to export. The early decades focused on dress watches with three hands, sometimes embellished with simple calendars or jumping-hour &ldquo;digital&rdquo; displays, set in round or shaped cases in steel, plated metals or gold.
Already in the interwar period, Eska watches circulated beyond Switzerland, notably in the Americas and Brazil, gaining a reputation for thin, well-finished and easy-to-read pieces; the brand&rsquo;s identity was rooted more in restrained execution than in mechanical one-upmanship. That approach &mdash; compact proportions, quietly worked dials &mdash; runs through the 1940s and 1950s output.
<h3>Royce as the export sibling and the quartz-era headwinds</h3>
From the post-war years onward, the company developed a second label, Royce, aimed primarily at export markets (notably the United States), offering watches close in spirit but signed differently depending on distribution; this dual-signature strategy broadened reach without diluting the aesthetic DNA. In the 1960s, use of the Royce name intensified, and Eska-signed pieces became scarcer in some regions.
The 1970s&ndash;1980s upended the ecosystem with the rise of quartz movements, which destabilized many historic, smaller-scale makers; Eska scaled back and ultimately faded as an active brand by the late 1980s. This retreat explains the strong presence of vintage pieces on today&rsquo;s secondary market, often in period-correct diameters (34&ndash;37 mm) and prized for well-preserved dials.
<h3>&ldquo;Amphibian 600&rdquo;: a rare diver, between archives and legend</h3>
Around 1959&ndash;1960, a now-mythical reference appeared: the Eska Amphibian 600, a diver with a broad acrylic bezel and a very distinctive personality; its patchy iconography fuels both collectors&rsquo; interest and a dose of mystery. Some sources suggest it on the wrists of personalities or military units, and specialists highlight the extreme rarity of intact examples &mdash; some even speak of only a handful known, which gives it a near &ldquo;ghost&rdquo; aura.
<ul>
<li>Eska Amphibian 600 &mdash; late-1950s diver, inspired by the first civil dive watches, oversized bezel, maximum legibility.</li>
<li>Eska Calendar &mdash; dress watches with day/date/month indications, often in thin cases and textured dials.</li>
<li>Eska Digital (jump hour) &mdash; window-display pieces typical of the 1930s&ndash;1950s, blending whimsy with restraint.</li>
<li>Eska Chronograph &mdash; sporadic productions with telemeter/spiral scales, instrument-like in spirit.</li>
</ul>
The place of the Eska Amphibian 600 in dive-watch history owes as much to its singular design as to the difficulty of documenting its distribution with certainty; for a buyer, this means paying close attention to dial, bezel and case coherence. On such pieces, clear provenance and original components weigh heavily in valuation.
<h3>Contemporary revival (2024&ndash;2025): Amphibian 250 and Heritage Chronograph</h3>
In 2024, two enthusiasts brought the brand back with the Eska Amphibian 250, a modern, more attainable take on the historic diver, funded via Kickstarter and assembled in France; the brief combines vintage cues (case lines, bezel, drilled lugs) with present-day usability. The campaign drew notable interest among enthusiasts, validating the wager of awakening a &ldquo;sleeping beauty&rdquo; with tact.
In 2025, the brand broadened the project with a heritage-styled chronograph, the Eska Heritage Chronograph, at roughly 38 mm with drilled lugs and pump pushers, channeling a 1960s sport-chic spirit; the intent is to stick to wearable proportions and clear reading without sacrificing the pleasure of details. These releases anchor the revival in an unabashed &ldquo;neo-vintage&rdquo; register that remains faithful to the original identity.
<h3>Pricing, distribution and production: a measured stance</h3>
The current strategy favors direct-to-consumer sales and a handful of specialized partners, with limited series by colorway and tightly managed runs; price levels span early-bird preorder tickets to controlled retail for the segment. Dial and bezel variations follow one another as batches progress, allowing collectors to pick distinctive configurations.
Assembly in France, straps from renowned artisans and local-leaning logistics are part of the talking points; this footprint helps with after-sales service and parts availability. Communications remain educational and community-oriented, with appearances at watch events and in a few showrooms.
<h3>Selection advice: authentic vintage or ready-to-wear neo-vintage</h3>
For a historical piece, target an example whose dial, bezel and hands align (fonts, patina, lengths) and whose case still shows crisp edges; on an Amphibian, overall coherence of the insert and the watch&rsquo;s stance trumps details you&rsquo;ll never see on the wrist. Period paperwork and recent service by a competent workshop are valuable pluses.
<ul>
<li>If you love dive-watch history, an original Eska Amphibian 600 is a collector&rsquo;s rarity that&rsquo;s demanding to source and authenticate.</li>
<li>If you want a vintage-looking &ldquo;daily diver&rdquo; with modern comfort, the Eska Amphibian 250 is a compelling compromise.</li>
<li>If you prefer 1960s racing-chic styling, the Eska Heritage Chronograph aims for clear legibility and balanced wear.</li>
</ul>
On the wrist, keep overall height, lug-to-lug length and strap comfort (beads-of-rice steel, tropic rubber, leather) in mind; fit to your wrist and lifestyle matters more than chasing spec sheet superlatives. For a &ldquo;smart buy,&rdquo; compare variants in person when possible and prioritize perceived execution quality.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
Eska speaks to enthusiasts who value readable design, compact proportions and fidelity to historic codes without pastiche. Between rare vintage pieces and well-thought-out neo-vintage re-editions, the brand offers a pleasant doorway into evocative, wearable, endearing watchmaking. To choose among models, start with your use case (daily dress, weekend, thematic collection), then judge the dial-case-bracelet balance. If you hesitate, rely on Dialicious customer reviews to confront brand narrative with real on-wrist experience.
(Updated September 2025)

Hi,
Today I share with you my opinion on the Eska Red Viper. This is a variation of the Amphibian 250 in 136 copies, a watch unveiled a little before Christmas 2024. I hesitated for a long time to take the plunge, having a large number of watches at the top of my list. The trigger was this very beautiful red dial, something that I do not have in my collection.

In the end, no regrets, it is a watch with a nice presence, very pleasant, a complete packaging: the black nato, the red tropic and the famous Ladder bracelet.

Specifications:

Diameter 40mm
Thickness 13.5mm
Solid caseback
SW200 movement
Double domed sapphire crystal

Very easy to change the bracelet thanks to the quick pumps, be careful when removing the links on the Ladder bracelet, you need to have the right tools because driving out the pins can take time and be quite difficult.
Otherwise, what we remember the most is really this dial, a very beautiful red, but not a bright red.

In short, a beautiful diver, a toolwatch that deserves to spend its time outside.

Very nice variation

I'm absolutely captivated by the Eska Amphibian 250 Green Turtle. The gradient smoky green dial is stunning, with beautiful reflections depending on the light. It's an extremely versatile watch, perfect for everyday wear. On its steel bracelet, it's comfortable, well-balanced, and works equally well in casual or dressier settings. A watch I wear every day without ever getting tired of it.

Eska Amphibian 250 Green Turtle

Today, I'd like to introduce you to the latest addition to my collection: the Eska Amphibian 250 White Shark.

It's a true steel diver's watch, very well proportioned: 40 mm in diameter and 13.5 mm thick, with a lug-to-lug measurement of 46 mm. It houses a Sellita SW200 movement (38-hour power reserve) and lives up to its name: "Amphibian 250" directly refers to its 250-meter water resistance.

This watch complements a collection already featured on the platform, which includes a Kurono Tokyo Grand Hagane (more of a dress watch) and an Atelier Wen Perception (YING) (more of a sports watch). This is clearly a tool watch designed for use. To be honest, it hasn't yet explored the ocean depths… but I wear it very often every day, precisely because it does the job perfectly: robust, legible, and incredibly versatile.

I fitted it with a The Lodge strap (as seen in the photos), because the original tropical strap is unfortunately a bit too big for my wrist, and I don't really appreciate the comfort of NATO straps. Anyway, like many enthusiasts, you choose a watch first for its looks, then you customize it with the strap that suits you.

What I particularly like about this White Shark:

• The luminescence, which is really pronounced (much more so than on my Atelier Wen).

• The precision and reliability of the Swiss movement, which are beyond question.

• The white dial, quite rare on a dive watch at this price point, and a welcome change from classic black dials.

• The reverse-curved bezel, which often intrigues and sparks questions when I wear it at watch events.

As for the finish, for the price, it's frankly excellent: a beautiful alternation between brushed on the dial and polished on the case, with a solid screw-down case back. I also appreciate its slightly vintage feel: the sandwich dial, the oversized indices, and that nice detail on the seconds hand with the luminescent lollipop dot, which is super easy to spot in night vision.

In short, an appealing diver's watch, well-designed and very wearable for everyday use, and an excellent surprise in this price range.

An endearing diver, ultra-versatile for everyday use

After having fallen for the first version of the Amphibian 250 Black Sea during the Kickstarter campaign, new acquisition of this model in the Red Viper version limited to 136 copies.

A few developments including a major one, the caliber goes from Seiko NH-38 to Sellita SW-200.

Thank you Eska for this long-awaited update that will retain the loyalty of customers who trusted you at the launch of the first series.

Pretty smoked red dial and slightly lightened bezel make this model super endearing, with a very original vintage style, particularly mounted on the brand's new metal bracelet.

Looking forward to a new launch to continue the adventure with Eska...



ESKA AMPHIBIAN 250 RED VIPER

In the modern watchmaking landscape we have a good number of micro brands that appear every year, but ESKA is one of those brands that unfortunately disappeared following the quartz crisis in the 80s and which returned to the watchmaking scene recently. And that's what I liked most about this brand relaunched by two Lyonnais recently. Having had many divers in the past, what immediately excited me was the history and inspiration behind its elder, the Amphibian 600, plus this limited edition version with this red dial that fades in its center from a blood red to black edges finally convinced me.

This enormous reverse bezel topped with a sapphire crystal further increases this depth effect initiated by the gradient of the dial. A detail that we don't see every day and that I wanted to have in my collection is the fact of having a so-called sandwich dial and it's done with this example, it makes this dial come alive, these small cutouts, don't you think? To finish Eska does not deliver the watch to you with a single bracelet but rather with 3 bracelets which are a steel type laderband, an ultra comfortable red rubber as well as a simple but effective black nato all mounted on quick pumps facilitating the change of the bracelets and therefore the look of this watch.

Moreover the look that this watch gives off is special indeed in 10 years of collections it is the first watch that arouses so much attraction and questions from those around me and people on a daily basis it surprises with its reverse bezel and its red gradient dial. It is fun but faithful to its origins.

Eska Amphibian 250 Red Devil the most amazing diver

Ollech &amp; Wajs est une maison horlog&egrave;re suisse fond&eacute;e en 1956 &agrave; Zurich par Joseph Ollech et Albert Wajs ; d&rsquo;abord d&eacute;taillant puis acteur de la vente par correspondance, le duo a b&acirc;ti sa r&eacute;putation sur des montres &laquo; tool &raquo; robustes &mdash; plongeuses, militaires, d&rsquo;aviation &mdash; vendues aux particuliers comme aux forces arm&eacute;es, avant d&rsquo;orchestrer un retour au premier plan au cours des ann&eacute;es 2010 avec une gamme contemporaine qui r&eacute;active les signatures historiques.
<h3>Zurich, Stockerstrasse et la vente par correspondance&thinsp;: les d&eacute;buts d&rsquo;un label outil</h3>
D&egrave;s l&rsquo;ouverture de leur petite boutique zurichoise, les fondateurs s&rsquo;attachent &agrave; proposer des montres fiables &agrave; prix tenu, puis &eacute;tendent rapidement l&rsquo;activit&eacute; vers le courrier et les annonces sp&eacute;cialis&eacute;es, et cette distribution directe fa&ccedil;on &laquo; mail-order &raquo; deviendra l&rsquo;un des marqueurs durables de la marque.&nbsp;Le basculement d&rsquo;un r&ocirc;le de d&eacute;taillant vers la cr&eacute;ation de montres sous leur propre nom s&rsquo;op&egrave;re en quelques ann&eacute;es, avec des lignes d&eacute;di&eacute;es aux usages concrets (terrain, mer, cockpit) et une construction volontairement simple et r&eacute;parable, et l&rsquo;obsession est moins la &laquo; complication &raquo; que l&rsquo;endurance et la lisibilit&eacute;.
Dans les ann&eacute;es 1960, la diffusion s&rsquo;&eacute;tend aux bases am&eacute;ricaines et aux PX, o&ugrave; des montres militaires et de plong&eacute;e sign&eacute;es O&amp;W trouvent un public pr&ecirc;t &agrave; les &eacute;prouver en conditions r&eacute;elles, et cette validation par l&rsquo;usage contribue &agrave; installer l&rsquo;image d&rsquo;un outil professionnel abordable.
<h3>Caribbean 1000 et Ocean Graph&thinsp;: la profondeur, la d&eacute;compression et l&rsquo;imaginaire des grandes eaux</h3>
Au milieu des sixties, la maison se distingue par des plongeuses d&rsquo;avant-garde dont la Ollech &amp; Wajs Caribbean 1000, pi&egrave;ce record annonc&eacute;e pour 1000 m qui cristallise l&rsquo;ambition technique de l&rsquo;&eacute;poque et installe le nom O&amp;W dans le paysage de la plong&eacute;e sportive comme professionnelle, et l&rsquo;association avec des partenaires sp&eacute;cialis&eacute;s nourrit une esth&eacute;tique rationnelle et sans fioritures.
Dans la m&ecirc;me veine, l&rsquo;Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph introduit une lunette et une logique de lecture con&ccedil;ues pour accompagner la mont&eacute;e du plongeur et les paliers de d&eacute;compression, ancrant la montre dans un usage pr&eacute;cis plut&ocirc;t que dans l&rsquo;&eacute;vocation d&eacute;corative de la mer, et le cadran reste clair pour pr&eacute;server l&rsquo;instantan&eacute;it&eacute; de la lecture sous l&rsquo;eau.
Ces r&eacute;f&eacute;rences historiques, souvent cit&eacute;es et collectionn&eacute;es aujourd&rsquo;hui, ont fa&ccedil;onn&eacute; un langage fait de bo&icirc;tiers costauds, d&rsquo;&eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute;s s&eacute;rieuses, de bracelets adapt&eacute;s et de typographies contrast&eacute;es qui affleurent encore dans les mod&egrave;les actuels, et c&rsquo;est cette continuit&eacute; de &laquo; montre-outil &raquo; qui permet de relier le pass&eacute; et le pr&eacute;sent.
<h3>Relance contemporaine, ancrage helv&eacute;tique et cha&icirc;ne courte&thinsp;: le retour d&rsquo;O&amp;W</h3>
Apr&egrave;s avoir travers&eacute; la p&eacute;riode quartz et ralenti la cadence, la marque est reprise par Charles Le Menestrel et relanc&eacute;e &agrave; la fin des ann&eacute;es 2010 avec la volont&eacute; explicite de prolonger l&rsquo;esprit des origines plut&ocirc;t que de s&rsquo;&eacute;parpiller en s&eacute;ries cosm&eacute;tiques, et&nbsp;le bureau de cr&eacute;ation reste &agrave; Zurich tandis que l&rsquo;assemblage et les r&eacute;glages s&rsquo;effectuent dans le Jura suisse.
La d&eacute;marche privil&eacute;gie des mouvements automatiques suisses &eacute;prouv&eacute;s, une architecture de bo&icirc;te simple &agrave; entretenir, des &eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute;s cr&eacute;dibles et des bracelets &agrave; la fois robustes et faciles &agrave; vivre au quotidien, et le cahier des charges reprend la triade historique : fiabilit&eacute;, lisibilit&eacute;, r&eacute;parabilit&eacute;.
La relance ne se contente pas de &laquo; r&eacute;&eacute;ditions &raquo; au millim&egrave;tre : elle propose des montres nouvelles inspir&eacute;es des usages historiques, rehausse le soin apport&eacute; aux finitions et met en avant un contr&ocirc;le qualit&eacute; par &eacute;tapes, et le r&eacute;sultat vise une modernit&eacute; pragmatique qui &eacute;vite le pastiche.
<h3>P-101, P-104, Navichron, C-1000 et Ocean Graph&thinsp;: familles actuelles et usages concrets</h3>
Les premi&egrave;res r&eacute;f&eacute;rences de l&rsquo;&egrave;re r&eacute;cente prennent la forme de montres d&rsquo;aviation &agrave; taille contenue, Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 et Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104, qui relecturent les codes cockpit dans une bo&icirc;te polyvalente autour de 39&ndash;40 mm avec saphir et couronne viss&eacute;e, et elles ciblent une lecture instrumentale et une r&eacute;sistance suffisante pour le quotidien.
C&ocirc;t&eacute; plong&eacute;e, la maison propose aujourd&rsquo;hui la Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 (ainsi que des &eacute;ditions anniversaires) comme incarnation contemporaine de l&rsquo;esprit Caribbean : valves, joints, fonds viss&eacute;s et traitements soign&eacute;s s&rsquo;additionnent pour offrir un instrument de mer moderne, et le cadran conserve l&rsquo;intelligibilit&eacute; qui a fait la r&eacute;putation de la lign&eacute;e.
En parall&egrave;le, l&rsquo;Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph revient sous une forme actualis&eacute;e, avec sa logique de lecture li&eacute;e &agrave; la d&eacute;compression qui en fait une plongeuse de caract&egrave;re imm&eacute;diatement reconnaissable au poignet, et cette signature d&rsquo;usage distingue le mod&egrave;le dans un segment satur&eacute;.
La famille Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron s&rsquo;adresse &agrave; celles et ceux qui veulent un chronographe &laquo; outil &raquo; lisible, fid&egrave;le &agrave; l&rsquo;esprit O&amp;W sans exc&egrave;s de complexit&eacute;, avec une ergonomie de poussoirs travaill&eacute;e et une &eacute;chelle claire pour structurer le temps court, et le dessin reste volontairement pratique plut&ocirc;t que d&eacute;monstratif.
<ul>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 &mdash; pilote contemporain, diam&egrave;tre contenu, saphir, r&eacute;sistance &agrave; l&rsquo;eau &eacute;lev&eacute;e, cadran tr&egrave;s lisible, usage &laquo; bureau-terrain &raquo;.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104 &mdash; variante d&rsquo;aviation avec autre signature de lunette et de marquages, m&ecirc;me esprit robuste.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 &mdash; plongeuse moderne inspir&eacute;e de la Caribbean, &eacute;tanch&eacute;it&eacute; pouss&eacute;e et lecture directe.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph &mdash; plongeuse instrumentale &agrave; logique de d&eacute;compression, identit&eacute; forte au poignet.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron &mdash; chronographe &laquo; tool &raquo;, cadran a&eacute;r&eacute; et poussoirs francs, lisibilit&eacute; du temps court.</li>
</ul>
Au-del&agrave; des noms, l&rsquo;important est l&rsquo;usage : pilote pour la lisibilit&eacute; &agrave; plat et la r&eacute;sistance aux chocs de la vie active, plongeuse pour l&rsquo;eau et la robustesse, chronographe pour rythmer les t&acirc;ches et les entra&icirc;nements, et ce d&eacute;coupage aide &agrave; choisir une O&amp;W en fonction d&rsquo;un sc&eacute;nario r&eacute;el plut&ocirc;t que d&rsquo;un simple style.
<h3>Signature &laquo; tool watch &raquo;&thinsp;: mat&eacute;riaux, mouvements, dimensions et bracelets</h3>
Les bo&icirc;tiers actuels privil&eacute;gient l&rsquo;acier, des traitements de surface sobres, des lunettes fonctionnelles et des glaces saphir, avec des diam&egrave;tres g&eacute;n&eacute;ralement compris entre 39 et 42 mm pour pr&eacute;server la polyvalence au quotidien, et le port&eacute; se veut stable gr&acirc;ce &agrave; des cornes ma&icirc;tris&eacute;es et des bracelets ajust&eacute;s.
C&ocirc;t&eacute; motorisation, la marque recourt &agrave; des automatiques suisses contemporains adapt&eacute;s &agrave; l&rsquo;usage intensif, certains r&eacute;gl&eacute;s ou certifi&eacute;s selon versions, et l&rsquo;accent est mis sur la facilit&eacute; d&rsquo;entretien par un horloger comp&eacute;tent partout dans le monde, et cette pragmatique m&eacute;canique refl&egrave;te la vocation utilitaire des montres.
Les bracelets &mdash; acier, textile de type RAF/NATO ou caoutchouc &mdash; sont choisis pour leur s&eacute;curit&eacute;, leur r&eacute;sistance &agrave; l&rsquo;eau et leur confort, tandis que les boucles et end-links sont travaill&eacute;s pour limiter les points durs, et la modularit&eacute; permet d&rsquo;adapter la m&ecirc;me montre &agrave; des contextes tr&egrave;s diff&eacute;rents.
<h3>Positionnement, prix, distribution et profils d&rsquo;acheteurs</h3>
O&amp;W occupe aujourd&rsquo;hui un segment &laquo; outil de qualit&eacute; &raquo; : finitions soign&eacute;es mais sans ostentation, fiches techniques coh&eacute;rentes, contr&ocirc;le qualit&eacute; serr&eacute; et communication ax&eacute;e sur l&rsquo;usage plut&ocirc;t que sur le prestige, et le rapport contenu/prix vise la cr&eacute;dibilit&eacute; d&rsquo;un instrument plut&ocirc;t que la posture luxueuse.&nbsp;La distribution m&ecirc;le vente directe en ligne et r&eacute;seau restreint de partenaires, comme <a href="https://bit.ly/4igLuis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horel</a> &agrave; Bordeaux (France) ou <a href="https://bit.ly/4p27od0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Vitrine Horlog&egrave;re</a> en Belgique, avec un discours p&eacute;dagogique sur l&rsquo;h&eacute;ritage et les usages, et&nbsp;ce canal court facilite la coh&eacute;rence tarifaire et la relation avec l&rsquo;atelier.
Le public typique r&eacute;unit des amateurs de montres &laquo; &agrave; faire &raquo; plut&ocirc;t qu&rsquo;&laquo; &agrave; montrer &raquo;, des plongeurs loisirs, des voyageurs qui appr&eacute;cient la solidit&eacute; et des utilisateurs professionnels qui veulent un objet fiable et r&eacute;parable, et la marque parle &agrave; celles et ceux qui pr&eacute;f&egrave;rent la preuve par le port&eacute;.
<h3>Guide de choix&thinsp;: sc&eacute;nario d&rsquo;usage, lisibilit&eacute; et ergonomie</h3>
Commencez par d&eacute;finir l&rsquo;environnement principal : eau, cockpit, bureau-terrain ou sport chronom&eacute;tr&eacute; ; si l&rsquo;eau domine, une Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 ou une Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph seront naturelles, tandis que P-101/P-104 conviendront aux lectures rapides et aux cadrans &eacute;pur&eacute;s, et le chronographe Navichron servira aux temps courts et aux routines fractionn&eacute;es.
Validez ensuite la lisibilit&eacute; : contraste aiguilles/fond, taille des index, absence de surcharge, visibilit&eacute; de la minuterie et coh&eacute;rence de la lunette avec l&rsquo;usage r&eacute;el, et faites le test &laquo; un m&egrave;tre/un coup d&rsquo;&oelig;il &raquo; en lumi&egrave;re naturelle avant d&rsquo;arr&ecirc;ter votre choix.
Enfin, essayez la montre pour jauger l&rsquo;assise (corne-&agrave;-corne), la couronne dans la paume, la souplesse du bracelet et le tomb&eacute; g&eacute;n&eacute;ral avec vos manches et vos activit&eacute;s, et gardez la version que vous oubliez le plus vite une fois port&eacute;e.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
Ollech &amp; Wajs demeure identifiable par sa vocation d&rsquo;outil : des montres pens&eacute;es pour l&rsquo;usage, lisibles, robustes et suivies par une cha&icirc;ne suisse claire. Entre plongeuses h&eacute;riti&egrave;res de la Caribbean, pilotes modernes et chronographes de travail, la gamme s&rsquo;articule simplement autour de sc&eacute;narios r&eacute;els. Pour d&eacute;cider, partez de votre terrain d&rsquo;emploi, testez lisibilit&eacute; et confort, puis ajustez mati&egrave;re et bracelet ; vous obtiendrez un instrument pertinent qui vieillit bien. Pour croiser ces rep&egrave;res avec des retours d&rsquo;exp&eacute;rience, appuyez-vous sur les avis clients Dialicious.
Consultez le <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_suisses">Classement des meilleures marques de montres suisses</a> dont Ollech &amp; Wajs fait partie.
(Mise &agrave; jour Ao&ucirc;t 2025)

Ollech &amp; Wajs is a Swiss watch company founded in 1956 in Zurich by Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs; initially a retailer and then a mail-order operator, the duo built a reputation on robust tool watches&mdash;divers, military pieces and pilot instruments&mdash;sold to civilians and service members alike, before orchestrating a modern comeback in the late 2010s with a contemporary range that revives the brand&rsquo;s historic signatures.
<h3>Zurich, Stockerstrasse and mail order: the beginnings of a tool-driven label</h3>
From their small Zurich storefront, the founders soon moved from selling other brands to shipping their own watches by post, and this direct &ldquo;mail-order&rdquo; route became a lasting hallmark of the company.&nbsp;The shift from retailing to making watches under their own name took only a few years, with dedicated lines for concrete use cases (field, sea, cockpit) and constructions that favoured simple, repairable mechanics, and the focus was less on &ldquo;complication&rdquo; than on endurance and clarity.
In the 1960s, distribution extended to US military PX stores, where O&amp;W military and dive watches were tried in real-world conditions by service members, and this usage-led validation helped cement the image of an affordable professional instrument.
<h3>Caribbean 1000 and Ocean Graph: depth, decompression and the great-waters playbook</h3>
By the mid-sixties the brand stood out with cutting-edge divers, notably the Ollech &amp; Wajs Caribbean 1000, a thousand-metre-rated watch that crystallised the era&rsquo;s technical ambition and lodged the O&amp;W name in both recreational and professional diving, and partnerships with specialist makers fed a rational, no-nonsense aesthetic.
In the same spirit, the Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph brought a bezel and reading logic tailored to ascent and decompression stops, rooting the watch in a specific task rather than mere maritime d&eacute;cor, and the dial stayed clean to preserve underwater glance legibility.
These historic references&mdash;often cited and collected today&mdash;shaped a language of stout cases, serious water-resistance, practical bracelets and high-contrast typography that still surfaces in current models, and this through-line of &ldquo;tool first&rdquo; connects past to present.
<h3>Contemporary relaunch, Swiss anchoring and a short chain: O&amp;W&rsquo;s return</h3>
After weathering the quartz era and slowing down, the brand was revived in the late 2010s by Charles Le Menestrel with the explicit aim of extending the founding spirit rather than scattering into cosmetic runs, and&nbsp;design remains in Zurich while assembly and adjustment take place in the Swiss Jura.
The approach favours proven Swiss automatic movements, serviceable case architecture, credible water-resistance and bracelets built for comfort and durability, and the specification re-embraces the classic triad: reliability, legibility, serviceability.&nbsp;The comeback is not a millimetre-for-millimetre facsimile exercise; instead, it offers new watches inspired by historic use, upgrades finishing and emphasises stepwise quality control, and the outcome is a pragmatic modernity that avoids pastiche.
<h3>P-101, P-104, Navichron, C-1000 and Ocean Graph: today&rsquo;s families and real use</h3>
The first modern releases took the form of compact pilot watches, the Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 and Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104, which reinterpret cockpit codes in versatile 39&ndash;40 mm cases with sapphire and screw-down crowns, and they target instrumental reading and all-day resilience.
On the dive side, the brand offers the Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 (along with anniversary editions) as a contemporary take on the Caribbean ethos: seals, casebacks, and careful treatment combine into a modern sea instrument, and the dial retains the intelligibility that made the line&rsquo;s reputation.
In parallel, the Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph returned in an updated form, with its decompression-centred readout making for an instantly recognisable diver on the wrist, and this task-specific signature sets it apart in a crowded segment.
The Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron family serves those who want a readable, work-ready chronograph true to the O&amp;W spirit, with well-judged pushers and crisp scales for short-time duties, and the design stays deliberately practical rather than showy.
<ul>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-101 &mdash; contemporary pilot, compact diameter, sapphire, strong water-resistance, very legible dial for desk-to-field wear.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs P-104 &mdash; aviation variant with a different bezel and markings signature, same robust intent.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 &mdash; modern diver inspired by the Caribbean, serious water-proofing and direct readout.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph &mdash; instrumental diver with decompression logic, strong identity on the wrist.</li>
<li>Ollech &amp; Wajs Navichron &mdash; &ldquo;tool&rdquo; chronograph, open dial and assertive pushers, clarity in short-time work.</li>
</ul>
Beyond names, what matters is use: a pilot for flat-plane readability and shock tolerance in active life; a diver for water and sturdiness; a chronograph to pace tasks and training, and this split helps pick an O&amp;W by real scenario rather than by style alone.
<h3>Tool-watch signature: materials, movements, dimensions and straps</h3>
Current cases prioritise steel, sober surface treatments, functional bezels and sapphire crystals, with diameters largely between 39 and 42 mm to sustain daily versatility, and on-wrist stability comes from disciplined lug spans and well-matched bracelets.
Mechanically, the brand uses modern, Swiss automatic calibres suited to intensive use&mdash;some adjusted or certified depending on versions&mdash;while ensuring that any competent watchmaker can service them, and this pragmatic mechanics reflects the utilitarian brief.
Bracelets&mdash;steel, RAF/NATO-type textile or rubber&mdash;are chosen for security, water-readiness and comfort, with buckles and end-links designed to minimise hot-spots, and modularity lets a single watch adapt to very different contexts.
<h3>Positioning, prices, channels and buyer profiles</h3>
O&amp;W sits in a &ldquo;quality tool&rdquo; segment: tidy finishing without ostentation, coherent spec sheets, tight quality control and messaging anchored in use rather than prestige, and the value proposition seeks instrument credibility rather than luxury posturing.
Distribution blends direct online sales with a small partner network and a didactic narrative about heritage and use, and this short channel supports coherent pricing and a clear link to the workshop.&nbsp;The core audience mixes owners who prefer watches to &ldquo;do&rdquo; rather than to &ldquo;show,&rdquo; recreational divers, travellers who prize sturdiness and professionals who need reliable, serviceable objects, and the brand resonates with those who trust proof of wear over glossy claims.
<h3>Selection guide: use case, legibility and ergonomics</h3>
Start by mapping your main environment&mdash;water, cockpit, desk-to-field or timed sport; if water rules, a Ollech &amp; Wajs C-1000 or Ollech &amp; Wajs Ocean Graph is natural, whereas P-101/P-104 suit quick, uncluttered reads, and the Navichron chronograph serves intervals and structured routines.
Next validate legibility: hand-to-dial contrast, index size, minimal clutter, minute track visibility and bezel logic that matches how you actually use it, and run the &ldquo;one-metre/one-glance&rdquo; test in natural light before deciding.
Finally, try the watch to judge stance (lug-to-lug), crown feel in the palm, bracelet suppleness and how it sits with sleeves and tasks, and keep the version you forget the fastest once strapped on.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
Ollech &amp; Wajs remains identifiable by its purpose-built vocation: watches made for use&mdash;readable, robust and supported by a clear Swiss chain. Between divers that channel the Caribbean legacy, modern pilot pieces and work-ready chronographs, the range is organised simply around real-world scenarios. To choose well, start with where you&rsquo;ll wear it, test clarity and comfort, then tune material and strap; you&rsquo;ll land on a capable instrument that ages well. To square these cues with long-term ownership feedback, a helpful compass remains Dialicious customer reviews.
Consult the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_swiss_watch_brands">Ranking of the best Swiss watch brands</a> of which Ollech &amp; Wajs is part.
(Updated August 2025)

<hr>
Eska Amphibian 250 was launched in 2024 as a neo-vintage diver designed for real-life use: instant readability, a confident grip, and a stated water-resistance of 250 metres. The model is part of the relaunch of the Eska brand and plays a clear card: offering a dive watch with a highly recognisable style, a compact case, and a unidirectional bezel, ready to move from everyday life to the sea without hesitation. Depending on the versions, the watch has been offered with different automatic movement families (not communicated for certain batches), which makes the wearing experience and the overall &ldquo;price / proposition&rdquo; noticeably variable from one series to another.
<h3>Design &amp; readability: the model&rsquo;s identity</h3>
At first glance, the Amphibian 250 is recognised by a rare graphic signature: four oversized cardinal markers that structure the dial and give you a permanent visual &ldquo;north&rdquo;. This simple idea changes everything in daily life: you read the time quickly, without hunting for an index, even when light drops or when the watch isn&rsquo;t perfectly straight. The result is deliberately utilitarian, yet never austere, because the geometry of the markers and the shape of the hands create constant relief. The whole effect relies on a compass-oriented way of reading, more instinctive than &ldquo;horological&rdquo;, and that is precisely what gives the watch its character.
The dial is built as a &ldquo;sandwich&rdquo;, bringing depth without turning into a showpiece. The cut-outs for the indexes and cardinal points create crisp shadows, and the overall look changes with the angle: flat on, it&rsquo;s clear; from the side, you perceive an architecture. This approach is consistent with the diver spirit: information is prioritised, surfaces are legible, and contrasts stay clean. The coloured versions (smoked, gradients, accents) do not aim for empty provocation: they mainly serve to remind you that the watch is not only a tool, but also a piece of style that stands its ground.
The unidirectional bezel contributes to the identity of the watch as much as to its function. It frames the dial without crushing it, and its ergonomics are designed to be grabbed with wet fingers or in a hurry. In use, you get the feeling the watch was designed &ldquo;in blocks&rdquo;: a highly readable dial, a decisive bezel, a compact case. Together they form a coherent silhouette, avoiding unnecessary decorative tricks and favouring a sense of calm sturdiness.
<h3>Case, strap and everyday comfort</h3>
The case sits in a modern comfort zone: 40mm in diameter, a contained lug-to-lug length, and a thickness that remains within contemporary automatic diver standards. On the wrist, the watch settles without &ldquo;spilling over&rdquo;, which makes it wearable on many wrist sizes, including those who avoid overly bulky divers. The appeal is that the Amphibian 250 feels dense without heaviness, thanks to a compact size that is well controlled and a strong visual presence at the centre of the dial.
A screw-down crown and the stated 25-ATM rating place the watch in a true versatility logic: shower, pool, sea, and everyday activities without worry. The unidirectional bezel supports classic simple timing (stops, cooking, parking), and its grip is a major comfort factor: it&rsquo;s the most used interface, so it must be reliable. This &ldquo;tool&rdquo; dimension is also felt in the accessories often supplied: tropic straps, a two-piece NATO, sometimes an additional strap. That encourages easy style rotation rather than a single fixed look.
Comfort depends heavily on the strap you choose. A soft tropic gives a sporty, light feeling, ideal in summer; a NATO reinforces the adventurous spirit and reassures some wearers (security if a spring bar takes a hit); a steel bracelet changes the sense of weight and &ldquo;dresses up&rdquo; the watch for the office. The Amphibian 250 has the advantage of accepting these variations without losing its identity, because the dial remains the main event. In practice, it&rsquo;s a watch that can be worn under a cuff, yet stays readable at a glance, which creates genuine everyday usability.
<h3>Movement: architecture, performance and service</h3>
Depending on the series, the Amphibian 250 has been offered with automatic movements from different families. Some early pieces were paired with an NH-type calibre (three hands, robust, widely distributed), while other versions moved to a Swiss SW200-type movement. For the wearer, this isn&rsquo;t a minor detail: it affects winding feel, expected precision, frequency, and the service approach. The main stake is having a movement that is easy to maintain, with decent parts availability and straightforward support from a watchmaker.
In real use, these calibres sit within a &ldquo;reliable and familiar&rdquo; philosophy rather than a search for rarity. This is a diver meant to be worn often: hacking seconds, automatic winding, classic setting, and a power reserve that typically covers day and night without stress. The best advice is to treat the Amphibian 250 as a routine object: if it&rsquo;s worn regularly, it stabilises; if it rotates with other watches, you accept setting it again. Over the long run, what matters most is service aligned with your usage (salt water, knocks, wear frequency), rather than chasing &ldquo;paper&rdquo; performance.
<h3>Chronological landmarks and main models</h3>
(2024) Eska Amphibian 250 Black Sea Kickstarter :
This first series laid the foundations of the Amphibian identity: readable dial, neo-vintage spirit, and a proposition designed to attract enthusiasts who want a diver with a different silhouette than the usual copies. The Black Sea was often described as the entry point into modern Eska, with a very clear &ldquo;tool&rdquo; coherence: unidirectional bezel, screw-down crown, usage-oriented accessories, and a visual personality centred on the cardinal points. It is also tied to a limited-series logic, which strengthened the idea of a &ldquo;foundational&rdquo; launch and a community of early adopters.
(2024) Eska Amphibian 250 Black Shark :
The Black Shark variation carries the range&rsquo;s DNA with a dark dial and a more &ldquo;tactical&rdquo; presence, while keeping the essential codes: sandwich construction, oversized cardinal markers, and strong readability in imperfect conditions. On the wrist, it&rsquo;s often the easiest version to integrate into a rotation, because it stays discreet with darker outfits, yet keeps visible relief thanks to the dial&rsquo;s volumes. It also embodies the idea of a more &ldquo;permanent&rdquo; Amphibian, intended to remain available beyond the initial launch window.
(2024) Eska Amphibian 250 White Shark :
The White Shark marked an important step: a brighter, more &ldquo;summer&rdquo; version that does not betray the diver spirit. The visual contrast changes the experience: the watch feels more open, the dial breathes, and the bezel frames the whole with a lighter feeling. In real situations, it&rsquo;s an Amphibian that works especially well on a light tropic strap, because it keeps a functional look without turning into forced &ldquo;sport chic&rdquo;. It is also the version often associated with the idea of a long-term collection, meant to install the range for the future.&nbsp;
(2024) Eska Amphibian 250 Red Viper :
With the Red Viper, the Amphibian range embraced a more expressive dimension: a smoked red dial, stronger accents, and immediate visual pleasure. It&rsquo;s not a &ldquo;gimmick colour&rdquo;: the Red Viper plays with depth, like tinted glass, and it shifts the mood of the watch depending on the light. This limited edition strengthened the idea that the Amphibian platform could be a playground for aesthetic exploration without sacrificing readability and real-world logic. It is often chosen by wearers who want a different diver, but not a fragile or precious one.&nbsp;
(2025) Eska Amphibian 250 Green Turtle :
The Green Turtle continues the limited-edition approach by leaning into smoked green, with a more &ldquo;natural&rdquo; depth and a less flamboyant presence than red. The dial is designed to evoke the sea and its nuances: darker on the edges, lighter at the centre, which creates a feeling of depth and highlights the cardinal markers. This version also popularised the idea of a symbolic number tied to depth, reinforcing the storytelling around water-resistance. It&rsquo;s an Amphibian that appeals to those who want colour without going flashy.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
The Amphibian 250 is for those who want a recognisable diver designed to be worn often, not only admired. Its appeal lies in instant readability, a compact silhouette, and a visual personality that is rare in this price bracket. Choosing between variants mostly depends on your relationship with colour and discretion: black for versatility, light for summer clarity, smoked for character. To refine, look at what truly matters: strap comfort, bezel handling, and day-to-day feel. To go further, explore Dialicious customer reviews.
(Updated January 2026)
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