Iconic watch art prints. Made in Switzerland, lifetime guarantee

The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

This watch is generating a lot of discussion, from its price to its design... A reissue of the world's first digital watch, the Pulsar from 1972, the Hamilton PSR captivated me with its vintage yet modern look.
At over €800 new, it might seem expensive, but the quality is undeniable. The display is always on, visible depending on the wrist's position, and illuminates for a few seconds when the pusher is pressed.
Admittedly, there's no date, no chronograph, and no alarm, but it has a unique look.
Its strap is very comfortable and of good quality, as is its case.
Two display colors are available: red (like the original Pulsar) and green. I chose the green one.
This watch fits perfectly among my other mechanical models. Many will say the price is excessive for a quartz watch, which I understand, but make no mistake, this is a quality watch, without any rivals, and it provides real pleasure on the wrist. Even James Bond wore it...

You either love it, or you hate it!

A watch I've owned for three years, designed for diving thanks to its legibility and robustness, even though I don't dive! Its crown is perfectly shaped for winding and easy adjustments. The bezel is also very easy to grip and adjust, with a very satisfying click feel. I only wear it on a NATO strap, which suits it perfectly.

For me, the MK1 version is better designed than the new C-1000 MK2, particularly in terms of the dial. The C-1000 inscription at 3 o'clock and the black date window matching the dial color really give it a distinct identity, something that makes the MK1 so charming.

It's solid

The ZRC Grands Fonds 38 is a watch that breaks the mold, actually a 39mm.

It features a screw-down crown at 6 o'clock (which unscrews clockwise, unlike other brands).

Personally, I find this rather clever, as you unscrew the crown by winding it in the same direction.

Its angular case, paired with a 70s-style bracelet (I removed the two long links), is best enjoyed with its two solid expandable links and smaller links.

The clasp is also unusual; it takes a bit of practice to close, and it's best to be seated for this operation!

Its legibility is truly excellent, designed for divers, with record-breaking luminosity in the dark.

Personally, I love its dial, its markers, and its hands.
This watch is a real success in this version. You might not like its look, but it truly shines on the wrist. Very comfortable to wear, with its extensions that adapt to your wrist.
I love it!

She's changing the rules

I'm completely smitten with this Hanart chronograph, which I first saw on Steve McQueen's wrist. The story behind this watch is that the actor wore it every day.

It's quite thick, but that works perfectly with its vintage look.

It's very legible with remarkable luminescence in the dark, as you'd expect from a pilot's watch.

The crown is ideally sized for easy adjustments, and it feels premium when winding (it's manual).

The Bund leather strap is supple, comfortable, and high-quality.
Initially reissued in a 42mm version, Hanart later released it in a 39mm version, like the original. It's this 39mm version that I bought, which I think is the perfect size for this model.
In short, a watch I never tire of, and one that looks great on a variety of straps.

La Steve McQueen

ZRC is a watch brand founded in 1904 in Geneva, Switzerland, by Edmond Zuccolo and Joseph Rochet. Born in the field of pocket-watch chains and later expandable metal bracelets, the brand now caters to enthusiasts of iconic tool divers, made famous by its Grands Fonds developed for the French Navy from the 1960s onward.
<h3>6 o&rsquo;clock crown, monobloc case and French Navy spirit</h3>
Engineered to meet the operational demands of French Navy mine-clearance divers, the Grands Fonds features a 6 o&rsquo;clock crown, a monobloc case and in-house solutions such as ECS (Easy Clean System) and CPS (Crown Protection System). In practice, the 6 o&rsquo;clock crown and CPS prevent the watch from being worn unless the crown is fully screwed down, reducing user error prior to immersion; ECS helps flush out salt to prevent crystallization under the bezel.
<h3>Grands Fonds and contemporary variants</h3>
The current collection translates the historical DNA (legibility, field ergonomics, tool-watch silhouette) into multiple sizes and performance levels. Whichever the model, the 6 o&rsquo;clock signature ensures instant readability and an immediately recognisable identity.
<ul>
<li>ZRC Grands Fonds 300 &mdash; Core diver inspired by 1964, 300 m, bold legibility for versatile daily wear.</li>
<li>ZRC MN64 R&eacute;&eacute;dition &mdash; Tribute to French Navy specifications with period-correct dial and bezel cues.</li>
<li>ZRC Grands Fonds 38 &mdash; Smaller 38 mm option retaining the 6 o&rsquo;clock crown signature for slimmer wrists.</li>
<li>ZRC Grands Fonds 3000 Titanium &mdash; Extreme titanium variant with heightened depth rating and lighter weight.</li>
<li>ZRC Securicode &mdash; Reinterpretation of a late-1950s/1960s theme with historical design elements.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Positioning: pro tool, pricing and distribution</h3>
The brand&rsquo;s stance is that of an independent Swiss &ldquo;diving instrument,&rdquo; with production volumes not disclosed and selective distribution (specialist retailers and direct sales). As a guide, many steel references sit around &euro;2,500&ndash;3,000, while technical titanium pieces exceed &euro;4,000; special editions or precious-metal variants are significantly higher. Presence is established in Europe such as <a href="https://www.soprana.com/zrc-1904/?lang=en">Soprana</a> in Italy or <a href="https://junod-lausanne.ch/fr/collections/zrc">Junod</a> in Switzerland, and selected Asian/Middle-Eastern markets through a tight retail network.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
ZRC speaks to those who value immediately recognisable tool-watch design with functional clarity and a strong signature. Your choice will likely fall between versatile daily wear (Grands Fonds 300/38), an emphatic historical link (MN64, Securicode), or a more technical, extreme approach (Grands Fonds 3000 Titanium). Ergonomics benefit from the 6 o&rsquo;clock crown and CPS safety; purists will appreciate the overall coherence. To refine your decision beyond the spec sheet, rely on Dialicious customer reviews to understand comfort, real-world legibility and on-wrist feel.
(Updated August 2025)

Having had the ZRC GF reissue first version launched in 2015 (but also the original vintage models), this reissue 38 erases the small defects (in my eyes of course) that its elder of June 2015 could have, namely the excessive weight in its steel version (ideal however on rubber), the diameter slightly too large for my taste. It goes even further by taking up the codes of the vintage model with a deliciously vintage dial literature (dialiciously!), a domed sapphire perfectly taking up the appearance of plexi, an ideal diameter of 39 mm (and not 38 as its name suggests), a lighter bracelet with very sixties charm sounds, a more notched bezel (like the original) in ceramic and a whole bunch of very appreciable little details. Result: a robust tool with a very vintage look with perfect proportions for me!

The best of both worlds between modern and vintage

Very happy owner of this Grands Fonds 38 Héritage "Series 3", reference GF38263, for 8 months now, I can't get enough of it.

It's a bit of a UFO in the watchmaking landscape, by its look, but also its bracelet.

This watch is pleasant to wear, small in size, extremely readable (the luminova is incredible), has the date and its water resistance is tested up to 1000m. This watch ticks a lot of boxes...

In terms of precision, the first few days it was under +10s/day when worn, which is within the brand's tolerances (although a bit disappointing for the price). But happy surprise, it has broken in over time: after a few months, I am now around +1s/day.

The case finish is very beautiful: the slight inner chamfer of the horns is polished, which contrasts with the very prominent edges of the case.

The bracelet, which is in my opinion the big originality of the watch, may seem "cheap", but it faithfully reproduces the ZRC bracelets of the 60s. Being mainly made of folded sheet metal, its finesse provides very good comfort. The watch can thus be worn easily under "adjusted" sleeves.

In conclusion, I'm crazy about it!

The extreme toolwatch

I had been looking at this beautiful family manufacturer for a while now, being a die-hard fan of diving watches.

When the heritage model was released last year, the dimensions of the model were revised downwards (from 40.5/41.5 to 39mm) to get a little closer to the one released in the 60s that equipped the French Navy.

At the beginning of 2023, this heritage model arrived with a two-tone bezel and a sunray blue dial that gives it a very fun side!

A tool watch with beautiful finishes, this crown position at 6 o'clock, beyond the strong characteristic identity of the brand, brings real wearing comfort improved by the contained diameter of this model.

My first Zrc, a treat for my chicken wrist (17/17.5).

A fun and pleasant watch to wear!

The ZRC Grand Fonds 38 is a watch that deeply touches me. It tells a story, that of the first diving watches used by the French Navy, among others, and its vintage design really speaks to me. The 39 mm size is ideal, offering perfect comfort while remaining very presentable. The case finish is superb, with meticulous details that demonstrate all the care taken in its design. The only slight downside would be the movement, which could be a little more refined for the price: it's an SW200-1 Élaboré. But frankly, this detail is quickly forgotten when you pick up this robust and magnificent watch.
It's a very good diver's watch if you're looking for a robust, iconic watch with a vintage style.

ZRC Grand Fund 38

Passionate and collector of diving watches, I cannot resist the attraction that the ZRC brand has on me (in my opinion among the most emblematic in this field). All the more so when the latter faithfully reissues a model that has marked its history: the GF38. A diver that fills me with joy with its contained dimensions, its vintage spirit, its robustness and its crazy charm. It has been a year that it accompanies me in my adventures and I never tire of it. I particularly like its magnum-type hands, its refined dial as well as its imposing crown at 6 o'clock (which reminds me of a goatee). I add a special mention to its sapphire crystal whose domed shape is to die for.

ZRC GF38

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)

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