An icon. A cult watch. A mythical model. For the past few days, we’ve been reading nothing but praise about a new watch: the Amphibian 250 launched by Eska. Or rather relaunched, as the project that appeared on Kickstarter is an opportunity to revive a brand born at the start of the 20th century and one of its flagship models from the 1960s.
But then, what makes this diver so sensational? And what is the real story of this watchmaker brand so famous… and yet unknown?
Eska Watches, the story of a rebirth
Squale, Triton, Nivada, Vulcain, Le Forban… These are countless watch brands of yesteryear that are making a comeback today. Often, it’s thanks to crowdfunding and an initial wave of pre-orders that the brand reminds itself to the good memory of watch enthusiasts. And from there, if the nostalgia operates, the renaissance can occur. This is what seems to happen for Eska Watches, a “mythical” brand for collectors, which is making a noticeable return on Kickstarter.
A fundraising campaign completed in just 24 hours, over 300 contributors and 330,000 euros raised a week later, flattering word-of-mouth thanks to stories from influential bloggers: the Eska brand is certainly rising from the ashes.
Yes, but here’s the thing, while some do not hesitate to call it “mythical”, many know little or almost nothing about this watchmaking house. It must be said that we have somewhat lost track of its history over the past several decades. Its creation dates back to 1918, at the initiative of a certain Sylvan Kocher. Initials SK, or Eska. At the time, it made its name known mostly in Brazil, thanks to 3-hand watches, chronographs, but also dive watches, notably the Amphibian 600, a direct rival of the iconic (yes, truly) Fifty Fathoms of Blancpain: a slender profile, a wide bezel, a power reserve indicator at 12o,clock, this Eska diver doesn’t lack style.
Yes, but here’s the thing: the brand slowly disappears from circulation, until the complete halt of its production in 1987. As for the Amphibian 600, the legend says that 4 copies are known to exist worldwide, so finding one “is more of a miracle than a matter of collection”. This purist joke reached the ears of Christophe Chevreton and Sinicha Knezevic (another SK, nice nod to history), two watchmaking enthusiasts from Lyon.
After much research, the two men discover that they can re-register the brand and truly bring it back to life. Thus, Eska officially makes its return to the market more than 100 years after its creation!
The Amphibian 250, a small dive watch with all the features of a big one
To materialize their project, Christophe Chevreton and Sinicha Knezevic chose to revisit the Amphibian 600. To draw inspiration from it without making an exact copy. And that’s how the new Amphibian 250 was unveiled on Kickstarter.
Even though small cases are popular, the Eska watch goes from 38 to 40 mm, with a thickness of 13.5 mm. Imposing without being massive, its look is accentuated by its wide 120-click unidirectional bezel, equipped with a flat sapphire insert. But, unlike a Rolex Submariner for example, the bezel of this Amphibian 250 does not measure the elapsed dive time… but the remaining time before ascent. This is what we call a countdown bezel. In addition, this one adopts a so-called “coin edge” toothed finish (like on coins).
When one lingers on the dial, it is still difficult not to make the connection with the Fifty Fathoms. Sober, perfectly readable, the black dial of the Amphibian 250 features oversized Arabic numerals (in cardinal points version), simply traversed by two large hands and a lollipop second hand. The so-called “sandwich” design, with cut-outs at the indexes, brings depth to the dial, contributing to the neo-vintage style.
Beyond these aesthetic considerations, it is worth dwelling on the mechanics that drive this Eska watch waterproof to 250m (as its name suggests). In a concern for cost and reliability, the two creators have opted for a Seiko NH-38 automatic winding movement. A choice that also indirectly led to the removal of the power reserve indicator on the dial…
As part of the Kickstarter campaign, this Amphibian 250 “assembled in France” comes with 3 different straps (black Tropic, black NATO, and beige canvas) for a price of 888€. It will then cost 1250€ to wear this beautiful diver’s watch on your wrist. A price slightly high for a “simple” Seiko movement, but that should not frighten enthusiasts who wish to contribute to the revival of a historic brand.
