It would have been quite something to have witnessed the unveiling of the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf at Baselworld Fair in 1953. Right now, however, we’ll just have to settle for a trip back in time, exploring the brand’s Sea Wolf and Sea Chron watches and where they take their inspiration from.

It’s time we shone the spotlight on a brand very deserving of its rich heritage in crafting iconic dive watches. Of course, Zodiac also produces some exceptionally beautiful dress watches and sports watches,  yet the models from its dive watch collection have well and truly shaped history. In this article, we’re going to focus on three noteworthy models from Zodiac’s dive watch range. They are the Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver, the Super Sea Wolf Pro Diver Automatic, and the Sea Chron Automatic.

Zodiac has been producing watches for the diving and sea-faring industry for over 100 years. Its huge following has grown substantially since the Sea Wolf watch was unveiled in 1953. It should be noted that this was a crucial era for the dive watch. While the first tools for diving were predominantly released for professional divers, the rest of the world soon caught on. Dive watches like the Sea Wolf were incredibly stylish and practical. With their robust bezels, tough cases and legible dials, they made for great everyday watches too. Once brands began manufacturing dive watches for commercial use, demand suddenly soared. The Zodiac Sea Wolf was revolutionary for its time, boasting a unique design and serving a functional purpose for those in the diving industry.

The History and Evolution of the Sea Wolf

Of all the dive watches released during the same time as Zodiac’s, the Sea Wolf has evolved tremendously over the decades. Saying that, its distinctive features and the DNA of the original model are still present in modern-day iterations. The evolution of the watch lies mainly in the functional advancements of Zodiac’s modern horological expertise, demonstrating how the brand and the collection have matured simultaneously. The first Sea Wolf watch was small for today’s standards and featured dauphine hands with triangular markers at the cardinal points around the hour track. The use of an automatic movement helped maintain the watch’s 100-meter water resistance since it reduced the number of times the crown needed to be pulled out to wind the watch.

The advent of the quartz movement caused Zodiac to cease production of its famous dive watch but the brand was revived once again in 2001 when it was acquired by Fossil Group. Since then, the Sea Wolf has undergone many transitions, with the addition of several colour combinations and even a GMT version. Zodiac also began equipping its watches with movements made by its sister company, STP.

Today, Zodiac’s dive watches are great collectables. Along with an instantly recognisable design that points to the brand’s history of producing one of the first-ever dive watches, they’re also highly accurate, functional and practical tool watches with an innate retro flair. Here are three models that capture the spirit of the brand’s dive watch range perfectly.

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression ref ZO9287

There is no doubt at all that the Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression is inspired by the hues of the ocean. Its 40mm size is perfect for smaller wrists and nods to the more compact versions of those Sea Wolf watches from yesteryear. The light blue tones of the bezel surround a much deeper blue for the surface of the dial. It makes timekeeping remarkably easy and enjoyable whilst exploring great underwater depths. When doing so, you also have the opportunity to track the passing minutes of your dive time via the unidirectional rotating mechanism of the bezel. Simply align the bezel with the central minute hand and time your dive down to the second.

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf also features highly luminous hour markers and hands for underwater referencing. Its stainless steel case is attached to a multi-link steel bracelet with a folding clasp for maximum comfort and security. The butterfly clasp attaches the 200-meter water-resistant watch to the wrist, enabling it to double up as a sophisticated companion at night. By mixing utility and elegance into one sporty package, Zodiac manifests all its diving spirit into this colourful dive tool, complete with the ST1-11 movement at its heart.

The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Pro Diver Automatic ref ZO3552

A little larger in size is the 42mm Super Sea Wolf Automatic watch. It’s a perfect companion for those who want their dive watch to exude a bit more presence. The steel and black colourway is a true classic. With 300 meters of water resistance, underwater exploration is limitless. The Super Sea Wolf Pro Diver is ready for action with its tough stainless steel bodywork and easy-to-facilitate unidirectional rotating bezel. Its ISO certification proves that its capabilities underwater are primed for professionals.

The black sunray dial provides the perfect platform for a set of legible luminous-coated hour markers and hands. These features are met with a splash of colour originating from a vibrant orange minute hand for aligning with the bezel. Together the hand and the bezel promote intuitive underwater time tracking, made all the better thanks to a strong piece of anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass. Fitted on a steel bracelet. This Zodiac Super Sea Wolf watch is also powered by a Swiss-made Sellita movement. The Calibre SW200 offers a 38-hour power reserve for periods away from the wrist. 

The Zodiac Sea Chron ref ZO3605

The 42mm Sea Chron watch from Zodiac is a testament to the brand’s pioneering spirit for water-bound innovation. It harnesses Zodiac’s obsession with technical precision. A deep blue dial is home to a trio of black-filed chronograph counters at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, not to mention a tachymeter scale and luminous hour markers and hands. Surrounding this? A black unidirectional rotating bezel with a luminous 60-minute scale. The classic 5-link stainless steel bracelet completes the design of this double-layer dial perfectly. Plus, with an extended power reserve of 62 hours once fully wound, the Calibre SW510B is ultimately weekend-proof. The Sea Chron was an evolution of the iconic Sea Wolf design when it was first launched, yet with both models showcasing some of the brand’s latest technological advancements, it proves difficult to choose between the two designs.

If you’d like to learn more about Zodiac and its expansive range of innovative dive watches, you can explore the full range of Sea Wolf Watches here, or call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 45353.