After the Neon to the Max and Crushing Orange, I have another fun and funky Swatch to review. While the Blancpain x Swatch Fifty Fathoms gets all the attention, the brand also makes dive watches that are pure Swatch. The model line is called the Swatch Subaqua, which includes this red "Lion's Mane" version.
Swatch Scubaqua Lion's Mane Details
The theme of this watch is translucent and red. The entire case and bezel are constructed of clear, red bioceramic. The dial is also translucent red, revealing the movement, including the time-setting mechanism.
Bright white accents define the case edges, as well as the dial and bezel, with gray markings denoting the first 15 minutes.
Wearing the Swatch Scubaqua Lion's Mane
Its 44mm wide x 15.4mm thick dimensions are on the larger side, but Scubaqua is very comfortable. This is due to its lightweight, plastic construction. No one is buying a bright red Swatch indending for it to be subtle.
The thickness might be required to make a plastic watch with 100m of water resistance. While I would not recommend this for serious diving, I would wear this watch for light swimming.
The crown is also located at 10 o'clock. For people wearing it on their left hand, it's totally out of the way, and even those wearing it on the right shouldn't have an issue with wrist contact.
Despite being plastic, the bezel clicks are precise, making the bezel fun to spin (not unlike a Blancpain x Swatch). The legibility is also excellent for a novelty watch. Large, white hands and hour markers are easy to see. The triangle and 12, and 3, 6, 9 numerals are distinctive and easy to differentiate.
While it's not that bright, it also has large areas of lume, aiding nighttime legibility.
Swatch Scubaqua Lion's Mane Strap
The strap on the Swatch Crushing Orange is red silicone with white stripes modeled in. The strap is comfortable and matches the case color. Due to the unique Swatch lugs, strap change options will be limited.
Although StrapHabit doesn't currently sell straps to fit this watch, you can view our favorite straps for your other watches at the links below
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Swatch Scubaqua Lion's Mane Movement
The Scubaqua uses a basic Swatch 3-hand quartz movement. It doesn't have a date, and the ticking is rather loud through its bio-sourced plastic case. The case is sealed, but battery changes are achieved through a small metal access panel.
Scubaqua Lion's Mane Conclusion
While I'm still a fan of the Moonswatch, it's fun to experience watches with pure Swatch DNA. Experiencing the brand's take on a dive watch was fun, and if you're not into bright red, it's available in 4 more colors, including black, white, yellow, and blue.
Specifications:
Name: Swatch Scubaqua Lion's Mane
Reference Number: SSCU09R100
MSRP: $155
Diameter: 44mm
Height: 51.5mm
Thickness: 15.4mm
Movement: Swatch Quartz
Water Resistance: 100m
Crown: Push-pull
Bezel: 120-click, unidirectional
Strap: Silicone