CWC SBS Diver's Watch: A Currently Issued Tool Watch Reviewed

If you're a tool watch person, then you're aware of CWC.  If you're not, you're about to be!  The British brand has been producing watches (they're made for CWC in Switzerland) since 1972.  Founded by Ray Mellor, former UK distributor for Hamilton Watches, the brand has supplying the Ministry of Defense (MOD) since their inception.  In their 44 years of existence, CWC has supplied tens of thousands of their W10, G10, and somewhat fewer chronograph models to the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.  In addition, they've supplied at least hundreds of their 300 metre (spelled that like that for you Brits) divers to Royal Navy divers, the SBS, and other "specialist diving units".

All of the watches CWC makes are purpose built, whether for pilots, infantry, or divers.  With that in mind, their designs are all business and their watches are intended to handle a beating.  In a world where most military organizations use G-Shocks, it's refreshing to see that some still believe in an overbuilt analog watch when the going gets tough.

I've owned almost every CWC, except for the automatic diver model and the chronograph.  I keep coming back to the brand because they sell you a solid, dependable Swiss made tool watches for a reasonable price.  In this review, I'll be taking my dedicated readers through the CWC SBS diver's issue watch, as CWC calls it.  It's an instant classic based on the basic CWC Royal Navy diver which takes many design cues from previous Royal Navy issued watches like the Omega Seamaster 300 and the mighty Rolex Mil-Sub.  The SBS differs in that it has a PVD coating for durability and low reflectivity (for when you're operating secret squirrel-like) and a Swiss day/date movement.  They were supposedly designed after SBS operators requested a version of their CWC divers which were less reflective.

If this is your commuter, you might just need the CWC SBS.  It also works pretty well for less extreme efforts.  

For full disclosure, I've owned this model before.  I regretted selling my first example and always wanted another one but never got around to getting one until CWC so kindly informed us, the watch nerd public, they were once again being issued.  CWC had several Instagram posts which I'll reproduce here which showed the SBS diver's watches being packed up and sent to the MOD, pretty freaking cool.

This is a cool shot because it shows the serial numbers of the watches being sent to the MOD.  

This one shows that they're apparently sent with straps separate.  It looks like they all get the most basic grey Phoenix G10 with stainless steel hardware.  

Apparently, this is how they get sent out to the MOD after being carefully arranged for Instagram photos.  

I couldn't resist and ordered one straight away after selling a watch or two to fill up the ol' PayPal.  After a two week hold in the evil vortex which is postal customs in Chicago, the watch arrived to my door.  Here's the obligatory and completely staged opening the CWC tin shot...

To start with the basics, here are some stats.  The watch is 40mm wide, about 47mm long, and 11mm thick.  The case is essentially the very classic Monnin style made famous by Heuer and others but with solid lug bars which necessitate the use of a pull through strap like a nato or zulu.  The watch features 300 metres of water resistance, a positive feeling, 60 click, one-way bezel, a screw down crown (obviously), and a ETA 955.122 Day/Date movement with an end of life indicator.  It comes on a British made Phoenix nato strap (more on that later), housed in a  simple little tin.  Once again, it's all business.

The SBS is extremely comfortable on the wrist, being fairly lightweight and also needing to be worn on a nato.  This photo shows the stock Phoenix nato in grey.    

On the wrist, it's pure joy.  This watch is one of my all time favorites.  It's relatively short lug to lug and not very wide either.  It wears about like a Submariner and plays very well on smaller wrists like my own.  The fact that the watch can only be worn on a nato and has a quartz movement makes for a very light overall package which is extremely comfortable.  I sleep with it on and completely forget it even exists until I need to read the time from the incredibly legible dial.  The SuperLuminova on the dial glows brightly all through the night even after limited exposure to light and is green in color.  The SuperLuminova is a recent advancement as previous versions had tritium lume.  Though I haven't taken the watch diving yet, I will and I promise to GoPro the hell out of the experience.

After the removal of VAT from the price of this watch, it was a fairly reasonable buy at around $500USD.  However, shortly after I purchased mine, CWC raised the price significantly to about $615USD shipped to the US.  Though that's a lot more money, it's still a lot of watch for the price.  Quartz will scare some away, especially at that price, but the watch is an instant favorite and the quartz movement makes it a real grab and go piece which can handle just about anything.  You can try to wait for a used one, but they come up for sale on the secondary market very rarely and are snapped up quickly.  That should tell you something by itself.

The color also varies from batch to batch with Phoenix straps.  

Older Phoenix on the left, note the smaller keepers which are not stainless steel.  On the right, the new Phoenix which has stainless keepers (and a signed buckle) but is thinner and cheaper feeling.  

 And now for a brief note on Phoenix nato straps.  They are, without a doubt, the most authentic option out there when it comes to a British mil-watch or a nato strap in general.  However, their quality varies from one to another (probably production batch by batch) and some are pretty thin and flimsy like those which came with my watch.  Now I'm a watch nerd and have a lot of natos lying around but for someone who doesn't, you might want to grab something heavier to go with your SBS if you pick one up.  I put mine on a vintage Phoenix I had lying around which is much thicker and balances out the watch head much better.  As a diver, I always want the most secure strap setup for a diving watch and the included Phoenix straps just really didn't hit the mark for me.  I'm sure they're fine for desk diving.  It's worth noting that the watch comes with a black nato with PVD hardware and the issued version probably ends up on the standard grey nato with stainless steel hardware.  If you want the "real" look, you've got to go grey!

SBS here with a somewhat flashier friend from the deep...

All in all, this is an awesome, highly capable watch.  If you're going for a classic watch design with military roots and tactical flavor, the SBS is for you.