Looking for a dive chrono? Well, Titoni’s latest version of the Seascoper is just that, dubbed the Titoni Seascoper Chronograph, though I have been calling it the Seascoper 300 chronograph as it’s based on the 300m version of the Seascoper. Titoni makes a 600m Seascoper as well, and beyond the water resistance rating, that one has a helium release valve, and a fully indexed bezel. The 300 is a more streamlined version, if you will, but still a very capable dive watch, and now it’s available as a chronograph. It’s a 2-eye Bi-Compax chronograph with a 6 o’clock date, screw down crown and pushers, and it’s also the thickest Seascoper to date at 15.2mm. Its current price is $3,220, which I believe makes it the most expensive Seascooper to date as well, but still a pretty good price for a COSC automatic dive chronograph. It also comes in 4 colorways, including a two-tone gold with a black dial.
Over the last decade, I have reviewed several models from Titoni, and almost every time I do, I receive questions like “Who is Titoni?” Watch Report is not the only review site that covers Titoni, so I am often baffled at this, as Titoni is not a young company; rather, they have been around since 1919. For whatever reason, they just aren’t as popular in the USA, and maybe that’s just comes down to marketing and such. We all know Breitling and Omega, Rolex and all the others, but Titoni is sometimes looked at like a newcomer. In fairness, the Titoni name didn’t come into existence until the 1950s, as it was previously known as Felca AG. These days, though, the brand is still family-owned and an independent brand, which is something that can not be said by a lot of prestigious watch brands.
I am no historian, though, and I don’t know how many generations of the Seacoper there have been, but I do know that 10 years ago, I reviewed a very different iteration of the Seascoper, and the latest version was introduced in 2020. There have been many variations as well. It started with the 600 series, and a few years later, they introduced the 300 series. Both have had quite a few variations, from all DLC models to all carbon cased modes, and many different colorways. That brings us to the Titoni Seascoper Chronograph, the first chrono version of the Seascoper, at least for this generation of the model. There’s no denying that the case is inspired by the Tudor BlackBay; it’s clear as day, but I have never felt they are a copy or clone either, and one thing I have found consistent through the years is that they make a really well-machined and well-finished watch.
While this may sound like a marketing pitch on my part, that is not my intention. Rather, it is to inform about the brand and to give my findings based on my personal experiences with the brand and the watches through the years. The Titioni Seascoper 600 has been one of my favorite watches from the brand and stands as my favorite to this day. When the 300 was introduced, I was curious as the 300 was less expensive, but for good reasons. It didn’t use their T10 manufacture movement; instead, it had a Sellita SW200. It was still COSC certified, but you had less water resistance, a slightly different bezel, and a different case back; more on that in a bit. It was also 2mm thinner at 12.5mm, which equated to a watch that was definitely more versatile, easily wearable with long sleeves, and as I said in the intro, more streamlined overall.
The Titoni Seascoper Chronograph basically adds a chronograph function to the 300. The case stays the same width at 42mm, but I do believe the lug to lug has lengthened to 52.3mm, as the 3-hand versions I measured at 51mm. And of course, there is the extra added thickness to the case, because of the SW510-BH Bi-Compax movement, at 15.2mm. This makes it currently the thickest Seascoper to date, and also why they probably chose to do a chronograph with the 300 vs the 600 series, as that would have probably been around 17mm thick. Other than that, this retains the same overall style and finishing of the 300, while adding the chronograph complication.
The bezel is still 60 clicks, but very solid and clicks solidly into place, and that coin edge is so easy to grip and turn. I’ve always been able to get a great purchase on it. The insert is still glossy black ceramic, matching well with the enameled lacquer dial in deep black. The case is brushed on top, as is the bracelet, with highly polished sides and a chamfer at the top edge for a nice transition. I am sure I have said this about every Seascoper I have reviewed, but the polish is like a mirror, which looks wonderful when brand new, but it’s hard to keep it that way as it’s prone to scratches and fingerprints easily. It’s a watch that I want a microfiber cloth in my pocket at all times, and make sure the microfiber is always clean as well, otherwise, there can be something on it that can scratch the polish.
The dial of the Titoni Seascoper Chronograph isn’t that far removed from the 3-hand version. The date is now located at the 6 o’clock position, and there are two subdials, one for your running seconds and the other for the 60-minute counter. One bonus of the chronograph subdials is that the lower dial text has shrunk a bit, actually quite a bit, and this is something I would see many complain about with the Seacoper, that the text on the dial was too large. Here it is much more subdued, as you can see in the comparison pics below. There’s also a lack of contrasting color. The subdials are silver, and the hands and indices are silvertone, for a very monochromatic look, but there’s no pop of color like you find on many of the 3-hand versions.
Both the crown and pushers screw down on this Titoni Seascoper Chronograph, and the crown, I believe, is the same one used on the 3-hand models. It’s a well-sized crown with a very good grip, and well-integrated and protective crown guards. The chrono pushers are very responsive and have great feedback, but unscwering them and screweing them back down is what I call cumbersome.
In fairness, this can be said about a lot of screw down pushers on chronograph dive watches, and it may well be that this is needed if the watch is over 200m water resistant, but I find it to be quite a chore for my moderately sized hands ( I wear a large glove for reference). I have always stated I like the look of a chronograph, but it’s not a feature I use much, so it’s not like this will be a daily annoyance for me. I also find it harder, or I guess slightly more annoying, to screw them back down vs unscrewing, as you really have to get your fingers in there and make sure it is fully tightened, and I found myself fumbling with it quite often. It may very well be that screw down pushers are just not for me.
On my 7 1/2 inch (19.05cm) wrist, I find the Titoni Seascoper Chronograph to be quite wearable, despite the extra thickness, and the stainless oyster-style link bracelet balances it out well, so it doesn’t feel top-heavy. I am sure many are wishing for a smaller version of the Seascoper, but while the case is 42mm and the length on the longer side, the bezel measures in at 41mm, and this doesn’t feel massive in my opinion. The bracelet still has the plum blossom logo clasp as well, which doubles as a push button for the clasp extension, one of my favorite aspects of the Seascoper lineup.
The lume is strong and will glow for at least 5 -6 hours but because of the missing indices due to the chrono subdials and the lack of a fully lumed bezel insert, it doesn’t look as amazing in the dark as some others, but the lume is well applied and strong, and I had no issues seeing the time in the dark.
As far as dive chronographs go, I feel the Titoni Seascoper Chronograph is a really well-made example, but I still prefer the 3-hand versions over this one; that’s purely subjective. This is no doubt a beautifully crafted watch; the finishing is always something I love about the Seascoper and Titoni in general, but I do have one major complaint, and it’s something I have mentioned in every review of the 300 series: the case back.
It’s a porthole window, which is cute, but the inner area is so highly mirror-polished, and to be honest, not only do I not find this to be attractive, but it scratches so easily. You need to be careful how you set this watch down, the clasp and bracelet will definitely scratch it, and always store this on a watch pillow, otherwise you’ll have a very scratched up case back. The 600 series shows off the movement in the porthole, and if Titoni doesn’t want to do an engraved or embossed case back, I wish they would go that route for the 300 series.
With costs rising all over the place these days, and even more so for Swiss watches currently, especially if you are in the USA, at $3.220, I still find the Titoni Seascoper to be well priced for a COSC dive chronograph. While I nitpick a lot of things with the finishing on the case sides and the case back, and the chrono pushers, if I were in the market for a dive chrono, I would still, at the very least, consider this one over, say the Tudor BlackBay chronograph itself at $6000. Style-wise, you may just find the Tudor more attractive, or you are drawn to the name, but for those who love a dive chrono, it’s good to have another option to explore.
I've been an avid watch lover since the age of 7. Watches are not only my hobby but a passion. My favorite style used to be dive watches, but field or non bezel watches have been growing on me. When I'm not reviewing watches I am either cooking or with family and friends.
