SUB 39 GMT

A nod to the past

The Sub-39 model was created to celebrate sixty years of the Squale brand. Introduced in 2019, the anniversary model was released as a limited edition of just 150 pieces. Today the Sub-39 collection features a wide range of watches, all inspired by the past.

All the models in the Sub-39 collection are different because each one is inspired by a watch design from the past. The element that unites them all is the case back with a diameter of 39 millimeters, or 40.3 millimeters if we consider the protruding bezel.All the other features, however, differ from one model to another, from the dial construction technique to the bezel material.

The structure of the case back was designed to house a particular kind of crystal with a particular curvature, known as box-shaped. The shape of this crystal is flat at the base, where it is inserted into the case, before becoming slightly convex. This particular construction, typically used in the past with plexiglass, was designed to guarantee water resistance. Here it is reproduced faithful to the original but with a unique difference: it is made from sapphire, which is much more resistant than plexiglass.

he case back from the “Sub-39” collection is inspired by an older Squale produced in the 60s and rediscovered in Charles Von Büren’s archives. That particular watch has a diameter of 34 millimeters, dimensions typical of the time, but that is the only difference when compared to the 39-millimeter case back of the Sub39 collection.