Baltic Continues Its Permanent Collection Refresh With New Aquascaphe GMT MK-II

French independent microbrand Baltic roared out of the gates in 2017 and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Just a few months after adding the Scalegraph to its permanent collection, and one year since the launch of its “most advanced” expression of its Aquascaphe diver yet, the MK2, the brand has yet another trick up its sleeve in the form of a new dive GMT, packed with all the nods to vintage design that have become its calling card. Incorporating all the design upgrades the MK2 brought forth, Baltic launches the Aquascaphe GMT MK-II as a full-fledged collection across four classic colorways.

 If you’ve been closely following Baltic’s meteoric rise and happen to really keep tabs on its website, you might have noticed that its fan-favorite Aquascaphe GMT was effectively hidden back in July, and now we know why. Today, it's all out with the old and in with the new, and the Aquascaphe GMT MK-II brings along a suite of upgrades that more than justify its entrance. The biggest one: it’s packed with a true GMT. Where the previous models used the SOPROD C125 GMT, which is technically a “caller” GMT (jumping the 24-hour hand and keeping the hour hand on your local time), Baltic has now shifted to the Miyota 9075. With this caliber under the hood, the GMT hand will now stay put at your local time, while the hour hand can be changed to another time zone, which is a better option if you are really putting on some airline miles. 

The brand has over seven years to refine its Aquascaphe, and the MK2 was created as a culmination of the experience the brand has accumulated through those years. Those revisions and learnings have all made their way to the Aquascaphe GMT MK-II and serve as the foundation for this new collection. Compared with the previous generation, we’ve got a completely redesigned case, opting for larger, sharper, vertically brushed lugs, and we’re also seeing a little bit increasing in the total diameter here, from 39mm to 39.5mm total. While the 47mm lug-to-lug remains, there is some expansion going on in the case height, which is now 13.8mm vs. the 13mm of the previous generation, but the vintage-inspired, double-domed sapphire crystal (which has gotten an AR coating internally) does count for a decent portion of that. If we aren’t including the crystal, the height of the case on its own is 12mm. Another major shift in the case architecture is the inclusion of raised crown guards, which the previous Aquascaphe GMT line didn’t have at all, which helps give these models a more serious, toolwatch edge (and, functionally, helps keep the screw-down crown protected, of course). And, on that theme, these new models actually offer double the water resistance of their predecessors, expanding to 200 meters, vs the 100-meter water resistance of the Aquascaphe GMT. 

The 1960s-style inspiration, which is a cornerstone of the brand’s GMT lineup, given the significance of that era to the expanding popularity of the GMT genre, is still well accounted for, most obvious in the various typography of the numerals and clean, almost bubbly, hour markers. While each model opts for a clean black dial, there are four distinct bezel color combinations offered across this new collection, which range from the more vintage-revival end of the style spectrum to combos that feel incredibly modern and fresh. On the most revival end of that scale, we’ve got a “Pepsi” combo of blue and red, with a matching red GMT hand. Then, there’s a black and grey combo, which adds a pop of orange for the GMT hand; a light and dark blue bezel option with a blue GMT hand; and, bringing us home, the blue and green bezel option paired with a bright green GMT hand. And, as another fun pop of color, the “Aquascaphe” logo above six is color-matched to coordinate with its GMT hand’s hue. 

Across all the bezel options, you also have the choice between the very mid-century beads-of-rice-style bracelet, a flat link bracelet, or a color-coordinating rubber sports strap. In spite of all the aforementioned upgrades, somehow, the new Aquascaphe GMT MK-II has managed to lower the price compared with its predecessor. To say this is an anomaly in the watch world would be the understatement of the year. For the rubber strap options, pricing across the models is 850€, and models on both bracelet options are priced at 915€. All in all, this launch is a welcome addition to the Baltic universe, and serves as proof that the brand isn’t changing up its speedy momentum any time soon. 

For more information, visit the brand’s website here.