The Squale 2001 Marina Militare watch hands-on

Introduction

Military-inspired limited series collab timepieces rank at the top of watch collectors’ wish lists.

The Italian Navy, globally recognised as an elite military corps, is respected worldwide and often cooperates with its counterparts in other countries, which honour it as much as they do when the training ship Amerigo Vespucci sails the oceans.

Squale has built an exclusive relationship with the Italian Navy, dating back to the early 80s, when it began supplying the Italian frogmen with military-specification tool watches.

In 2022, Squale introduced the first commercial collaboration models, kicking off the catalogue with the Master Marina Militare, followed by a Comsubin-oriented timepiece the following year, and the 1521 Marina Militare in 2024.

The new Squale 2001 Marina Militare

In 2026, Squale strikes back with a unique limited-edition timepiece that combines the Italian Navy’s allure with its most iconic case design ever.

Last year, the brand celebrated its 65^th anniversary by reviving the 2001 case—not just any case design, but a silhouette that embodies what Squale stands for: ingenuity and marine exploration, worn by none other than the legendary Jacques-Yves Cousteau and the Calypso crew.

Back then, it revealed the glorious 2001 Heritage, uncovering what made that diving watch a unicorn: the asymmetric case with a bidirectional bezel housing a “push-to-release” locking mechanism, integrated lugs, and a water resistance up to 60 atm.

A new architecture

Based on that template, so rich in pedigree, Squale has lifted the curtain on the 2001 Marina Militare, a timepiece that sets itself apart from its revered forerunner and the contemporary model that has followed.

Designers and technicians didn’t merely apply the Marina Militare flair; they widened the 2001 case from 40.0 to 41.5 mm while preserving the same thickness (13.0 mm) and growing the lug spacing from 19.0 to 20.0 mm.

The dial abandons the seventies-inspired indexes and the beautiful vintage logo to welcome a more contemporary, performance-oriented look with round indices and a triangle at twelve o’clock, atop a Navy-inspired blue base.

Both the Pantone and soleil finish look brighter than our Navy’s corporate dark blue. Same goes for the rubber strap with a pin buckle.

The ochre-yellow “Marina Militare” wording adds a lovely, light colour contrast against the full-blue layout, helping to complete the most contemporary 2001 model ever.

As an option, the watch houses a steel bracelet on a folding clasp with a safety buckle. Still, there is no quick-release mechanism.

That said, I’ll go all-in with the blue rubber strap 24/7. A Marina Militare houses the Sellita SW 200-1 Elaboré calibre, which offers a standard 38-hour power reserve when fully wound. According to Squale, this case size and design are unique to such a limited edition.

Final thoughts

I’m pretty convinced that military-tool enthusiasts and exclusive diving-watch fans will line up to make a Squale 2001 Marina Militare their own.

The outcome is magnetic, offers a legendary case, and is powered by a name that resonates in the military. I approve the upsized case shape design, which combines vintage flair with contemporary details.

All in all, that’s a well-equipped no-saturation-diving wristwatch, limited to 500 pieces. Moreover, the Navy’s official crest is delicately etched on the caseback as it is on the glossy blue watch box, something you expect from a limited edition this refined.

My only criticism concerns the mechanical movement: while it is tried and tested and fitting this kind of watch, its short power reserve is a letdown.

Finally, I would have loved to see a €1,990 Squale 2001 Marina Militare box include an MM-personalised Velcro strap.

(Photo credit: Horbiter®)