How would the 18-karat gold-plated hands work in combination with the black dial and steel case? Would the case, so closely matching its original, have the intended feel of luxury? And would the new Parmentier Crown deliver on its promise?

As recently as last January, we sat down with our technicians in Switzerland to try to improve the watch’s profile. We were worried that the dial would sit too deeply below the bezel. We’ve managed to bring its thickness down from 13.17 mm (including the sapphire glass) to 12.77 mm.

The results are beautiful! It’s with great pride we now present to you the new Airain skin diver; the Sous-Marine Re-Edition!

Based on the prototypes, we have made the following last-minute tweaks to the design:

• The font shape of the six on the dial does not yet align with our intentions, so we are currently discussing this with our supplier.
• The bezel should be better aligned. It should be straight with the indexes when put towards the stop position.
• The engraving on the bezel should be less deep to better reflect the original. We are changing the engraving depth from 0.25 mm to 0.10 mm.
• The Parmentier Crown cap’s indentations are too deep. This loosens the crown cap’s grip on the crown somewhat. Even though the Re-Edition is self-wound, we want to stay true to the original. So it is still important for us that it works as intended.
• The minute hand is too long. We will shorten it by 0.5 mm.
• The roulette date wheels (alternating red and black numerals) were not yet finished in the prototypes. The ones shown are standard date wheels.
• The Fixoflex bracelet shown here was an early pre-production sample. We are currently perfecting the bracelet’s position and end piece.

Ref 524.437A and 524.437B

Glossy black dial, light old radium lume, 18K gold plated hands, DNA strand seconds hand (B) or French lollipop seconds hand (A). On a Tropical Black FKM Rubber strap and a Fixoflex bracelet.

Ref 524.481 and 524.422

Ocean green dial with light old radium lume and silver polished hands on a Tropical Green FKM Rubber strap and a Fixoflex bracelet (524.481) and deep blue dial with BGW9 lume and white painted hands on a Tropical Blue FKM Rubber strap and a Fixoflex bracelet (524.422).

Ref 524.407 and 524.457

Faded black dial with C3 lume and silver polished hands on a Tropical Black FKM Rubber strap and a Fixoflex bracelet (524.407) and tropical dial with light old radium lume and bronze colored hands on a Tropical Black FKM Rubber strap and a Fixoflex bracelet (524.457).

Other details

Lume shots and close-ups of the case back.

After careful prototype testing and teasing of close-up photos, it’s time to open a new round of pre-orders for our latest release, the Airain Sous-Marine! The origin story of this skin diver dates back to the 1960s: the golden age of dive watches. In the 20s of a new century, another chapter is added to the Sous-Marine’s history book. You can get your hands on this revived classic for a special pre-order price now 👇:

BONUS: Collect CDMLEC Rewards with your purchase
Pre-ordering your Sous-Marine now comes with an added benefit. We’re rolling out a new loyalty programme to reward future AND past buyers of Airain products (+ CDMLEC’s other brand, Lebois & Co).

Through this programme, you automatically build up points for every purchase at one of CDMLEC’s brands. You can check out the first details on our dedicated Rewards page, which we’ll expand soon. For now, the most important thing to note is that loyal fans will enjoy more benefits in the future!

Displayed prices include DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) for all countries in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the USA meaning that shipping as well as customs duties and VAT for these countries are included. For all other countries, prices include DAP (Delivered at Place) meaning that only shipping is included and customs duties and VAT are not included.

Full Specs

Flagships need strong engines
The Swiss-Made AM5 self-winding mechanical movement is based on Manufacture La Joux-Perret’s G100 and boasts an impressive 68 hours of power reserve. Its solid tungsten rotor ensures a smooth rotation and weight distribution while its accuracy is regulated to no less than 4 positions. It is finished in ‘Soigné’ with blue screws.

Move the slider to reveal what’s behind the Sous-Marine’s case back.

* = The final finishing of the movement may differ slightly from the picture shown.

• Now: A final evaluation of the prototypes
  We’re currently finalizing all changes we want to implement towards final production.
• Early July: Pre-order Round 2
  When everything checks out, we’ll update this page and start Pre-Order Round 2 early July. Our Newsletter subscribers will be notified first. If you would like to own a Sous-Marine, be sure to register for one or more models. And don’t forget to keep an eye on this page anyhow!

  Please note: availability of individual references of the limited series is based on their popularity in Pre-Order Round 1.

• Then: Production
  In the second half of July, our Swiss manufacturers will start producing your Sous-Marine of choice. The movements will be ready in October 2023, after which watch assembly can start. We expect to start shipping by the end of November 2023. As soon as we have an idea of the exact delivery date, we will give you a heads-up by email.

We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to comment, ask questions or share your ideas. Your e-mail address will not be published.