Nolan Bushnell, who founded the video game company, Atari, in 1972, once said that the best games are easy to learn, and difficult to master. Now known as Bushnell’s Law, the idea is broadly applicable, and particularly poignant as it relates to the modern dive watch genre. In the ever growing landscape of small independent and micro brands, having a diver in the lineup seems to be par for the course, which has resulted in an emerging homogeneity of sorts. The progenitors of the genre still loom large, but new original ideas are few and far between. Many brands, both new and established, have taken a stab at the humble diver, but few have managed to create something compelling.
Making something truly original might be an unfair ask, as the beauty of these things lies in their generally straightforward DNA. There are a finite number of configurations, after all, so it really comes down to the smaller details that set these things apart. There are two approaches that can be taken here: sticking with a classic, tried and true formula; or pushing on the boundaries in an attempt to push it ever so slightly into new territory. On the big stage, we see these two approaches taken by Rolex and Blancpain, respectively.
The Submariner collection consists of (relatively) few SKUs, and can be had with or without a date. Every reference is immediately recognizable, and it’s not breaking any new ground. Conversely, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms collection is a smorgasbord of diversity, with all manner of sizes, complications, and colors represented. Blancpain isn’t afraid to take a few swings with the Fifty Fathoms, while many are misses, some hit the mark, and genuinely feel exciting as a result. Both the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms are historic watches that literally helped to shape the genre, and both have found their own path in very different ways.
Shifting to smaller, newer brands who don’t have the luxury of heritage in their back pocket, we find a similar dichotomy. Taking the classic route is arguably the safest choice, as it’s well understood and buyers feel comfortable with these designs, however they aren’t really adding anything new to the conversation. It’s the best route if you’re just looking to move ‘product’. Taking the time to bring a more unique vision to life represents a risk, and may even require some groundwork and brand building. Today, for better or worse, we’re spoiled for choice with watches that fit into both of these categories, delivering enthusiasts a plethora of options at nearly every price point.
If you ask me, the worst thing a watch can be is forgettable. This brings us to the recently released Paulin Mara, a dive watch that takes a third approach not outlined above. This is the brand’s first dive watch, but rather than lean into a pre-existing design framework, or trying for something exotic, they’ve instead looked inward, and built within the confines of their established idiosyncratic DNA. Paulin took years to lay the groundwork, and the payoff is the ability to branch into new genres without losing their identity. The Mara is a result of patience, and a chance encounter with diver/journalist/midwesterner/TGN co-host/all around good guy, Jason Heaton back in 2023.
Paulin is a relatively young brand, founded in 2013 with an eye for design. The brand was more than watches, developing designs for wall clocks and other goods, while going so far as to design their own typefaces. This is the kind of groundwork that worked wonderfully in watches, and matured into collaborations with artists around the globe. In 2023, they joined forces with fellow Scottish watchmaker, and powerhouse of design, anOrdain. Until recently, these were watches that weren’t easily categorized into existing genres. They were more art and graphic design than anything else, and transcended the typical landscape of watch tropes.
After meeting with our friend Jason Heaton, they started to ponder what a Paulin dive watch might look like, and with the Mara, we have our answer. The basics of a good diver needed to be present, with legible palettes and robust functionality, but the rest presented an opportunity to explore the boundaries of their brand’s strong design sensibilities. All the dive stuff was well and good, but it needed to be a Paulin.
Mr. Heaton remained involved in the development of the Mara as a resource for color and lume pairings, and ultimately ended up field testing the watch in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. While a range of colors were considered, the Mara is being released in two variations, one black, and the other blue. These feel like functional decisions rather than design decisions, but in truth, they are both.
The light grey bezel against the matte black dial feels particularly on point and intentional, while both options get thoughtful accent colors that never interfere with the broader legibility. There are no complications at work here, just a set of hands and hour markers. It’s here that Paulin flexes their creative muscle, bringing their trademark geometric shapes and bespoke typography to the table. Triangles, squares, and circles join Arabic numerals at six and 12 o’clock on the dial in a way that feels both playful and functional.
The bezel is marked in five minute segments using the brand’s Wim typeface, and the whole assembly overhangs the 39.7mm steel case that looks a bit Monnin-like in nature, though it’s been designed to angle around the wrist, meaning the 13.5mm total thickness should feel quite trim in use. The case finishing is a bit industrial in nature, but the important details are well considered here. It gets a healthy 300 meter depth rating, and inside sits a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement.
The Mara is a funky watch to be sure, and it won’t be for everyone, but it’s not boring. It remains defiantly Paulin, and it’s a formula that I’d love to see them continue to build on. Some of the potential colorways look plenty ripe for future editions, and more than anything the Mara serves as a new canvas through which Paulin can continue to develop their design ethos in new ways.
There are no shortage of divers in this sub $2,000 price range, but exceedingly few make an impression like the Mara. I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for the genre in general, and oddball divers are right up my alley, so this was bound to hit pretty hard for a guy like me. But stepping back, most of the watches I see in this range are dispassionate, to be charitable, and I’d much rather brands take the time to develop a point of view, and build watches within that, rather than to hit a hot spot in the market.
The Paulin Mara is available now directly from the brand, and is priced at $1,680. Paulin
(Header image credit: Brad Wakefield)
