Zodiac Partners with Italian Retailer for Super Sea Wolf 53 Compression Limited Edition Grimoldi Milano
Swiss-based Zodiac, founded in 1882, is a brand which has based its modern image upon many watches first developed in the mid-20th century. Chief among these is the ever-popular Super Sea Wolf 53 Compression, which takes inspiration from a skin diver's watch launched in 1953, then only known as the Sea Wolf. More recently, the manufacturer has partnered with Italian retailer Grimoldi Milano to unveil a special edition of this now fan-favorite model, the new Super Sea Wolf 53 Compression Limited Edition Grimoldi Milano.
Possessing a similar overall design to previous Super Sea Wolf 53 models, this one is enhanced with distinctive green elements. Its case measures 40 mm by 49 mm, with a thickness of 13 mm, making it a solid mid-size diver easily able to fit on most wrists. The case is accented with primarily brushed finishing, though its deeply toothed bezel features some polishing, as does the domed, screw-down, signed crown. The lugs feature a slightly angled appearance common on mid-20th-century-style dive watches, and in particular on the original Zodiac Sea Wolf, from which this model draws its foremost design influences. These 20-mm lugs connect to a black leather “field strap,” which appears to be identical to the familiar “NATO”-style straps found on many models. While the field strap comes standard on this watch, the limited-edition package also includes a vintage-style tropic rubber strap as well as an additional NATO-style black rubber strap.
Underneath the sapphire crystal, surrounded by a green 60-minute rotating divers' bezel, is the sectored, green-colored fumé dial. On the outer edge of the dial, we find a light green-tinted minute ring, with thin black markers for each passing minute and bold markers for each 5-minute position. The fumé dial inside this sector has applied, lume-filled rectangular hour markers on its outer edge and enlarged markers for each quarter hour. Beneath 12 o’clock lay Zodiac’s logo and a “Super Sea Wolf” script, while above 6 o’clock we find some of the watch’s descriptors, including its 200-m/660-ft water resistance rating. Passing over the dial are two rectangular hands for the hour and minute and a rectangle-tipped lollipop pointer to count the running seconds.
The engraved, solid caseback on this limited edition is firmly screwed down and featues more of the watch’s various descriptors along its circular edge, all orbiting the large Zodiac logo in the center. Behind it ticks the STP 3-13 automatic movement, produced by STP, the Swiss movement manufacturer owned by Zodiac’s parent company, Fossil. Based on the original STP 1-11 caliber, used often in other Zodiac watches, it is capable of a 44-hour power reserve, contains 26 jewels, and beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph.
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 53 Limited Edition Grimoldi Milano will be produced in very limited quantities, with only 82 pieces set for production. The watch is currently sold out through Zodiac, but editions are still available through the namesake retailer, Grimoldi Milano, here, priced at €1,109, or around $1,350 at the time of this writing. Like all modern Zodiac watches, it is covered by the brand’s two-year warranty.
To learn more about Zodiac and the Super Sea Wolf 53, click here.
To learn more about Grimoldi Milano and the retailer’s offerings, click here.
