ReviewEyes On The Pod: Ikepod Seapod Dive Watch

When Ikepod—originally Swiss watchmakers now based in Hong Kong—launched in 1994, they caused a stir with their limited-run ‘conceptual or concept watches’ in a market saturated by mass production and competitive pricing. The brand, whose futuristic watches resembled pebbles or UFOs, was called ‘Ikepod’, a portmanteau coined by cofounder Australian design maverick Marc Newson, combining the name of his partner Oliver Ike with the shape defining the watches, pod. After a four-year bout of bankruptcy and exchange of ownership, Ikepod launched individual collections in succession; one of the prominent ones being the brand’s only dive watch in 2021, Seapod. Famed watch designer Fabrice Gonet created the Seapod in collaboration with Ikepod, and the result found allegiance among not just the sporting community, but also the creatives such as designers, artists, and architects.

Seapod Legacy: Tribute To Dive Greats

Before delving into the look and function, here’s highlighting the fact that each Seapod iteration is named after prominent personalities, whose histories somehow connect to the dive world. There’s the green and bronze Seapod Bronze Yves, which pays ode to French Naval officer and inventor of the diving apparatus, Yves le Prieur. The black PVD Seapod S003 François is named after music composer and diving enthusiast François de R, who died during a dive off the Canary Island. French free diver Jacques Mayol is paid tribute with the bright blue Seapod S002 Jacques. Acknowledging the pioneering dive watch Archimedes is the dark grey and bronze Seapod Bronze Archi is the automatic bronze diver watch.

Ikepod Seapod Shop The Collection

American marine biologist and oceanographer, Sylvia Alice Earle who invented the deep rover—one-man submarine—finds mention with the navy blue and bronze combo that is the Seapod Bronze Sylvia. Prussian blue and silver themed Seapod S007 Enzo takes after Enzo Maiorca, a fisherman who broke the world record by swimming down to 300 feet in one breath that led to the sport of free diving. Finally, the orange and black deal that is Seapod S001 Zale is a hat tip to the ‘First Lady Of Scuba Divers;, the American Zale Parry.

Designed For A Quality Dive

Gonet’s design inspiration for Seapod came from previous Ikepod iterations. He borrowed elements from Ikepod’s first-issue watch, and the now defunct models of Hemipode and Seaslug—the brand’s inaugural aquatic-oriented watch. The literal eye-catching feature is the battalion of 12-hour markers that give this collection an edge over other Ikepod iterations. These 12 brightly-hued button-shaped 3D ‘eyes’ or dots contained within individual pods that match the outlines of the lume-filled dauphine hour and minute hands, slim seconds hand, arrowhead of GMT hand, and/or the strap. These hour markers connect to the outer minute flange with five-minute increments and minutes markers; a combination of alternating Arabic numerals and dots. Another peculiar factor is the absence of lugs with the silicone strap sprouting from the case underneath the bezel itself. This makes the 46mm iterations feel 42mm on the wrist. Lastly, the smooth unidirectional-rotating bezel wins points for being operational without facilitating details such as knurling.

In addition to the polished, stainless steel unidirectional rotating bezel, the Seapod offers a bronze option. A protective sapphire glass with a recessed, screwed down crown completes the exterior, and play a role in the watch’s overall 200m water resistance. The Seapod iterations are powered by the Japanese Miyota 9075 GMT and Miyota 9075 GMT movements, both visible through the openwork case back and offer 42-hour power reserve.