Newport Héritage Diver

NEWPORT HERITAGE DIVER

The Sea as a Playground
PRESS RELEASE

With nearly 80 years of watchmaking heritage, the French watchmaking workshop Herbelin delves into its archives to unveil a new model within its Newport Heritage collection. Directly inspired by the Newport universe, launched in 1988, this timepiece draws from the iconic style of 1970s dive watches, blending vintage spirit with contemporary performance. True to the marine codes dear to the collection, this automatic watch, water-resistant to 300 meters, embodies French sport-chic and invites wearers to explore the ocean depths.

VINTAGE INSPIRATION

“Herbelin is a brand enriched by a strong watchmaking past that dates back to the mid-20th century. This allows us to draw from an authentic and inspiring history, perfectly aligned with today’s enthusiasm for vintage,” explains Mathieu Herbelin, grandson of the founder and the brand’s Associate Creative Director.

Maxime Herbelin, also a grandson of the founder and the brand’s Marketing Director, adds: “The success of our first Newport Heritage model—three hands with day/date—launched in 2020, reinforced our desire to further develop this iconic collection.”

Today, the watchmaker pays a deliberate tribute to the spirit of freedom of the 1970s. Enriching the Newport Heritage collection, this new model combines retro charm and technical sophistication, perfectly suited for nautical, sporting or simply summer adventures.

A HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPORT WATCH

The 42 mm case in 316L stainless steel adopts a cushion shape emblematic of the 1970s. It features a unidirectional ceramic bezel with 120 notches, ensuring precise manipulation even when wearing gloves.

The dial displays a textured black background reminiscent of the sea’s surface, topped with a sky-blue flange that captures sunlight like the waters of the Mediterranean. Oversized hands and indices coated with luminescent material ensure excellent legibility in low-light conditions.

A clear peripheral minute track and a white day/date window optimize readability, while a nickel-colored central seconds hand adds a technical touch, allowing a quick visual check of the watch’s proper functioning.

A MADE-IN-FRANCE AUTOMATIC WATCH

Like all Herbelin creations, the Newport Heritage Diver is designed, assembled, adjusted and inspected in the brand’s workshops in the Jura region of Franche-Comté. It houses a Swiss automatic mechanical movement (Sellita), renowned for its reliability and precision. Carefully adjusted by the brand’s master watchmakers, it offers a daily deviation of only 0 to +15 seconds. Its balance wheel oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, and it provides a 41-hour power reserve.

The transparent caseback reveals the oscillating weight engraved with “Herbelin”, while the screw-down crown and caseback ensure water resistance to 300 meters.

The watch comes on a vintage-style textile strap, a deliberate nod to the aesthetic of the 1970s. Designed for everyday wear or summer outings, it can be easily swapped for an FKM strap or a Milanese mesh bracelet for diving activities.

Combining technical character, distinctive style, and French watchmaking heritage, the Newport Heritage Diver is the result of expertise passed down from generation to generation since 1947.