Dive watches are easily one of the most popular styles of timepieces, although the ever-growing number of options makes it easy to overlook some of the lesser-known standouts within the industry. While most divers tend to be either vintage-inspired or ultra-burly and unapologetically modern, I always appreciate when brands blend these two polar opposite extremes and produce a dive watch that offers the proportions and aesthetic versatility of a mid-century timepiece, while simultaneously feeling like an inherently modern creation. A perfect example of this is the Tusenö Shellback V2, which is the second generation of the Swedish brand’s best-selling diver, and it excels at presenting a familiar design in a fresh and contemporary manner, all while being Swiss-made and maintaining a categorically accessible price point.

The original Tusenö Shellback debuted in 2021, and we first covered the series as a sponsored post at the time of its launch. Additionally, ​​last year at the very end of 2023, Tusenö announced the return of the Shellback in a “V2” format that improved upon the original model with a number of subtle updates and enhancements. At the time of writing, the Tusenö Shellback V2 is offered in three different colorways, which include a black version fitted with a black enamel dial and a matching black ceramic bezel insert, a white-dial version that features small bright orange accents with a stainless steel bezel, and the blue version featured here, which has a vertically brushed blue dial complemented by a dark blue ceramic insert. Additionally, while our original sponsored post about the updated series mentions a fourth variation with a black dial and a matching black DLC finish, this particular model does not currently appear to be one of the options listed on the brand’s website.

The overall appearance of the Tusenö Shellback V2 could best be described as a modernized version of a skin diver, and while the watch itself offers a thoroughly contemporary on-wrist experience, the core blueprint of the model is clearly derived from mid-century designs. A big part of the reason why so many people are attracted to vintage-inspired dive watches is that they offer a certain degree of elegance and visual refinement that you don’t get from most of today’s ultra-rugged and purpose-built offerings. Even the deepest-diving models from the 1950s and 1960s have a far better chance of pairing with a suit than many contemporary performance-oriented divers, and this provides retro-themed dive watches with a greater degree of aesthetic versatility, while still scoring big when it comes to water resistance and general durability.

Although I objectively love chunky and unapologetically utilitarian divers, I will also be the first to admit that they aren’t always ideal when it comes to serving as a person’s everyday timekeeping companion. Conversely, a more traditionally styled dive watch can reasonably exist in all but the most formal of settings, while still being more than capable of standing up to a summer day at the beach or the occasional recreational scuba diving excursion. That said, the primary issue with many of the vintage-inspired dive watches that exist today is that they ultimately end up feeling a bit generic, and a major contributing factor to the success of the Shellback V2’s design is simply that it checks many of the same general boxes that are satisfied by a vintage diver, while still offering a distinct aesthetic identity and a categorically modern on-wrist experience.

Crafted from stainless steel, the Tusenö Shellback V2 features largely brushed surfaces, with contrasting high-polished bevels that run down the edges of its lugs and taper towards the middle part of the case. In terms of its dimensions, the case of the Shellback V2 maintains the exterior profile of its first-generation predecessor, and it measures 40mm in diameter by 11.9mm thick, with 20mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug profile of 47mm. Once you factor in the double-domed sapphire crystal (with anti-reflective treatment) that protrudes about a millimeter above the rim of the bezel, the total height of the watch is approximately 13mm; however, it should be noted that the Tusenö Shellback V2 ultimately wears noticeably thinner than its dimensions due to the geometry of its case and the upper profile of its bezel and crystal.

The Tusenö Shellback V2’s compact lugs feature sharply squared-off ends, and they curve downward from the case to help the watch sit flat against the wrist and maintain a very manageable lug-to-lug presence. Additionally, the bezel insert slopes upwards to meet the edge of the crystal, and in addition to creating a smooth dome-shaped profile, this section accounts for about 2mm of the total height of the watch, which further contributes to its deceptively thin wearing experience. Sitting at the 3 o’clock location is a signed screw-down crown, while the reverse side of the Shellback V2 receives a solid screw-down caseback adorned with the brand’s “Guiding Light” emblem (a reinterpretation of a sector lighthouse indicator), and water resistance for the updated series comes in at 200 meters, which should be more than enough to handle virtually any type of moisture contact short of saturating diving applications.

The Tusenö Shellback V2 weighs approximately 75 grams, although that increases to about 175 grams if you include the entirety of its solid-link stainless steel bracelet. Given that most folks will need to remove at least a few links (I had to take out seven links to properly size the bracelet for my 6.5 to 6.75-inch wrist), the actual real-world weight of the Shellback V2 will end up being somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 grams, and this places it in a bit of a sweet-spot for dive watches, where they offer a solid feel and ample wrist presence, without feeling heavy to the point of being unwieldy or uncomfortable. Overall, while the Tusenö Shellback V2 wears true to its 40mm diameter, the rest of the watch feels surprisingly compact, and its carefully considered geometry results in highly versatile proportions that should comfortably fit a wide range of different wrist sizes.

The Tusenö Shellback V2’s bezel is fairly easy to grip, thanks to its coin-edge serrated rim, and the blue-dial version featured here is fitted with a matching dark blue ceramic insert. The bezel rotates unidirectionally with a smooth and precise 120-click motion, and its insert is engraved with a fully demarcated timing scale to facilitate the measurement of elapsed time. Additionally, rather than just featuring a luminous dot at the zero-marker like most dive watches, the entire 60-minute scale on the Shellback V2’s bezel is filled with ample amounts of Super-LumiNova to provide its markings with a bright blue-colored glow-in-the-dark. Not having a small dot embedded within the inverted triangle results in a noticeably more modern overall appearance, and since the entire scale is luminous, tracking precise intervals of elapsed time is just as easy in the dark as in the daylight.

The dial fitted to the Tusenö Shellback V2 largely follows in the footsteps of its first-generation predecessor, although it benefits from a number of subtle updates that enhance its legibility and promote a greater overall sense of refinement. Featuring a sandwich-style construction, cut-outs in the form of circles and rounded batons serve as the hour markers, while a contrasting white luminous chapter ring surrounds the periphery of the dial, and even the date window at 6 o’clock receives a luminous border, which is an especially welcome detail that you seldom see on most dive watches. While the unique shape of the Tusenö Shellback V2’s handset has been carried over from the original series, it is now slightly wider to allow for larger luminous sections, and the circular aperture in the hour hand perfectly frames the arched “Shellback” text as it moves across the lower portion of the dial.

With blue-glowing BGW9 Super-LumiNova on its bezel insert, hands, hour markers, minute track, and even the frame for its date window, the Tusenö Shellback V2 offers a supremely legible low-light display, and I can’t imagine that anyone will encounter issues when it comes to referencing the time in the dark. Additionally, while the black enamel dial is the most elevated and the white-dial with its bright orange accents is the most sporty and visually distinct, the blue-dial Shellback V2 featured here offers an incredibly dynamic appearance with a vertical brushed surface and a color-changing finish that transitions from a deep navy (almost black) color to a bright shade of electric blue, simply depending on the lighting. From a fundamental design perspective, the Tusenö Shellback V2’s dial is similar to what you will find on many other dive watches, although its rounded lines, sandwich-style construction, and ample use of Super-LumiNova provide it with a distinct appearance and its own unique identity.

While the first generation of Shellback watches used the Ronda Mecano Caliber R150, the updated Tusenö Shellback V2 is powered by the venerable Sellita SW200 automatic movement. While the Ronda Cal. R150 ultimately proved to be a reliable option for the original series of Shellback watches, the Sellita SW200 is the single most commonly-used Swiss automatic movement within the entire industry, and Tusenö made the switch to this caliber because it is universally recognized within the enthusiast community and offers an even greater level of serviceability. Tusenö uses the standard version of this ubiquitous self-winding mechanical caliber, which means that the movement inside the Shellback V2 runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 38 hours, and while the Sellita SW200 has a slightly thicker architecture than the Ronda R150, Tusenö was able to maintain the same external case height for its updated Shellback V2 models.

The Tusenö Shellback V2 comes paired with a stainless steel flat-link bracelet that tapers from 20mm at the case down to 18mm where it connects to its signed folding clasp. Attached to the lugs with quick-release springbars, the Shellback V2’s bracelet features largely brushed surfaces with contrasting high-polished bevels running down the sides of its links for an added touch of subtle refinement. Additionally, the bracelet is constructed entirely from solid components with single-sided screws for the removable links and a clasp that operates with a double push-button release. The Shellback V2’s clasp has also received a major design overhaul, and while it offers a noticeably smaller and thinner profile, it still includes a lever-operated integrated extension system that provides five positions of tool-free incremental adjustment.

Based on its design and specs alone, the Tusenö Shellback V2 represents a rather appealing option for those who want a classically styled dive watch with a distinctly modern flair. However, what is most surprising about the Shellback V2 is that Tusenö is selling a Swiss-made dive watch with this level of attention to detail for a price most frequently associated with Asian-manufactured watches. The Tusenö Shellback V2 is accompanied by an introductory price of $649 USD (which also includes a complementary rubber strap), but its official retail price will be $699 USD once the promotional pricing window ends, and delivery of initial orders is scheduled by the end of the year. Realistically speaking, the Shellback V2 would still be a solid offering if it were entirely produced in Asia, and the fact that you can get a Swiss-made diver with a distinct design and this level of attention to detail ultimately makes the Tusenö Shellback V2 an incredibly compelling value proposition. For more information on the Tusenö Shellback V2, please visit the brand’s website.