Founded in 1882 and based in Havana, Cuba, Cuervo Y Sobrinos proudly embraces its Latin heritage, and this not only includes the design inspiration for many of its watches, but also the individuals that the brand chooses as its ambassadors. The latest new release from Cuervo Y Sobrinos is a limited edition model produced in collaboration with world record-holding Cuban freediver Pipin Ferreras, and it represents a unique and colorful variation of the brand’s signature dual crown dive watch. The word “buceador” means “diver” in Spanish, and the Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe collection is a lineup of contemporary professional dive watches that are inspired by the Caribbean waters that surround Cuba’s coastline.
The Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe “Pipin” Edition is essentially a new limited edition colorway of the brand’s existing Buceador Caribe dive watch, and it, therefore, features the collection’s same unique octagonal cushion-shaped case. The case itself is crafted from stainless steel with a 43mm by 43mm profile that measures 15.8mm-thick. The design of the watch follows a dual crown configuration with an internal rotating bezel, and the crown and 9 o’clock offers access to the movement, while the bright orange crown at 2 o’clock is used to control the bezel.
On the side of the case at the 4 o’clock location is a rectangular pusher that operates a locking mechanism for the secondary crown, which ensures that the timing bezel does not accidentally get moved out of place while diving. Protecting the dial side of the watch is a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating, while the reverse side of the Buceador Caribe “Pipin” Edition is fitted with a solid stainless steel screw-down caseback that helps provide users with 200 meters of water resistance, and which is adorned with a freediver engraving, Pipin’s signature, and each individual watch’s limited edition number.
While the standard production versions of the Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe feature largely black or blue color profiles, the “Pipin” edition of the model embraces a vibrant green and orange colorway that offers a distinctly tropical appearance. The green dial slightly darkens towards the outer edges and it features a combination of large printed Arabic numerals and tapered batons for its hour markers, with a date window appearing at the 6 o’clock location and an applied Cuervo Y Sobrinos loco occupying the position of the 12 o’clock marker on the dial.
The “Buceador” name appears in orange letters above the depth rating, and surrounding the dial is a green internal rotating timing bezel with orange and cream minute markings and a bright orange section for the first fifteen minutes. At the center of the dial are a trio of extra-wide hands, and both the minute hand and tip of the seconds hand are finished bright orange to offer additional contrast and to match the overall color profile of the watch. Just as you would expect from a purpose-built diver, all of the hour markers, plus the three hands receive a healthy application of Super-LumiNova to create a brightly glowing display in the dark.
Powering the Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe “Pipin” Edition dive watch is the CYS 5104 automatic movement. Based upon the Swiss Peseux 224, the 28-jewel CYS 5104 is a self-winding mechanical caliber that runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) and offers users a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. Using a proven and familiar architecture as its foundation, the CYS 5104 promises reliable performance, and it is fitted by an oscillating weight decorated with Geneva stripes and a transferred Cuervo Y Sobrinos logo.
Just like many of the brand’s other watches, the Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe “Pipin” Edition comes packaged in a functional humidor presentation box, and included with the watch is a travel case, plus two different strap options. One of the straps is made from green leather, while the other is constructed from matte orange rubber with a green lining, and both straps are completed by stainless steel pin buckles that are signed with the Cuervo Y Sobrinos logo.
Production of the Cuervo Y Sobrinos Buceador Caribe “Pipin” Edition will be limited to just 100 pieces worldwide, and the new model will be accompanied by an official retail price of $3,750 USD. While this does represent anywhere between a $250 and $450 premium compared to the standard-production models of the brand’s contemporary dive watch, a production run of 100 examples constitutes a proper limited edition by and brand’s standards, and the vibrant green and orange colorway is easily the most striking and unusual version of the Buceador Caribe that Cuervo Y Sobrinos has ever put forward. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
