Summer 2019 saw the hotly-anticipated reissue of the Ocean Crawler Core Diver, which had been a popular model with brand followers upon its original debut in 2018. Now, to round out the year, Ocean Crawler is releasing the Ocean Crawler Automatic GMT watch — a direct follow-up to the Core Diver with added GMT functionality. Interestingly, however, the caliber chosen to power this new model comes from SOPROD, as opposed to Sellita. This special release will be limited to just 50 units of each of the four colorways announced.

The latest model from Ocean Crawler maintains the dimensions of the Core Diver case, resulting in a familiar silhouette. At 44mm-wide and 15.6mm-thick, the Ocean Crawler Automatic GMT watch has a strong presence on the wrist, but with a manageable lug-to-lug length of 50mm, it does not go so far as to impede wearability. With 22mm-wide universal lugs, the Ocean Crawler Automatic GMT can accept a variety of straps. The brand offers this model on a fabric NATO, a shark mesh bracelet, and a woven steel bracelet, with each band option changing the overall appearance of the watch considerably. (This is especially the case of the blue-cased model on the blued shark mesh bracelet — an unusual and striking look.)

A 316L stainless steel case is topped by a unidirectional 120-click timing bezel with a color-coded sapphire insert. As followers of Ocean Crawler have come to expect, the lume quality is excellent. The hour markers and hands do not fail to impress either, having been treated with Super-LumiNova C3. These glow-in-the-dark elements would be particularly useful for a diver using this watch at the extremes of its abilities, 600 meters beneath the ocean’s surface.

The four different color schemes each offer a distinct aesthetic. The black dial makes two appearances paired with two different bezels. Either a black and white timing bezel or a black and orange insert encircle the dial. Other than that, the two models are identical, with the same functions, dial color, handset, and dial layout.

An all-blue model with a blue case, blue bracelet option, and a blue and orange timing bezel is the brightest and boldest of the bunch, but the green and black bezel, special green-tipped handset, and strikingly rich green dial of the novel black/green model are not to be ignored. This is not a colorway that has existed in the Core Diver family before, and its presence is a welcome option for existing owners looking for a different take on a well-received classic.

Ticking away inside the Ocean Crawler Automatic GMT watch may well be the fifth Core Diver release this year, but it is the only one using the Swiss Made SOPROD C125 caliber. SOPROD, a robust alternative to Sellita and ETA, is known for its great reliability and nicely finished movements. The C125 beats at 4Hz (28,800vph) and has a power reserve of 42 hours.

This extremely limited release (200 pieces in total) is ready to ship and is currently available for a pre-order price of $1,199. That price will be available until January 5th, 2020, at which point the price will jump by $400 to $1,599. Learn more at oceancrawler.com.