While you may never have heard of ZRC, the French Navy has long put the brand’s watches to good use.

Founded in Geneva in 1904, it developed the Grand Fonds dive watch in 1960, which would go on to see service on the wrists of Marine Nationale divers between 1964 and 1982. With its monobloc case, 6 o’clock crown, and slightly off-kilter aesthetic, it’s an odd timepiece, to be sure — but a wildly effective dive watch. 

Produced in a molybdenum-reinforced stainless steel case, it featured antimagnetic properties that ensured EOD divers wouldn’t accidentally set off a stray mine when wearing one. In 1970, ZRC added a retractable lug that prevented the watch from being worn if the crown was opening, ensuring that the wearer had first to screw it down.

This particular Grand Fonds is a 1964 French Navy Reissue. Housed in a 40.5mm stainless steel case, it features the classic ZRC rotating dive bezel with a black luminous insert, a screw-down crown at 6:00, and a luminous matte black dial with a matching oversized 'paddle' handset. Paired to the case is an interesting expanding 'ladder-link' bracelet with a signed locking clasp.

Within the watch beats an ‘elaboré’-grade ETA 2824-2 automatic workhorse movement — a long-time stalwart of robust but affordable dive watches everywhere.

This is an excellent option for someone searching out a tool watch devoid of the ‘same-sameness’ inherent in Submariner copies the world over!