Squale Luminoso Arancia PVD – Welcome to the dark side

The new Squale Luminoso Arancia PVD is the summer time-piece for 2021, even though it’s almost completely black. What brings the glowing summer sun into the darkness is the poppin’ neon orange dial, which is actually completely made from Swiss Super-LumiNova and matte black non-luminous markers. This timepiece has something from both worlds: On the one hand it can symbolize the orange glowing red giant in the dark space (a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass in a late phase of stellar evolution) and on the other hand it can be the warming red evening sun at the dark beach night sky. Either way the watch has something fascinating about it, so let’s take a closer look in this hands on review and find out what its coating has to do with a well-known weapons manufacturer. – Only 50 pieces have been produced worldwide! –

The popping orange dial

First let’s take a closer look to the fascinating neon-orange dial, which is rich in, basically two really strong, contrasts: Black and orange. Orange can be a very strong and energetic color and like yellow and red, it can be very attention-grabbing. The way we see orange used in the environment plays a major role in how we feel about it; Do you associate it with Halloween? With the sunset? Or maybe even with the warmth of autumn trees? Orange also has a strong recognition as a hazard identifier – orange signals your mind “caution” or “watch out”. These attributes make it the perfect color for a real dive watch. Whatever you associate with this striking color, you can be sure that it will attract attention and not get boring easily for its wearer.

Squale-Luminoso Arancia PVD-dial close up

Close up of the neon-orange luminous dial (no lume shot)

Size and wear

The Squale Luminoso Arancia PVD measures 42 mm without crown, has 48,4 mm lug to lug distance and a thickness of 13 mm. Frankly, I was surprised when I found out about the actual diameter, because it wears like a 40 mm diver on the wrist through and through. Maybe matt black surface also absorbs light and lets the watch appear smaller. The watch has a comfortable weight which fits well with the size and style of the watch. Furthermore deep down sitting crown at the 4 o’clock position increases the comfort as well,

Squale-Luminoso Arancia PVD-wrist shot 3

Squale Luminoso Arancia PVD with 42 mm in diameter on a 18cm/7″ wrist (wears like a 40 mm)

With a thickness of 13 mm the watch has the classic dive-watch presence on the wrist; It is not a flat watch, but also not too thick that it might become uncomfortable. Proportions are quite standard and shouldn’t bother anyone, even with smaller wrists. The following should not come across as self-praise, but the Squale tropic rubber strap is not of the comfort and quality like ours; It is not uncomfortable though, but for my personal taste it is a little too shiny and not soft enough. Fortunately the watch has a very common lug width of 20 mm and matches our straps very well, of which we will present you a few examples later in this article.

Squale-Luminoso Arancia PVD-wrist shot side

Thickness of 13 mm: Not thick, but also not flat

Full lume dial

We all know lume on watch indices and sometimes even the whole bezel is luminous. Completely luminous dials, on the other hand, are rare and something special. This dial seems like it is glowing in every light condition and the orange can be brighter or darker, depending on the light condition. In the first picture the watch was brightly illuminated by photo lamps, nevertheless it seems like it is a lume shot already.

Watch photographed in the light (no lume shot)

When you think about a dial, fully covered in luminous mass you might expect a strongly glowing disc in the night. However, the lume is unexpectedly restrained and pleasant; It doesn’t glow so strong that it might blind you and the black indices stand out perfectly from the dial, so that even the minute indices can be read very precisely in the dark. Most watches only have luminous hour markers and hands, here you can determine the time of your night-dive to the minute. The 60-minute marker on the bezel to set your dive time lumes green, which contrasts nicely with the orange dial. It contrasts nicely with the illuminated orange dial and thus also distinguishes between the remaining time (of the dive) and the time set on the watch. – It might be the best night readability that I’ve ever experienced.

Watch photographed in the dark (lume shot)

The unmistakable feeling of gunmetal

Black PVD coating made by the famous Italian weapon manufacturer Beretta

When you hold the Squale Luminoso Arancia PVD in your hands and when you are familiar with firearms, you might get that certain feeling of gunmetal. That is because the PVD finished steel is coated and finished by the famous Italian weapon manufacturer Beretta. This makes this watch extremely durable, which we pointed out in a very early blog post about Squale diving watches already. For a veteran and hobby shooter like me, this feeling is unmistakable and very special.

Screw down bottom with the typical Squale acid engraving

Squale-Luminoso Arancia PVD-scope of deliverY

Scope of delivery with an additional orange Tropical-Style FKM rubber strap by WB Original

Strap Options by Watchbandit

Squale-Luminoso Arancia PVD-CLassic rubber strap Orange WB Original

Squale Luminoso Arancia PVD paired with an Orange Classic-Style FKM rubber strap by WB Original

Who would have thought that this watch can be versatile in straps? Our Black PVD Two-Piece NATO is the perfect alternative if you are not a fan of rubber straps and it has a matching PVD buckle. If you are looking for a softer, more matte tropical style rubber alternative, you can check out our orange- and black Tropical-Style FKM rubber strap and swap the buckle with the original PVD Squale buckle. If you want a plain and more versatile rubber strap you can pair the with our orange- and black Classic-Style FKM rubber strap.