Introducing: The Serica 5303 PLD Limited Edition Is Designed For French Naval Divers
What We Know
Serica has just announced a new limited edition of the brand’s 5303 dive watch, which was developed in close collaboration with the French Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Divers Association. With a few aesthetic changes, most notably a new diving scale for the bezel, it’s a unique addition to the brand’s 5303 lineup.
What remains the same is the overall case construction. The 39mm stainless steel case, with a thickness of 12.2mm, features the same lyre lugs that accompany most of the brand’s models. Lug to lug remains fairly similar at 46.5mm, with the included steel mesh bracelet having an articulating attachment to the end link so it can drop straight down for a smaller wrist. Behind the caseback is a soft-iron cage resistant to 50,000 A/M, allowing the brand to bill the watch as an amagnetic dive chronometer.
While the handset mostly remains the same from the other 5303 divers, the seconds hand gets an update with a “fat lollipop” hand, a significantly more visible indication when diving due to the larger surface area for lume on the lollipop. The text is changed up on the black dial, with the depth rating replaced by a “AMAGNÉTIQUE” to correspond with that soft-iron cage construction. It’s not a new feature on the 5303, but that dial text makes sure that extra bit of work behind a closed caseback doesn’t go unnoticed.
Visually, the bezel gets the biggest update here. First is a new color for the ceramic insert. Joining the black and light blue inserts for the 5303 is this new “Abyssal Blue,” which Serica says is a deep navy blue softened by hues of grey and green. And the scale, with its primary consideration around EOD divers, features a “DT MAX” diving scale for the first time. It’s a dual scale, with minutes in the inner steel bezel ring and the depth markings on the ceramic outer insert in meters. The scale reflects the operational habits of French Navy EOD divers, allowing them to know the maximum working time at any given depth. In theory, following this guideline would allow for a diver to continuously ascend without any decompression stops needed.
Inside the watch is the automatic Soprod M100 COSC-certified caliber, with a frequency of 28,800 VpH and a power reserve of 42 hours. And while this PLD edition of the 5303 comes with the default mesh bracelet, it also comes with an additional strap designed in the style of the old Marine Nationale elastic straps — a tribute to the era of the ’60s and ’70s when French naval divers fashioned straps out of parachute elastic for their issued Tudor watches. It’s a cool nod to history, especially when paired with the blue of the bezel.
The Serica 5303 PLD is limited to 500 pieces and priced at EUR 1,690. Orders open on May 20th, 2025.
What We Think
If you like Serica’s now tried-and-true design language for its tool watches, chances are you’re going to like this one too. The new shade of blue ceramic for the bezel is nice, and while some might miss the depth rating on the dial, “Chronomètre Amagnétique” is a terrific way to subtly change up the dial. As I am but a humble desk diver, I had to ask our resident Diver-In-Chief, James Stacey, about the practicality of such a scale. And long story short, this one’s really for the professionals.
James says, “The scale on this PLD edition is really for very specialized military-style diving needs, to have this glanceable metric (aka, not PADI or NAUI scuba divers). It’s intended for specific applications only, because of the risk of injury from a rapid ascent (which is among the main things you learn to avoid as you train for diving). Keep in mind that a full lung of air at 30 feet of depth is double that at the surface, which means you can do a lot of damage by coming up too quickly (and that’s without any specific consideration of decompression sickness). If you want to know more, read up on Boyle’s Law. Without wanting to overcomplicate the explanation, it’s a specialized function for a very narrow use case within diving. Still, pretty rad and a cool hook for a limited edition dive watch.”
As I’m getting this line by line over Slack, I nod in agreement in front of my computer screen, as if I’ve even stepped within 10 feet of a scuba tank or dive computer. But this 5303 PLD offers an esoteric scale in a fashion loosely comparable to Doxa’s No-Deco bezel or the M.N. versions of the Tudor Pelagos FXD, where the usual elasped time scale is modified for a specific piece of data or functional use case. Ultimately, it’s cool to see the brand create something this specialized for a limited run of watches, and for those who love the little nods to the past and present of French Naval diving, this will be the one to pick up.
The Basics
Brand: Serica
Model: 5303 PLD
Diameter: 39mm
Thickness: 12.2mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Black
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Yes
Water Resistance: 30ATM
Strap/Bracelet: Steel mesh bracelet, and extra nylon strap with signed hardware
The Movement
Caliber: Soprod M100 COSC
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH
Jewels: 25
Chronometer Certified: Yes, COSC-certified
Pricing & Availability
Price: EUR 1,690
Availability: May 20th
Limited Edition: Yes, 500 pieces.
For more, click here.
Hodinkee