Herbelin Newport Diver: A diver from the 70s

Posted by lifata on August 9th, 2023

Michel Herbelin has been making watches since 1947, near the Franco-Swiss border, on the French side, in Charquemont in Haut-Doubs. The Newport Heritage Diver is inspired by a model made in the 70s, a time when cushion cases were very common.

The Newport range has been part of the French brand's catalog since 1988 and it is therefore two eras that meet for the creation of this Heritage watch. A first Newport Héritage had been launched in 2020, meeting with real success, and Herbelin fake is doing it again with a new timepiece very inspired by the 2020 version, but which is now oriented towards the world of diving.

The cushion case, square with rounded edges, offers reasonable dimensions of 42 mm on the side and 14 mm thick. It is made of 316L steel. The screwed case back is transparent, to let you admire the movement, which is rather rare on a diver's watch capable of descending to 300 m! The crown, also screwed down, represents a ship's helm.

At the front, there is a polished blue ceramic bezel, unidirectional, with 120 clicks, for optimal control of the dive time. The dial is protected by a slightly curved sapphire crystal. We discover a smoky dial, with a gradation of blue, lighter in the center and darker on the outside, which obviously recalls the depths of the oceans.

There are two windows at 3 o'clock, one for the day and the other for the date. In particular, you can set the day in French or English. We find the name of the brand at noon, (recall that Michel Herbelin has become Herbelin), the Newport range at 6 o'clock and some mentions just below for the automatic character of the watch and its level of waterproofness. Finally, around the index at 6 o'clock, the mention "Made In France" tells us that the watch is well made in France.

The baton hands are quite thick, as are the hour markers. The set is luminescent to easily read the time in the dark or under water. It is a watch really designed for diving, unlike an Alpiner Heritage Carrée for example.

As with the automatic Cap Camarat, here we also find a Sellita SW220-1 which brings our timepiece to life. It is therefore Swiss, which is a small departure from the Made In France of our Herbelin Newport Diver, but French calibers are rare and often incompatible with this type of product. The Sellita SW220-1 has 26 jewels, for an oscillation of 28,800 vph and offers 38 hours of power reserve.

It allows us a pleasant setting of the date and the day and has a stop-second, as well as the possibility of manual winding. It is a movement that is regularly found on watches in this price range, it has already proven itself, it is a very reliable caliber.

As on all Luxury replica watches in the Newport range, there is a system of central attachments instead of the classic between-lugs. The bracelet is made of high performance FKM elastomer, which is both very resistant and pleasant to wear. Herbelin guarantees it for 10 years, sure of its solidity.

The double folding clasp is in 316L steel slightly satin-finished to avoid scratches. It closes easily, the safety clasp does its job well and above all there is a diving extension which is very simply activated and allows the watch to be worn over a wetsuit.

I found this Herbelin Newport Diver very beautiful and pleasant. The bracelet is comfortable and the weight is quite reasonable even if the 42mm will not be for everyone.

It's a watch that I find very elegant, with this cushion case that gives a fairly modern look to the whole thing. However, it remains sporty and perfectly suited to nautical activities with its 300 meters of water resistance. Nothing is missing! The extension of the strap is perfect for adapting to a wetsuit, the luminescence is very effective, the hands are very large, reading is pleasant, in short, we will be able to read the dial in low light without any problem!

The Herbelin Newport Héritage can therefore be worn both in the city and at sea, the level of finish is neat, the dial is not too heavy and I find its smoky blue background very successful. It is a beautiful watch that will undoubtedly find its audience.

Herbelin respects its history and we find all the know-how of the French manufacturer in this watch. Whether you're a diver or not, if you like high-end sports fake watches cheap, chances are you'll fall in love with this Newport Diver.