Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo Watch Review
The Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo is housed in a compressor case, a concept from the 50s that has become almost lost to time; a casualty of today’s more efficient (but less poetic) means of achieving water resistance. This new Sherpa release revives this clever technology and is equipped with a high-contrast tuxedo dial with alternating dark and light segments. This ‘dressy’ divers’ watch delivers both functionality and beauty.
Water resistance x watches
In the pantheon of dive watch history, some innovations stand as monuments to an important era in water-resistant technology. Amongst them is the compressor case – a solution to a problem that no longer exists but is still, nonetheless, fail-safe. The new age dive watch era sees the use of monolithic cases and constructions that incorporate sophisticated screw-down locking mechanisms. But the compressor case takes an almost counterintuitive approach, because the further the diver dares to dive, the more water-resistant it becomes.
Ervin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA) – Compressor Case
Back in 1956, Swiss case manufacturer Ervin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA) did a thing. It patented the ‘compressor’ case design. Unlike a conventional screw-down mechanism, it used external water pressure to its advantage. The deeper the watch was submerged, the more the caseback and crown gaskets were pushed against the case, making the construction impenetrable.
The innovation led to the widespread use of compressor cases by numerous dive watch manufacturers throughout the 1960s and 1970s. What’s more, the innovative technology became a clever solution to water damage during the golden era of scuba diving. At this time, brands were competing like hornets in a bottle to nail the next best dive tool for both recreational and professional divers, with EPSA cases proving the obvious choice.
Though many brands have utilised the compressor case, Sherpa has been a prolific advocate for the technology, incorporating it into designs like the Ultradive. The brand honours the original Enicar name, known for its innovative case designs (particularly those of the EPSA compressor type), and continues to supply enthusiasts with vintage tool-oriented models today. The Ultradive Tuxedo, however, is more elegant in design – a throwback to mid-century styles, sporting black and white elements for a dressier take on the dive watch.
Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo – Case
The highly polished 40 mm stainless steel case of the new Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo watch benefits from the aforementioned compressor case technology. Certified to ISO 6425 standards, it features an EPSA-STOP compressor caseback.
A domed sapphire crystal glass front takes the case up to a depth of 13.5 mm and features an internal anti-reflection coating to reduce glare, alongside an inner chrome metallic coating. The watch also incorporates the brand’s in-house MONOFLEX crown system. Both the top and bottom compressor crowns contribute to the model’s impressive 200 metre water resistance. The top crown operates the inner bezel, enabling the wearer to align the zero position with the minute hand for the effortless measuring of elapsed time. Meanwhile, the bottom crown operates the hands and sets the date.
The Ultradive Tuxedo is presented on a vulcanised rubber strap, offered in an array of colours, including black, ivory, dark grey and olive green. It echoes the style of the Tropic rubber bands of the 1950s and 60s, sporting a basket-weave texture on the top side and an inner waffle-effect pattern with moisture-wicking properties on the underside.
Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo – Dial
Resembling the formal tuxedo, the Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo is a two-tone composition, juxtaposing silver and black. At the heart lies an inner sanctum of galvanic silver, where a set of faceted, diamond-cut hour and minute hands glide with a silent grace across its sunray finish. The applied indices are also diamond-cut and their surfaces are treated with matching Super-LumiNova Grade 1 lume, adorned with a black top print for added contrast.
The central silver circle acts like a floodlight against the darkness of an inky black outer ring where the minutes sit, highlighted by double-digit numerals in ten-minute increments. The white seconds hand is executed in an Enicar-inspired double lollipop design, equipped with two luminous pips for enhanced legibility in dark environments.
The contrasting white and black spaces that compete with one another inside the Ultradive’s 40 mm bezel call to mind the smoke-filled nightclubs of the 1950s jazz age. Dare I say, this is about as classic and formal-looking as a dress watch can go before precious metals and Métiers d’Art dials become an expectation.
The dial is free from any burdening complications apart from one last detail. The final flourish is a flash of red in the date indicator, finishing the tuxedo with a red breast pocket square.
Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo – Movement
The Mantramatic MM01 movement is a heavily customised calibre that uses the Sellita SW200-1 as its base. Behind the solid steel compressor caseback is a seconds wheel and an escape wheel, both of which bear a micro-laser engraving of a Tibetan Buddhist mantra, ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. Company founder, Martin Klocke, a Buddhist himself, has used the brand’s identity, philosophy and product design as a platform from which to express the spiritual values of Buddhism since the very beginning. As the wheels of the Mantramatic MM01 movement turn, the mantra is continually being recited, paying respect to the culture and spirituality of the Sherpa people of Nepal, who also practice Tibetan Buddhism as part of their culture.
The movement has a frequency of 28,800 vph (4 Hz) and will run autonomously for 38 hours. Further enhancements include the addition of a custom rotor and gilt finishes to the bridges and mainplate.
Closing remarks
The compressor case is a testament to ingenious, counterintuitive engineering. Seldom has any horological concept managed to stand the test of time without being replaced by a more sophisticated next-gen version of itself. This technology was a proven, tried and tested success and a direct response to real-world challenges faced by those who depended on a water-resistant watch. The new Ultradive Tuxedo watch preserves the two-crown Super Compressor case design that became so iconic during the 50s, 60s and 70s.
The ‘tuxedo’ dial is a masterpiece of simplicity which is wonderful to see in an industry where brands often try to be all things to all people. Put simply, the black and white dial delivers variation to the Ultradive collection, endowing it with a dose of old-world elegance and nostalgia without losing its dive watch identity.
This is a dressy divers’ watch that exists in a liminal space where it’s acceptable to blend the utilitarian grit of a deep-sea tool with the refined and elegant dress codes of cocktail attire. Indeed, the Ultradive Tuxedo knows how to conduct itself wherever it goes.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Sherpa Ultradive Tuxedo
- Case: stainless steel EPSA compressor case, diameter 40 mm, height 13.5 mm, water resistance 20 ATM (200 metres), sapphire crystal to front
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds, date
- Movement: Mantramatic MM01, SW200-1 base, automatic movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), power reserve 38 hours
- Strap: tropic-style vulcanised rubber, black/ivory/dark grey/olive green
- Price: €6,500 (RRP as of 8.9.2025)