On diving forums, simply typing "Beuchat" into the search bar brings up dozens of often lively discussion threads. A Beuchat watch is one of those items that has been lying in a drawer for twenty years, inherited from a diver father, or that you hesitate to buy brand new. Before making your choice, here is what you really need to know about the brand, its history, its current lineup, and what the divers who wear them on their wrists actually think.
The name Beuchat mostly evokes diving: fins, regulators, Georges Beuchat's Tarzan speargun, founded in Marseille in 1934. However, the watchmaking side of the brand has its own history, which began thirty years earlier.
1904, a family of watchmakers settled in Marseille. In 1904, Constant Beuchat, a descendant of a family of Swiss watchmakers, moved to Marseille and launched a company focused on sports watchmaking. His two sons took different paths: one became passionate about scuba diving, while the other carried on the father's watchmaking tradition. Thus, two Beuchat entities remained distinct for a long time: diving equipment and watches.
In January 2002, the BPlus group acquired Beuchat Chronographes and added it to its portfolio of watch brands, alongside Serge Blanco, Lola Carra, and Technograph. From then on, both legacies—diving and watchmaking—came together under a single name. This acquisition also serves as a time reference on forums: divers often speak of a "pre-2002" Beuchat to refer to older models.
This is the number one topic whenever dive watches are discussed, regardless of the brand, and it is also the least understood concept on most product pages. "100 m, 200 m, 300 m: the difference in real-world use"
Important point: a watch labeled "water resistant to 100 m" can handle showers, swimming pools, and surface fitness swimming. It is not designed for scuba diving, even at shallow depths.
For that, you need to aim for 200 m minimum, the threshold at which a watch withstands the pressure of standard recreational diving.
Beyond that, at 300 m and more, you enter the realm of watches designed for professional use or for divers wanting a large safety margin over time. This depth rating corresponds to factory-tested pressure on a new watch, not a guarantee that lasts indefinitely.
So why can a "water-resistant" watch still take in water?
On forums, several divers share the same mishap: a Beuchat watch rated for 200 m that ends up fogging up after a light impact on the glass, or after several years of use without ever being serviced. The cause is almost never the original water resistance of the case, but worn gaskets, a cracked crystal edge, or an improperly screwed-down crown after setting the time. A dive watch, like a regulator, needs regular maintenance to maintain its performance over time.
Forget the collection names still found on some sites, Apnea, Genesis, Abyss, or Ushuaia: these are old lines that are no longer produced. The current range is organized around five main families.
The Beuchat GB 1950 collection embraces the brand's vintage aesthetic, featuring an interchangeable elastomer or steel strap depending on the reference, and a 200 m water resistance sufficient for recreational diving.
Discover the GB1950 range by clicking here
The Beuchat Ocea line covers several uses, from simple 3-hand watches to chronographs, up to automatic models with a power reserve display.
Discover the OCEA range by clicking here
The Beuchat Lumitech watch line emphasizes underwater legibility, featuring an automatic reference rated up to 1000 meters. The higher-end BRB line offers automatic watches for men and women, with an optional Tropic strap.
Discover the Lumitech range by clicking here
Finally, the Beuchat Intemps collection is designed for dressier occasions, featuring open-heart and skeleton versions that focus on movement aesthetics rather than diving capabilities.
Discover the Intemps range by clicking here
Much of the search activity around "old Beuchat watch" or "vintage Beuchat watch" actually focuses on collectors' items rather than the current lineup.
Certain references are part of the brand's heritage. The Beuchat Abyssal watch, designed in 1996 and rated for a water resistance of 6000 meters, comes up regularly in collectors' discussions, long before other manufacturers popularized similar systems. The Beuchat Murena, a 100 m water-resistant chronograph with a more classic style, or the Beuchat Chrono Diver 650, also retain a dedicated following.
These watches are no longer in production, but they are true museum pieces and remain a holy grail for many divers!
Before falling for a vintage piece spotted on a classifieds site, it is best to have its water resistance tested by a watchmaker prior to any water exposure, even if the seller swears it "has always worked." A twenty-year-old gasket won't hold pressure like it did on day one, regardless of the brand.
Last but not least: how to keep your Beuchat watch in good condition over time.
In doubt about choosing your next wrist companion? Feel free to contact us!
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