Hands-On With The New Jacques Bianchi JB300 — A 1990s Military Dive Watch Brought Back To Life

French brand Jacques Bianchi releases a new model today. Or, I should say, it reintroduces a historical reference. The Jacques Bianchi JB300 is a modern take on a 1990s military-issued dive watch. My review of it is one of very few surprises. Every once in a while, a watch is simply exactly how you imagined it would be. This is such a case. Without wanting to give away the entire story in advance, I can say this much: the JB300 does exactly as it says on the tin.

The new Jacques Bianchi JB300 is not a 1:1 remake of the original, but it sure is close. Let’s get into the details of what’s new and what isn’t together.

Jacques Bianchi JB300 history

To get a feel for the watch I have on my wrist at the moment, we need to travel back to the early 1990s. The French Army’s CEPAT (Centre École de Plongée de l’Armée de Terre) drew up specifications for the next generation of dive watches. Note, this was not the navy, or Marine Nationale, but the army. Jacques Bianchi already had plenty of experience with the earlier JB200, so naturally, the brand participated in the military tender.

JB sent three prototypes to be tested, two of which were tested to destruction. Nonetheless, Jacques Bianchi won the tender over several other brands. The French Army placed an original order of 300 pieces in 1993. Follow-up orders would push the total production number of the JB3000 to 1,000 pieces.

The original JB300 housed an ETA 2824 automatic caliber and had its water resistance rated at — you guessed it — 300 meters. Early models featured tritium lume on the dials, while later ones came with Luminova. JB never produced this watch for the civilian market until today. In other words, if you come across a vintage example, it is one of 1,000 pieces and a military-issued watch for sure.

The new Jacques Bianchi JB300

If you are familiar with the 1990s JB300, you will not have a hard time spotting the lineage. This is a rather faithful reproduction of the original, including elements like the characteristic broad bezel with its sawtooth-like grip. This was a standout feature as the 60-click bezel was easy to operate while wearing diving gloves. Both the great grip and the 60-click mechanism remain on the new version. So does the matte black aluminum bezel insert.

Speaking of matte black, the dial is also largely lifted from the original. Its matte black surface contrasts hard with the oversized painted hour markers. An inner ring of red 13–24-hour markings underlines the military nature of the original. The new version features sand-colored Super-LumiNova, resembling the tritium originals.

So, what changed? Well, two major elements, actually — the caliber and the case. Starting with the caliber, it is now a Soprod P024. This is a 2824 clone with a 40-hour power reserve, so you could argue it is also fairly close to the original JB300. The case, however, underwent stronger updates. It measures 42mm across by 12.7mm thick and 45mm from lug to lug. The new design features more aggressive lines and chamfers, making it feel a little fancier and less rudimentary.

Wearing the Jacques Bianchi JB300

The JB300 is one of those watches that prove the diameter alone does not tell you much. The short 45mm lug-to-lug and relative slimness make it wear like a dream. Yes, it is a military tool watch, so it has plenty of presence. However, it does not overpower the wrist or feel clunky at all. If you can wear a Speedmaster, you can wear this for sure.

The JB300 looks muscular and strong on the wrist. The broad bezel with its oversized teeth, the maxi lume plots, and the broad case give it visual strength. The very shallow hood between the lugs also helps in this respect. It closes the gap between the case and the black Tropic-style rubber strap, making the entire thing look more compact and solid. You get a secondary black Perlon strap as standard, by the way. The brand will also offer a steel Jubilee-style bracelet for an extra €100.

As it says on the tin

I already mentioned that the Jacques Bianchi JB300 is not surprising. Let me elaborate. Sometimes, a watch is just exactly as you would have expected. In this case, I expected a serious, solid-feeling Spartan diver. And that is exactly what the JB300 is — nothing more, nothing less. Operating the crown and bezel feels, well, as you would expect. These elements are not luxurious but are solidly made. The fit on the wrist is also as you would expect, being strong but wearable. Even the finishing is just as expected — nicely executed but not fancy.

So, is that a good thing or a bad thing? I would say it is great. Jacques Bianchi manages to offer this new model for just €890 (including VAT), and it is everything you might need in a diver. No, it is not luxurious or remotely fancy. It is just a solid, simple dive watch with an interesting and relevant history.

This makes it a very easy recommendation. If you like the looks, you cannot go wrong. You will like the watch in real life too. Reviewing watches has never been rocket science, but the Jacques Bianchi JB300 makes it very easy indeed. The watch is available for preorder for 15 days only, starting on the 20th of November. JB will produce only the number ordered within that period, and no more will be made afterward. In other words, if you like it, you’d better hurry!