The New Synchron Military Poseidon — The Cult Brand Returns Two Years Later

It’s hard to believe that the Synchron Military hatched all the way back in March 2021. That’s nearly two years ago, and in some ways, I’m surprised that it’s taken so long for a sequel. Well, the day has come, and the Synchron Military Poseidon is here. This watch may look somewhat familiar, but there’s more here than meets the eye.

When the Synchron Military first debuted in 2021, it created quite a stir. The watch was an homage to the Doxa Army, a little-known piece from the ’70s that had a very brief run. The controversy came because Rick Marei, Synchron’s current owner, was previously with Doxa and because the Synchron brand actually owned the Doxa name back in the ’70s. Regardless of all that, we’re now in 2023, and Doxa has reissued its own Army as well. As far as we can tell, both Synchron and Doxa have done quite well with these funky watches in various forms. Now, with the new Synchron Military Poseidon, we have the newest take on the style and this one even comes with a neat story.

Poseidon and the genesis of this new release

Since 1958, Poseidon Diving Systems has been a leading maker of rebreathers, regulators, buoyancy control systems, and dive computers. The company is located in Sweden and supplies commercial, recreational, and even military divers. As far as watches, Poseidon has worked with both Doxa and Aquadive in recent years on some intriguing limited editions that we’ve covered in depth. Unsurprisingly, all of those watches were done in conjunction with Rick Marei. Now, with the Synchron Military Poseidon, Rick is back working with the dive-gear brand, but there’s a third leg to the stool — the Swedish Armed Forces.

Apparently, Poseidon was approached by the Swedish Armed Forces to create a “robust mechanical dive watch.” This watch needs to withstand the rigors of the upcoming COLDDIVEX week that will be held in Boden, Sweden from January 30th through February 6th. Boden, by the way, is above the Arctic Circle, and, therefore, the week focuses on testing dive equipment in sub-arctic conditions. Think of snow and ice with temperatures down to -30° Celsius! Apparently, the Synchron Military Poseidon available for us commoners will be nearly the same as the pieces furnished to the Swedish Armed Forces divers with small internal and external differences. As of now, those details are confidential.

The Synchron Military Poseidon

While the Synchron Military Poseidon likely won’t be storming the beaches (that’s a good thing), the watch is inspired by a bona fide request. I think that’s pretty neat and, in some ways, similar to the recent Tudor Pelagos FXD. What I also like is that this watch is more than just a color variation on 2021’s Military. Let’s reveal those differences. First, the dial color is different on the Poseidon with the choice of a very light gray instead of bright white. This, along with the use of yellow on both the Poseidon logo at four-thirty and on the hands creates a truly different look. In fact, when compared to the basic military, the effect is to mute the overall look. The lume, by the way, seems the same to me. However, it takes on a light pumpkin tone here.

As mentioned, the Poseidon logo replaces the Military logo, and it looks good. In fact, I like it more on this watch than on the prior Poseidon releases. Perhaps it feels more ’70s on this watch. Another difference that jumped out when comparing the two watches relates to the bezel. The style and 120-click operation are similar, but you’ll note that the Synchron Military Poseidon has a count-up bezel. The prior edition has a count-down version. Before returning to the most significant change, it’s worth mentioning that the case back now features the Poseidon logo along with the 30 ATM pressure rating.

A change of hands

The Synchron Military and the Doxa Army are known for their distinctive hands. They differ greatly from what we are used to on the Doxa SUB 300. The new Synchron Military Poseidon shakes things up once again. Rick shared the first pictures of this watch a couple of months ago. Honestly, the change to the hands did not stand out initially. In person, though, the change is significant. Synchron went with so-called Plongeur hands in ecru “old radium” Super-LumiNova. In fact, the entire handset down to the seconds hand is reminiscent of the Omega Ploprof. The apparent benefit of overstating the minute hand allows a diver to quickly check it against the bezel. Even if watches aren’t the main tool for determining dive time these days, it’s a nice nod to practicality. Plus, I honestly think the style works well with the admittedly ornate dial.

Something different under the hood

Synchron’s 2021 Military used the ETA 2824-2, which is a perfectly acceptable movement. However, the Synchron Military Poseidon ups the ante with La Joux-Perret G100. Essentially, this is a 2824-2 with some notable upgrades. The movement has been adjusted to four positions, has a tungsten rotor, and provides 68 hours of power reserve. The latter is an increase of 26 hours over the standard ETA.

Impressions

By the time you read this, the Synchron Military Poseidon will have seen several days of wear on my wrist. That’s hardly a long-term test, but it’s enough time to graduate from first impressions. My take is that this watch feels more refined than its predecessor. I find that the style of the hands is a great match to the dial. Plus, I really like the Poseidon logo. It’s also worth mentioning that the new movement has a more solid feeling when engaging the crown. The old Military continued to wind the movement when the crown was screwed into the case. That’s gone here. Best of all, this 42mm × 45mm case continues to wear really well despite its 14mm thickness. All watches will ship on a light gray 20mm ISOfrane strap.

Parting thoughts on the Synchron Military Poseidon

Long after the original Military broke cover, I came away thinking that it was one of the most fun releases of the year. It was affordable and just a great all-around buy. The new Synchron Military Poseidon is just different enough to evoke a similar feeling, but it’s also approachable. One thousand numbered pieces will be made with ordering to begin today on the official Synchron site. That feels like a healthy number that should allow potential buyers worldwide to order. Deliveries will begin in February 2023. As for pricing, it will start at US$990 and then rise to US$1,290 at some point (the same price as the last Military, by the way). As an aside, apparently, the hour hand can be ordered with a black or white outline (just specify it in the ordering comments). In my view, if you like the styling, this is a great watch with a cool story.