Lip Revives the Nautic 3: Four New Affordable Dive Watches

Lip brings the Nautic 3 back into the spotlight with four new references, including a limited-edition collaboration. These 200-metre water-resistant dive watches, in a compact 39 mm format, embody the evolution of modern dive watches, born of a vital imperative underwater. Offered at prices that keep both feet on the ground (we’ll applaud the turn of phrase for talking about dive watches…), they are neither flashy nor pretentious: simply coherent, well-designed timepieces, conceived to be worn every day.

Yes, they’re quartz watches. And no, that’s not a faux pas. At this price point, I fully stand by the choice: better a reliable, accurate quartz movement, properly integrated, than a low-end mechanical calibre that mainly serves to soothe the wearer’s ego.

Nautic 3: a French diver without the marketing posturing

Nautic isn’t a name slapped on in a hurry by a marketing department. At Lip, it refers to a genuine lineage of dive watches that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, at a time when the tool watch was still a necessity before it became a status symbol.

Today’s Nautic 3 retains that tool-watch philosophy:

• 39 mm steel case,
• water resistance rated to 200 metres,
• unidirectional bezel,
• domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment,
• screw-down crown.

The size is particularly well judged. 39 mm is the smart dimension: present enough to remind you you’re wearing a diver, discreet enough not to turn your wrist into a billboard.

Three new Nautic 3 Quartz models: one common base, three personalities

Nautic 3 ref. 671861: the most expressive

With its orange Tropic strap and blue dial, reference 671861 embraces a sunny, almost playful vibe. The nod to vintage dive watches is obvious, but not caricatured. The orange pops, adding depth and visual rhythm. It’s the most “holiday” Nautic 3—the one that smells of sunscreen, salt on the skin, and long, lazy afternoons.

Nautic 3 ref. 671862: the most versatile

Steel bracelet, matte blue dial, impeccable legibility: the 671862 is the most all-rounder version in the line-up. The one I could easily see on the wrist every day, in the city as well as at the weekend. It doesn’t try to stand out, but it holds its own. A contemporary tool watch in the noblest sense of the term.

Nautic 3 ref. 671863: the most “composed”

With its sunburst blue dial and black bezel, the 671863 gains in elegance without betraying its diver DNA. The dial’s reflections add an interesting visual depth—almost more “dressy” than the other two. It’s probably the easiest Nautic 3 to wear in a semi-formal setting without it feeling out of place.

The VH31 quartz: a pragmatic choice, not a compromise

All three Nautic 3 models are powered by the VH31 quartz calibre, known for its smooth-sweeping seconds hand. That detail may seem anecdotal, but it changes the day-to-day perception of the watch: you get a more “organic” reading of the seconds, less choppy than on a standard quartz.

Accuracy, reliability, controlled cost: the winning trio. At this price, quartz is the logical solution. It makes it possible to offer a genuinely accessible dive watch, without blowing up the bill or sacrificing the overall quality of the object.

The Nautic W: a collaboration that doesn’t stop at a logo

Alongside the three catalogue references, Lip is offering a limited edition of 300 pieces: the Nautic W, the result of a collaboration with The Watch Observer. Yes, we’re nice—we even talk about other watch media here. The reverse is almost never true (a quick little jab hahahaha).
The matte black dial is pared back, the date disappears, and the minute track migrates to the bezel. Lip’s historic lightning bolt returns on the dial and the seconds hand, a discreet reminder of the brand’s roots.

The decision to deliver the watch with two Tropic straps (black and orange) is spot on. It offers two readings of the same object: a restrained, almost utilitarian version, and a more expressive, more summery one. For a limited series priced at €329, the package feels coherent, without falling into the trap of the gimmicky collaboration.

Value for money: Lip gets it right

Between €299 and €349 for the standard Nautic 3 models, and €329 for the Nautic W limited edition, Lip stays in a sensible price bracket for a serious dive watch:

• 316L steel case,
• sapphire crystal,
• 200 m water resistance,
• careful legibility,
• timeless design.

We’re a long way from overpriced “marketing” divers that lean more on the narrative than on the object itself. Here, the watch speaks for itself. It doesn’t need to tell you a story.

Honest watches for clear-eyed watch enthusiasts

These new Nautic 3 models aren’t fantasy watches. They’re not trying to flatter the ego or fuel speculation. They’re here to be worn, used, sometimes knocked about, often glanced at. Watches that live with the person who wears them, rather than sleeping in a box.

In a watch world where stories are sometimes sold for more than watches, Lip’s proposition feels almost reassuring. Not revolutionary, but healthy. And, on reflection, that may be exactly what we expect from a modern diver.

Quick spec sheet – Lip Nautic 3

Case: 316L stainless steel, 39 mm
Crystal: domed sapphire with anti-reflective treatment
Water resistance: 200 metres
Movement: VH31 quartz (smooth-sweeping seconds hand)
Bezel: unidirectional
Indicative retail price: from €299 to €349 depending on version
Nautic W limited edition: €329, 300 numbered pieces