Last December, I had the opportunity to practice with Wren Watches’ Diver One Snow. The brand was the brainchild of Craig Karger, the founder of Wrist lovers, and the initial effort went very well with watch fans. The diver’s project labeled as a passion project and its success could lead to seeing what Calger came up with, especially for follow-up. With the new Wren Diver 38, he took all the good things about the first model, made it a little smaller and added some upgrades. Recently, I was lucky enough to check out the first new Diver 38 Seaform version of the two new models. The second is the Diver 38 Aqua, which is an interesting evolution of Wren’s first watch.
At first glance, you may not see any major differences in color. Between the new Diver 38 Seafoam and Diver One Snow. But Wren’s founder Craig Karger took it to himself to create an objectively better watch. Starting with a small 38mm case, marking a 3mm reduction from the diver. It’s a change that many fans like, as it means the Diver 38 is suitable for a more diverse wrist size. Secondly, the watch has a ceramic bezel insert with a Super Luminova, so it lights up in the dark. Third, Karger switched Calibers from the Sellita SW200-1 to a more premium ETA 2892-A2, displaying customized rotors via a display case. Last but not least, the new bracelet has a Toolless Extension system that can be perfectly sized. These are good reasons to spin the Diver 38.
Wren Diver 38 Seafoam Specifications
Let’s start with a few specs. The new Diver38 comes with a 38mm stainless steel case with a thickness of 10.7mm, lug-to-lug 45mm, and a water-resistant rating of 200m. This case matches a three-row flat link bracelet, both with a clear PVD coating to increase scratch resistance.
The topping for the case is a one-way bezel with a gray ceramic insert with white markings and numbers. As mentioned before, these will brighten in the dark for the application’s Super Luminova. Below the box-style crystal is a gradient dial that changes color from mint green to edge gray. It is the same gray shade used for the bezel insert, creating an interesting effect that makes the dial seem to flow directly into the bezel.
The dial has a sandwich construction, so there is a cut-out time marker on the top layer, and a bright disc underneath. As you can see, the time marker is also connected to the 5 minute marker, which gives a nice visual touch. The “Swiss Made” designation is located within a small track and spans the 6 o’clock index.
Diver 38 is also available in the date or non-date version. If you prefer Wren Diver 38 using the date window, it’s 6 o’clock. Finishing the classic look is the time of sword style and fine hands and the seconds of thin lollipops.
Overall, I feel the retro design is well balanced and I think Wren provided the watch with or without a date. In addition to this green dial Seaform version, there is also an Aqua variant that comes with a blue gradient dial. Plus, it features a black bezel insert and uses a creamy room to offer more vintage vibes than the Seafoam model that we had for reviews right away.
High quality caliber
Wren has upgraded the movement in the case from the Sellita SW200-1 to a more premium ETA 2892-A2. As most of you know, the Sellita SW200-1 is based on the ETA 2824. The ETA2892 is a high-end, thin option, allowing the Diver 38 to have a thin 10.7mm profile.
It operates at 28,800Vph, has 21 gems and offers a 42-hour power reserve. This movement is displayed thanks to the sapphire display caseback. This case features a custom skeletonized rotor with wren that works for your design. It’s a great technical upgrade and seeing the caliber at work is a great bonus.
Wren Diver 38 Seafoam
Another upgrade is the new clasp on the bracelet. Although I stay with the flat link bracelet, the folding clasp is equipped with a push button micro adjuster, allowing for 12mm extension. It’s a fairly simple system we’ve seen before Imitation Modello UNO PRO Diver Bracelet.
Although we prefer a more integrated Toolless Micro-Adjustment system, such as those used in the Tusenö Shellback V2, this solution is a welcome upgrade as it offers comfort in bracelet sizing in seconds. However, I must add that thanks to the screw pins, the bracelet was completely easy to size. By ejecting two links on each side of the clasp, the Diver 38 fits perfectly on my 18.5cm (7.3 inch) wrist.
That’s also where I noticed the biggest difference from the diver’s. I was immediately impressed by how well the looks and feel of the new Diver 38 are. Put your wrists on and wear it that day is a joy. I also love the look of the dial and bezel. Mint green and grey work very well, and this color combination is less common on watches, making the Seafoam model look more special.
Final Thoughts on Wren Diver 38 Seafoam
The overall feel of the Wren Diver series is similar to the Oris Divers Date and Divers 65. The appeal of skin divers is firmly rooted in the 1950s and 60s, but thanks to modern implementations, the new Diver 38 is a great everyday wearer.
Plus, this is a step up from Diver One and is already an amazing debut model. With the new Diver 38, CraigKarger wants to move Wren forward every time and create a better product. In a world filled with affordable dive watches, brand owners should always strive for it. I think Karger did an amazing job at achieving that with the Diver 38.
Wren generates this upgraded Diver 38 in a limited number, with the first 100 being individually numbered. The upgrade has increased the price to a maximum of USD 1,595 (e.g. taxes and import duties).
Now you can pre-order two Wren Diver 38 models from the list enthusiast Webstore. Delivery is expected to begin in September or October 2025. It will be interesting to see if fans jump on this new, improved version of Wren Diver. I’m more impressed with this new version than the first model, so I’m excited to see what the brand will do next.
