Zach Blass Wren is a Swiss watch brand founded by Craig Karger, owner of Wrist Enthusiast. The Diver One Snow brings a winter feel to the summer category with its attractive smoked blue-white sandwich dial. It comes with an FKM rubber strap and bracelet and is limited to 100 pieces and priced at $965.
Collaborations between brands and watch publications are nothing new, but it’s not every day you see the person who founded a watch brand launch their own watch publication. Wrist Enthusiast founder Craig Karger will launch Wren in 2023 and release its first watch early this year. The Diver One Aqua featured a smoky blue-green dial with Fortina accents, followed by the monochromatic Diver One Sand. Today, Wren is launching a new wintery diver’s watch, the Diver One Snow.
Water resistant to 200 meters, the Diver One Snow retains its predecessor’s dimensions of 41 mm diameter and 13.3 mm height including boxed crystal, as well as a relatively compact lug-to-lug dimension of 47 mm. What’s different about the watch, however, is that the timing scale underneath the sapphire bezel is now fully luminous instead of just triangular pips. The sandwich dial features a crisp white luminous disc beneath a blue and white gradient, making it feel even brighter. Indeed, it feels that way when compared to the previous model, where the handset and luminous disc were colored in Fortina.
The addition of a fully luminous timing scale blends better with the already bright sandwich dial. For those who don’t know, a sandwich dial is two-layered. The bottom layer is a luminous disc, and the top has a cutout that allows the luminous light to shine through from below. The result is a brighter glow, greatly improving visibility in the dark.
The Wren Diver One previously had the benefit of being bundled with both a flat-link bracelet and an FKM rubber strap. This time, Wren increases versatility for buyers by allowing them to choose from one of three FKM rubber strap colors alongside the bracelet. When I received this watch, I was very impressed by the fact that Wren went out of its way to create a custom FKM mold for a watch in this price range. As a result, the rubber strap sits perfectly flush with the case without any gaps.
Personally, I choose a white strap to take shelter in the coldness of the snow-inspired dial, but you can’t go wrong with blue or black either. However, a blue strap works best with the watch color-wise, as both the bezel and dial use blue. All straps have quick release tabs, so you can easily swap the bracelet with your favorite rubber strap.
Underneath the massive caseback, engraved with the wren logo, ticks away the automatic Sellita SW200 movement with a 38-hour power reserve. This is a solid caliber that provides reliable performance, while also allowing Wren to keep the price of the watch down. The previous version was $100 USD cheaper, but considering what you get here for $965 USD. This is a Swiss-made diver with friendly proportions, a handsome graduated dial with plenty of lume, and both a bracelet and rubber strap. I think it’s a pretty reasonable price for an off-the-beaten-path option for people looking for affordable everyday wear.
The previous model was priced a little lower at US$895, but for US$965 you get a Swiss-made diver with a wrist-friendly 47mm lug distance, a beautiful gradient dial, plenty of lume, and a bundle. When you think about it, I think the bracelet and FKM rubber strap selection is a pretty fair price and off-the-beaten-path option for everyday wear at a low cost for collection.
Wren Diver One Snow price and availability
The Wren Diver One Snow is available for pre-order now, limited to 100 pieces, and expected to ship starting in January 2025. Price: $965
Brand Wren Model Diver One Snow Case Dimensions 41mm (D) x 13.3mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) Case Material Stainless Steel Water Resistance 200 Meters Crystal Boxed Sapphire Dial Blue-White Gradient, Sandwich Strap Black, Blue or White FKM Rubber, steel pin buckle
Flat-link steel bracelet, folding clasp Movement Sellita SW200, automatic power reserve 38 hours Functions Hours, minutes, seconds Availability Limited to 100 pieces Price $965
