Every now and then, I come across a new release that feels like someone finally cracked the code for vintage-inspired divers. Not the kind that just borrows a few mid-century cues, but one that actually seems like it could fool your watchmaker uncle into thinking it’s NOS from the ’60s. The Typsim 100M is exactly that kind of watch—a new piece that lives in the details.

Typsim is the creation of Seattle-based architect Matthew Zinski, and the 100M is his latest watch. If you’re rolling your eyes at yet another skin diver from a new microbrand, hang on. This one is different—not because it reinvents the genre, but because it commits so hard to doing it right.

At a glance, it looks like your typical retro diver: 37mm steel case, boxy acrylic crystal, and a friction-fit bidirectional aluminum bezel. But it’s what’s under the hood (and under the dial) that makes this one stand out. Instead of faking gilt accents with paint, Zinski went old-school: clear lacquer applied to a brass dial plate, which is then black galvanically coated. The exposed brass forms the logo, hour markers, and minutes track, giving it real visual depth.

The lume story is equally obsessive. Rather than the usual faux-aged tone, Typsim worked with RC Tritec to develop a proprietary Super-LumiNova that starts white and ages to a creamy patina over time. There’s even a subtle nod to vintage moisture indicators, with a lime green pop at 12 o’clock and on the “100m” depth rating.

Other touches: gold-plated sword hands filled with that custom lume, a boxy acrylic crystal with that lovely distortion vintage fans crave, and a Phoenix NATO strap (drooool) from the UK supplier known for its MoD-issued gear. Inside is a Sellita SW300-1 b automatic movement, no date, regulated by Typsim to an impressive -2/+2 seconds per day.

It’s clear this wasn’t just a design exercise. Zinski also runs a watch repair shop, and that attention to longevity and serviceability shows in how the 100M was built. From movement regulation to period-correct materials, everything feels considered.

For $999, you’re getting a watch that doesn’t just flirt with vintage charm—it fully commits. And while it ships in October, pre-orders are open now. No hype, no artificial scarcity. Just a well-executed tribute to the kind of dive watch you’d hope to find taped behind a drawer at an estate sale.

Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.