The 1521 collection from Squale is easily the most expansive model line in the Squale catalogue. With over thirty separate references, there are a lot of dial colour and format variations to choose from.
Squale 1521 - Credit WatchGecko
The wide variety of strap materials and styles upon which the watch heads are presented highlights the model’s versatility from the get-go, with some of the more neutral colourways undeniably chameleonic. As far as model families go, it is an interesting case study of how aesthetic tweaks can completely transform a reference from a stealthy, everyday tool watch (such as reference 1521PVD.NT), to an edgy, excessively lumed punk rocker of a timepiece (reference 1521FULL.HT), to a sleek and sophisticated business watch (such as reference 1521FUMIWT.ME20) that would look more at home in the boardroom of a multinational conglomerate than on the wrist of a heavily tattooed crowd or big wave surfer.
Squale 1521 - Credit WatchGecko
The changeable character of the 1521 is its strength. Its shape-shifting prowess is thanks to its relatively basic canvas. At 42 mm wide and 12.5 mm, it feels slimmer than one would expect. Its relatively compact 48 mm lug-to-lug contains a watch whose footprint could easily have felt sprawling had longer, less considerate strap horns been employed. The 120-click uni-directional rotating bezel overhangs the edge of the strap gap (which is straightened off against the case, further increasing the overall compactness). And, very much worth noting, is the four o’clock crown, so located to facilitate winding and comfortable wrist flexion.
Squale 1521 - Credit WatchGecko
Pleasingly, the relocated crown hasn’t, in the 1521’s case, precluded the possibility of a date, with Squale clearly more than happy to produce date wheels that align with a traditionally positioned date window at 3 o’clock. In fact, a commanding 26 of the 33 current references in the 1521 family boast a date complication, which makes the most of the Sellita SW 200-1 powering proceedings.
Squale 1521 - Credit WatchGecko
While the 38-hour power reserve of the SW 200-1 is the minimum one would expect from a modern calibre, its 28,800 vibrations per hour are well-suited to the watch’s intended application as a Go Anywhere, Do Anything timepiece. Higher operating frequencies (of which 28,800 vph is considered the starting point) are better for sports watches because the increased power flowing through the regulating organ enables the watch to recover from shocks quicker than a watch with a lower operating frequency would.
Squale 1521 - Credit WatchGecko
I always use the analogy of a rugby player approaching a tackle. The more power the ball carrier carries into the contact, the more likely they are to ride out the shock and stay upright. The same is true of a balance wheel (in effect). A slow (or powerless) approach to contact, is likely to create a much more effecting impact. This means that in addition to its solidly built housing (in either uncoated stainless steel, PVD-coated stainless steel, or bronze), and its 500 metre water resistance, the Squale 1521 is expertly suited to sports.
How you wear that watch during activity, however, is another conversation entirely! In total, Squale 1521 references are offered on ten different straps, which change the appearance of each watch considerably. There are two rubber straps, both black, with one a traditional tropic style, and the other notable for its wide, lozenge-shaped cutaways for increased comfort and airflow. A stainless steel Milanese mesh is also available either black PVD-coated or not. Surprisingly, there are leather options too. Available in chestnut brown, orange, green, and blue, these Italian leather straps are finished with beige shoulder stitching. A fetching white “Stingray-effect” leather strap with pink shoulder stitching features on the extremely feminine (and effortlessly cool) reference 1521PK.
Squale 1521 - Credit WatchGecko
The sole bronze model in the catalogue (reference 1521BRONBL) is weird for three reasons in addition to its case material. Firstly, this is the only 1521 delivered on a fabric strap. Its bronze hardware is a nice touch and the blue of the fabric vibes well with the sun-ray finish of the dial. But look closely at the dial and you’ll see something odd — a 2 o’clock date next to (wait for it) a 2 o’clock crown.
This is interesting because the crown position itself is anything but lazy. Flipping the crown from four to ten would have been more straightforward. It would be the same machining file, after all. However, since the makers of this case were using an entirely different material they clearly decided to go the whole hog and create a case silhouette unique to this model (within the Squale range).
The two o’clock date is almost certainly a result of Squale not wanting to print up special date wheels for a single reference and thus we have a very clear instance of form following function. Although you could easily accuse the creators of laziness in this regard, I personally like this aesthetic quirk even if its origins are obvious to me. It’s curious and charmingly apathetic. In fairness, those are not the top two criteria I put on my shopping list when searching for my next watch, but I can’t deny the wry smile reference 1521BRONBL brings to my lips as a result.
Prices for the 1521 series begin around £1,000 and rise as high as £1,520 for the recently released COSC-certified models that promise improved isochronism. One should expect a daily rate between +6 and -4 seconds per day from one of the top tier models (references 1521COSCL for the black dial and 1521COSOCN for the blue sun-ray).
