The AERA x Todd Snyder D-1 Diver is a masterclass in functional minimalism. Inspired by the robust tool watches worn by 20th-century salvage divers and combat frogmen, Limited to just 25 units of ‘Blackout' and 25 units of ‘Whiteout’ these collaborative special editions retain professional-grade specifications while being reimagined for everyday life.
This is the first time AERA brought titanium and diamond like carbon (DLC) plating into their timepiece production. Titanium is 40% lighter than steel, stronger, and kinder to those with nickel allergies. Each new edition is an opportunity for us to enhance every aspect of our watches. In these editions that meant adding screws to the caseback to maximise water resistance and give an industrial look. Inside the watch is a superior Elaboré-Grade Swiss movement.
What do a British watch brand and an award-winning American men’s fashion brand have in common? More than you might think. Todd Snyder represents the best of contemporary American men’s fashion. His style blends modern sportswear with classic iconic pieces in a way that is both familiar and forward thinking, luxurious and simple. You could say the same about our watches, meticulously engineered timepieces in which performance and purity of design combine to offer lasting value and functionality for the everyday wearer. Todd selects his fabrics with two things in mind: elegance and wearability which makes our collaboration a perfect match.
AERA D-1 Diver DNA
All Aera’s watch designs have a starting point in the golden ages of watchmaking. In the case of the D-1 Diver, that pivotal moment was the early 1950’s, when professional dive watches began to be worn by amateur sportsmen who needed rugged dive watches for new adrenaline sports like scuba diving. Just like the professionals who preceded them, divers needed watches that would both perform accurately and keep them safe underwater. The invention of unidirectional bezels to track dive time and oxygen use was the defining moment in dive watch design. But there’s another vital part to the codes that govern Aera watch design. From the outset a clean design language was essential. The D-1 had to be simple and easy to read, and thoroughly contemporary in inspiration. It is in that fusion of functional reliability and simple modern aesthetics that the D-1 derives its essence.
Collaboration with Todd Snyder
Todd’s taste has evolved over a long career at the very top of the menswear business which gave him the confidence to launch his own brand with a keen sense of what modern men need in their wardrobes. His collections are both up to date but free of the snares of fast fashion. He himself is a keen, knowledgeable watch collector and so, for our first major collaboration in the US, he was an obvious choice for his obsession for the details and a knack for nailing lasting investment pieces.
Todd worked hand-in-hand with AERA on the design. "When designing, I am always thinking about where the guy is going, the car he’s driving, and the watch on his wrist," says Todd Snyder, Founder and Creative Director. "The Diver’s colour palette was inspired by an off-road expedition through Icelandic landscapes. 'Blackout' captures the depth of obsidian volcanic sands, while 'Whiteout' reflects the stark, clean profile of glacial waters.”
