Vertex M60 Taormina

In the specialized world of robust, purpose-built timepieces, a new contender has emerged, drawing its soul from the Deep Blue waters off the coast of Sicily. Vertex, a name with a storied past deeply intertwined with British military history, has introduced the M60 Taormina, a limited-edition dive watch that builds upon the brand's formidable AquaLion series. This watch is a direct nod to the mesmerizing depths of the free-diving sites in Taormina, Sicily, and is crafted for individuals who demand uncompromising performance from their equipment. Limited to a mere 50 pieces, the M60 Taormina is a statement of exclusivity and capability, backed by a century of horological heritage.



Visually, the M60 Taormina commands attention with its vibrant and purposeful aesthetic. The watch is defined by a striking blue that saturates both the bezel and the dial, a shade specifically chosen to evoke the Mediterranean waters of its namesake. The 40mm case, forged from stainless steel, features a brushed finish that speaks to its tool-watch intentions, minimizing reflections and hiding the inevitable scuffs of adventure. The dial itself is a model of clarity, featuring large, molded Arabic numerals at the cardinal points of 12, 3, 6, and 9, with prominent rectangular markers for the intervening hours. This layout, rendered in high-contrast white against the deep blue background, ensures immediate legibility. The broad, sword-style hands are similarly bold, designed to be read in a fraction of a second. A screw-down crown, protected by integrated guards, sits at the 3 o'clock position, while the reverse side of the watch reveals a solid, screw-down case back, deeply engraved with the brand's distinctive AquaLion mascot—a mythical lion with a fishtail, symbolizing mastery over both land and sea.



The story of Vertex is a compelling narrative of British watchmaking, beginning long before the creation of its latest dive watch. The company was founded in 1916 by Claude Lyons, a London-born visionary who had entered the watch trade at the young age of seventeen. His acumen was evident early on; after securing a £1000 loan from his father-in-law in 1906, he established Dreadnought Watches, a company that specialized in encasing Swiss-made movements in Britain. He remarkably repaid the entire loan within a single year, a testament to his business prowess and the quality of his products.



With the outbreak of the First World War, Lyons's enterprise took on a new level of significance. Beginning in 1915, he began supplying watches to the British Military, a critical endeavor that led to the formal establishment of Vertex Watches Ltd. a year later, with offices in both London and the heart of Swiss watchmaking, La Chaux-de-Fonds. For the next several decades, Vertex solidified its reputation by producing a diverse range of timepieces, from elegant dress watches for women to rugged, element-resistant tool watches designed for professionals.



The Second World War presented both immense challenges and a defining opportunity for Vertex. In a devastating blow, one of the company's factories and showrooms was destroyed during an air raid. The war also brought the family's next generation into the fold in a crucial way. In 1941, Claude's son, Captain Henry Lazarus of the British Army, who had joined the family business just three years prior, was tasked with leveraging his deep knowledge of the Swiss watch industry to procure timepieces for the British military. This effort culminated in one of Vertex's most famous creations.



In 1944, after a year of intensive development, Vertex delivered its Calibre 59 W.W.W. navigation watch. This timepiece became one of the legendary "Dirty Dozen," a group of twelve watches commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence from twelve different Swiss companies to equip its soldiers. Vertex produced thousands of these robust and reliable field watches, including a significant batch of 4,652 in preparation for the D-Day landings. The brand's military involvement was set to continue with a request for a mono-pusher chronograph for bomb disposal units, but post-war budget constraints meant this project was never brought to fruition at the time.



Following the war, Vertex entered a period of collaboration, co-branding watches with Revue for nearly two decades. This partnership even ventured into the subaquatic realm, leading to the creation of a dive watch in 1960 that featured key elements like a rotating bezel and a luminous dial. However, like so many venerable mechanical watch manufacturers, Vertex could not weather the storm of the quartz crisis. The influx of inexpensive, battery-powered watches decimated the traditional industry, and in 1972, Vertex Watches Limited was forced into liquidation, seemingly ending a rich chapter of British horological history.



For decades, the Vertex name lay dormant, a cherished memory within the family of its founder. Don Cochrane, the great-grandson of Claude Lyons, grew up surrounded by stories of the brand's legacy. Though not initially involved in the watch industry, he held a deep appreciation for the family's history. The passing of his grandmother, Peggy Lazarus—Claude's daughter—just before her one hundredth birthday in 2015 sparked a radical idea: to resurrect Vertex as a tribute to her and the generations before him.



The path to revival was fraught with obstacles. Don had no practical experience in watch manufacturing and, crucially, did not even own the rights to the Vertex name, which had been trademarked by an American clothing company. In a stroke of good fortune, the trademark holder was a family-run business that had no plans for watch production and agreed to sell the rights to the Vertex name for a reasonable sum. With the name secured, Cochrane turned to the complex task of production. He was determined that the new Vertex would not be a low-cost microbrand, but a producer of high-quality timepieces that honored the brand's history. This led him to a premier white-label manufacturer in Switzerland, the very same facility responsible for producing watches for some of the world's most respected luxury brands. Though this decision would result in a higher price point, it ensured a level of quality that Don could be proud of.



After an intensive 18-month development period, the modern Vertex was re-launched in 2017 with the M100, a faithful successor to the original Cal 59 "Dirty Dozen" field watch. The launch was a resounding success, quickly establishing the revived brand as a benchmark for authentic military-inspired timepieces. In the years since, Vertex has thoughtfully expanded its offerings, introducing the MP45 mono-pusher chronograph (realizing the unfulfilled 1945 military contract), the smaller 36mm M36 field watch, and the M60 AquaLion dive watch series, the direct predecessor to the new Taormina.



The M60 AquaLion collection was conceived to tackle the most demanding underwater environments, a domain where a watch's performance is absolutely mission-critical. Drawing its design DNA from the Vertex dive watches of the 1950s and 60s, the M60 was engineered from the ground up to be a modern, robust tool that meets and significantly surpasses the stringent requirements of the ISO 6425 standard for professional diving watches. This standard dictates a suite of tests for water resistance, legibility, and durability, ensuring that any watch bearing the certification is a true piece of life-support equipment.



A signature feature carried over to the M60 Taormina is its unique "Bren Bezel." The knurling on the edge of the bezel, which provides the grip necessary for operation with wet or gloved hands, is directly inspired by the sight adjustment mechanism on the Bren light machine gun. This iconic weapon was used extensively by British forces during WWII, often alongside the original Vertex field watches. This historical nod is more than just an aesthetic quirk; it provides a tactile and precise turning action that is a hallmark of the M60 series.



The M60 Taormina is built around a formidable 40mm stainless steel case that measures 14mm in thickness, with a lug-to-lug distance of 49mm. These dimensions give the watch a substantial and reassuring presence on the wrist without being overly cumbersome. The case construction, combined with a secure screw-down crown and a solid screw-in case back, is the foundation of the watch's impressive water resistance rating of 60 Bar, equivalent to 600 meters or nearly 2000 feet. This depth rating far exceeds the requirements for most recreational and even many professional diving scenarios, providing a huge margin of safety.



Protecting the dial is a double-domed sapphire box crystal. Sapphire is chosen for its exceptional hardness, second only to diamond, making it virtually scratch-proof. The double-domed shape adds structural integrity and provides a vintage-inspired aesthetic, while also minimizing distortion when viewing the dial from an angle. To ensure maximum clarity, the crystal is treated with an advanced anti-reflective coating (AR08 + AR06), which dramatically reduces glare and reflections, making the dial easy to read in bright sunlight or under the water's surface.



At the heart of the M60 Taormina beats the Sellita SW300-1 automatic movement, a premium Swiss calibre known for its reliability and slender profile. This movement is a testament to Vertex's commitment to quality, as it is one of the more elite offerings from Sellita. It operates at a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour), which ensures a smooth sweep of the seconds hand, and it is enhanced with 25 jewels to reduce friction and wear on critical components. The movement provides a power reserve of approximately 42 to 56 hours. Crucially, each movement selected for the Taormina undergoes rigorous testing by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), the official Swiss chronometer testing institute. Earning COSC certification means the movement has demonstrated exceptional accuracy and consistency across a range of temperatures and positions, a guarantee of its high-performance nature.



Legibility is paramount for a dive watch, and the M60 Taormina excels in this regard. The "Exclusive Taormina Blue" dial serves as a high-contrast canvas for the time-telling elements. The dial's surface is matte, preventing any distracting reflections. The crucial innovation lies in the application of lume. Both the hands and the molded hour markers are treated with the highest grade of phosphorescent material available, Super-LumiNova X1 Grade. This advanced compound glows brighter and for a longer duration than previous generations of lume, ensuring that the watch remains perfectly legible in the darkest conditions, whether deep underwater or simply in a darkened room. The unidirectional bezel also features a lumed pip at the 12 o'clock position and lumed markings for the dive scale, allowing for the tracking of elapsed time in low-light environments.



Further enhancing its utility, the M60 Taormina is delivered as a comprehensive kit designed for versatility. The package includes not one, but three different strap and bracelet options to suit any occasion or environment. There is a classic stainless steel bracelet for a more traditional look, a durable rubber dive strap for underwater use, and a single-strand ZA strap for a comfortable, military-inspired alternative. This entire set is presented in a multi-purpose Peli 'Ruck' Case. This rugged, waterproof, and buoyant case ensures the watch and its accessories are protected during transport and storage, reinforcing the go-anywhere, do-anything ethos of the timepiece.



The soul of this particular model is inextricably linked to its namesake. Taormina, a picturesque town perched on a cliff on the east coast of Sicily, is renowned for its breathtaking views and its access to the crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea. The specific shade of blue chosen for the dial and bezel of the M60 is a direct homage to these vibrant underwater landscapes. It’s a color that captures the play of light beneath the waves, making this watch not just a tool, but a piece that carries an evocative sense of place and adventure.



The extreme rarity of the M60 Taormina, with a production run of only 50 pieces, positions it as a highly collectible item for enthusiasts of the brand and of dive watches in general. It represents the fusion of a resurrected British brand's rich military heritage with the pinnacle of modern Swiss watchmaking. It is a bold, blue diver engineered for genuine adventure and designed with a distinction born from a unique history and a clear, functional purpose.



For those looking to acquire this limited piece, the Vertex M60 Taormina is priced at $4,096.80. Following an initial pre-order period, a small number of watches were made available for direct purchase through the company's website. Each watch is backed by a five-year global guarantee, a strong statement of confidence from Vertex in the quality and durability of their construction. This timepiece is a compelling package for anyone seeking a professional-grade dive watch with a unique story and a striking visual identity.



Case: 40mm stainless steel case, 14mm thickness, 49mm lug-to-lug. Screw-down crown and case back with engraved AquaLion. Unidirectional 60-click scratch-resistant matte ceramic bezel. Double-domed sapphire box crystal with anti-reflective treatment. Water resistant to 600m / 60 Bar, compliant with ISO 6425.

Movement: Sellita SW300-1 automatic movement, C.O.S.C. certified. Features hours, minutes, and hacking seconds. Offers a 42-hour power reserve.

Dial: Exclusive Taormina Blue matte dial. Features molded Super-LumiNova X1 Grade hour markers and Super-LumiNova X1 Grade coated hands.

Strap: Includes one stainless steel bracelet, one single-strand ZA strap, and one rubber dive strap.

Price: $4,096.80

Reference Number: M60

Notes: Limited edition of 50 pieces. Inspired by the diving depths of Taormina, Sicily. The bezel's knurling pattern is inspired by the sight adjustment mechanism on a Bren light machine gun. Comes packaged in a multi-purpose, waterproof Peli 'Ruck' case.