San Martin SN0118 Dive Watch — NH35, 40mm, Gradient Dial, Sandblasted Ceramic Bezel

San Martin SN0118 Dive Watch — NH35, 40mm, Gradient Dial, Sandblasted Ceramic Bezel

The San Martin SN0118 is a 40mm NH35 automatic dive watch built around a compression-moulded gradient dial — a three-dimensional dial surface with depth and colour transition — in light orange, light blue, mint green and gradient red configurations. 120-click sandblasted ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal with AR coating, 200m water resistance and a choice of Milanese mesh bracelet or FKM rubber strap. BGW9 blue or dark orange lume options depending on variant.

Key Specifications

Variants — Nine Configurations

Milanese Bracelet (MB)

Light Blue MB: Gradient light blue dial on Milanese mesh — the most formal and contemporary combination. The blue gradient shifts from lighter at the centre toward deeper at the outer dial edge under ambient light.

Light Orange MB: Gradient warm orange dial on Milanese mesh. Orange is the most vibrant and sport-oriented of the four colours — the combination of gradient orange and Milanese mesh creates an unusual warm-modern character.

Mint Green MB: Gradient mint green on Milanese mesh. The soft green is the most distinctive and fashionable of the four — pastel green dials are specifically sought in the contemporary watch market.

Gradient Red MB: A red gradient dial on Milanese mesh. The most assertive colour statement of the four.

FKM Rubber Strap

Light Orange FKM: Orange dial on FKM rubber — the most active and sport-oriented configuration. Orange and rubber together create a clear sport dive character.

Mint Green FKM: Mint green dial on FKM rubber strap. The soft green on rubber reads as contemporary and casual.

Light Blue FKM: Blue gradient on rubber strap.

Gradient Red FKM: Red gradient on FKM rubber.

Compression-Moulded Gradient Dial

The compression-moulded dial is the SN0118’s defining feature. Compression moulding presses the dial material under high pressure to create a three-dimensional surface — the resulting dial has physical depth and texture rather than being a flat printed or painted surface.

The gradient colour treatment transitions across the three-dimensional dial surface: on the orange variant the colour moves from a warm amber at the dial centre toward a deeper orange at the outer edge; on the mint green the transition creates a subtle depth shift from lighter green toward deeper teal at the periphery. The gradient is most visible under direct overhead lighting and at dial-edge viewing angles.

Applied hexagonal San Martin logo markers sit above the compression-moulded dial surface, creating an additional depth layer — the hexagonal indices catching light above the gradient field.

Sandblasted Ceramic Bezel

The ceramic bezel insert on the SN0118 uses a sandblasted (matte) surface finish rather than the polished gloss ceramic of most dive watches. The sandblasting creates a finely textured matte surface that reduces glare under direct sunlight and gives the bezel a more tool-watch, industrial character compared to polished ceramic. The matte finish is consistent with the SN0118’s sport-modern aesthetic.

120-click resolution provides 3-degree increment steps — 30 seconds of elapsed time per click.

Two Lume Options

BGW9 blue (standard): The cool blue-white formulation — the default on most San Martin models. Bright in darkness with a contemporary blue glow.

Dark orange lume (selected orange variants): An orange-tinted lume formulation that matches the warm palette of the orange dial configurations. In ambient light the orange lume appears as a warm off-white; in darkness it glows with a warm amber-orange character. The matching lume colour creates a fully cohesive warm palette across the dial.

The dark orange lume is a specific and unusual choice in the diver category — most watches use green or blue-white lume regardless of dial colour.

94g vs 132g — Strap Weight Impact

At 94g on the FKM rubber strap, the SN0118 is notably light for a 40mm 200m diver — comparable to the Cadisen TI-7 titanium at 58g and lighter than most steel bracelet alternatives. The Milanese bracelet version at 132g is still lighter than the 145–152g of comparable three-link steel bracelet divers. For buyers who want active dive watch capability at reduced wearing weight, the FKM variant is the recommendation.

Crown Guard

The case diameter is 40mm but 42.5mm measured to the crown guard — the protective bridge that surrounds the screw-down crown on the case side. The crown guard prevents the crown from catching on clothing or taking direct impact, and is a standard feature on professional dive watches.

Who Is the San Martin SN0118 For?

The SN0118 is built for:

• Gradient colour dial buyers who want the three-dimensional compression-moulded surface on a capable 200m diver
• Mint green dial buyers specifically — pastel green is among the most sought contemporary dial colours and the SN0118 is one of the few diver watches offering it with full dive specification
• Orange lume buyers who want matching warm lume on an orange dial watch
• Lightweight dive watch buyers — 94g on FKM is unusually light for a 200m automatic diver
• Milanese bracelet diver buyers who want the woven mesh rather than link bracelet on a capable dive watch

How It Compares

vs. San Martin SN0017 — The SN0017 uses PT5000 or NH35 with conventional sunray or enamel dials. The SN0118 is the gradient compression-moulded dial alternative — same 200m specification, completely different aesthetic direction.

vs. Phylida SE-11 — The SE-11 uses Miyota 8215 at 41mm with wave-pattern dials. The SN0118 is 40mm with NH35, compression-moulded gradient dials and the Milanese bracelet option.

vs. Pagani Design PD-1685 V2 Waves — The PD-1685 has wave-pattern textured dial at 42mm / 200m with Miyota 8215. The SN0118 is the gradient compression-moulded alternative at 40mm with NH35.

More from Jewelry Addicts

• San Martin Watches — Full Collection — all San Martin models
• San Martin SN0118 Review — detailed review page
• San Martin SN0017 Classic Diver — conventional dial alternative
• Phylida SE-11 Diver — 200m diver alternative
• Best Automatic Watches Under $500 — full roundup