VSF | Submersible Marina Militare PAM1698 — Carbon, Camo and a Navy Pedigree

Some dive watches whisper. This one arrives in flight gear. The genuine PAM1698 is the carbon-cased version of the latest Submersible Marina Militare, built to celebrate the brand’s long relationship with the Italian Navy and, for the first time, its naval aviation arm. The dial is a grained green that fades to black at the edge, said to be inspired by aircrew helmets and flight suits. Small seconds at nine carry an anchor insignia, the date sits at three, and the indexes are wider than before to hold more grey lume. Turn it over and a wings emblem is engraved on the titanium caseback.

The specification is serious tool-watch stuff: 44 mm across and roughly 14.25 mm thick, 300 m of water resistance, a unidirectional carbon bezel and the slim P.900 automatic with a three-day reserve. It ships on green canvas with a black rubber spare. The retail price is reportedly close to $20,000, a lot of money for something lighter than your phone.

Now VS Factory appears to be making one. A factory flyer is circulating with the reference, the carbon case and the green dial, plus close-ups of the dial and caseback. We’d expect a clone of the P.900-type movement, as on the factory’s earlier 44 mm Submersibles, but nobody has confirmed the calibre, the thickness or the price yet.

Carbon is where the money hides. On the genuine watch, carbon fibres are pressed with a polymer, so every case shows its own wavy grain. A good replica needs a pattern that looks random, layered and matte, not a printed stripe or a glossy wrap. The bezel has to match the case, and the numerals should be a muted tone rather than bright white.

The dial is the other test. The fade to black should feel gradual, with no hard ring at the edge, and the grain should read as texture, not noise. Check the anchor at nine for crisp edges and make sure the lume dots sit evenly. Get a close photo of the caseback engraving too.

If VS Factory gets the carbon right, this could be one of the most convincing tool watches of the summer. If it doesn’t, the case will look like a phone cover with ambitions. Wait for real photos before you commit.