Serica 5303 PLD Review: An Amagnetic Diver with a Mission

by Brent Robillard

“What happens when ‘tool watch’ really means what it says on the tin?”

I met Jérôme Burgert, co-founder of Serica, this past spring in Geneva. We’d just sat down for coffee on the Quai du Mont Blanc when he leaned across the table and, with that unmistakable French candour, said, “I’ve got something you’ll want to see.” He was right.

“We developed the bezel in collaboration with the French Navy’s EOD Divers Association,” he continued. “It indicates the maximum working time at each depth, so that the soldiers know they have enough time to rocket to the surface before, you know… things go boom.”

I don’t know what I expected from a conversation about a dive watch. But it probably wasn’t a live demonstration in the subtle poetry of high-stakes functionality. And yet, that’s exactly what the 5303 PLD delivers.

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Hands on photo of the Serica 5303 PLD Amagnetic Chronometer — ^{Upside down and backwards: the destro-crowned Serica 5303 PLD Amagnetic Chronometer @calibre321}

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The Serica 5303 PLD Amagnetic Chronometer Dive Watch on the wrist of French Navy EOD Diver — ^{Serica 5303 PLD in the “field”}

A Purpose-Built Diver for Real-World Consequences

Serica has always straddled the line between aesthetic precision and rugged utility, but the 5303 PLD feels like the first watch from the brand to walk straight into the lion’s den. Developed in close collaboration with the French Navy’s EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Divers Association, the PLD is a specialized evolution of the original 5303.

This isn’t just a styling exercise. The bezel — polished in a custom Abyssal Blue ceramic — features a DT MAX scale that maps maximum operational time against underwater depth. And unlike your average elapsed-time dive bezel, this one is there to help ensure divers make it out before their luck (or oxygen) runs out. The new scale lets divers know how long they can labour at a particular depth and still safely execute a continuous ascent without decompression stops. Or, get the hell out of there before things gets messy.

The Serica 5303 PLD has an amagnetic build rated to 50,000 A/m — ^{Amagnetic construction from the ground up}

Designed to Disappear — Magnetically Speaking

At the core of the PLD’s functionality is its amagnetic build — a vital spec when you’re crawling near underwater ordnance. Any stray magnetic signature, even from a watch, could potentially trigger a detonation. That’s why the 5303 PLD doesn’t just omit a display case back or electronics; it’s built from the ground up to be a zero-magnetic-footprint mechanical tool, rated to 50,000 A/m.

A COSC-certified M100 automatic movement beats within — Swiss made, 28,800vph, 25 jewels, and finished with Geneva stripes for a flash of horological pride, even if it’s sealed beneath steel.

The Serica 5303 PLD is an explosive ordinance dive watch — ^{Function forward design}

The Serica 5303 PLD features an abyssal blue ceramic insert with a special DT Max scale — ^{Familiar 5303 silhouette with new PLD strap}

Familiar Form, Upgraded Mission

The case remains true to Serica’s design language: 39mm in diameter, 12.2mm thick, and a comfortably short 46.5mm lug-to-lug. The crown is oversized for grip — especially with gloves — and available at 3 or 9 o’clock, depending on your personal preference or operational profile.

Then there’s the dial: a black enamel base with the words “Chronomètre Amagnétique” standing at attention beneath the broad-arrow hands. The oversized “fat lollipop” seconds hand is new here, chosen for maximum visibility under stress, with a generously lumed tip and a confident sweep.

And the bezel’s deep Abyssal Blue? It’s subtle, moody, and weirdly elegant. A blue-black-green cocktail that works just as well under fluorescent lights as it will beneath a few atmospheres of salt water.

^{Available on the Serica mesh bracelet}

Not Just a Strap — A Signature

The PLD nylon strap — included alongside a fitted stainless bracelet — is more than a nod to military styling. It’s a love letter to vintage French combat diver kits, with re-engineered buckles, signed hardware, and a level of comfort that makes most NATO straps feel like afterthoughts.

It wears light, flexible, and tight — exactly how it should when the alternative is snagging on a piece of coral or gear at 30 meters.

SPECS

Case	316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 46.5mm Lug to Lug 12.2mm Thick 20mm Lug Width CT Max Ceramic Bezel Screw Down Crown & Case Back 300m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Domed Sapphire Crystal Black Enamel Dial Domed Indices Broad Arrow Handset Super-LumiNova
Movement	M100 COSC-Certified Chronometer 25 Jewels 28 800bph 42-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	PLD Nylon NATO Strap Stainless Steel Mesh Bracelet /w Integrated End Links

^{Serica 5303 PLD Amagnetic Chronometer}

Serica 5303 PLD on wrist — Same goldilocks dimensions

Final Thoughts

While I may have had a sneak peek in Geneva, it wasn’t until I encountered Jerome two weeks later in Vancouver that I had an opportunity to strap the watch on and wear it around (albeit furtively in my hotel room). But I can tell you that wearing the 5303 PLD is a bit like strapping on a mission briefing. Every element has a reason for being there. Every detail — from the anti-reflective sapphire crystal to the ceramic bezel insert — feels resolved and final. This is a tool watch in the truest, most literal sense. And yet, it still manages to carry a sort of elegance that you only get when form is guided fully by function.

Is this a desk diver? Technically, yes. But it wasn’t made for desks. It was made for operators — for people who can’t afford a misread, a malfunction, or a magnetic hiccup. It was made for people who go where “working time” and “detonation risk” are part of the same equation.

And if that kind of clarity appeals to you, then the Serica 5303 PLD may just be the most compelling tool watch you can buy right now — whether you’re planning a plunge or just prefer your dive watches with real stories to tell.

Pricing & Availability

The Serica 5303 PLD retails for €1690 and is limited to 500 pieces, of which 150 are reserved for military personnel. Orders open on May 20th. For more information, please visit the brand website.

About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

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