In 1894, sailors in Lake Erie spotted a menacing creature. It was said to be over 40 feet long and coiled, swimming at the crest of a swell in the water. It came to be known as the Lake Erie Monster. It is believed to still be out there among the thousands of shipwrecks on the floor of Lake Erie.
To celebrate the beauty and rich diving history of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes, and the lore of this unidentified creature, we’re proud to introduce the Lake Erie Monster Dive Watch. This timepiece celebrates two exciting milestones for Shinola—our first Dive watch, and the first Shinola watch with an automatic movement.
Shop the Limited Edition timepiece now. Only 500 are available. Learn more below.
The caseback features our portrayal of the legendary Lake Erie Monster, including a blue sapphire eye. Each caseback features a laser-etched individual serial number and is specially sealed to withstand pressure up to 1,000 feet underwater.
The Lake Erie Monster watch set comes in a newly designed, metal box, and includes three straps: a stainless steel three-link bracelet, black rubber dive strap, and black fabric strap, all easily interchangeable with the provided tools.
A Princeton Tec Diver’s Flashlight is also included inside the box. This slim metal light is small enough to carry anywhere, yet it packs a 650 lumen LED, making it bright enough to use as a primary source. Designed primarily for underwater use, the flashlight is powered by 2 CR123 lithium batteries, which cope better with cold temperatures than alkaline cells.
Don’t miss the map of Lake Erie, also included in the watch set.
Shinola’s first automatic movement: The Argomatic R-150 (pictured above)
Traditionally, Shinola has used a quartz movement in our watches, which uses a battery to send an electric current through a quartz crystal to keep it oscillating. In turn, electrical pulses derived from those oscillations drive the motor that moves the watch hands, keeping precise time. The automatic movement, on the other hand, uses the momentum from the watch wearer’s arm to oscillate, putting tension on the mainspring.
The Argomatic R-150 is Shinola’s first automatic movement developed and manufactured by our Swiss partner, Ronda AG. Ronda has been one of the world’s premier watch movement manufacturers for over 70 years.
Once the Argomatic R-150 movement arrives in our Detroit watch factory from Switzerland, the Shinola watch team installs the movement into the watch, finishes assembly and performs an underwater pressure test, as well as quality control checks. Built from high-caliber Swiss components, the R-150 features 25 jewels and boasts a 40-hour power reserve.
The Lake Erie Monster is covered by a limited lifetime guarantee. Purchase also includes membership into The Foundry: a select group of Shinola customers with exclusive shopping opportunities and discounted shipping.