Kansas City’s Dryden Watch Co. embodies the modest, honest and welcoming reputation of its Midwestern hometown. The brand is small, currently offering just four collections, but it sells well-made entry-level watches steeped in the classic design language that constantly draws in new fans.
With all due respect to Dryden’s two field watches and lone diver, the chronograph is clearly the brand’s frontman. Dubbed the Chrono Diver after its overlapping mid-century influences, it’s got a look that appeals to novices and veteran collectors alike.
Earlier in 2026, the second generation of the Chrono Diver was introduced, featuring redesigned lugs to accommodate a new Jubilee-style five-link steel bracelet. It debuted with a reverse panda dial and a white dial with blue subdials and a blue bezel.
The second release of the Chrono Dive Gen 2 can be considered an inverse of the first. There is a traditional black-on-white panda dial, called the Panda Orange for its traffic cone-colored chronograph seconds hand and subdial hands.
Just like its reversed predecessor, the Panda Orange is available with a 42mm brushed stainless steel case and bracelet, or with a black PVD coating that has a faded, faux-aged look.
