Prim Orlík: From the Depths of the Army to a Meteorite

This is the story of an effort to create an extremely durable timepiece: a watch commissioned by the military that underwent tests pushing the limits of what both machinery and humans can endure, and which, sixty years later, has become the most sought-after Czech collector’s watch of all time.

While the world was creating diving icons, so were we

In the early 1950s, an entirely new category was emerging worldwide. In 1953, Blancpain introduced the Fifty Fathoms; that same year, Rolex launched the Submariner, and Omega was developing the Seamaster line. Diving was becoming both a sport and a profession, and watchmakers responded with timepieces that could withstand the depths: a rotating bezel for measuring dive time, luminescent hour markers and hands for readability in the dark, and a case that kept water out.

Czechoslovakia was no exception. In the early 1960s, the Ministry of National Defense commissioned the development of special watches for military divers and intelligence units. It entrusted the development to Chronotech in Nové Město. The specifications were demanding: shock resistance, resistance to sudden temperature changes, water resistance to a depth of at least 60 meters, readability in the dark and underwater, and absolute reliability under extreme conditions.

A watch that was boiled in water and still kept ticking

The Orlík was no ordinary model. Whereas chrome-plated brass cases were commonly used at the time, the designers opted for a special type of stainless steel, the surface of which was sandblasted to a matte finish so it would not reflect light underwater. This durable steel was used to create the case, bezel, crown, and caseback. The dial was protected by a domed plexiglass crystal approximately 2.7 mm thick. Inside, a carefully adjusted in-house caliber operated, mounted in such a way as to dampen shocks. The crown was large enough and sealed so that it could be operated even while wearing diving gloves.

Before the Orlíky were deployed, they underwent tests that sound almost unbelievable today. Freezing cold, followed immediately by intense heat. Drops from a height onto concrete while still in their shipping crates. Overload during a parachute jump. One of the officers who tested the prototypes described how he played thousands of games of skittles with them and how he accidentally left them frozen in ice and then thawed them in boiling water. The watches kept ticking. It is precisely this reputation—watches that can survive anything—that makes the Orlík what it is.

Approximately three hundred units were delivered to the army. Each bore a serial number and was issued to divers, paratroopers, and intelligence officers. Today, only a few dozen remain, and at auctions and through private sales, they change hands for sums approaching the upper hundreds of thousands of crowns. What was once a military tool has become a treasure.

What Came Out of Orlík

The Orlík never became just a memory. It kept coming back in new generations and editions that took the original design as a starting point and incorporated modern technology.

The second generation featured a larger case and a central seconds hand. The 2015 limited-edition Orlík Tobruk was the brand’s first model made from Grade 5 titanium. The 2017 Anthropoid edition, limited to 75 pieces, commemorated the bravery of Czechoslovak paratroopers and returned to the dimensions of the original Orlík watches. The Generál model showcased the manufactory’s custom-made capabilities: a case crafted from military equipment material. To mark the 60th anniversary of the first model, the Respekt edition was created in an authentic steel alloy, with a sandblasted finish and a bezel made of HyCeram®. The same legacy every time, a different design each time.

They have one thing in common. The Orlík is to Prim what the Submariner is to Rolex or the Seamaster is to Omega. It’s the model on which the brand is built.

Why Diving Watches Make Sense Even on Land

Here’s something the watch world has known for a long time: most people who wear diver’s watches today don’t actually dive with them. And yet, it’s the most popular category of watches in the world. The reason is simple—and it holds true even out of the water.

Diving watches are built to last. If they’re designed to withstand pressure underwater, they can easily handle rain, swimming, manual labor, and everyday bumps. The dial is designed for instant readability, so it’s easy to read in any light. And thanks to its versatile design, it looks just as good with a suit as it does with a T-shirt. A sporty watch that’s more than just a piece of sports equipment.

The market confirms this. Diving watches have long been among the most sought-after. It’s a category that combines history, durability, and style—exactly what Orlík has been known for from the very beginning.

Orlík Meteorite. A Piece of the Universe on Your Wrist

And now for the latest news. Orlík is coming out in an edition unlike any we’ve seen before.

We’ve incorporated meteorites into our watches before. This time, however, it’s the first time we’ve done so in a watch featuring our own in-house caliber. The dial of the Orlík Meteorit is crafted from a genuine Muonionalusta meteorite—a piece of matter that came into existence before our planet. After being cut and etched, it reveals the Widmanstätten pattern—a geometric structure that forms only through the extremely slow cooling of metal in space. Thanks to this pattern, every dial is unique.

The technology has also advanced. The case is made of premium 904L steel, the same grade that Rolex uses for its corrosion resistance. It is water-resistant to 200 meters.

The bezel of the Prim Orlík Meteorit model is made from HyCeram®, a modern composite containing approximately 60% ceramic particles, which combines high hardness, color fastness, and wear resistance typical of ceramics with greater toughness and impact resistance. However, the true added value of this material only becomes apparent during its processing. The production of a single bezel takes approximately one work shift and requires experience, precision, and absolute control over every step of the process.

The surface of the bezel is first gently etched to create ideal conditions for adhesion; then, preheated HyCeram® is manually applied to precisely defined pockets under controlled pressure. During application, it is essential to eliminate microscopic air bubbles, which pose the greatest risk throughout the entire process. After curing, manual grinding follows, during which the material is gradually removed until the final dimensions are achieved. It is this phase that gives each bezel its characteristic appearance—radial grinding creates a subtle sunburst effect that accentuates the depth of the surface and allows the play of light on the bezel to change with every movement of the wrist.

Inside, the Prim 95 in-house caliber ticks away, visible through the sapphire crystal case back. For the first time, the Orlík features its own all-steel strap designed specifically for this model. Its design by Lukáš Taneček is inspired by the motif of an eagle’s outstretched wings. The strap is equipped with a buckle featuring quick micro-adjustment marked with the word STISK.

A limited edition in three colors, with 50 numbered pieces in each. Stardust, Blue Planet, and Dark Universe.

Watches for People Who Can Do Something

Orlík has never been for everyone. It made its debut on the wrists of people who plunged into cold water, trusting that the watch wouldn’t let them down—even at depth. It has retained that character. Today, it’s worn by the brand’s ambassadors, including the most successful Czech biathlete, Michal Krčmář, and singer and actor David Kraus, as well as many other prominent figures and distinguished customers who know exactly what they’re wearing on their wrists.

For sixty years, they’ve been guided by one important certainty: they’ll last.

For people who know what they’re doing.

Excerpt from a Prim press release, June 22, 2026