North Edge APACHE-D Free-Dive & Outdoor Watch

Stop Guessing How Deep you Went.

You drop down off the rocks, kick back up, and you have no idea whether that was four metres or twelve, or how long you were under. Then you are back on the boat ramp, the phone is flat in the glovebox, and the first you know about the weather turning is when it hits.

The North Edge APACHE-D puts a depth reading, a dive timer and a log of your last dive on your wrist, along with an altimeter, a barometer with a pressure graph, a compass and a thermometer. It charges off a magnetic cable, the maker quotes 30 days on a charge, and it needs nothing else: no phone, no app, no signal.

Straight up about the water side, because the seller's own paperwork muddles it. The case is rated by the maker at 10 bar (10 ATM), which the case back prints as "Waterproof 100M". That 100 m is a pressure-test figure, not a depth you can take it to. The depth gauge in free-dive mode is quoted by the maker to 50 m, so 50 m is the ceiling, not 100. And a free-dive mode is a depth gauge and a stopwatch for breath-hold diving. It is not a dive computer, it does nothing for scuba, and it will not keep you safe on a breath-hold. Your buddy does that.

What it Does

• Breath-Hold Diving: free-dive mode shows current depth, water temperature and dive time, then holds your last dive depth, last dive time and surface interval, with a depth alarm you set yourself.
• Weather on the Turn: the barometer keeps a pressure graph and a weather forecast symbol, so a falling glass on the hill or the boat ramp shows up before the cloud does.
• Finding your Heading: a digital compass gives a bearing in degrees and a direction, with its own calibration routine. Hold it flat when you read it.
• Height on the Track: the altimeter works off air pressure and draws an altitude graph as you climb or drop.
• Long Trips & Rosters: no phone to pair and a quoted 30 days a charge, so it keeps going through a swing or a week in the scrub.

Key Features

• Carbon Fibre Case: PPS with carbon fibre, 49.8 mm across and 15.56 mm thick, about 78 g on the strap.
• Steel Bezel: 304 stainless steel with a ridged edge, around 40 mm of glass the supplier lists as Hardlex.
• 10 Bar Rating: the maker's case rating (10 ATM). The maker says swimming yes, but not showers, baths or hot springs. The depth gauge is stated to 50 m.
• Two Display Options: a white display or a black display. The case and strap are the same dark grey on both.
• Glove-Size Buttons: big pushers on the case, which the maker says work with gloves on and under water.
• Magnetic Charging: contacts on the case back and a magnetic cable, about 2 to 3 hours from flat to full.
• Auto Backlight: LED backlight that the maker says comes on by itself once you are under.
• Nylon Strap: 24 mm pass-through strap with steel keepers and a buckle, 260 mm overall.
• Delivery: Free Standard Delivery, 5 to 10 working days from the day you order. Allow 1–2 days for fulfilment. Regional and remote addresses can take longer.

Limits

It is Not a Dive Computer.

There is no decompression calculation, no gas setting, no ascent-rate warning stated anywhere, and no dive standard such as ISO 6425 or EN 13319 printed on it. Free-dive mode measures depth and time on a breath-hold, and that is all. Do not use it to plan or run a scuba dive. On a breath-hold it tells you where you have been. It will not stop a blackout, so dive with a buddy every time.

Fifty Metres is the Limit, Not One Hundred.

The title, the case back and one of the seller's pictures say "100M", the seller's text says "50-meter water resistance with depth measurement", and the pictures and parameter list say 10 ATM and a maximum dive depth of 50 m. We read that as a 10 bar pressure rating on the case and a depth gauge that works to 50 m. Treat 50 m as the most this watch is meant to go, and the depth figures past that as unknown.

Keep it Out of Hot Water.

The maker's own picture says swimming yes, but not showering, bathing or hot springs. Rinse it in fresh water after a swim in the sea.

No GPS and No Phone Connection.

No GPS receiver is listed anywhere in the maker's material and the listing says no wireless. It will not record a track, show where you are, send messages or call for help. If you need someone to find you, carry a PLB.

The Seller's Paperwork Disagrees on the Battery.

One line in the seller's attribute list says no rechargeable battery is included. The parameter panel, the product text, the charging pictures and the contacts on the case back all say it is a rechargeable lithium battery with a magnetic charger, and that is what we are selling it as. The battery capacity is not given, and the 30-day figure comes with no conditions, so expect less with the backlight and the dive mode in heavy use.

The Readings are a Guide, Not a Survey.

The altimeter works off air pressure, so a change in the weather moves the height reading. Check it against a known height when you can. The thermometer sits in the case, so on your wrist it reads your arm as much as the air or water. The compass needs calibrating and holding flat, and steel nearby will throw it. Depth gauge accuracy is not specified by the supplier.

Q & A

How Deep can I Take it?

The maker gives the free-dive depth gauge a maximum of 50 m and rates the case at 10 bar (10 ATM). The "100M" on the back is that pressure rating written as metres, not a diving depth. Keep it to 50 m or less.

Can I Use it for Scuba?

No. It is not a dive computer: no decompression, no gas settings, no dive standard printed on it. Free-dive mode is for breath-hold diving and snorkelling, as a depth gauge and timer.

Can I Press the Buttons Under Water?

The maker's text says the buttons are waterproof and can be worked under water. That is the maker's statement. No separate figure for button use at depth is given.

Can I Wear it in the Shower?

The maker says no: not for showering, bathing or hot springs. Swimming and the sea are fine within the 10 bar rating.

How Long does the Battery Last?

The maker's text says 30 days on a full charge, without saying how it was used. A full charge takes about 2 to 3 hours on the magnetic cable. The maker asks you to charge it fully before free-diving, and to charge it when the low-battery warning shows so you do not lose stored data.

Does it Connect to my Phone?

No. There is no Bluetooth and no app. Everything is set and read on the watch itself.

Which Display Should I Pick?

Both are the same watch in the same dark grey case and strap. The white display shows dark figures on a light screen; the black display shows light figures on a dark screen. Pick the one you find easier to read.

Will a Different Strap Fit?

The strap is 24 mm wide and threads under the case. We have not tried other straps on it, so check the width and that the strap passes under the case before you buy one.

Specs