LIP Nautic 666 Automatic Manufacture R26 blue dial steel bracelet 39 mm

The Nautic 666 Legacy Reimagined

When LIP launched the Nautic 666 in the late 1960s, the Besançon-based manufacture created one of the boldest dive watches of its era. Designed for the North American market, it featured an intriguing marking on its dial: “666 feet.” While the number might have amused—or unsettled—the superstitious, it simply referred to the watch’s true water resistance of 200 meters. Thus was born its legendary nickname: the “Devil Diver.”

At a time when few brands dared such unconventional communication, Fred Lip—ever the visionary and iconoclast—proudly displayed this depth rating on the dial, while others avoided it out of superstition. This daring move left a lasting mark on the brand’s history and cemented the Nautic 666 as a legend among French tool watches.

Produced in small numbers at the time, the watch has since become one of the most sought-after LIP models among collectors. Its balance of functional design, adventurous spirit, and strong visual identity make it a key milestone in French watchmaking heritage.

In 2025, LIP revives this icon as a true manufacture dive watch. The Nautic 666 R26 retains the aesthetic lines of the original model while embracing today’s technical standards: a 39 mm 316L stainless steel case, unidirectional rotating bezel, and above all, the LIP R26 automatic calibre — the first in-house movement from Besançon since the days of Fred Lip.

Designed for those who face the depths with style, this reissue preserves the pioneering spirit and boldness of its ancestor while paying tribute to the ingenuity of French watchmaking.

Design & Diving Functionality

The LIP Nautic 666 R26 ref. 676052 brilliantly reinterprets the spirit of the historic diver’s watch, blending technical precision with contemporary elegance.
Its 39 mm stainless steel 316L case strikes a perfect balance between vintage compactness and modern wrist presence. It features a unidirectional rotating bezel with a blue anodized aluminum insert, echoing the graphic design of the original Nautic while ensuring excellent grip underwater.

Protected by a slightly domed sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective coating, the sunray blue dial reveals subtle reflections reminiscent of shimmering ocean light. Hands and hour markers coated with green Super-LumiNova ensure flawless legibility, even in the darkest environments.
Every detail reflects coherence and purpose — faithful to the LIP philosophy of designing watches made for action without compromising aesthetics.

Equipped with a screw-down crown and a secured caseback, the Nautic 666 guarantees water resistance to 200 meters (20 ATM), confirming its status as a true professional diver’s watch. The transparent back reveals the automatic LIP R26 manufacture movement, laser-decorated and engraved with the LIP logo — a proud symbol of French craftsmanship and mechanical excellence.

This version stands out with its brushed stainless steel 316L bracelet featuring three solid links, offering both strength and flexibility. Its folding safety clasp ensures perfect comfort on the wrist, while the integrated finish extends the case’s polished brilliance with seamless harmony.
Equally at home on land or beneath the waves, the Nautic 666 R26 combines French design elegance with genuine diving performance.

Each individually numbered timepiece embodies the savoir-faire of the LIP manufacture — a perfect fusion of horological heritage and modern refinement.

The LIP R26 Movement

Convinced it was time to restore LIP to its former glory, the management of the Besançon manufacture launched an ambitious project: to once again design a true French-made movement, worthy of Fred Lip’s legacy.
After three years of patient collaboration with the engineering school SupMicroTech in Besançon, the LIP R26 calibre was born — the first automatic movement designed and assembled in Besançon in over half a century.

Developed through reverse engineering of a proven mechanical base, the R26 was completely reimagined: new blueprints, redesigned components, micrometric adjustments, and modernized finishes.
Over 70% of its production value is French, with most manufacturing located in the Besançon region — a rare level of local craftsmanship in this price segment, almost unique in contemporary watchmaking.

Measuring 26 mm in diameter and 5.92 mm thick, the movement features a laser-decorated gear bridge and oscillating weight that integrate the LIP logo directly into their structure.
This moving decoration, both playful and hypnotic, comes alive with each motion of the wrist, revealing the brand’s signature as if by magic.
Hexagonal screws — a subtle nod to French engineering — further emphasize the national pride behind the project.

Beating at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), the R26 offers a 42-hour power reserve and accuracy between –5 and +10 seconds per day.
It features a hacking seconds mechanism and a quick-set date function for precise, intuitive time-setting.
Each movement is meticulously assembled and adjusted by LIP’s master watchmakers, ensuring a level of precision worthy of the finest manufactures.