As the world of dive watches continues to grow, it’s easy to get stylistically complacent. We see similar colors, dial and case design, and construction techniques. So when a dive watch comes along that looks out of the norm, it’s an exciting prospect. Cue the Papar Cenote, a first in the dive category for the upstart brand. Like their first watch, the Anillo GMT, the Cenote is an aesthetic break from the norm that challenges the conventions of the diver category.
As a reflection of the brand and interests of its founders, the husband and wife team of Josh Blank and Emily Rose-Blank, The Cenote draws visual inspiration and its nomenclature from the cenotes of Mexico’s Yucatán. The octagonal titanium case features sharp angles and a 40mm diameter, and measures in at 47mm lug-to-lug with a 10.9mm thickness. A ceramic bezel insert offers functionality, and a sailcloth strap with a matching titanium buckle adds a final touch of cohesiveness to the design.
The dial, though, holds the Cenote’s coolest feature. The indices appear as cutouts, a crescent moon with end tips pointing up marks the 12 o’clock position, and the hour and minute hands are sharp triangles. The wow factor is more than just cool design, though: the indices change color over the course of the month, giving the Cenote a continuously dynamic appearance.
Two colorways are available for the Cenote, in a limited run of 100 watches. The first option, Rose Gold Titanium, features a starkly appealing combo of rose gold PVD coating on the titanium case and buckle, with gloss black on the bezel insert and dial and a black strap. The indices change from a dark pink to an almost white and back, adding a pop of gentle color to the watch’s face over time. Lume on the index outlines and hands brings brightness to the Rose Gold Titanium Cenote in the dark.
The Titanium + Blue model is a little more “out there” stylistically, boasting no PVD coating on the titanium for a more raw look, a matte blue hue for the bezel insert and strap, and a pleasing beige for the dial itself. The indices here change from mid-range blue to nearly white, beckoning in a more traditional aquatic theme and giving the appearance of sand and water. The final showstopper design cue is only available on this Titanium + Blue model—a SuperLuminova fume dial, which Papar claims is a world’s first. In the dark, lume appears bright at the edges, and fades as it progresses towards the center of the dial; the effect should be a beautiful easter egg for Cenote wearers.
Inside both models is a practical Miyota movement, and 200 meters of water resistance further that purpose-built feel, though I think that both models of the Cenote are almost too pretty to take on a serious diving adventure. Nonetheless, Papar has made sure that if you want to, you can use the Cenote for its intended purpose—and impress the fish and sea life with a much more stylistically exciting timepiece than the other divers are wearing.
I am personally delighted to see the dive watch category break free of its rather utilitarian conventions, and Papar has proven with the Anillo that they’re willing to push the limits of a watch’s function to meet their own drive for aesthetic innovation. The Cenote looks to be an exciting timepiece with plenty to prove in a crowded sea of competitors.
The Papar Cenote is available for preorder on Papar’s website for a limited presale price of $895. Each model is limited to 100 sequentially numbered pieces. Papar
Elodie Townsend
2025-09-10 18:00:00