Cressi Donatello Wrist Dive Computer

Cressi Donatello Wrist Computer: Multi-Mode Dive Computer for Recreational and Freediving Use

The Cressi Donatello is a wrist-worn dive computer that runs three separate modes: scuba, freediving, and gauge. It is built for recreational divers who also spend time freediving or snorkeling and want one device that handles all of it without constant mode-switching confusion.

If you are a certified recreational diver who moves between scuba and breath-hold diving, or someone who wants a computer that will not cry wolf with decompression alarms while you are simply snorkeling the surface, the Donatello is worth a serious look.

The Three Modes and What Each One Does

Most of what makes the Donatello useful comes down to how cleanly it separates its three operating modes. Each one is purpose-built rather than a stripped-down version of the scuba mode.

• Scuba (Air/Nitrox) runs the Cressi-Wienke RGBM algorithm, tracking your no-decompression limits on air or nitrox mixes between 21% and 50% oxygen. You can configure your maximum PPO2 between 1.2 and 1.6 bar, which covers the standard range recreational divers and most dive operators work within. The mode also includes a CNS oxygen toxicity graphic, safety stop prompts, ascent speed alarms, altitude adjustment up to 3,700 metres (12,140 feet), and a deep stop that you can add or remove depending on your preference. There is also a planning scroll that lets you check your remaining no-decompression time at various depths before you commit to going deeper.
• Freedive (Apnea) tracks depth, dive time, surface interval, and session length. It gives you a recovery time alarm, which is the reminder that tells you when it is safe to dive again based on your surface rest, and separate alarms for depth, dive time, and surface interval. These are the numbers that matter most when you are doing repeated breath-hold dives.
• Gauge disables the decompression calculator entirely and turns the Donatello into a depth and time instrument. It shows average depth, dive time in minutes and seconds, temperature, and includes a resettable depth stopwatch. This mode suits divers who plan their own profiles or dive with a separate decompression tool.

The "dive deactivation" option is worth calling out separately. When you switch off the dive functions for snorkeling or surface swimming, the computer stops interpreting your activity as a scuba dive. That means no false ascent alarms, no unnecessary no-fly countdowns, and no disruption to your desaturation tracking from a casual swim.

Display and Readability

The Donatello uses a high-contrast display with extra-large numbers, which matters more than it sounds when you are checking your depth at 25 metres in green water. The display is readable in bright sunlight, and a high-power backlight covers low-light and night diving conditions.

Numbers are formatted in either imperial or metric, switchable in the settings. The screen also shows a clock in 12 or 24-hour format with a calendar, so the computer doubles as a watch between dives.

One practical feature: a replaceable protective display screen. If the lens gets scratched from regular use or a knock against a reef, you are not replacing the whole unit.

Build and Wearability

The case is plastic with a plastic bezel. The single button is steel. The two-tone wrist band is thermoplastic urethane (TPU) rubber with a stainless-steel buckle. TPU is a common choice for dive computer straps because it stays flexible in cold water and resists the wear that silicone can show over time.

The computer is rated to 120 metres (393 feet), which is well beyond recreational limits and gives you a meaningful safety margin. It is also altitude-adjustable up to 3,700 metres, so if you dive mountain lakes or travel to high-altitude dive sites, the algorithm can compensate.

Logging, Battery, and Data

The Donatello stores up to 50 dives per category, meaning 50 scuba dives, 50 freedives, and 50 gauge dives logged separately. That is enough for several trips before you need to download and clear the log.

The battery is a CR2450 (note: the specifications list a CR2430, so confirm the correct cell in your manual before replacing). Either way, it is a standard coin cell you can replace yourself, without sending the computer in for a service. A low battery icon appears before the power drops far enough to affect performance.

Dive profile download is available as an optional add-on. If you use dive logging software and want your profiles on a computer rather than just stored on the watch, that interface can be added. It is not included in the box.

Multiday and Repetitive Diving

The Donatello is designed for repeated, multiday diving. It tracks surface time, desaturation, and no-fly time across multiple dives, which is exactly what you need on a liveaboard or a week of shore diving. The no-fly calculator tells you when it is safe to board a plane based on your actual dive history, not a generic rule of thumb.

There is also a total reset function, which wipes the computer's tissue saturation history back to zero. This is listed specifically for rental use, where a shop needs to hand the computer to a new diver with a clean slate. If you are buying the Donatello for personal use, you will not need this, but it is a useful indicator that the computer is robust enough for high-turnover environments.

A Few Honest Notes

The Cressi-Wienke RGBM is a well-established algorithm with a conservative approach to tissue loading. If you dive aggressively or want to customise your algorithm parameters beyond the safety factor levels the Donatello provides, a more advanced technical computer will serve you better.

The memory cap of 50 dives per category is adequate for most recreational divers but will fill up faster if you freedive frequently in the same trip. Download and clear the log between trips if you want to keep a full record.

The Donatello comes in multiple colours and includes an owner's manual. No additional gear is included in the box.