Cressi Raffaello Wrist Dive Computer

Cressi Raffaello Wrist Computer: A Recreational Dive Computer Built Around Readability

The Cressi Raffaello is a wrist-worn dive computer designed for recreational scuba divers who want clean, readable data and straightforward controls without a complicated setup process.

If you are certified and diving regularly on air or nitrox, and you want a computer that stays out of your way while keeping you informed, the Raffaello is worth a serious look.

Display and Build

The most immediately noticeable thing about the Raffaello is its display. The screen is flat and large, which means your depth, no-decompression time, and other key numbers are easy to read at a glance, even in low visibility or when your eyes are adjusting mid-dive.

Despite that large face, the computer sits slim and light on your wrist. The body is reinforced with micro-structured nano charges, which is Cressi's way of describing a composite construction that adds rigidity without adding bulk. It does not feel like a toy, and it does not feel like a brick.

The lens is mineral borosilicate glass, a material chosen specifically for scratch resistance. Over time, a scratched lens becomes harder to read underwater, so this is a genuinely practical detail rather than a cosmetic one.

Controls

The Raffaello uses two metal buttons to navigate its menus. Metal buttons hold up better than plastic ones in demanding conditions, and Cressi specifically notes these work reliably in muddy water. That matters less on a tropical reef, but if you dive in low-visibility freshwater or quarry conditions, it is good to know.

Two buttons also means the menu structure is simple by design. You are not managing a multi-button interface or trying to remember button combinations.

Dive Modes and Algorithm

The Raffaello runs on air and nitrox. Nitrox is an oxygen-enriched breathing mix that recreational divers use to extend their bottom time or reduce surface intervals. If you are already nitrox-certified, or planning to get there, the Raffaello supports that without needing an upgrade.

Decompression calculations (the computer's tracking of how much nitrogen your body is absorbing, and how long you can safely stay at depth) use the RGBM algorithm. RGBM, developed by Dr. Bruce Wienke, is a well-established model used across many recreational dive computers. It accounts for repetitive dives and surface intervals, which matters when you are doing multiple dives in a day.

The computer tracks time, date, and temperature, and the display can be switched between imperial and metric units depending on what you are used to.

Logbook

The Raffaello stores 50 dives per program in its logbook. After each dive, you can scroll back through your recorded profiles to review depth and time data. For most recreational divers who do not need to transfer logs to a desktop app, this onboard storage is enough to cover a full week-long trip and then some.

Alarms and Backlight

Audible alarms alert you when you approach critical limits, such as your no-decompression ceiling or ascent rate. These are not optional extras; they are the kind of safety prompts that help you stay within safe diving limits without constantly staring at your wrist.

The backlit display means the Raffaello is readable in low-light conditions, including night dives or deeper dives where ambient light fades.

Battery

The battery is user-replaceable, which is a practical advantage over computers with sealed, manufacturer-serviced batteries. When the battery runs low, you swap it yourself rather than sending the unit away. Cressi also notes the battery life is long, thanks to the computer's circuit architecture and components, though specific hours or dive counts are not published in the specifications.

Who This Is Not For

The Raffaello is a scuba-only computer. It does not include a freediving mode, so if you split your time between breath-hold and scuba diving, you would need a separate tool for freedive tracking.

It also does not list wireless air integration (the ability to read your tank pressure directly on the computer screen) or technical diving modes such as trimix or decompression stop planning. If those are on your requirements list, this is not the right computer.

For a recreational diver on air or nitrox who wants a durable, readable, easy-to-operate wrist computer with a solid algorithm and a battery you can replace yourself, the Cressi Raffaello covers the essentials without unnecessary complexity.