Dive Watches. By WatchTime.com

Transcription

1

2 Dive Watches By WatchTime.com

3 WATCHTIME.COM WatchTime is an award-winning luxury watch media platform based in New York City, and a founding member of the Watch Experts Excellence Network. WatchTime s watch magazine products reach a monthly audience of almost 800,000 watch collectors. WatchTime is the most successful watch magazine in North America and one of the leading watch magazines globally. WatchTime is the world s only watch magazine with two FOLIO Fame Awards for excellence in media events, seven Digital Magazine Award nominations, a SmartCEO Future 50 Award as well as two Mequoda Rocket Award nominations for outstanding digital audience growth and an Apex Award for excellence in electronic media.

4

5 THE BEST DIVE WATCH BRANDS YOU DON T KNOW ABOUT To someone who s not all that interested in dive watches, many of them may look alike. But if you are into collecting dive watches, you re always looking for another one to buy. In doing so, you have several options: you can go vintage, stick with the classics from established brands, or maybe even consider some of the many alternatives out there from startup, re-launched, and boutique dive watch brands. For those interested in the third option, we at DiveIntoWatches.com have put together a list of dive watches from lesser known brands (in alphabetical order) that we feel are worth checking out, covering a wide range of prices and specs. Aegir Instruments In 2007, Australian diver Todd Caldwell started to bring his vision of the perfect dive watch to life. The result is 42-mm in case diameter, water-resistant to 701 meters, and can be ordered with a rotating (CD-2) or fixed bezel (CD-1). A nice feature: the watch is powered by a Soprod A10 movement. Prices start at $1,600 Aegir Instruments Aquadive A legendary dive watch brand from the past returned in 2011, using the same case as the legendary Bathyscaphe model from the 1970s (but not its depth-meter functionality). There are 43-mm and 47-

6 mm models available, both with up to 3,000 meters of water resistance, with different functions and movements, and there are even some new old stock (NOS) models available. Prices start at $ Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 Germano & Walter For the last 10 years, Pietro Germano and Alexander Walter have been offering vintage-inspired watches in small numbers out of Germany. The current model T~500 is available with either an ETA 2892 or a NOS 2472, and the bezel can be locked with a second crown at 4 o clock. Prices start at 3,700 euros.

7 Germano Walter T-500 H2O/Helberg These two German brands (introduced in 2011 and 2013) from Clemens Helberg offer endless possibilities for personalization, and the Orca model even allows the owner to swap the case after the configuration (remember the Aquatique from Japy?). Prices start at 500 euros and the watches maximum water resistance is an impressive 6,000 meters.

8 Helberg CH1 SS1 Pita In 2005, this Spanish AHCI member presented a rather unusual dive watch powered by a base caliber from ETA: The up-to-5,000 meter water-resistant Oceana doesn t need a crown, since it is operated via its caseback. Prices start at 4,575 euros.

9 Pita Oceana DLC Suissemecanica In 2011, this freshly launched Swiss watch brand started with the SM8 collection. All its dive watches are water-resistant to 200 meters and feature an internal bezel that can be operated after the slider is moved up or down. Movements for the single-pusher chrono, GMT, and three-hand models come from Concepto. Prices start at 11,9000 euros.

10 Suissemecanica SM8 Squale Since 2010, the legendary Italian dive watch brand has returned to its former glory and offers not only some of its traditional models (based on ETA movements), but is slowly expanding the collection with more complicated editions and specialties (e.g. using NOS parts). Prices start at 600 euros.

11

12 WHAT DID DIVERS USE BEFORE DIVE WATCHES? When Rolex and Blancpain launched their first wristwatches for divers in the early 1950s they did, in fact, create the archetype of the modern dive watch, thanks to the development of the quintessential rotating bezel. However, they did not invent the first watch used by divers. If we travel back in time, we find that World War II (and, especially, the frogmen of the Italian Navy) demonstrated the potential of underwater warfare and thus the need for salvage. This, in turn, further increased the need for water-resistant watches in order to better conduct underwater missions involving timing and navigation. The 1940s marked the introduction of various water-resistant watches and, of course, the canteen-style watches that were equipped with little more than an additional crown cap for increased water resistance. Earlier, in the 1930s, there was Panerai supplying the Italian naval divers with various instruments as well as (in cooperation with Rolex) some of the first specifically developed watches for divers. Four years before that, and in a much more civilian environment, Omega launched the rectangular Marine, with a patented double sliding and removable case, which was (at least theoretically) water-resistant to a depth of more than 100 meters. Because of these attributes, the Marine was successfully used by underwater pioneers such as William Beebe (up to 14 meters) and Yves Le Prieur. But we still have to travel a bit further back to get to the beginning: In the 1920s, watch companies had already introduced various types of water-resistant watch cases for the increasingly popular wristwatch or wristlet, with the Rolex Oyster case as the most prominent example thanks to Mercedes Gleitze s heavily advertised record swim. But the world beneath the deep, and with it the diver as a target audience, was basically nonexistent to the watch industry, as was the concept of horizontal, autonomous movement underwater.

13 It was the era of the hard hat diver. From the 1820s on, a few brave men started to walk on the seafloor using inventions that were initially intended for firefighting. Air was constantly supplied from the surface, and measuring time underwater was most likely not these men s first priority. An increase in deep-sea exploration and the ongoing industrialization of diving led to the first autonomous diving helmets in the early 20th century, and with these also came an increased need for the diver to know how much time he spent underwater. The watch industry was already experimenting with water-resistant pocket watches for different reasons, and the idea of an external pocket watch on a diver s suit thankfully was not pursued, given the physically demanding tasks performed by the divers. The solution was much simpler: Divers mounted pocketwatches on the inside of their diving helmets, so that they always had the time in their sight, right next to the depth meter. One way of doing this was by affixing a second watch case to the helmet first (as pictured), so that the watch itself could be removed whenever needed. So, the first thing a diver saw and heard after the command, Hat the diver! was a ticking pocketwatch on the inside of his helmet, which hopefully never got wet.

14 BRACELET EXTENSIONS VS. FLEXIBLE STRAPS Depending on where you plan on diving, chances are that you will wear a wetsuit or, in some cases, even a dry suit. Both increase your wrist size substantially, which is why a dive watch usually features a deployment clasp with a divers extension, or even comes with an extra strap piece that can be attached to the strap buckle when worn over a dry suit (e.g. the unique Citizen Promaster 1000, which has been previously reviewed by WatchTime). A regular clasp extension usually doesn t add enough length in those instances. Now, regardless of whether you are a strap person or bracelet person, both options have their advantages and disadvantages: the deeper you dive, the more pressure your body and suit will experience. Which basically means that a neoprene suit that starts out being very tight suddenly becomes loose and with it, your dive watch. An easily adjustable clasp extension, such as that offered with the Seiko Marinemaster, or the rather complex clasp of the Sea-Dweller Deepsea could be the answer to that problem (at least for wetsuits), but I have rarely witnessed a diver constantly adjusting his or her watch manually when diving. The clasp extension of the Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 Traditional ridges, used as a more flexible element for straps (as were

15 introduced on many Seiko dive watches in the late 60s/early 70s), are therefore not only much cheaper to produce, but theoretically also better suited for automatically compensating for the effects of pressure at different depths. This is also why a large number of today s dive instruments are still equipped with these iconic style elements. There is a disadvantage tom them, however: the more robust a rubber strap has to be, the stiffer it normally is and thus less flexible (which is why the ultrarobust Citizen could have easily done without the ridges). This is as it should be, because no one should fear losing a luxury watch over something as preventable as a broken strap. The ridged rubber strap of the Seiko Marinemaster 300 The solution? A combination of both: early Doxa Subs, for example, featured a spring-loaded bracelet element. Omega s first Ploprof had a very soft (and thus flexible) rubber strap piece as an extension for the watch s mesh bracelet. More recently, in 2012, Tudor introduced with its Tudor Pelagos not only one of the most interesting dive watches available, but most likely also the best of all worlds in terms of divers extensions: a robust titanium bracelet with a traditional divers extension that additionally incorporates a flexible spring loaded element that automatically adjusts the bracelet. Tudor s video for the watch (below) shows you how it works. Ideal, right? Unless you re diving with a dry suit, of course

16 THE BASICS OF THE ROTATING DIVERS WATCH BEZEL In this article in our series on the basics of divers watches, DiveintoWatches.com takes on what is probably most distinctive element of a dive watch: the rotating bezel. Its function is actually quite simple: before a diver s descent, the 12 o clock bezel marker is aligned with the minute hand, allowing the elapsed time, up to 60 minutes, to be read on the bezel (which is why quite a few dive watches come with a particularly prominent minute hand). A unidirectional, ratcheting construction ensures that if the bezel is accidentally moved the time already spent underwater would be indicated as longer than actually spent, providing the diver with a safety reserve for his now more imminent ascent. The bezel/minute hand combination does not, however, directly measure how much air remains in the air tank, as still can be read quite often in press releases. A standard scuba dive (in which the diver is equipped with a standard air tank) usually lasts 30 to 50 minutes, mostly depending on the depth reached and the shape the diver is in (basically, how physically demanding the dive is). This explains why the first 15 to 20 minutes on the bezel inlay are often more highlighted the end of this sector theoretically indicates the point of return (exception: countdown bezels that mark the time of ascent). In order to correctly time decompression stops at the end of a dive, central-minutes chronographs such as the Aquastar Benthos or even split-minute chronographs, such as the IWC Aquatimer Chronograph from 2004, offer an interesting complication (should the diver not use a computer).

17 Omega Seamaster Ploprof But, back to the start of a dive: In reality, the bezel is aligned when the diver is geared up and ready to begin the dive which is, most of the time, when he is already in the water or on a boat right before entering the water. It is rarely performed in a dry hotel room, wearing no gloves, when one is able to take off the watch to comfortably set its bezel. So, despite how much I personally love the Omega Ploprof (which features a bi-directional external bezel with a locking mechanism) and the Hublot Oceanographic 4000 (whose unidirectional internal bezel is operated via a screw-down crown which is then placed behind a protective cover), neither are among the easiest watches to be operated single-handedly when worn in the water. And I would strongly advise you never to remove a wet luxury watch from your wrist when there s a bottomless pit below you. From a construction point-of-view, there are two main approaches:

18 External bezel: first used for a dive watch by Rolex and Blancpain (inspired by earlier pilots watches) in 1953/54, this is still the simplest and most user-friendly approach. Disadvantages include wear from debris,sand or salt getting between the case and the bezel, and the possibility of accidentally moving or damaging the bezel. As a solution to these issues, Citizen introduced a removable bezel with the Citizen Promaster 1000 in 2002, and IWC launched the Ocean 2000 in 1984, with a bezel that could only be operated counter-clockwise when pushed down (an idea re-introduced in 1998 with its GST Aquatimer). This concept was similarly executed earlier by Certina, with its DS-2 500m in 1968, and later in 2003 by TAG Heuer for the Aquagraph 2000 Chronograph (with a two part bezel) and by Oris in 2009 with the Oris Prodiver (whose bezel needed to be lifted). More or less complicated bezel locking mechanisms as first introduced on the Omega Ploprof in 1970 and again in its modern version in 2009 can also be found in the Hublot Subaquaneus, the Squale Tiger, some models from UTS, Germano, and Glycine, and, of course, in older Yema models. Citizen Promaster 1000, before (above) and after (below) setting the bezel and submerging

19 Internal bezel: most likely introduced by Aquastar in the 1960s. In this construction, the bezel is located inside the watch and is thus protected by the crystal, giving the watch a more elegant look. The bezel can only be operated with a (usually additional) crown, quite often in both directions (exceptions include the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver, Hublot Oceanographic, etc.). Disadvantage: An additional opening in the case (except maybe for the first Aquastar models, and the recent Maurice Lacroix Pontos S, in which the chronograph pusher also operates the bezel) and often a rather small crown to fumble with. The more secure it is designed (unidirectional, screw-in), the less practical it becomes for diving.

20 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver In 2002, Eterna introduced, with its KonTiki Diver, an interesting first fusion of both concepts: the internal bezel could be operated from the outside, a concept that first allowed a water resistance of 200 meters and, in 2005, up to 1,000 meters with the more radical-looking Concept Diver. In 2014, IWC went all the way and seems now to be offering, for the first time, the best of both worlds: The new IWC Aquatimer family features a new system (Safedive) that combines a unidirectional internal

21 bezel that can only be rotated with a ratcheting external bezel (which can be moved in both directions, but only counter-clockwise for adjusting the internal bezel). The IWC video below demonstrates how it works: So, after more than 60 years of dive watches, this maybe be the ring that rules them all

22 DIVE WATCH CLASSICS: 5 ULTRA- COMPLICATED DIVE WATCHES If one of your New Year s resolutions was to spend less money this year on watches, you might want to skip this week s edition of Dive Watch Wednesday: Most mechanical dive watches are priced under $10,000 (even though the iconic Rolex Deepsea, Sea-Dweller, and Submariner watches, as well as many Blancpain Fifty Fathoms models, might go for a bit more nowadays), but there are several types of fascinating dive watches that go way beyond that. Most of these are ultra-complicated watches, for collectors who either have the financial means to pay someone to go diving for them, or on a more serious note those who simply do not want to go for a swim while wearing a perpetual calendar from Patek or Lange (which is as understandable as it is recommended). Others are simply aimed at enthusiasts who appreciate high-end, robust watches (with more than a date for a complication) with the looks of a classical diver. Here are five that made my list. IWC Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month (IW3794): This boutique-only perpetual calendar features a rubber-coated titanium case and a rose-gold bezel; it is not only the most complicated IWC Aquatimer, but also the largest IWC watch ever made, with a diameter of 49 mm.

23 Richard Mille RM 032: This flyback chronograph offers a big date and power-reserve display and a locking crown that locks and unlocks the chrono pushers. The case is made of titanium and measures 50 mm in diameter.

24 Breguet Marine Royale (5847BR/Z2/5ZV): This alarmingly beautiful 45- mm watch comes in (among other materials) an 18k gold case and is water-resistant to 300 meters. The crown at 4 o clock sets the mechanical alarm, and there s also a power-reserve indicator and a bezel-locking mechanism. And if you don t like the rubber strap, you can order it on a gold bracelet as well.

25 Blancpain X Fathoms ( A): When it comes to complicated dive watches, Blancpain offers you by far the most professional option with this large, 55-mm mechanical watch that could actually compete with a dive computer. The X Fathoms combines depth measurement (up to 90 meters) with maximum-depth-reached memory, a separate indication on the 0-15-meter scale with an exceptional +/- 30 cm precision, and a retrograde five-minute counter for decompression stops. Oh, and it tells time, too.

26 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Pro Geographic Navy SEALs ( ): For all those dangerous missions far away, the Diving Pro Geographic is fitted with a mechanical depth gauge and allows you to select a city simply by rotating the crown to display its time on a large disk at 9 o clock. The 46-mm-diameter case is made of 18k rose gold and water-resistant to 300 meters.

27

28 WHAT MAKES A DIVE WATCH A DIVE WATCH? One leading source offers a definitive answer to the question of what determines whether a timepiece can legitimately called a dive watch or divers watch in this article. In the watch world, when we ask What is a?, the search for the answer often begins with one source: Berner s Illustrated Professional Dictionary of Horology, and that s where today s lesson begins. Berner s defines diving watch as a watch designed to withstand immersion to a depth of at least 100 m and to satisfy requirements specified in ISO standard So, there s your answer. If it is not certified under ISO 6425, it isn t a dive watch. That was easy. Or maybe not. The problem is that very few so-called dive watches are claimed to satisfy all of the ISO 6425 standards. Where does that leave us? Are there only a handful of real dive watches in the world?

29 Without doubt, the waters surrounding the question of what it takes to make a true dive watch are deep and murky. Our goal today is not to settle that debate (as if we could). For this exercise, we will also ignore dive computers, the acknowledgement of which would end this article right about here. We will also leave aside watches intended for diving with mixed gas. Rather, we ll take a look at what the ISO thinks it takes to make a dive watch. The standards may raise some issues you have not previously considered. Once you know what s what, you can decide for yourself what it takes to make a dive watch, and whether you need one that is ISO certified. ISO 6425 has been around in its current form since Given the popularity of dive watches, you would think the standards would be well known among watch enthusiasts, but they are not, probably because they are not as widely used as COSC s chronometer standards. They are also rather long, a bit technical, and rarely reprinted in full. The meat of the official guidelines is found in sections 6 and 7. These spell out the physical requirements for dive watches and the methods for testing them. The watch must be equipped with a device that allows the user to pre-

30 select a period of time of up to 60 minutes. This may be a rotating bezel or a digital display. The device must be protected from inadvertent manipulation. A bezel must have a scale showing 60 minutes with markings showing every 5 minutes. Markings on the dial must be coordinated with those on the pre-selecting device, and must be clearly visible. The time must also be clearly visible, and the minutes hand must be clearly distinguishable from the hour hand. ( Clearly is a favorite ISO word.) The time set on the pre-selecting device must be clear, as must an indication that the watch is running. On analog watches, this is usually satisfied by placing luminous material on the seconds hand. Finally, battery-powered watches must have a visible low-battery indicator. Each of these must be visible at 25 cm, or about 10 inches, in the dark. There are also requirements governing salt-water resistance and reliability under water. The resistance to salt water test requires that the watch be placed in a sodium chloride solution of 30 grams per liter, which is about the same as seawater, and kept there for 24 hours at 18 to 25 degrees C, or about 64 to 77 degrees F. After the test, the case and accessories are inspected for changes (such as oxidation) and moving parts are tested to make sure they still function properly.

31 Cartier s new Calibre de Cartier Diver meets all ISO requirements, and it is marked Diver s Watch 300 M. The reliability under water test calls for the watch to be immersed in about 12 inches of water (not salt water) for 50 hours, again at 64 to 77 degrees F, after which the watch is examined for correct function. (Note that this is not the water-resistance test that is discussed below). Both before and after the reliability under water test, the watch is subjected to a condensation test to determine whether any moisture has penetrated the case. The watch is placed on a plate and heated to between 40 and 45 degrees C, or about 104 to 113 degrees F. When the watch reaches the temperature of the plate, a drop of water at 64 to 77 degrees F is placed on the crystal. After one minute, the crystal is wiped off, and any watch with condensation on the inside of the crystal fails the test, as this result indicates a leak. ISO 6425 incorporates both ISO 764, which governs antimagnetic timepieces, and ISO 1413, which covers shock resistance. ISO 764 requires that a watch be placed in a magnetic field of 4,800 amperes along three different axes for 1 minute each and maintain its accuracy to

32 within +/-30 seconds per day as measured before and after the test. So, for example, if the watch was +12 seconds per day before the test and +40 seconds after, it would pass. The shock-resistance standard is intended to simulate the shock a watch receives if it is dropped from a height of one meter onto a hardwood floor. The test involves delivering two shocks one to the 9 o clock side of the case and one to the top or face of the watch. The shock is delivered by what looks like a croquet mallet suspended between vertical supports so that it swings like a pendulum. Between the supports, at the bottom, is what looks like a large, rubber golf tee. The mallet, which has a plastic head weighing 3 kg or about 6.6 pounds, is raised to a height of one meter and released. The head hits the watch, which sits on the rubber tee, at a speed of 4.43 meters per second, delivering a shock equal to about 5,000 Gs. To meet the ISO standard, after the test the watch must keep time to within +/-60 seconds per day, compared with its rate before the test. This Seiko Sportura model does not meet ISO 6425 standards, and it is marked water resistant.

33 The next requirements deal with resistance to external forces. The first test applies to the spring bars. With the strap closed, the inside of the strap is subjected to an outward force equal to 200 newtons in each direction. This subjects each spring bar to about 45 pounds of force. To make sure the crown and any other setting devices don t leak, the watch is subjected to 125 percent of its rated depth pressure for 10 minutes while a force of five newtons, or a little over one pound, is applied to the top of the crown. Both before and after this test, the hot-plate condensation test described earlier is carried out to ensure that there is no leak. Note that the ISO guidelines do not explicitly require a screwdown crown. Any construction that passes the test is acceptable. The next requirement is resistance to thermal shock. The watch is immersed in hot water (104 degrees F), then cool water (41 degrees F), then hot water again. The watch spends 10 minutes at each temperature, and the transition time from one temperature to the other cannot exceed 1 minute. Both before and after the three immersions, the hot-plate condensation test is applied to make sure no moisture has entered the watch. The final test is water resistance at overpressure equal to 125 percent of the rated depth. The hot-plate condensation test is performed at the beginning to confirm that there is no moisture in the watch. The watch is then immersed in a pressure tester and, within 1 minute, pressure equal to 125 percent of the rated depth is applied. After two hours, the watch is quickly depressurized by reducing the pressure to 0.3 bar, or three meters, within 1 minute, and pressure is maintained at that level for one hour. The watch is removed and dried, and the hot-plate condensation test is performed again.

34 Edox Hydro Sub North Pole Limited Edition To meet the ISO 6425 guideline, this overpressure test must be performed on every watch. The other tests can be satisfied by testing a statistically significant sample of watches. This is an important difference compared with the less-stringent ISO 2281, used for watches that are merely water resistant. That ISO guideline does not require testing every watch to its rated depth, but only a sample. The next time you see an account of a watch rated to 100, 200 or even 300 meters failing at lesser depths, pay attention to whether the watch is an ISO 6425 diver or an ISO 2281 water-resistant model. Finally, the ISO standards include an optional test for air-tightness at an overpressure. The watch is subject to air pressure of two bar, or about 29 psi, and the flow of air entering the watch is measured. Comparable methods, for example using inert gasses, are permitted. The standard states, a bit vaguely, that watches giving a high flow of air shall be eliminated from the test immediately. The ISO standards provide that a watch that passes all of the tests may be marked with the word Divers followed by the depth rating, for example Divers 300m (or similar terms in other languages). Watches that have not passed the ISO test may not be marked Divers. Note that the manufacturer is not required to put any specific mark or language on the watch to indicate that it satisfies ISO 6425.

35 SATURATION DIVING, HELIUM VALVES, AND EXTREME DIVE WATCHES In the latest installment in our series on the basics of divers watches, Diveintowatches.com explains why some dive watches have built-in helium-release valves and why others don t. We also explain why each type is perfectly OK, depending on the type of diving you do. Comparing diving as most people know it to saturation diving is a bit like comparing an amateur bicyclist to a professional construction worker. They might share the same environment and the same need to breathe, but other than that, they are in fact doing quite different things (this applies to most types of diving, by the way). Saturation diving (meaning the diver s tissues have absorbed the maximum of gas possible) was practically explored at the end of the 1930s in order to (A.) reduce a diver s risk of decompression sickness when (B.) working at great depth for (C.) long periods of time in other words, to increase both effectiveness and safety. At the end of the 1950s, the necessary scientific basis was provided to begin saturation diving in the military and, soon after, to use it on a commercial basis. In short: such a diver works under water and lives in a dry, pressurized environment for up to several weeks, and is decompressed to surface pressure only once, at the end of the mission.

36 And this is when some of the earlier, standard dive watches started to show problems not with the outside pressure that they were successfully built to withstand but, rather unexpectedly, with pressure from the inside of the watch case: the breathing gas mixture used contains helium (and yes, those divers do in fact speak in high, funny voices because of this) that seeps into the watch case as well. As the pressure is slowly reduced, and the diver adjusts to normal atmospheric conditions, it was discovered that the internal pressure in the watch builds up due to its effective sealing, and the watch s crystal would sometimes pop off. The watch industry responded to this problem in three different ways: Not at all. Some of the dive watches of the time, some already water-resistant to 1,000 meters, were obviously robust enough not to be affected by this problem. In 1968, for instance, Longines explicitly advertised its new dive watch, the Ref with internal bezel (the one that s being re-launched right now) as a watch featuring a protection contre éclatement du verre (travail sous cloche d élium) which most likely meant the typical fixation of the crystal with an external dodecagonal ring. Watches constantly increasing water-resistance, and the wide range of Compressor cases and later Super Compressor cases, also helped to provide many brands with ultra-robust watches for this type of diving. Also, many of them simply didn t see a commercial reason to invest in such a relatively small target audience. The helium release valve: Around 1967, Doxa and Rolex both started to work on solutions to improve their existing watch models for saturation divers, Rolex already had close relations to the French company COMEX (Compagnie maritime d expertises). The invention of an integrated, automatic valve led to the launch of the Sub 200T Conquistador around 1968, and to the public release of the legendary Rolex Sea-Dweller, an evolution of the Rolex Submariner, around 1971 probably one of the most successful partnerships between a watch manufacturer and a commercial dive company. Omega, which was also involved with Comex at that time, developed a large Super Comprex prototype that featured a specially designed caseback that acted also as a pressure valve:

37 Omega, however, was convinced that it was time for something different: The extreme dive watch: Starting from scratch, Omega introduced in 1970 a radical new approach to the dive watch that was intended for all types of diving, the Omega Seamaster 600 Ploprof. The watch was also put through our helium test. Helium, having much smaller molecules, can penetrate where water can t. So if a watch is proof against helium, it s proof against just about everything else. This test showed that the 600 is one hundred times as air- and water-tight as the Apollo spacecraft. One year later, Omega launched the Omega Seamaster 1000 (using a sapphire crystal) in a more traditional-looking case. In 1975, Seiko presented an even more single-focused approach to building a highly innovative dive watch specifically made for professional divers in a saturation environment: The equally iconic and sought-after Seiko Tuna (Ref ). An updated, 1,000-meter version is still available today, as is a modern version of the Omega Ploprof, the 1200 which, ironically, features an integrated helium release valve.

38 None of this has changed much, even today: There are dive watches intended for recreational divers, and there are dive watches intended for professional divers in a saturation environment. Sometimes it is the same watch, sometimes it has a helium-release valve (or even two, as on a model introduced by Girard-Perregaux in 2004), and sometimes the manufacturer felt no need for one at all: Seiko, for example still marks its professional watches with a He-GAS inscription and has proudly never used a valve (see picture below). Omega, surprisingly introduced a manual helium-release valve in 1993 on the not-so-extreme Seamaster 300 and an integrated valve on the Seamaster 1200 in Since 1984, IWC has produced watches water-resistant to 2,000 meters that should credibly work for a saturation diver as well, while Breitling s meter-water-resistant model has included an integrated helium-release valve since 2002.

39 After all this, you may ask: Does a professional dive watch need a helium release valve? It depends on the brand and model: the Rolex Sea-Dweller is probably the most iconic and respected high-end dive watch among professional divers, but probably not only because of its essential, integrated valve. It may be that it simply offers a more traditional and recognizable look than many of its more radical-looking competitors. But more importantly: Do you need a helium-release valve? It is, of course, extremely tempting to answer that with a no, but on second thought, that may require you to question the need for many of the other features and complications on mechanical watches. So maybe a better answer is, Why not?

40 MY 5 TOP DIVE WATCHES FROM BASELWORLD AND BEYOND Every year, Diveintowatches.com tries to cope with the rather difficult task of creating something like a best in show list of the new dive watches presented at the Baselworld watch fair. Let s revisit my top five dive watches from last year s Baselworld and compare them to my final list of top five dive watches from all the new models introduced recently. My list of the year s top dive watches from Baselworld consisted of the following: Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial (Ref ) Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Chronograph Flyback (Ref NABA) Tudor Heritage Black Bay (Ref B) Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 (Ref ) Edox Hydro-Sub North Pole Limited Edition (Ref ) The Baselworld 2014 Top Five While I personally wouldn t mind owning all of these watches, there are, of course, other influencers when it comes to creating a personal and therefore totally subjective list of contemporary watch models. One of those influencers might come as a surprise to those who don t write

41 about watches: a big advantage when writing in-depth reviews of watches is that, in some cases, the longing to actually own a certain watch model sometimes fades after one has taken loads of pictures and analyzed every aspect of the watch in question. This is the main reason why the Edox Hydro-Sub, which made the Baselworld list, didn t make the final 2014 list despite its refreshing appearance. The Blancpain Bathyscaphe Flyback, on the other hand, regardless of its killer looks, ceramic case and new in-house movement, should thankfully soon be replaced by the much more budget-friendly standard model in steel ( B52A) from 2013, and I have yet to review either model. So, at the moment, neither of these watches are on the final list. The beautiful blue (or red) version of the Tudor Black Bay is going to be replaced the Pelagos Diver (Ref TN) which already had a top place on the list since its introduction in 2012 (and somehow it is difficult to justify why you d need all three of these watches). Finally, both the new Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 and Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial offer few reasons not to instantly fall in love with them (again), so both remain in the top 5. So taking into account SIHH as well as Baselworld, and a few other models launched after both fairs, we arrive at my current most wanted list of top dive watches: Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial (Ref ): Classic look, great specs. Another winner from Omega. Tudor Pelagos (Ref TN): A perfect, performance-oriented tool watch that also marked the beginning of a bold new era at Tudor. Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 (Ref ): The first of two rather unexpected dive watch releases from Rolex this year. And it made us realize how much we missed the real Sea-Dweller. Citizen Grand Touring Sport (Ref. NB L): Despite a rather unfortunate name, this U.S.-only model seems to offer great quality, specs and a rather special look. IWC Aquatimer 2000 (Ref. IW358002): An innovative bezel mechanism, an in-house movement, and compared to the official press image a huge difference in appearance when encountered in real life make the impressive Aquatimer 2000 a strong contender.

42 Not sure about the rubber-coated parts, but there s still the standard Aquatimer Automatic (Ref. IW329001), just in case. The Final Top Five Thankfully, I opted to include no vintage dive watch models here; otherwise, this list could have easily been a Top Seven Hundred Fifty- Three list.

43

44 IMPRINT WatchTime magazine is the leading watch magazine in North America and one of the world s most respected authorities on luxury timepieces. Published worldwide by Ebner Publishing International. Ebner Publishing International, Inc. 274 Madison Avenue, Suite 804 New York, NY office@watchtime.com

45

46 YOUPUBLISH YOUPublish turns any digital content into a dynamic e-book. Ready-to-sell on any distributing platform. By automating the productization of content, YOUPublish expands the market, brand exposure and influence for publishers & websites, forward looking companies, and bloggers, while simultaneously providing a previously untapped revenue source. YOUPublish wants to become the SaaS utility for the content industry, monetizing these assets with a suite of digital media: The YouTube of digital text. YOUPublish GmbH Werastrasse Stuttgart M: info(at)you-publish.com W: Geschäftsführer: Andreas Dollmayer Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB USt-IsNr.: DE