Blancpain
5 anatomical components of a dive watch
Blancpain
5 anatomical components of a dive watch
In the 1920s, Rolex’s answer to this issue was to simply create a second case, which would encase the other (think matryoshka doll). An example of this execution is the Rolex Submarine produced in 1922. However, this wasn’t a viable long-term solution as it was bulky and still unreliable. The solution here lay in the idea of integrating the waterproofing with the case.
Fear not! François Borgel was on the case (pardon the pun). Based in Geneva, he was a watchcase developer. Two of his creations were patented in 1891 and 1903. His idea was to have the caseback and front threaded, so that one could screw the two together to create a tight seal. It was also Borgel who observed that a key element in creating a truly waterproof watch lay in figuring out a way to seal the watch’s crown as well. However, it was the fabled Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex who saw the potential of the first patent for a ‘sealed crown’, or ‘screw-down crown’ (developed by Paul Perregaux and Georges Perret), and combined it with Borgel’s threaded case. So came to fruition the first truly water-resistant watch and the birth of the legendary Rolex Oyster case.
The Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe is water-resistant to 300 meters. This is largely irrelevant for the recreational diver as the deepest anyone has ever gone is cirac 300 meters. The case in this instance is a gray plasma ceramic, a production method that gives the color a subtle metallic shade.
It isn’t a feature on this Bathyscaphe, but a helium release valve is typically found on watches that are intended for commercial divers. This one-way pressure release valve tends to be a simple apparatus: a spring, a plug and a rubber gasket. Not too long ago, divers were finding that their crystals were exploding off as they rose into decompression chambers due to a pressure build up, hence the gas release valve became an essential feature for them.
As mentioned earlier, the screw down crown is a vital component for water resistance and ensures the watch functions at depths. It is worth pointing out that traditionally dive watches do not have exhibition case backs. This goes back to the functional element of a dive watch – it’s not about the aesthetic here – it’s about performance and efficiency.
2) The Bezel: A dive watch is instantly recognizable by its rotating bezel. But how does it work? Well, before submerging yourself, you rotate the bezel, and line the triangle up with the minute hand — the minute hand will move during the dive and you can clearly see how long you have been under for. Here, you can see ‘15’, ‘30’ and ‘45’ clearly marked on the bezel, along with minute graduations and 10-minute graduations (faithful to the original version of the Bathyscaphe).
In this instance, the Bathyscaphe has a unidirectional bezel that rotates anticlockwise — this ensures that if you accidentally nudge the bezel, you will only move the bezel towards the minute hand, which will result in you returning to the surface sooner rather than abysmally later. To be more specific, this Bathyscaphe boasts a plasma gray ceramic bezel, which has been fitted with a blue ceramic insert featuring Liquidmetal® hour markers, an alloy which serves to avoid distortions.
5) The Strap: Water, humidity and direct sunlight don’t bode well for leather or other exotic straps! A dive watch’s strap must be durable. Generally stainless steel, rubber or NATO straps tend to be the most functional options. NATO straps have become fabulously popular. The term NATO has been shortened from ‘NATO Stocking Number’.
In 1973, soldiers from the British Ministry of Defence had to fill in a form called ‘G10’ to be able to gain access to NATO straps from the store. Aside from being made famous by Bond, they are easily adjustable and withstand wear and tear. The NATO in question here is sturdy, with leather surrounding the buckle holes with brushed-steel hardware. Depending on where you’re diving, you will most likely be wearing a wetsuit. For this reason, many dive watches on metal bracelets (think the Tudor Pelagos or Rolex Deepsea) feature an extension in the clasp — ‘the diver’s extension’ — to ensure it’s big enough to go around the wetsuit. The deeper you dive, the greater pressure your body will be under — thus a wetsuit that has a loose fit before a dive suddenly becomes very tight, along with it, your watch. So an easily adjustable extensive clasp is essential.