What started out as a timepiece used only for its function has evolved over time into a watch with strong aesthetics that are both identity-driven and trendy and at the same time. Although the diving watch isn’t used to dive per sé, it undoubtedly remains a preferred choice for many collectors.
From James Bond to Jacques Piccard : everyone wants to wear a diving watch.
The world of diving watches is both fascinating and diverse, combining elegance, robustness, and precision. Over the years, the diving watch has evolved well beyond its original role to become an emblematic symbol of style. Worn by icons such as the infamous Agent 007, the history of this watch is as rich as its technical features are sophisticated, allowing it to earn a place of choice in fashion and popular culture. Whether you are a watchmaking enthusiast or simply looking for a sporty and reliable watch, the diving watch offers a deep insight into a timepiece that has become an essential accessory.
A model that has reinvented itself over time
The evolution of diving watches has been marked by several key innovations. Back in 1953 Blancpain introduced for the first time the Fifty Fathoms model, designed for the French Navy's combat swimmers, set a new standard in the field. It was revolutionary at the time. Its name "Fifty Fathoms" refers to a unit of depth measurement used in diving, where a "fathom" measures approximately 18 meters. Thus "Fifty Fathoms" indicates a depth of about 91 meters, indicating the watch's ability to function up to this depth underwater. In 1957, Omega presented its first Seamaster capable of withstanding immersion up to 300 meters, which 70 years later continues to be a bestseller of the brand. These developments illustrate the passion and innovation in the field of diving watches, reflecting an era when watch technology was pushed to its limits to meet the needs of professional and amateur divers.
Technically speaking, what defines a diving watch?
A professional diving watch must meet several specific criteria. Beyond its simple water resistance, it must withstand a minimum pressure of 100 meters depth according to ISO 6425. This standard, established in 1982, revised in 1996 and then 2018, defines the essential features a watch must have to be classified as a diving watch. This standard guarantees the quality, reliability, and functionality of diving watches by establishing rigorous criteria such as water resistance, legibility in darkness, and sturdiness under extreme conditions. These requirements ensure that diving watches meet the specific needs of professional diving.
The construction of the watch, including a robust case, waterproof seals, a screwed crown, and sometimes a helium escape valve for deep diving, ensures resistance underwater. To be classified as a professional diving watch, a watch must meet precise technical criteria, the aspects of which were originally designed for functionality and are now integrated into the design of diving watches, contributing to their unique aesthetic:
- It must be waterproof to at least 100 meters depth.
- The unidirectional rotating bezel allows divers to track time spent underwater.
- The design of a diving watch emphasizes legibility, particularly in the darkness of the ocean depths. To this end, elements such as hands, markers, and graduations are made large and are treated with luminescent materials such as SuperLuminova. These details ensure that even in low light conditions, divers can read the time clearly and effortlessly.
- The strap has to be resistant to seawater and pressure, and is also adapted to extreme conditions.
- Finally, the helium valve is a specialized feature of diving watches, mainly useful for professional diving in saturation. During decompression, this valve allows helium that has infiltrated the watch under pressure to escape without damaging the mechanism as the pressure decreases and the molecules expand.
Practical guide: How to use your diving watch?
In the world of water sports, the diving watch stands out as a necessary tool thanks to its easy-to-use rotating bezel. Divers can simply align the bezel marker—often a triangle or a specific mark—with the minute hand at the beginning of their dive to accurately track the time spent underwater. This technique eliminates the need for complicated mental calculations, making underwater time tracking both straightforward and reliable. But the use of the diving watch is not limited to marine depths. The rotating bezel also proves to be a versatile instrument in a variety of situations where precise time tracking is crucial. Whether it's for monitoring the cooking of a chocolate fondant or for measuring sports performance, it proves to be a practical and stylish daily accessory, whether you're a diver or not!
What diving watch to choose?
The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
It was in 1953 that the legendary Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch was born, the result of an exceptional collaboration between Jean-Jacques Fiechter, at the time he was the director of Blancpain since 1950 and a diving enthusiast, and Captain Bob Maloubier, founder of the French army's combat swimmers unit. This meeting was decisive: while Captain Maloubier was in search of a reliable and efficient diving watch for his missions, Jean-Jacques Fiechter was already in the process of realizing a similar project.
The design of the Fifty Fathoms meets a rigorous and specific set of specifications for the needs of professional divers. Its features include luminescent hands and indexes for optimal visibility underwater, a rotating bezel to precisely measure diving time ensuring increased safety, an automatic movement adapted to the demands of diving, impeccable water resistance, and an anti-magnetic case to protect the movement from external influences. The Fifty Fathoms quickly distinguished itself as an exceptional diving watch. It became an essential tool for French army divers, but also a coveted model by diving enthusiasts and professionals around the world. With its elegant design and advanced features, the Fifty Fathoms is not just a watch, but a symbol of underwater adventure, marking the beginning of a watchmaking saga that continues to this day. This flagship model, with its rich history and significant innovations, not only set a new standard in the world of professional diving but also significantly influenced the evolution of diving watches in the watchmaking industry. Last year, the Fifty Fathoms celebrated its 70th anniversary, for the occasion, Blancpain introduced three limited series of 70 pieces each dedicated to a region of the world: EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and America, revealing a new diameter of 42mm with an engraved oscillating weight for this anniversary edition displaying "Fifty Fathoms 70th".
The Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200m
Born in the 70s, the Seamaster Professional Diver Ploprof (abbreviation of "professional diver") was developed in collaboration with COMEX divers and Jacques Cousteau. Originally designed to withstand extreme pressures, the Ploprof quickly won the hearts of professional divers thanks to its unmatched resistance and reliability. Its case, resistant to a pressure equivalent to 1200 meters underwater, is an engineering feat. Additionally, its bezel locking system and bracelet with diving suit extension underscore its practical and safety-oriented nature.
With its unique design and distinctive shape, the Ploprof immediately stands out from other diving watches. Its massive case, protected crown, and unidirectional rotating bezel are not only functional but also stylish, reflecting Omega's commitment to aesthetic excellence. At the heart of the Ploprof 1200m is Omega's Co-Axial movement – a true revolution at the time of its release, ensuring exceptional precision and durability. This cutting-edge technology, coupled with a silicon escapement, offers superior magnetic resistance and increased long-term accuracy.
The Breitling SuperOcean Diver
The Breitling SuperOcean Diver represents a pinnacle of excellence in the world of diving watches. Combining exceptional performance and refined aesthetics, this model perfectly illustrates Breitling's mastery in creating robust and stylish watches for diving enthusiasts and professionals. Launched in the 50s, it was designed to meet the needs of professional divers. The SuperOcean Diver stands out for its ability to withstand extreme pressures, often far beyond the standard depths of recreational diving. With water resistance guaranteed to several hundred meters, it asserts itself as a preferred choice for deep water diving. Its chronometer-certified mechanical movement ensures time measurement in extreme conditions. The design of the SuperOcean Diver is immediately recognizable. Its clean dial, distinctive hands, and unidirectional rotating bezel are not only aesthetic; altogether they are designed to ensure optimal readability and easy handling, even with diving gloves. Its robust case and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal make it a watch capable of withstanding the rigors of diving and everyday life. It appeals for its versatility, suitable for underwater adventures as well as everyday use. The recent iterations of this model offered by Breitling range from heritage models, to a new range of dials featuring pop background colors like turquoise or orange but also offering variations with a bezel set with colored stones for a colorful and feminine touch.
Whether through Longines, with its historical heritage in the manufacture of high-precision watches, Tissot with its commitment to innovation ; Hamilton, who is known for its robustness and style, or Swatch, which brings a touch of color and unique design : each brand brings its own interpretation to the diving watch model. The Longines HydroConquest, with its ISO 6425 certification, offers water resistance up to 300 meters and a design that combines elegance and functionality, making it a must-have for demanding divers. At Tissot, the Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 shines with its exceptional autonomy and precision, thanks to its Powermatic 80 movement, making it reliable under the most extreme conditions. Hamilton, with the Khaki Navy Scuba, offers a robust watch featuring a clearly legible dial and a unidirectional rotating bezel, ideal for tracking dive time. Finally, Swatch stands out with the Scuba Libre, bringing a touch of color and bold design, while ensuring reliable performance up to 200 meters deep.
In other words, the primary use of the diving watch has evolved over time not by its utility but by its aesthetics. Recognizable at first glance, the diving watch combines aesthetics and functionality to offer divers and watch enthusiasts precise and reliable tools. Robust and compliant with strict standards, it remains an essential choice for measuring time underwater while being an elegant accessory to wear on a daily basis.
Eleonor Picciotto
