The Watch Report: Top Diving Watches For 2018

Es Mode would like to pay tribute to the talented and glorious deep sea Photographer, Imran Ahmad. As such we would like to profile diving watches that would meet and perhaps surpass Imran’s exacting standards.

If you would like to view some of Imran’s awe inspiring underwater pictures please go to www.uw360.asia/imran-ahmad/

BLANCPAIN

Blancpain launched the first modern diver’s watch, the Fifty Fathoms in 1953 and has been working passionately to improve it ever since. The Fifty Fathoms 5018-1230-64A is sublime, it is as wondrous as the underwater world it was designed to navigate. Some of the details are:

Satin-brushed titanium case with a black rubber strap. Uni-directional rotating bezel. Black dial with luminous hands and Arabic hour markers. Minute markers around the outer rim. Dial Type: Analog. Automatic movement. Case diameter: 55.65 mm. Case thickness: 24 mm. Round case shape. Tang clasp. Water resistant at 300 meters / 1000 feet. Functions: hour, minute, second, decompression valve, mechanical depth gauge, retrograde 5 minute counter.

OMEGA

SEAMASTER PLANET OCEAN 600M CO-AXIAL MASTER CHRONOMETER GMT 45.5 MM "DEEP BLACK”

The “Deep Black” was meant to help you conquer the underwater world. It is exquisite, stylish and practical. This beauty is a combination of a GMT model and a diving watch. It is colored totally black to represent the ocean at a depth of 300 m. The glossy and brushed case-body has been crafted from a single block of ceramic, the same material used for the unidirectional bezel and the dial with Arabic numerals.

A new GMT ring has also been fixed on the dial while the diving scale and OMEGA logo on the crown have been decorated with Liquidmetal™. The hands are 18K white gold and are coated in white Super-LumiNova. Other features include an alveol pattern on the screw-in case-back and a black rubber strap with contrasting stitching and an anti-bacterial treatment on the lining. The “Deep Black” is water-resistant to 60 bar and is driven by the OMEGA Master Chronometer calibre 8906. To achieve Master Chronometer status, it has passed the 8 rigorous tests set by The Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). The Deep Black is water resistant 2,000 feet (600 meters).

AUDEMARS PIQUET

The Royal Oak Offshore Diver is a work of art. This self-winding watch has dive-time measurement and date. The case is stainless steel with glare proofed case-back and black rubber clad screw-locked crowns. It is water-resistant to 1,000 feet (300 meters). The strap is made of black rubber, while the dial is black with “Méga Tapisserie” pattern, white gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating (black minutes hand), black or silver-toned rotating inner bezel with diving scale and zone from 60 to 15 minutes in black.

ULYSEE NARDIN

Like its immediate predecessor, the Diver Deep Dive is powered by the in-house caliber UN-320, which has a patented silicium lever and escape wheel configuration. The balance spring is also in silicium, a material Ulysse Nardin first introduced to Haute Horlogerie.

Along with 1 km water resistance — the world record diving depth is 701 meters — new technical standouts on this limited edition (300 pieces) masterwork include a removable titanium guard on the crown at 2 o’clock and a helium release valve at 9 o’clock, for deep dives of prolonged periods of time or under saturation. The rubber strap is a first: it has an expandable element that adjusts to changes in wrist size during dives, caused by the compression of your neoprene diving suit. The robust, angular-shaped case is in titanium, with cut-edged horns. The large bezel has 12-notched teeth for easy manipulation, even with diving gloves.

Since all fashionable guys need options we at Es Mode could not resist the incredible "Shark Watch" The look is striking. 15 hammerhead sharks adorn the dial; another is stamped on the caseback; a bright red one swims on the side of the crown guard; and another decorates the dial counter. Destined for fans of active leisure and all water sports, the Diver Deep Dive will especially appeal to men looking for a timepiece that is striking looking but not fragile, that they can wear even when things get very intense.

Available at www.ulyseenardin.com

PANERAI

THE LUMINOR SUBMERSIBLE 1950 3 DAYS AUTOMATIC ACCIAIO - 42MM (PAM00682)

The Luminor Submersible 1950 is beautiful and efficient. It has power reserves for three days, two barrels and 200 components. We wouldn’t expect anything less from Panerai and their master craftsmen. The hour and minute hands are very distinctive which is perfect for easy underwater viewing.

The dial is black with luminous hour markers and dots. Date at 3 o’clock, seconds at 9 o’clock. This irresistible collector’s watch is water resistant to 30 bar 1,000 feet (300 meters).

TUDOR PELAGOS

“SNOWFLAKE” HANDS

The hands of the Pelagos, particularly the hour hand with its characteristic square tip, allow the wearer to distinguish it from the minute hand, at a glance. Known in collectors’ circles as “snowflake”, this feature is emblematic of TUDOR divers’ watches from 1969 onwards. Waterproof to 500 m *1,640 ftg) it is fitted with TUDOR Manufacture Calibre and available in a new “left-handed” version.

ROLEX

The Rolex Deepsea was engineered for deep sea diving. The attractiveness of this timepiece belies its functionality. The Deepsea is waterproof to a depth of 12,800 feet (3,900 meters). The use of Oystersteel (a form of steel developed by Rolex) in the design of the watch makes it resistant to corrosion.

The coup de grace is the Helium Escape Valve, which was designed to aid Divers in their accent from the deep. A gas escape valve is fitted with a spring, which opens when the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the watch reached three to five bars, allowing the helium to escape, thus protecting the watch.

BREITLING

The Superocean II 42 is an inveterate diver’s watch combining an ultra-sporty look with peerless performance, including water resistance to 500 m (1,650 ft). The rubber-molded fluted unidirectional rotating bezel displays clearly visible large numerals, a countdown of the last 15 dive-time minutes and a triangle with a luminescent marker at 12 o’clock. The polished steel case frames a black or blue dial and is fitted with a matching rubber strap. Precision is ensured by a chronometer-certified self-winding caliber.

IWC SCHAFFFHAUSEN

Es Mode would like to propose two options from IWC. One is geared towards Connoisseurs and the other for our Sports enthusiasts.

AQUATIMER PERPETUAL CALENDAR DIGIAL DATE-MONTH EDITION “50 YEARS AQUATIMER” has Perpetual calendar with large double-digit displays for date and month and leap year display Chronograph function with hours, minutes and seconds Hour and minute counters combined in a totalizer at 12 o’clock and Flyback function. It has mechanical external & internal rotating bezel with SafeDive system.

The AP has power reserves of 68 hours, has automatic and self-wind functions. Only 50 of this exquisite timepiece were made so this is a perfect fit for our Watch Connoisseurs.

AQUATIMER CHRONOGRAPH EDITION “SHARKS”

The Aquatimer “Sharks” makes a fashion statement even the “Drowned God” would approve of. GoT fan anyone? It has black rubber strap with IWC-patented quick-change system; Chronograph function with minutes and seconds and Flyback function. It also boasts mechanical external & internal rotating bezel with SafeDive system Date. Water resistant to 30 bar (1,000 feet), it has 68 hours of power reserve.

Limited to 500 pieces