Greek Watch Forum - Το ελληνικό forum ρολογιών
Αρχείο θεμάτων => Θέματα => Μήνυμα ξεκίνησε από: george_ στις Οκτώβριος 19, 2014, 02:01:58 πμ
-
he diver’s watch, as its name suggests, refers to the wristwatch which is accepted waterproofing process and only for the diver, but it doesn’t mean that it can be called diver’s watch for its powerful water resistance. Usually diver’s watch should have the following characteristics:
1, Waterproof performance must reach the depth of at least 200 meters.
2, There is the unidirectional rotating bezel for measuring the diving time.
3, Diver is usually under deep water, therefore, the hands and hour markers of diver’s watch are usually coated with luminous material to allow users to read time easily.
4, Strictly speaking, only the watch that meets the specifications, standards and tests made by ISO international organization can be called diver’s watch, and the control of such standards, of course, is for the safety of divers. However, owing to the market acceptance and popularity of diver’s watches, the high end mechanical watch factories which are not only selling for divers will compete to launch diving watches, and the watches does not necessarily meet the standards set by the professional organizations.
(http://s20.postimg.org/f5rk59a9p/Rolex_Red_Submariner_Ref1680_zps495ded0f.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
(http://postimage.org/index.php?lang=spanish)
Since the advent of watch hundred years ago, water, dust, magnetism and shock are four enemies of watch. In the 1920s and 1930s, watch manufactures began to study the measures against these external forces intensively to increase the watch's durability and endurance. Although before the 1920s, there were a few watchmakers, such as Francis Baumgartner, Paul Perregaux and Georges Peret, they could produce the case with high quality which was well sealed, and thus it had good waterproof performance, then Omega and Longines adopted this case one after another. However, Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, was the first one who understood the potential of waterproof watches thoroughly, he made further devotion and indeed launched waterproof watches to public, and he won the popular acclaim. At present, the vast majority of watches experts have recognized the fact that Rolex and Omega are pioneers and promoters in studying waterproof performance of watches.
(http://s20.postimg.org/3uowgw3el/Rolex_Oysterand_Mercedes_Gleitzes_zps6e394333.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
share image (http://postimage.org/index.php?lang=spanish)
Hans Wilsdorf continually improved the precision of the case, the adaptation of crystal face and crown system. In 1927, Mercedes Gleitzes swam across the English Channel wearing the Oyster watch of Rolex, and it took her 15 hours and 15 minutes, and Rolex became famous overnight by the reports from media and the advertisements. Durability, accuracy, water resistance, with incomparable athletic breath and the symbol of courage made the image of Rolex leave deep impression in people's mind. Marine was launched by Omega in 1932, and it was worn by the adventurer Charles William Beebe who was diving up to 10 meters under the water and setting the record at that time. Louis Cartier granted Pasha of Marrakesh's request to make a watch that could let him know the time when swimming. Cartier invented a kind of brand-new screw-in crown, and applied it to The Pasha launched in 1932. It could be said that it was the first luxury waterproof watch in the world.
It is generally believed that mode of battle and the prevalence of military watches during the World War II is another reason to promote the rapid progress of diver's watch. The US Navy adopted Hamilton's Sea Bees Diving Watch at that moment, and its waterproof depth had been made up to 50 meters and its technology was mainly known as using twin-lock crown to strengthen its water resistance, and the Russian Navy also had similar military watch, the opposed countries like Germany and Italy adopted Officine Panerai which used its unique pressurized crown system to make the diving watches'effective working depth reach 30 meters. The scope of the use of these watches and the impact on the war was actually far less than other military watches in the same period, such as famous British WWW (waterproof wristwatch, its water resistance was at least 10 meters) or legendary Mark IX and Mark X, etc.
As previously mentioned, Marine was launched by Omega in 1932 and it was worn by Beebe who was diving up to the depth of 10 meters, and Omega launched famous Seamaster in 1948. However, seriously speaking, Marine and Seamaster of that day, both of them could not be called real diver's watches. So far, most horological people have recognized the fact that diving watches came into ordinary people's real life should be started from 1954 when Rolex launched its revolutionary Submariner Ref. 6204. In 1956, Rolex launched Ref. 6538 which is now known as James Bond Submariner, and its waterproof depth could reach the standard of 200 meters (660 feet). During the postwar years, sports and adventure had prevailed in civil society, with the addition of the far-reaching promotion from media, the popularity of diving and sports watch had became unstoppable. After Rolex produced the world's first waterproof watch in 1926, it spared no effort to develop the diver's watches. In 1960, Rolex had ever produced a few diver's watches called Deep Sea Specials which were only for experiments, and hung it on the US navy ship which was called Trieste, and then the ship dived into the world's deepest trench - Mariana Trench which is amounted to the depth of 10,908 meters. After that, Rolex had laid the leading position in the field of diver's watch. In 1971, Rolex invented Sea-Dweller which possessed helium escape valve and its water resistance reached the depth of 2000 feet (600 meters). At the beginning of next year, M. Patrice Chemin and M. Robert Gauret worn this watch under the environment of helium and oxygen mixture and dived into the water of 2000 feet (600 meters) depth, furthermore, they continuously did that for 18 days and set the official world records.
(http://s20.postimg.org/t1zsh56il/Sea_Dweller1665_zps8186447d.jpg) (http://postimage.org/)
subir imagenes (http://postimage.org/index.php?lang=spanish)
In 1971, Rolex produced Sea-Dweller that was equipped with helium escape valve and water resistant to 610 meters (2000 feet). Since 1980, the waterproof depth of Sea-Dweller had enhanced to 1220 meters, and today it is 3900m. Now Sea-Dweller is equipped with sapphire crystal, self-winding movement which is authenticated by COSC, and date display window. Its helium escape valve is on the left case, when the pressure inside the case is greater than the outside, the valve will automatically open to exhaust gas, while maintaining its water resistance. The characteristic of automatically opening the valve makes the divers do not have to take a toothpick to poke it, it can also automatically exhaust helium. In addition to SeaDweller, the Seamaster 300 of Omega is also equipped with helium escape valve.
http://www.watchtalkforum.com/topic/1121-the-story-of-divers-watches/ (http://www.watchtalkforum.com/topic/1121-the-story-of-divers-watches/)