Sports watches 2010 - real value is back – Professional specifications for sports watches - Part 3 of 4

There is still a strong portion of the sports watch market that focuses on watches for the professional, including specifications not needed, but often very much appreciated and desired, by the general population.
Oris has had a long association with aviation and this year Oris introduced the BC3 Advanced, redesigned for the first time in 10 years. Advanced is the aerobatics class for experienced pilots and this watch was developed with acrobatic pilot Don Vito Wyprächtiger. In diving, Oris introduced its Col Moschin Italian Special Forces series, which accompanied these professionals on 9,000 metre skydives and 40 metre dives. Water resistant to 1,000 metres, this watch was developed for these commandoes.

Another professional watch is the Luminox Deep Diver, water resistant to 500 metres and designed for actual use.
At CX Swiss Military, the record holder for deep dives, the ‘20,000 Feet’ lives on. Massive, the 20,000 Feet is a real tool, capable of going down to depths unheard of – 20,000 feet (6,000 metres), and it’s a COSC-certified automatic chronograph as well. “We came across several articles in diving magazines where professional divers complained about today’s diving watches being ‘chocolate box’ watches, good for the yacht club but not of much use when doing some serious diving,” says President Frank M. Bürgin. “We decided to buck that trend and come up with a new interpretation of the ultimate diving watch – ultimate not in price or complications (who needs a tourbillion when diving?), but ultimate as in ‘reduced to the max’ – form following functionality, no frills, the perfect back-up instrument that will never let you down.”

20,000 FEET by CX Swiss Military

Luminox, long renowned for its work with the Navy SEALs, law enforcement and military all over the world, introduced the new Deep Diver this year at BaselWorld. Water resistant to 500 metres and using an automatic helium release valve. Designed to be used in the world’s oceans by professionals, the 45mm Deep Diver timepiece is individually numbered and limited in production. The watch comes in a specially-designed, water resistant box, which can be used to store gear like the diver’s mobile phone, camera and more safely while on deck.
Corum, with the Admiral’s Cup, has long had an association with the sea, but since the discontinuation of the Dive Bubble, the brand has been missing a true diver’s watch. This BaselWorld changed all that, with the introduction of the Deep Hull, a 48mm titanium dive watch water resistant to 1000 meters.

Doxa has long been one of the most recognized dive watches, thanks to its signature orange dial. This year, Doxa introduced the Sub 800 TI Professional, a lightweight titanium timepiece water resistant to 800 metres.

Porsche Design’s new dive watch, the P’6780 Diver, is the brand’s second diving watch in more than 25 years. This brand-new timepiece is powered by an automatic movement, handles depths of up to 1,000 metres and features a dial that offers excellent readability in the darkness of the abyss. The Diver’s three-part case design is both unique and particularly intricate: acting as the housing for the dial and the movement, a circular stainless steel container hinges back into a bead-blasted titanium bridge structure.

P’6780 DIVER by Porsche Design

Bremont expanded its revolutionary movement suspension system and the technology the refined through the development of its Martin-Baker exclusive timepiece to the SuperMarine line. “These watches have to go through all the tests that the ejector seat has to go through, like vibration, shock, climate, temperature extremes, salt and much more,” says Nick English, Bremont Watch Company. ”We had to redesign the way the watch works. We have new technology in the case, so the movement is suspended in a rubber mount. It took two years of testing to develop this. I am pretty sure that this has got to be one of the most tested watches in the world.”

MARTIN-BAKER by Bremont

Breguet introduced an interesting version of its Marine Royale, which is water resistant to 300 metres and features an underwater alarm. This offers users a way to remind themselves when it’s time to come up from the deep.

• PART 1 of 4 – Sports watches 2010 – real value is back
• PART 2 of 4 – Unique designs in sports watches
• PART 3 of 4 – Professional specifications for sports watches
• PART 4 of 4 – Sporting associations

Source: Europa Star June - July 2010 Magazine Issue