Searching for the ultimate diver

Dear all,
as you know I’d like to think to be a sort of divers collector...



I love the bold design, the bright colours, the robustness of such timepieces, which if you have a dynamic sporty life are the ideal companion.
So I started to think which are the characteristics that make a diver a perfect one, both for desk and especially real sea diving, in order to start the search for the ultimate diver graal.

To me the perfect diver should have:

Practicity of use:
- Drilled lugs (for ease the strap change);
- Scalloped bezel sides or top (for optimum grip) with blocking mechanism;
- Big crown (maybe not strictly needed since you don’t usually adjust time with gloves on or underwater);

Case-dial:
- Titanium case (for lightness and avoid rust);
- Single piece case (movement inserted from dial side);
- Satin finish (to avoid to be eaten by sharks called by metal shining);
- Size > 40mm for optimum readability;
- Crown at 10 or 7;
- Crown protection shoulders;
- Two-colours 60 click bezel (you really need a 30’’ detail while diving ? Not sure however);
- High luminous big indexes (round or rectangular, no arabic);
- High luminous bezel tip;
- High luminous hands (minutes and hours must differ in shape and colours);
- Central second hand;
- High luminous tip on end of central second hand;
- Dial colour black or orange, flat colour;
- Synthetic flat glass, at lower level than bezel;

Movement:
- Sturdy and reliable ;
- Shock and magnetic proof (ISO already include this);
- No date no day (to reduce wear of gaskets and improve readability);
- Hacking;
- No manual wind (to reduce wear of gaskets);

Strap/bracelet:
- Rubber strap with double buckle (as in the ecozilla);

Maybe you noticed I didn’t rate any depth…in some way this is not really influent since to be diver it must be at least 200m and honestly I doubt it is needed more than this….
However, since I know that some of you are real divers, I’d like to check with you this list of features and if there's any are other spec that might be added.

And the big question for you all revolutionists out there is: which is the diver that mostly matches these specs ??

Ciao from Milano,
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The watch that comes the closest to your needs sounds like a GP SeaHawk.

Do you really want to use this watch for serious diving? Reason I ask it because when I see your great diving collection there are a few other divers that come to mind that might be an interesting addition. The only problem is that they hardly match your shopping list.

The one that perhaps comes the closest is the TAG Heuer Aquagraph. Just before summer I picked one up for myself. I'm not really a TAG-Heuer man, but I've always loved this model and it turned out every bit as good as I was hoping it to be! It is not only a great looker but also very practical, and I especially like their lock-system for the diving bezel.

Second, what about a vintage diver that gives in incredible bang for your buck but doesn't break the bank at the same time? With a little bit of searching you can find a Bulova Snorkel in good condition and at a reasonable price. Although I personally wouldn't dive with them, they where rated at 666 feet water resistance and where made when Bulova was still one of the great American manufacturers! That also means.....manufacture movement!!!

Sorry for getting so off topic, but these watches just came to my mind when I saw the picture of your collection!

Martin Green
-----------------------
Contributing Writer
Moderator
Revolution Online

Ciao Martin,
many thanks for your prompt feeedback !

Yes actually i have the Seahawk but even if it is one of my preferred from an aesthetichal point of view, it lacks many of the points in my list.
As by other hand most of my divers i should perhaps melt them toghether to have the perfect one...

I am not a sea guy, so my watches very seldom see the ocean waves and blue depth....However i climb and crossing rivers is not unusual, as well as slip over some stone and take an unexpected dive in mountain rivers

But - yeah !! - the Acquagraph, has been one of my favourite watches for a while, with its Lemania-like movement, then i failed in finding one and i forgot it.
I don't remember if there was the titanium option...However no day-date, drilled lugs, but not very well differentiated hands, i've got doubts on readability, since it's a chrono ...Anyway seems to have many of the specs i mentioned.

The Bulova looks fine, but exactly as you i would not use it everyday since i'm always a bit worried of wearing vintage watches...I prefer to keep them in the safe and use them only for very special occasion.


Thanks for your good suggestion,
ciao da Milano,
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Though I don't dive, IMO, its the ultimate diver's watch, coming from a company what makes great diver watches...Seiko.
The Emperor Tuna is 1000m, titanium mono matt black case, >40mm, automatic, and has excellent lume. I really love this Tuna..






Cheers!

chua
Panerai Forum Moderator

...Actually one of my holy grails ,it also matches many of the characteristics for the ultimate diver, even if not all of them.

The fact is i am a bit worried by its size, would like to try one on the flesh before buying, but here in Italy it is impossible to find one in a shop.
However i've got the feeling that there's a bit more attention on Seikos, i have seen a couple of shops in center city which showed Spring Drives and Ananta series chronographs....Maybe they will turn to divers sooner or later

Ciao Chua & thanks for your response,
slide68

the Seiko diver will do the job well and at a good price



Zach T
Forum Moderator

ciao Zach,
indeed Seikos are among the best price/value ratio divers....

That's one of the reasons why - while trying to give a sense to my watch collection - i figured out that it would have been really interesting (and relatively cheap) to specialize in divers, mainly Seikos.

I did not kept into account how much difficult is to find one in my country....
By the way, beautiful SKX007 if i am not wrong

bye from Milano,
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