With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games approaching, sports watches are all the rage. And among the most popular and robust are those designed to accompany divers on their underwater adventures. Here's a selection of ten high-end pieces.
Real machines for telling us the essentials at a glance, the watches are an essential communication tool in our image-based society. It is therefore important to choose the right one during the summer, when everyone is on the lookout for the slightest element that might give a fair impression of oneself. And, in this period of
Olympic Games, expressing values of endurance, athleticism, robustness and resistance to pressure is essential. This is why we have chosen to present the ten best diving watches on the market, from the rarest and most expensive to others which, due to their history or their previous owners,
deserved to be among this very tight selection.
On the fingers of one hand
They often say that where honor is due, it goes to the Swiss manufacturer. Rolex to open the ball of time measuring instruments dedicated to diving and, by extension, to sports in general. This brand founded by Hans Wilsdorf in 1908 caused a sensation by inventing a number of the most useful systems for guaranteeing the safety and readability of today's wristwatches. And among all these inventions, the water resistance of cases in a simple and rational way. From these studies were born the models that are now emblematic, such as the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner, the Rolex Sea-dweller or the recent one Rolex Deep Sea. Major references in the sector, they all three come from the family of professional instruments in the range and are the most appreciated by the general public.
Also famous for accompanying James Bond in his adventures since 1995, the reference Omega Seamasters has carved out a fine place for itself among sports watches
with high potential. Effective, it conveys an idea of surpassing oneself and adventure directly associated with its cinematic positioning. Proof by the object that nothing is more powerful than a very widely publicized subliminal message.
In the same group but at a higher price and therefore more elitist, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is carving out a path by capitalizing on its martial origins and the fact that it was the very first of its kind in the world of scuba diving. It disputes this priority with PANERAI, the Italian brand whose impressive and innovative watchmaking products for the time equipped Mussolini's commandos during the Second World War. It should be noted that this company is far from being the only one to have supplied special pieces to the armed forces. Many other brands, from the 1950s onwards, supplied timepieces to the newly formed elite groups. We are thinking in particular of Tudor who equipped the Marine Nationale and from which the highly appreciated and accessible Black Bay or the famous and attractive Pelagos.
On the fingers of the other hand
Now, almost every brand offers diving watches in their catalog. It's difficult to separate all these watches, once the five most famous and therefore the most sought-after have been mentioned. Everyone will shop among those whose creations correspond from a graphic and economic point of view to their tastes and their means. Some fans of pieces bearing illustrious names and associated with the world of the sea will look at the instruments offered by the manufacturer Ulysse Nardin, renowned since the 19th century for the quality and precision of its marine chronometers. The series Diver of the brand, original and excellently motorized, should be unanimous among fans of watchmaking exoticism. Others will look at the new Super Ocean beautification Breitling, still too often associated almost exclusively with the world of aviation. The brand offers pieces, particularly feminine ones, with the best effect.
Now that the big names have been reviewed, it seemed logical to look at the proposals of watchmakers whose catalog includes pieces that are part of the luxury references offered at slightly more reasonable prices. We are thinking of those from Longines , Tissot ou Hamilton, to speak only of the brands of the Swatch Group. But here we have chosen to be more original and look to Seiko, which, with its Prospex range, should be able to meet the demands of the most ambitious water sports enthusiasts who focus on efficiency above all else. In the same way, they will be completely satisfied with the pieces offered by the Swiss manufacturer Oris, whose diving watches are among its great specialties. Those in the Aquis range work wonders and are appreciated for their aesthetics as much as for their adaptability, particularly for freediving.
Finally, and because it is always good to include in a selection an outsider that most professionals do not think of, due to lack of culture to do so, we will remember the masterful Nautic-Ski of the French brand Lip. Back in the spotlight for a few years, this reference, long carried by Eric Tabarly and other water sports celebrities, is a concentration of history as well as a watch made for adventure that all slightly chauvinistic enthusiasts will enjoy wearing on their wrist. It will certainly be talked about because, original and effective, it is offered at a price that says nothing of the fabulous stories of men that it conveys to those who know how to look into its past.
Maintaining your diving watch
Talking about technical watch products is one thing, but we must also mention their maintenance, which requires a little more attention than for those called upon to accompany us in the urban adventure of everyday life. For these tools, we will always favor metal bracelets, easy to maintain by passing them under a stream of fresh water after immersion. Rubber is also fantastic but reacts badly to ultraviolet rays and saline agents over time. Just as we rinse after a trip to the beach, we should do the same for our watch using a soft, damp cloth. There is no point wearing it in the shower, the surfactants associated with the hot water coming out of the knob at 3 bars could be fatal if the model has not been checked before the vacation by a watchmaker (waterproofing check recommended every year for these tools ready for all
adventures). Also avoid leaving them on your wrist when napping in direct sunlight... their temperature can reach 50 degrees and the thermal shock when they come into contact with the water in the pool or on the beach can, again, be harmful to them.
Vincent DAVEAU
