Divers Watches: The True Depths of Fashion

The wristwatch, since its inception, has evolved. In its early days dust, water, and magnetism were big problems. Engineering advances in the 1920\'s and 30\'s made the watch more durable and more practical. Mens watches that are worn worldwide today are the beneficiaries of all that technology. A good example of this kind of fine engineering can be seen in a divers watch.

When divers watches first appeared on the market they were designed for professional and military needs. The first \"real\" divers was created by Omega SA in 1932. It was called the Omega Marine.

In the 1930s, shockproof mechanisms were developed. Also, lots of work went into combating magnetism. Some watches were encased in a soft-iron inner case. The most important improvement was in designing watch cases that would seal.

Panerai supplied the Royal Italian Navy with a watch that was waterproof up to 650 feet and it was luminescent as well. By 1953, Lip-Blancpain, Fifty Fathoms watch was on the market. This is the watch Jacques Cousteau wore in the underwater film \"Le monde du silence\". These watches later became recognized as designers watches.

In 1954 the Rolex Submariner divers\' watch was unveiled at the Basel Watch Fair. This coincided with the development of SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus), making diving a new sport for many. The Submariner became the watch of choice in the first ten James Bond movies.

In the 1960s, we saw a rise the commercial work happening in our oceans. Rolex developed a watch they called \"ultra water resistant.\" The Rolex Sea-Dweller Submariner was water resistant up to 2000 feet!

Divers wristwatches today are for the most part electronic, wrist dive computers. However, serious divers still wear a classic diving watch as a backup in case there is a computer malfunction.

Omega and Rolex still lead the way in watch technology. These companies overcame the problem of watches and water. Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex saw an opportunity and made Rolex a world famous brand. Wilsdorf saw that a hermetically sealed case and a better stem mechanism (one that sealed tightly) would make a better watch. The Rolex Oyster hit the market with a band. Today, these vintage watches are still a commercial success.

Wilsdorf himself said, \"With this invention, originally made to increase the precision of the Rolex watch, at the same time created the first waterproof wristwatch of the world. Like an oyster, it could remain in the water for an indeterminate period of time before being damaged.\"

Cartier and Omega followed suit, creating and improving the water resistance capabilities of their watches. The story goes that the Pasha of Marrakesh wanted to know the exact time while in his swimming pool. Cartier responded and created what is seen as the first luxury sports watch. These Swiss watches continued to experience significant technological advancements. Watch makers went so far as to actually \"over engineer\" the process, making watches that were water resistant to crazy depths like 200 meters. Most of us are looking for water resistance up to 5 meters.