Ocean Diver Watch Blog

Here are the final specifications for the Ocean Diver: 316L Solid Stainless Steel Brushed Case 42mm case width 20 mm lug width Overall thickness: 13.60 mm Screwed in lug bars Seiko lumibrite (similar to one used in Seiko Monster, so expect plenty of lume ) Limited production of 500 watches Unidirection internal rotating bezel (feature usually found only on high grade Swiss watch models) Flat Sapphire Crystal Seagull ST-16 automatic 17-jewel movement Screwed in crowns for both internal bezel and watch hands Waterproof hardened leather strap Stainless Steel See-through display case back 30 ATM Water Resistant (300m/1000ft)

Well the last minute upgrade modifications were too last minute as it turns out, but that's how it goes. We're sticking with the original design with a few minor upgrades - which I think is for the best and is what the watch forum members voted for after all. The other upgrades will definitely be taken into consideration for the next models. Domed anti-reflective crystal Flat anti-reflective crystal 44mm case 42mm case 22mm lug width 20mm lug width Solid Screw in lug bars Bead blasted Brushed finish Seiko LumiBrite luminous material Tooling is underway and the first prototype should be ready in two months. I can't wait to get a prototype in my hands and see/feel a real version of my design - still exciting!

Quick update: We are considering some last minute upgraded options for the Ocean Diver to improve its functionality and appeal to serious dive watch fans. Domed anti-reflective crystal 44mm case 22mm lug width Solid screw in lug bars Bead blasted or brushed finish Seiko LumiBrite luminous material Here's how the new upgrades might look. Not a significant change but some nice additional touches! These have not been confirmed, naturally cost and time are two major factors :)

Here is an example of the type of presentation case the Ocean Diver watches will be packaged in. The leather pouch will be made to closely fit the shape of the watch so that is protected during shipping and presented clearly when stored or just not being used for a while. On the inside of the case cover there is a small pocket just the right size to hold a credit card, operating instructions, or a small cleaning cloth. I really like the utilitarian design of this watch case, something that can be used one time for shipping or all the time for protection and traveling. The case cover is held securely closed by means of an elasticated strap that attaches to a button on the top of the cover, a simple but elegant solution. Many dive watch manufacturers have moved towards large, heavy, waterproof presentation boxes - like the Pelican boxes - but that seems like such a waste to me and not where I want to be spending my money. I can't wait to see a finished watch inside the case - what...

Luminescence that is. I was just told that the lume that will be applied to the dial will be almost identical to the type used by Seiko on its line of dive watches. That's great news. The Seiko dive watches have long been hailed as having the brightest and longest lasting lume of nearly all watches. To the left is the mock-up of the placement of the luminous material on the dial of my Ocean Diver - it's going to be a fantastic looking watch in the dark - very easy to read :) Below is an example of how bright the Seiko lume is compared to two watches that are using Tritium 'tubes'. Tritium is considered to be self illuminating and will stay bright for years, whereas traditional lume material is charged by bright light and stays that way for just a couple of hours. The high quality Superluminova-type material that s going to be used should please all of the lume-weenies on the watch forums!

The watch manufacturer has just sent me a sample of the type of watch strap that we are looking to use on my Ocean Diver watch. We wanted a strap that is similar to the Kevlar ones, but as that is a brand name (therefore $$$) and generally only available via Germany, it put it outside of the budget. The lug width for my watch will be 20mm, which is a very standard width for straps these days. The sample strap has a ballistic nylon outer shell that will not only be waterproof it will be very durable. The back of the strap is made with an incredibly fine grain leather that feels very comfortable to wear. The strap is thick (~4mm) and looks like it would survive a direct hit from a missile, but it is more than flexible enough and comfortable to wear. I'm wearing the strap right now on an old MWC Royal Navy diver watch that has 20mm lugs. The strap feels great and I'm looking to see if it gets any softer over time. Things are really moving along nicely...

As I said, the manufacturing company was unsure on the best way to make the internal rotating bezel that I had designed be 'unidirectional'. Well that may be fixed now and below you can see an image of how that mechanism would look.