By TLex 2011 has been another fantastic year for dive watches. We have seen some the most technically advanced, some the deepest, the most expensive and the most exotic divers models ever produced. Here are a few that stood out for me over the year, they are in no particular order . . .
Hi-END The release of OMEGA's new Planet Ocean family was not only of significance to the dive watch industry, but to the watch industry as a whole. I was lucky enough to get my hands on two of the new models, the PO Cal. 8500 and OMEGA's new flagship model, the Titanium Liquidmetal� Chrono, which houses their latest in-house movement, the Cal.9300
The Ball ENGINEER Hydrocarbon DeepQUEST is Ball's most technically advanced model to date. Its Titanium monobloc case boasts a water-resistance of 3000m.
ANONIMO Professionale C.N.S Although it's not a new model per-se, it was one of the dive watches released in 2011 that for me epitomized all that is great about dive watch design and engineering.
LUMINOX Deep Dive 1500 SERIES. A watch that can't be ignored, a milestone for LUMINOX and their most high-end model ever produced. I got to conduct an in-depth review of one.
HUBLOT King Power 48MM OCEANOGRAPHIC 4000. One of the deepest mechanical dive watches on the planet, but certainly not the prettiest, HUBLOT went for the over-designed, over-engineered look. Nevertheless a marvel of modern dive watch engineering.
BLANCPAIN X Fathoms After much hype and a lot of anticipation, the X Fathoms was unveiled. It may be the most technically advanced dive watch on the planet, but is it really a dive watch or just high-end mechanical dive computer?
BEST of the BOUTIQUES Newcomer H2O Watches have produced possibly one of if not the most customizable dive watch ever. Their base model the Kalmar has a water-resistance of 3000m, but was in fact tested to almost double that. H2O Watches continue to innovate with the use of exotic metals, such as Mokume Gane and Tungum.
ARMIDA's debut model the, A1 boasts an impressive highly domed crystal. The case design is original and it offers exceptional value for money.
BENARUS continue to do great things; not least of all was their special edition of the Megalodon III, the OceanicTime LE.
DAWN of the 2nd BRONZE AGE It would appear that there has been a bit of proliferation in the amount of bronze dive watches produced in 2011. Of those the PANERAI Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days BRONZO AKA PAM00382 has to be the most coveted. PANERAI made a couple of bronze prototypes in the early 80s, so in many ways pioneered the use of bronze in dive watch construction. Anonimo, who have a strong connection with PANERAI continued with that tradition as have ENNEBI with the Fondale BRONZO . . .
Happy New Year!
