Aquadive Bathyscaphe 100 Blue Limited Edition 1000m Diver Swiss Automatic 43mm

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Review from OceanicTime 

BACKGROUND During the 60s and 70s, AQUADIVE were renowned for producing high-quality Swiss handcrafted dive watches, appreciated as much for their aesthetics as they were for their robustness and reliability. These iconic dive watches were not only essential diving instruments that professional divers depended upon for measuring dive-time, but also became great on-land companions.

Today with a combined experience of over 100 years in the watch industry, the people behind the Aquadive brand (re-lunched in 2011) are a passionate and knowledgeable group of aficionados, collectors and watchmakers, who wish to remain true to their heritage whilst incorporating many of the great advances that have been made in the dive watch industry over the last few years. The Bathyscaphe 100 Blue beautifully illustrates this direction . . .

AESTHETIC A true modern-vintage divers watch; combining classic vintage looks with subtle modern tweaks. The barrel shaped case, un-guarded crown, and high sitting bezel with ‘piano key’ teeth, the vintage dial and typically 70s looking white on blue bezel markings will appeal enormously to those who have an appreciation of true vintage watches or retro styled reinterpretations.

whilst the ceramic bezel insert, subtly integrated HEV (nestled neatly between the lugs) and re-engineered ISOfrane rubber divers strap will catch the attention of those that demand the very latest in divers watch technologies. The watch exudes quality whilst maintaining a robust and masculine feel.

DIAL The Blue 100 has a blue galvanized dial with applied baton SuperLuminova markers. The second markers and text are printed in white. There’s the ‘Aquadive’ name and logo on the top half of the dial, then there are three rows of text with the ‘Bathyscaphe 100’ name and some specification on the bottom half. 

BEZEL The Blue 100 features a 43mm Stainless steel 120-click type, uni-directional rotational divers bezel with a scratch-resistant Ceramic insert, engraved with an elapsed dive-time scale. The bezel markings are very cool and they reflect the watch’s 70s heritage.

The bezel has been milled on a CNC machine rather stamped as many bezels are. Each of its ‘piano key’ teeth have been individually cut and then polished by hand. The bezel is absolutely spot-on in terms of stability and movement. The clicks are clearly distinguished and with a satisfying clicking sound that comes from the laser-cut ratcheting spring.

CROWN The 100 Blue has multi-sealed, spring-loaded screw-down crown. Its design echoes that of the bezel teeth. It measures 7mm in diameter and has been signed with the ‘Aquadive’ logo. Because the crown is unhindered by a crown guard it is particularly easy to manipulate. The stem is rock-solid making winding, setting of the time and opening and closing simple and reassuring. The crown would certainly benefit from an extra mm or so in diameter.

HEV The HEV or ‘Helium Escape Valve’ has become a ubiquitous feature of the modern day professional divers watch. Though it is not really a feature that many scuba divers will ever use, as only deep sea SAT divers are required to decompress in helium decompression tanks. However boys being boys, we all want one – just in case! 😉 

I like Aquadive’s answer to this, rather than just plonking one on the side of case à la Rolex, they’ve opted for a stealthier placement between the lower lugs at 6 o’clock thus un-interrupting the beautifully brushed 70s vintage case side. Either that or they were just trying to be different, which don’t believe they were.

CASEBACK The solid steel caseback is a screwdown type with two rows of laser engraved text running round its perimeter and a large ‘Aquadive’ engraved logo in the center. Again the caseback has been CNC machined not stamped. 

MOVEMENT The 100 Blue is powered by the reliable workhorse that is the Swiss made ETA 2824-2 self-winding caliber with 25 jewel, Incabloc shock protection system, tested and regulated in 5 positions. The movement is shielded by a soft iron anti-magnetic casing.

STRAP / BUCKLE The 100 Blue comes on a genuine 24mm ISOfrane blue rubber divers strap with a solid CNC machined Stainless steel buckle. The strap is soft and comfortable to wear. ISOfrane rubber divers straps are among the very best that there are currently on the market in terms of comfort and durability.

BUILD Aquadive have successfully combined modern German case making technology with handmade Swiss craftsmanship to create a watch that has been beautifully built and finely finished. Aquadive don’t use any ‘off-the-shelf’ parts either. Each and every component of the 100 Blue has first been prototyped (at great time and expense) and then CNC milled in Germany from a solid block of high-grade Stainless steel.

Everything on the 100 Blue has been executed exceptionally well. No major flaws are visible to the naked eye despite being made using traditional old-world watch making methods. The case and bezel finishing is fantastic, top-notch!

If we consider the watch’s superb heritage, the fact that all of its components were CNC machined in Germany and that its dial hands, movement etc. are all genuine Swiss made components – at its price point it’s going to be pretty hard to beat.

BRAND: Aquadive

MODEL: Bathyscaphe 100 Blue

MOVEMENT: Automatic – Swiss

CASE: Stainless Steel

CROWN: Screw Down

SIZE: 43mm

LUGS: 22mm

DIAL: Blue Dial

BEZEL: Blue Ceramic rotating diver

CONDITION: Pre owned – As-New! – Open Warranty Card!

BOXES/PAPERS: Complete Set with Wooden Box Set, Warranty Card, Test Certificate, additional Stainless Steel Bracelet etc – everything you see in the pictures!

WATER RESISTANCE: – 1000m

STRAP/BRACELET: – 2 – Original Isofrane Blue Rubber Strap with Stainless Steel Buckle & Additional Brand New Stainless Steel Mesh Bracelet!

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