OceanicTime Round Up 2013

By TLex Here's a quick look at a few of the more significant releases of 2013. Happy New Year, folks! Stay tuned for the new 2014 Aquatimer family tomorrow! 

AQUADIVE proudly release their first high-end model, the Bathysphere 300 based on the vintage MODEL 51 and housing a twin barrel Swiss Manufacture movement with 5 days power-reserve.



AUDEMARS Piguet show off their new Royal Oak Offshore Diver CERAMIC at SIHH 2013 setting a trend for others to follow.



The vintage inspired BLANCPAIN Fifty Fathoms BATHYSCAPHE incorporates the very latest in watch industry technologies with a silicon balance-spring and a Liquidmetal® bezel insert!



BREITLING revamp and redesign the Avenger line. The new Avenger II family includes this the new Avenger II SEAWOLF.



Carl F. BUCHERER release their first ever divers model. The Patravi SCUBATEC has some really nice features.


CLERC release a baby brother for the Hydroscaph. The Hydrosaph H1 CHRONOMETER has a water-resistance of 500m.



Girard-Perregaux release the Sea Hawk CERAMIC; one of their edgiest designs to date. They also released two Limited Editions of the Sea Hawk for the Mission of MERMAIDS.



HELBERG release something dear to my heart, their take on the legendary Rolex DSS, the CH1.



This is the HUBLOT King Power Oceanographic 1000 CARBON, kind of cool but not exactly sober; it has a unique chronograph complication.



JAEGER-LeCoultre's Deep Sea Chronograph Vintage CERMET was an instant hit. Two variants were released, this and one with vintage colored lume.



JEANRICHARD gave their AQUASCOPE a new look for 2013. They released a couple of nice Limited Editions, the BOAT RACE and the KIND SURF.



MAURICE LACROIX keep the momentum going from the success of the 2012 Pontos S with a new vintage inspired version, the Pontos S Diver VINTAGE plus an EXTREME version with a composite case.



OMEGA release the Seamaster BULLHEAD Chronograph 2013, a reissue of the rare model from 1969.



OMEGA release a striking GMT, the Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT GoodPlanet.



ORIS release their first ever mechanical depth gauge watch, the new Aquis Titan Depth GAUGE, which applies the Boyle Mariotte Law to measure depth.



The PANERAI Luminor Submersible 1950 2500M 3 Days Automatic TITANIO. What's not to like; another 2500m beast from Panerai.



PANERAI Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Power Reserve Automatic BRONZO, Panerai's 2nd bronzo.



Another trend setter, the PANERAI Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic CERAMICA with vintage lume!



The WRV ''V'' Automatic 1977 SERIES II released by popular demand after 1st series sells out before the end of Basel, where it was unveiled!



OceanicTIme got the scoop on this very special watch from Steinhart, the Triton 30ATM Anniversary EDITION.



VintageVDB release over 15 different one of a kind and limited series models. The REBEL was one of the coolest!



Based on the ground-breaking cricket from the 70s, the Vulcain Nautical Cricket 1970 Limited Edition was released in ORANGE and then later on in BLUE.

ORIS Aquis Chronograph 2014

By TLex Here's a sneak peek at the 2014 Oris Aquis CHRONO, which will be unveiled at Basel next year. The most obvious change is its new black ceramic bezel, which replaces the tungsten inlay.



But also the 2014 version will be powered by a Sellita SW 500 automatic chronograph rather than a Valjoux 7750. MSRP will be around 2700 to 3000 euro depending on whether you choose the rubber diver strap or bracelet variant.

HUBLOT King Power 48MM OCEANOGRAPHIC 4000 Cheval Blanc RANDHELI

By TLex Hublot have unveiled this, the latest edition of the King Power 48MM Oceanographic 4000, the Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition paying tribute to the unspoiled beauty of the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives, where it is exclusively available from Cheval Blanc Randheli.



This is at least the 11th iteration of the 4000; in all honesty they aren't getting any better looking. There're a couple that I like, such as the Carribean and of course the original version. Still there's no denying the hardware itself, this is one of the most technologically advanced divers watches available today.



It is water-resistant to 4000 metres and meets with the exacting specifications of the NIHS, international standards of Swiss Watchmaking. Its seal was tested by Hublot in a ROXER tank, submerged and pressurized to the equivalent of 5000 meters. To ensure the water-tightness of the watch and to resist this extreme pressure, its Sapphire crystal is 6.5mm thick and its caseback engraved with the 'Cheval Blanc' motif and 'Randheli' text in yellow is made of grade 2 Titanium.



Further features include luminescent markers in Cheval Blanc Randheli yellow emitting a yellow hue allowing legibility from a distance of 25cm in the dark, an NIHS requirement that all 4000 watches meet. The watch comes with a white rubber strap with a buckle straps.

Happy Holidays

Wishing all friends and readers of OceanicTime a very Happy Holidays!

VintageVDB 2014 GMT Gold PVD

By TLex This cool watch is the Vintage-VDB 2014 GMT Gold PVD Special Edition.



Special features include a Gold PVD coating, gold hands, markers and VintageVDB text on the dial and an old school 'diver' silhouette at 6 o'clock.



The watch forms part of VDB's 4th annual production series, the 2014 - comprising of 5 other variants that include. 



Two steel models (a polished 3-hander and a bead blasted GMT), a Titanium GMT, a carbon model and an all matte black ceramic model. See also:
[2011, 2012, 2013].



The 2014 GMT Gold PVD is powered by a Swiss made ETA 2893-2 automatic movement. I am not sure how many pieces are available, but there are likely only few.



The watch is presented on custom black detressed leather strap and is supplied with an additional VDB custom rubber divers strap.

Follow the link embedded below for more on this and other models from Vintage-VDB . . .

Minuteman MM SERIES Water-Resistance TEST

By TLex Here's an update on the new American watch brand, MINUTEMAN. Each of Miuteman's MM01, MM03, and MM04 200m water-resistant tactical field watches were successfully tested to 30 bar the equivalent of 300 meters.



Dry tests, wet tests, and humidity tests were conducted on each watch to comparable standard that Rolex for example require on their divers models. Minuteman use a Roxer NATATOR 40 / 125 for these tests.



The first of the watches, which are being built by AWCI certified watchmakers, should have already started to ship with the all pre-orders on schedule to be filled by the end of January 2014. Minuteman plan to halt their pre-sale pricing and switch to regular retail pricing as of January 1st 2014.



Follow the link HERE for all the latest news on Minuteman . . .

AEVIG huldra Retro Diver PreORDER

By TLex These are the three HULDRA Retro Diver prototype watches from Aevig.



The Huldra is a 200 meter water-resistant mechanical diver, reminiscent of the popular dive watches of the 60s and 70s.



It is powered by the ever popular Japanese automatic movement, the Miyota 9015 caliber, which is comparable to (some say better than) the ETA 2824.



The Huldra comes in three colors: black, blue and orange. This first series consists of 100 pieces for each color.



Of the three, the blue with its beige hands and makers speaks to me. How about you?



Aevig have opened pre-orders for the Huldra. You can follow the link HERE if you wish to take part.

VintageVDB 2014 GMT Steel BLASTED

By TLex This the Vintage-VDB 2014 GMT Steel Pearl Blasted prototype watch and what a beauty it is!



The drawings really didn't do the watch justice, but I think we can now establish that the 2014 series promises to be every bit as good looking as the last 3 series were [2011, 2012, 2013].



The watch forms part of VDB's 4th annual production series, the 2014 - comprising of 5 different variants that include:



Two steel models (a polished 3-hander and a bead blasted GMT), a Titanium GMT, a carbon model and an all matte black ceramic model.



The 2014 GMT Steel Blasted is powered by a Swiss made ETA 2893-2 automatic movement; it will be limited to 30 numbered pieces.



It will be presented on Vintage-VDB's custom rubber divers strap with a large buckle to match its pearl-blasted case.



Follow the link embedded below for more on this and other models from Vintage-VDB . . .