The concept watch Ultra Deep, which broke the record by diving 10,928 meter down in 2019, has now dropped off 7 new versions that also can be worn.
We are in a colossal era for sub-ocean exploration, like in space exploration. Actually, 95 percent of life under the oceans, which covers more than 70 percent of the world, is still not discovered, and even after with research in the upcoming years, it seems that the history will be rewritten.
One of the Omega watches introduced today (a vivacious collection of colors, natural stones and women’s watches that are not accustomed to in Omega; we will talk about it in detail) will take its place in this re-writing, just like the first watch to land on the Moon. And this new watch is Omega Ultra Deep.
As its name suggests, the Ultra Deep is a watch that aims to go to “ultra-depths”. Indeed, we had originally met with this concept watch in 2019. The investor and idealist undersea explorer, retired soldier Victor Vescovo had three of these watches on his famous submarine while he was diving to the deepest point of the world.
This new version comes with one titanium and three steel versions (with 6 strap variations). The most crucial innovation is, of course, that we all can wear this new watch on our wrist, because the 2019 version, which is waterproof up to 15,000 meters, was for ocean exploration and was really difficult to be worn due to 28.5 mm thickness.
Victor Vescovo is one of a kind. History wrote him as the person who both climbed Mount Everest, the highest point in the world, and dived to the deepest point of the world (10,928 meters below); so, he went into the record book. Vescovo says that he started off by reading Jules Verne as a child.
Wondered about why the oceans cannot be explored, Vescovo launched the “Five Deeps Expedition”, which reminded the mountaineers of the Seven Summits goal between 2018-19 and made discoveries by diving to the deepest points of the world. All these explorations could be achieved by means of the submarine Limiting Factor, which he and his crew built in four years.
Director James Cameron dived twice to 10,890 meters with his Rolex in 1960 and 2012 to the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest point of the world; he was the first person who dived into this point. However, Vescovo dived 40 meters deeper than James Cameron and he achieved to dive more than once time with Limiting Factor. This submarine is the first commercially certified submarine that can dive many times in the company of a scientist, which means a lot for science. Vescovo explains how they could go to under the ocean several times, where they spend about 11-12 hours, because the outer layer of the submarine is titanium (a material that favorite of watchmaking world and quite talented; that’s why, Vescovo’s Omega was made of titanium).
After the Mariana Trench, Vescovo dived to the Southern Ocean, that has never been dived, and explored the deepest point of the Indian Ocean (he was also updated the information on Wikipedia), and with each dive he discovered several new species that previously unknown. Vescovo aims to explore sixty percent of the gold of the oceans.
First of all, the standard features of diving watches are well known and there are many similar models in the watchmaking world, yet Ultra Deep is one of the few officially ISO 6425 certified dive watch.
The timepiece has been tested such as legibility, magnetism, temperature cycling, waterproofness, shock and pressure resistance, helium gas resistance, and was entitled to write the phrase “for saturation diving”. All in all, we don’t know if can be dived much more deeper, but no matter where you are going, you will wear a watch that is safe in every respect.
Secondly, four patents are waiting for innovation in the making of the watch: two of these watches are related to the structure of the sapphire crystal, which provides optimum stress distribution. So much so that, an innovation has been made to the crystal glass during decompression.
Another reason is that the watch has passed the METAS tests and the revolutionary coaxial escapement and silicon caliber 8912 are added to the precision and anti-magnetic success (an undated movement 8900; also used the Ploprof and Seamaster 300).
The ceramic-coated titanium bezel of the watch is unidirectional, as usual; the NATO strap of the watch, which is completely made from fishing nets, is compatible with the watch. When it comes to case back, there is a laser-engraved seahorse. The “manta” lugs of the watch are one of its unique features.
And Steel…
And now, we see six versions of three different models in the new O-Megasteel alloy, which is harder, flexible, and lighter than steel. The case back is also made of titanium, and because of crown, sapphire crystal and case back, the watch has a structure that does not require a helium valve. There is a color range from orange to blue-white models and material options from rubber strap to steel bracelet; in my opinion, the most striking model will be orange version.
Exploration continues!
