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The Watches

Doxa Launches Slimmer SUB 200 C-Graph Series

Doxa thins and slims its SUB 200 C-Graph dive watch series, adding a selection of models with a 42mm diameter (down from the 45mm of the existing series from 2020) and a reduced thickness of 15.85mm. The new series, called SUB 200 C-Graph II, also boasts a new sunburst dial finish, all offered in the collections’s familiar six-colors.

One of six new DOXA SUB C-Graph II models, each available with a rubber strap or ‘beads of rice’ steel bracelet.

Despite its new size, the Doxa vintage-themed series retains its Tri-Compax dial layout, its unidirectional rotating steel bezel and its minute indication highlighted in white SuperLuminova. The White Pearl model (below) features a ceramic bezel.

A close look at the dials of the bright new SUB 200 C-Graph II watches reveals the details of the light-refracting sunburst finish.

Thin brushed lines, created by artisans using metal filament brushes, radiate outward from the center of the dial (like sun rays). The effect serves to illuminates each of the collection’s six dial colors.

Devised for long dive times, the SUB 200 C-Graph II allows up to twelve hours of time to be measured using the stopwatch function.

A sweep center-seconds hand begins its revolutions, when the chronograph is activated, and works in concert with minutes and hours registers.

Doxa fits each watch with an ETA-based automatic three-hand movement offering a power reserve of 56 hours and protected with 200 meters of water resistance. Prices start at $2,850 (see details below).

Specifications: Doxa SUB 200 C-Graph II

Case: 42mm by 46mm by 15.85mm stainless steel, screw-down crown,
sapphire crystal, unidirectional rotating bezel, solid steel back, screw-in.
Water resistance: 200 meters. 

Dial: Sunray-finished, available in the six colors of the collection, hour, minute and counter hands coated with Super-LumiNova. Bezel marker at 12 o’clock coated with white Super-LumiNova, Caribbean & SharkHunter models: Super-LumiNova on all markers, except the timer White Pearl ceramic model: no Super-LumiNova on the bezel.  

Movement: Swiss automatic, 3 hands, chronograph power reserve of approx. 56 hours, frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). DOXA decorations. 

Strap/Bracelet: Stainless steel “beads of rice” bracelet, attached by screws for a secure fit, folding clasp with wetsuit extension, embossed “DOXA fish” symbol
or FKM rubber strap, tone-on-tone color-matched with the dial. Buckle featuring the exclusive “DOXA Fish” symbol.  

Prices: Models with stainless steel bezel insert: 

Stainless steel bracelet: $2,890. Rubber strap: $2,850. 

Model with ceramic bezel insert: 

Stainless steel bracelet: $2,990. Rubber strap: $2,950. 

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American Brands

Benrus Reboots a ‘Robot’ Diver 

Benrus revives its 1972 “Orbit Robot” dive watch, remaking that model’s 41mm by 13mm cushion-shaped steel case, eye-catching grey fumé dial and orange accents. 

The new Benrus Orbit Robot.

The recently-revived U.S-based watchmaker, well known for its military field watches and dive watches, perfectly mimics the original Orbit Robot’s exterior dimensions and hues.

When reproducing the dial, Benrus notes that it took extra steps to “fully replicate the depth and radiance of the original grey watch model.”  At the dial’s center you’ll see a light grey metallic color that subtly darkens toward the bezel. The luminous orange-framed hands echo the original.

Inside, Benrus updates the new watch’s technical details, powering the Orbit Robot with a new Soprod P024 automatic movement.

The watch’s caseback features a custom Benrus robot orbiting the Earth.

A domed sapphire crystal covers the dial, held with stainless steel bidirectional friction-fit bezel and protected to 200 meters of water resistance with a screw-down crown and a solid, decorated caseback. Only the lug dimensions have changed, now measuring 20mm (inner lug size) to accommodate modern 20mm straps and bracelets.

Price: $995.

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The Watches

Blancpain Expands Fifty Fathoms  

On the seventieth anniversary of its groundbreaking Fifty Fathoms dive watch, Blancpain unveils the Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa, a new dive watch with a bezel that makes it possible to measure immersion times of up to three hours.

The new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa.

The bezel, and an accompanying hand that completes one revolution in three hours, combine to form an innovative new dive watch tool. Blancpain CEO Marc A. Hayek and diver and photographer Laurent Bellesta have filed for a patent for the mechanism at the heart of the new watch, which Blancpain first began to develop in 2019.

Blancpain launches the new watch as it also celebrates the tenth anniversary of Gombessa , an undersea research initiative that Bellesta and Blancpain helped create in 2013. The Tech Gombessa also marks the launch of a new line in Blancpain’s dive watch collection. 

Longer immersions

Bancpain explains that since the first Fifty Fathoms diver immersion times have notably extended, with the most experienced divers now capable of spending several hours underwater. Hayek and Ballesta devised the new three-hour timing mechanism to “meet the needs of all extreme divers, starting with the members of the Gombessa Expeditions whose research work involves long- duration deep dives.”

With an exterior that fits within the existing Fifty Fathoms family, the Tech Gombessa is nonetheless loaded with technical tweaks. 

Inside the 47 mm Grade 23 titanium case demonstrating 300 meters of water resistance, Blancpain fits a new movement, automatic Caliber 13P8 with an impressive five-day power reserve. In addition, Blancpain created a black ceramic bezel inlay instead of the traditional sapphire, which has been given a stronger curve and tilt (towards the dial).

Blancpain has also endowed the Tech Gombessa dial with a new ‘absolute black’ finish said to capture almost 97% of the light. The watch’s hour-markers luminescent block-shaped orange appliques with blue luminescence, colors that differentiate between time-related information and diving times. 

As with all Fifty Fathoms timepieces, the crown is screwed down, though here it is protected by a new crown guard with a trapeze-shaped design to match the watch’s new lug shape.

From the back, the wearer can see the new movement’s anthracite-colored oscillating weight, stamped with the Gombessa Expeditions logo, and which itself is given three large openings to better spy the movement. 

Finally, Blancpain will supply the Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa with a black rubber strap screwed to the back of the lugs. The strap is reinforced with titanium and is teamed with an extension for wearing the watch over a diving suit.

Owners will also receive the watch in a special water-tight presentation box that houses a rest for the watch, the strap extension, a travel pouch, a magnifying glass, as well as a set of dividers and cutting tools.

Price: $28,000.

Specifications: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa

Case: 47mm grade 23 titanium, helium valve, central lugs attached from the inside of the case middle.

Dial: Absolute black, luminescent orange block-shaped appliques with blue emission, unidirectional 3-hour scale bezel with black ceramic inlay tilted towards the dial with white luminescent green markers, 3-hour dive-time hand.

Movement: Caliber 13P8, self-winding with 5-day power reserve.

Bracelet: Integrated black rubber strap with extension.

Price:$28,000.

 

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The Watches

Ulysse Nardin Whitens a Diver X Skeleton

Ulysse Nardin extends its X-themed skeleton dive watch collection with the new Diver X Skeleton White, a 44mm titanium-cased model with an openwork dial and concave, rubberized white bezel.

The new Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton White.

As the latest X-series model thus far in the watchmaker’s dive watch collection, the watch underscores its white theme with white markers, a white crown protector and a white rubber strap. Under and around the large polished and satin-finished X-shaped dial bridge Ulysse Nardin sensibly offers clear view of the UN-372 automatic caliber.

As with the existing Diver X models, the movement is also quite visible from its clear sapphire back, which exposes the movement’s silicon escapement wheel, pallet and balance-spring. Also on display is the logo-marked rotor, gearing and barrel cover.

Ulysse Nardin insures that the polished and satin-finished titanium case is water-resistant to 200 meters. The watchmaker attaches the case to your wrist with a white rubber strap complete with ‘Ulysse Nardin’ element and titanium folding clasp, or with a white woven strap.

Ulysse Nardin’s Caliber UN-372.

Price: $26,400.

 

Specifications: Ulysse Nardin Diver X Skeleton White 

 

Movement: Manufacture caliber UN-372 skeleton automatic. Oversized oscillator in silicon, escapement wheel, anchor & balance spring in silicon. Frequency 3 Hz (21,600 vph).

Case: 44mm titanium polished & satin-finished, concave rubberized unidirectional rotating bezel, titanium open sapphire case back, Water resistance to 200 meters.

Dial: Skeleton X shape polished and satin-finished grey, grey indexes and hands with Superluminova.

Strap: White rubber with UN titanium element with titanium deployant buckle and

white fabric strap with scratch closing. Compatible with R-STRAP.

Price: $26,400

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The Watches

Vulcain Revives 1960 Dive Model 

Independent Swiss watchmaker Vulcain, best known for its Cricket mechanical alarm watches, revives its Nautique dive watch collection from 1960 with the new Skindiver Blue and Skindiver Black, a 38mm steel model offered in a blue or black dial option.

The new Vulcain Skindiver Black.

Both retro-styled dive models feature a modern ceramic fluted bezel insert, khaki brown Super-Luminova-enhanced hands and indexes, domed sapphire crystal and easy-to-read white markers.

The new Vulcain Skindiver Blue.

The retro update also includes a modern ETA 2824 automatic movement protected within a case made water resistant to 200 meters.

Based in Le Locle, Vulcain has made a name for itself for decades with its Cricket mechanical alarm watch. But under the relatively new product guidance of Guillaume Laidet, who oversaw the revival of Nivada Grenchen and Excelsior Park after starting and then selling his own brand William L. 1985, Vulcain has extensive plans to re-introduce itself to modern collectors and enthusiasts. Vulcain’s most recent Cricket reboot was met with a strong positive consumer reaction.

Vulcain offers the new watch on a leather strap with a black carbon pattern and matching stitching. The strap case be easily swapped with Vulcain’s own ‘quick-change’ system.

Price: $1,616.

Specifications: Vulcain Skindiver

References: Black version – VUL-DI-001 / Blue version – VUL-DI-002 

Movement: Automatic ETA 2824 with 38-hour power reserve.

Case: 38mm by 12.2mm 316L vertical-brushed stainless steel, domed sapphire crystal, unidirectional rotating bezel with black ceramic insert, polished stainless steel caseback. Water resistance to 200 meters.

Dial options: Matte black with white transfer print and khaki brown Super-Luminova-enhanced hands and indexes (VUL-DI-001) Vertical-brushed blue with white transfer print and khaki brown Super-Luminova-enhanced hands and indexes (VUL-DI-002) 

Strap: Black leather with carbon pattern and matching stitching, stainless steel buckle. 

Price: $1,616.

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