Over the past few months I have had the pleasure of sitting down with (read: frequently emailing) Mitch Feig, owner and founder of Ocean7 Watch co. You might remember that I had the opportunity to review two Ocean7 watches (the G2 and LM-2) earlier this year, and I walked away impressed with the high quality, reasonable prices, great customer service, and client interaction. After getting to know Mitch a little better, I feel he is yet another reason to consider buying an Ocean7. He is a successful entrepreneur who spends his time answering questions on forums, and ensuring that customer feedback never falls on a deaf ear.

JS: Have you always loved watches?

MF: Yes, I have always loved watches.  I have a degree in computer science, but I studied watch making for two years, in the early 1990’s. I am comfortable working on mechanical watches including chronographs. I have a little experience with quartz movements.

View the Rolex Sea-Dweller photo gallery.

Without a doubt, the Rolex Sea-Dweller is one of my favorite watches of all time. It represents everything I look for in a watch of this sort: simplicity, quality, functionality, and stark beauty.

The Sea-Dweller is one of the less common Rolex sport models. While the Submariner is produced in several combinations of materials and colors, there is only one Sea-Dweller. It is only available in all stainless steel, and only with a black dial and black bezel. Rolex designed the Sea-Dweller purely as a dive tool — not a fashion accessory.

Features of the Rolex Sea-Dweller:

• Guaranteed waterproof to 1,200 meters, or 4,000 feet (that's significantly higher than the 1,000 foot rating of the Submariner).
• 40mm stainless steel case which sits 14.5mm high.
• Ultra-thick synthetic sapphire crystal.
• Unidirectional rotating bezel with a corrosion resistant anodized aluminum insert.
• No date magnifier. I don't mind the "cyclops" on my Explorer II, but I prefer the cleaner look of the Sea-Dweller.
• Helium escape valve. Developed in cooperation with the French industrial diving company, Comex, the helium escape valve allows helium molecules to safely escape without popping the crystal off the watch during decompression (I told you this is a hardcore dive tool).
• Dive extension. The dive extension on the Sea-Dweller is actually nothing to write home about, but it's sufficient. This is one of the biggest improvements of the new Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA.
• Triplock screwdown crown. The Triplock system uses an additional rubber gasket (clearly visible when the crown is unscrewed) beyond the Twinlock system used on many other Rolex sport models like the old GMT Master II and the Explorer II. The crown threads beautifully, and feels incredibly robust and secure.
• Quick-change and quick-set date. Quick-change means that the date changes over to the next day instantly almost exactly at midnight (as opposed to changing gradually over the course of several minutes before and after midnight). Quick-set means that you can set the date while the crown is pulled out to the second position rather than having to change the time in order to change the date.

Some other interesting facts about the Rolex Sea-Dweller, and Rolex in general:

View the Immersion Prowler photo gallery.

Up for review today is a dive computer wristwatch from a lesser known Italian company: The Immersion Prowler. It's a digital data logger, dive computer, and full-featured watch, all in a 200m (660ft) water-resistant housing.

Let's start with the feature list:

• Stainless steel case with rubber side guards.
• Integrated rubber strap with machined buckle and clever strap retainer. It's also long enough to easily go over a 1cm wetsuit.
• Swiss-made depth sensor.
• Dive mode which starts automatically by the pressure sensor on the left side (more on this below). In dive mode, it logs the min and max depths for each dive.
• Always-visible temperature sensor, in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
• Film supertwist nematic LCD. These are the ones with a brilliant green hue from certain angles which makes it very readable.
• Electroluminescent backlight for the entire display.
• Battery life indicator. Around the outside of the dial from about 5:30 to 9:30, there is a 11-bar battery "gas gauge" that shows remaining battery life. In a safety-critical item like a dive computer, this is a great feature.
• In dive mode, the backlight comes on automatically when you tilt your wrist, as do many Casio G-shock watches. Nice touch.
• The dive log records a total of 50 dives, with log date & time, max depth, min depth, and temperature at each recorded data point.
• Sleep mode. You can have the display turn itself off after a configurable interval, to be instantly activated on any button press. Also an excellent idea, especially for a watch that you may only break out a few times a year.
• Fast ascent warning. An alarm warns you that you are surfacing too rapidly and are risking the bends.

There is also a full complement of digital watch features:

View the Ball Engineer Master II Diver photo gallery.

If you're looking to put something a little different on your wrist, you owe it to yourself to consider a Ball.

I came across Ball watches when I was looking for something distinctive and unique; something that combines the tradition of a good automatic movement with modern functionality; something that stands out without being ostentatious. The result was the Ball Engineer Master II Diver you see here.

The best way to appreciate the Engineer Master II Diver is to consider its impressive list of features:

• ETA 2836-2 automatic movement.
• Tritium gas tube illumination (more on this below).
• Inner rotating timing bezel with gas tube illumination (more on this below).
• Beautiful domed sapphire crystal.
• Day and date, both large and readable.
• Shock resistant to 5,000Gs.
• Antimagnetic to 4,800A/m.
• Water resistant to 300 meters, or about 1,000 feet.
• Dual screwdown crowns (one for the movement, one for the inner rotating bezel), as well as a screwdown caseback.
• 42mm brushed stainless steel case, and a unique brushed stainless steel bracelet with a hidden clasp.

As you can see, this is an extremely impressive set of features for a $1,899 Swiss watch (Ball watches were once American made, closely associated with the emergence of the railroad, but the brand was purchased by a Swiss company in the 1990s). Of particular note is the tritium illumination system. The Ball Engineer Master II Diver has no fewer than 53 individual micro gas tubes, making it the most nighttime-readable and functional analog watch I've ever seen. Even the inner rotating bezel and bezel pearl use tritium tubes for diving in dark conditions.

View the Kobold Soarway Diver photo gallery.

I've wanted a Kobold watch for pretty close to three years now. The first Kobold I fell in love with was the Polar Surveyor since it has both a chronograph, and a 24-hour hand. When I went through a military watch phase, I was dying for the Kobold Phantom. And I've always been a huge dive watch fanatic, so the Kobold Soarway Diver SEAL was a big temptation. But when I was recently fortunate enough to get my hands on almost the entire Kobold collection at one of the very few authorized Kobold dealers, the one that seemed to make the most sense for me was the Kobold Soarway Diver (non-SEAL version).

Kobold watches are known for their substantial cases which are usually between 41mm and 44mm wide (without their prominent crowns), and 15mm to 17.75mm tall. That's a pretty big watch for my relatively small arm. The Kobold Soarway Diver uses the very slim ETA 2892 movement, however, which allows the case to be a mere 10.25mm high — in my opinion, the perfect size.

I was also lucky enough to find a very special Soarway Diver. It turns out that James Gandolfini of Sopranos fame is a big Kobold fan, so when the show ended last year, he ordered 400 custom made Kobold Soarway Divers for the cast and crew. A very small number of these watches ended up being sold by crew members who, having little appreciation for fine timepieces, decided they'd rather have the cash than the souvenir. Being a huge Sopranos fan, when I was lucky enough to come across one, I snatched it up immediately.

Breitling's newest watch to come out of Basel this year is the Avenger Seawolf Chronograph. Combining the versatility and reliability of the Avenger line with the water resistance of the Seawolf, Breitling seems to be getting as serious about diving as they are about aviation.

Breitling is touting the new Avenger Seawolf as the worlds only chronograph to be water tight and operational at depths up to 1,000 meters (3300 feet). This is impressive, but not entirely true. The Sinn U1000 also has the ability to remain operational at the same depths as the Breitling, but that just means they are in good company.

Breitling has developed new proprietary technology that makes their calibre 73 SuperQuartz operational at extreme depths. By using magnetically activated pushers, the pushpieces can be activated through the case with no direct contact with the module inside, keeping the watch perfectly sealed. The SuperQuartz movement is also thermo compensated which means it can account for the changes in temperature that make most quartz modules lose or gain time. The result is that the Avenger Seawolf is some ten times more accurate then a standard quartz movement.

In addition to the standard chronograph feature, the Breitling Avenger Seawolf has a "regatta timer" that will measure in ten minute scales for the beginning of a yacht race. The case is brushed stainless steel, and incorporates a helium release valve for extreme saturation diving, and a sapphire crystal.

Being a diehard Breitling fan, I really think they have a winner on their hands as this piece is gorgeous, functional, understated, and impenetrable.

By James Stacey

At BaselWorld 2008 this year, Rolex announced an update to their already amazing, top-of-the-line diver: The Rolex Sea-Dweller. They're calling the new model the Rolex Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA. The DEEPSEA has several changes from the original Sea-Dweller:

• As with the new Yacht-Master 2, it's more heavily branded. The previous Sea-Dweller was notable for its restraint; this one adds the "ROLEX" repeated around the chapter ring, additional blurbs on top of the "ringlock", and "DEEPSEA" above the center. At least there's still no cyclops (date magnifier), and thankfully, they did not add polished center links like the new GMT Master 2.
• As with the Anniversary Submariner and new GMT Master 2, the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA gets the new "maxi-dial" which means that the hour markers are larger, and both the the minute hand and the hour hands are slightly wider.
• The depth rating increases from silly to ludicrous: 1,220m (4,000ft) on the original to 3,900m (12,800ft) on the DEEPSEA.
• The crystal goes from flat thick sapphire to domed thick sapphire.
• New super-hard ceramic bezel with platinum-filled numbers. We first saw this design on the new GMT Master 2.
• Much-improved ratcheting clasp that increases in 1.8mm increments.
• The caseback goes from flat stainless steel to a titanium/steel alloy.
• The new "Ringlock System", which is a stainless steel ring under the crystal that absorbs some of the pressure.
• New blue-colored lume on the dial and bezel dot — very cool!.
• Larger case with slightly updating styling.

As before, it has a helium escape valve, which only matters if you do saturation diving. The movement is the same 3135, but with the addition of the new antimagnetic Parachrom Blue hairspring which we've discussed before on the Rolex Milgauss.

Price was not announced, but expect it to be steep. The Sea-Dweller has always been one of their more expensive models, and these updates certainly won't make it any cheaper. (We'll update this article when pricing is available.)

I was honestly a bit surprised to see this update. Rolex is usually slow to revise or introduce new models, and they've done several in the past year or two: The Anniversary Submariner, The Rolex Milgauss, The new Yacht-Master 2, the new GMT Master 2, the Cellini, and now the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA. While I don't always like the results, I'm delighted to see Rolex increasing the pace and updating their classic styles. Bravo!

By Paul Hubbard

View the Seiko SKA367 photo gallery.

One of the things I enjoy about wearing Seikos is that there's so much to discover post-purchase. Often, a watch will have a coherent style that you find you enjoy long after it originally caught your eye. Let's take a closer look at a mid-line Seiko Diver to see what I mean.

Meet the Seiko SKA367, a yellow-faced Kinetic quartz dive watch with a typical complement of features:

• Waterproof to 200m (660ft).
• Stainless steel case with Hardlex mineral crystal.
• Quick-set and quick-change date window at 3 o'clock.
• Power reserve button to check battery level.
• Six month power reserve if not worn, with low-battery warning.
• Screwdown crown and caseback.
• 48mm wide by 15mm high.
• Stainless steel bracelet with dive extension (also available with a rubber strap).
• Lumibrite (Seiko's very bright luminescent paint) on the hands, bezel dot, and indices for nighttime readability.
• List price of $475, with street price of around $360.

When you first see the Seiko SKA367, the yellow face and high-contrast black hands leap out at you. The dial is eminently readable, and a very cheerful yellow color. The crown also has a yellow highlight band that matches the dial and lends the watch a nice stylistic coherence.

Suunto recently introduced an entry level dive computer that they're calling the D4. It's not as complex as either the D9 or the Vyper we covered previously; rather, Suunto describes it as "the introductory model in the Suunto diving line". When you're talking about Suunto, however, even "introductory" means an astounding number of features for both SCUBA divers, and free divers:

• Standard digital watch features like 12/24 hour display, dual time, date, daily alarm, and stopwatch with split time.
• Four modes: time (for when you're not diving), free dive (for diving without a tank), air (for diving with standard air), and nitrox (for diving with different gas mixtures).
• Dive planning and analysis functions. The "no-stop-time planner" can help you plan a dive that requires no decompression stops.
• Sophisticated free dive data measurement including depth sampled at three times per second, maximum depth, surface time, deepest dive of the day, longest dive of the day, and more.
• Data transfer function which allows you to download data from the watch to the Suunto Dive Manager PC desktop software.
• Audible and visual alarms for dive time and depth.
• In dive mode, current depth, maximum depth, current time, dive time, decompression time, and temperature.
• Suunto's "Deep Stop RGBM" algorithm (Reduced Gradient Bubble Model).
• Adjustable for altitude and personal settings.
• Multi-step ascent rate indicator.
• Battery power monitor and warning function so you don't find yourself diving with a dead battery.
• Glass face, metal/composite housing.
• Metric or imperial units for display.
• Bitmapped display capable of showing graphs as well as numbers and text.
• Up to 240-hour profile and logbook memory.

Unlike a lot of dive computers, the D4 looks more like a general outdoors/fitness watch, and would even be very reasonable as a daily wearer. I really like Suunto's use of bitmapped displays; as with the X9i and Lumi, they let you convey a lot of information very clearly, as well as graphs, big numbers, and so forth.

Street price for the Suunto D4 is around $500 USD, and should be available any day now ("early 2008"). You won't find the D4 or other Suunto dive computers in mall watch stores, however. Suunto considers these watches sophisticated dive computers, and only sells them through dive shops and related retail outlets.

We've talked about American watchmaker RGM here before, and Roland Murphy's small company which produces exquisitely made high-end watches. It looks like RGM is now stepping into the very exciting world of professional dive watches with the new and beautiful RGM Model 300.

Features of the RGM Model 300 include:

• Brushed stainless steel case.
• Water resistant to 2,500 feet, or about 750 meters.
• 5mm thick flat sapphire crystal (that's extremely thick).
• Anti-magnetic casing.
• 43.2mm wide, and 15.7mm thick.
• Modified ETA 2892 movement.
• Double gasket screwdown crown, and double gasket caseback.
• Unidirectional ratcheting bezel with black aluminum insert.
• Date.
• Your choice of two different dials: glossy or matte.
• Available with a 22mm strap, or a brushed stainless steel bracelet with dive extension.

The price is $3,500 which is actually pretty good compared to some of its high-end competition like the Rolex Submariner, Sea Dweller, or Omega Planet Ocean. We're big fans of dive watches here at Watch Report, so we're very please to see RGM branching out like this. We'd love to get our hands on one of these and put it up against a Sea Dweller.

View the Ocean7 G-2 Photo Gallery.

After our review the Ocean7 LM-2, we were anxious to get our hands on more from Ocean7. This time, we thought we'd trying something a little different: the Ocean7 G-2 Dive Chronograph. I've always been a sucker for dive chronographs like the Seamaster Pro Chrono and the Panerai Luminor 1950 Flyback diver, so I was very pleased when the G-2 showed up at my door.

Let's start with the specifications on this beast of a diver:

• Brushed Stainless Steel case and five-link bracelet.
• 42mm diameter.
• 17mm thick.
• 4mm thick sapphire crystal (same thickness as the crystal on the Rolex Sea Dweller).
• Water resistant to 660 feet, or 200 meters.
• Swiss quartz movement.
• Carbon fiber dial.
• $449 directly from Ocean7.

The Ocean7 G-2 Chronograph is a professional tool dive watch that brings Ocean7's design philosophy together with a highly accurate quartz chronograph. From the moment I first pulled the G-2 from its wooden box — actually, from the moment I first lifted the box — one thing became very clear to me: this was no lightweight timepiece. You can forget about every other heavy watch that comes to mind because the Ocean7 G-2 probably has them all beat. It perches proudly, prominently, and massively on your wrist, though it does tend to wear slightly lighter than it feels in your hands.

I've written about Sinn watches before, and in particular, their commitment to innovative engineering. Now it looks like they have outdone themselves once again with a new dive chronograph (stopwatch). Meet the Sinn U1000, a mechanical watch waterproof to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), and available in either steel or PVD black.

As with the other Sinn watches, this one is made from Tegimented steel which is both harder and more corrosion resistant than the normal 316L-grade steel. Innovations like argon gas filled case, copper sulphate crystals (to dehumidify), and ultra-wide-temperature-range oil are all present and accounted for in the U1000. (To learn more about these innovations, see Introduction to Sinn: a Convergence of Watchmaking and Engineering.) The crystal is, as you would expect, domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating.

One feature that's new is the ability to use the chronograph underwater. It's not often mentioned, but almost every other chronograph cannot be used while submerged. The action of the buttons is very difficult to seal, so they are generally equipped with locking screws to hold them in place while diving. Sinn has managed to engineer a solution which is doubly impressive given that it works down to the full 1,000 meters of the U1000's range.

They also moved the crown and pushers to the left to keep them from digging into your wrist, and enlarged the pushers for use while wearing gloves. After all, if you do dive anywhere near that far down, it gets cold, and you'll need a pair. Since this is rated to -45° (Celsius or Fahrenheit — the two almost converge down that low), glove-friendly buttons make a lot of sense. The Sinn U1000 is also rated to +80°C (176° Fahrenheit), which is, of course, way warmer than you want to get.

The movement is based on the reliable ETA/Valjoux 7750, but Sinn innovated here too. After some modifications, the movement has a 60-minute sum at the 6 o'clock position, replacing the normal 30-minute dial. Much easier to read and use. The hour counter is above it at the 12 o'clock position. They also have a seconds subdial at 3 o'clock position that is black-on-black and very unobtrusive. Overall, it's a very readable, distinctive, and functional face.

View the Ocean7 LM-2 Photo Gallery.

Ocean7 Watch Company is the brainchild of owner Mitchell Feig who knows that to make it in the watch business, you need to produce a unique and endearing product, carve out a niche, and stick to your core competencies. As the name suggests, Ocean7 makes watches designed to function in aquatic environments; their current lineup consists entirely of dive watches.

Ocean7 Watch Company is what we call a transparent operation which means they keep close, even personal, connections with the people who have bought, and will eventually buy, their watches. From the beginning, Ocean7 started building not only watches, but watch collectors. Daily, one can find Mitch conversing with owners, collectors, and soon-to-be both on the Ocean7 forum and the Watchuseek Ocean7 forum. This is how Mitch gets input and advice from the most important watch connoisseurs in the world: his customers. The idea of a watch company listening to its customers about case size, dial style, hands etc. seems simultaneously amazing and painfully obvious, and has lead to increasingly impressive timepieces.

Just a few days ago, I received the Ocean7 LM-2, a titanium clad beast of a watch that is best described as striking. Let's start with some specifications:

View the Luminox Navy Seal Photo Gallery.

I look at a lot of different metrics when evaluating and reviewing a watch, however there's one metric that I hold above all others: wrist time. Wrist time is simply the amount of time I wear a watch beyond the amount of time needed to review it.

The Luminox Navy Seal does very well in this category. Although I can't pinpoint exactly why, I've been wearing it pretty consistently for weeks. I think it's a combination of comfort, tritium gas tube illumination (which I've really come to love), high-contrast readability, and overall value. How do I judge the overall value of a watch? Let me put it this way: the Luminox Navy Seal isn't the most sturdy watch I own, but if I ever managed to destroy it, I would have no problem spending the money to replace it, and would probably do so at the first opportunity.

That's not to say I expect to destroy it. The Luminox Navy Seal is a relatively inexpensive watch made from relatively inexpensive materials, however it's quite sturdy (don't confuse inexpensive with cheap). The polymer case is very solid, the crown is protected, and the mineral glass crystal should stand up to anything but a hard direct impact.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again: I love the tritium gas tube illumination system which allows the hands and hour indices to glow brightly and consistently for 25 years without having to absorb light. Since I don't use an alarm clock, and since I have kids who feel compelled wake me up throughout the night, I love always being able to easily read off the time. The Luminox Navy Seal is more than comfortable enough to wear to bed, so I've gotten in the habit of putting it on at night (if I'm not already wearing it), and wearing it all the way through my workout the next morning. Now that I have other watches to review, it usually has to come off when I get out of the shower, but occasionally I'll continue wearing it throughout the day.

Features of the Luminox Navy Seal 3001 include:

The Tissot Seastar 1000 is an entry-level Swiss automatic in the diver segment. The most current version dates back to 2004, but the Seastar name has been around for more than 30 years. Currently, the Seastar is offered in the following versions:

1. Silver dial with a stainless steel bracelet.
2. Blue dial with a stainless steel bracelet.
3. Black dial on a rubber strap.

The review model is a custom combination of the black dial with an upgrade to the stainless bracelet.

View the MTM Black Seal photo gallery.

I did my first review of an MTM Special Ops watch almost exactly two years ago. If I remember correctly, it was the only MTM model available at the time. MTM is now up to no fewer than eight different models with a very impressive selection of materials, finishes, and features. Although each MTM model is interesting in its own right, the new MTM Black Seal Xtreme Dive Watch stands out as an unusual and impressive feat of engineering.

You may remember the MTM Black Seal from an article we did last month on extreme dive watches. The most notable feature is the fact that it's completely waterproof. What's the difference between being waterproof and water resistant? The easiest way to explain it is that the MTM Black Seal is completely unambiguous in its claims regarding water and pressure resistance: the Black Seal has been proven in a Swiss laboratory to remain fully intact at the deepest known point on earth, the Mariana Trench, which is about 12,000 meters, or about 39,370 feet.

MTM's secret is the silicon oil filled case which is designed to equalize the pressure exerted on the watch in a way which makes it virtually compression-proof. There are a few other watches out there which make the same claim, but none with quite the unique feature set of the MTM Black Seal:

View the Seiko Orange Monster photo gallery.

After James' review of extreme dive watches, I'd like to bring you back to Earth with a review of a modern classic: the Seiko Orange Monster.

Introduced in early 2001, and officially called the SKX781, this bold diver from Seiko quickly inherited its nickname from its older sibling, the "Black Monster" (SKX779). There are also more expensive limited editions available in blue, yellow, PVD black, and red.

Let's start with some specifications:

Citizen is generally less well known than Seiko for their dive watches, however they do offer some very interesting pieces (e.g. a 1,000m mechanical nicknamed "Autozilla"; a 300m Eco-drive called "Eco-zilla"; and a new 200m Eco-Drive known as "Orca", among others). Adding to their innovative diver collection, and challenging what it means for a dive watch to be considered a "diver", Citizen now has a new line of Eco-Drive divers with chronographs and alarms. At the head of the pack is the BL5315-50E.

The Citizen BL5315-50E

At 44mm of stainless steel, it's large but understated. Features include:

• Stainless steel case and bracelet
• Perpetual calendar (nice!)
• Eco-Drive (4-month power reserve)
• 1-hour stopwatch
• 12/24 time and dual time zone support
• Alarm
• Water resistant to 200 meters, or about 660 feet
• Mineral crystal
• Unidirectional ion-plated ratcheting bezel
• 44mm case, not counting the crown (nice and chunky)

There are several similar versions available with slightly different colors and looks. The BL5314-52E is the most expensive at $475 while the BL5334-04E sits at the lower end at $375.

Citizen really seems to be stepping up their game lately. Lots more to come.

TechnoMarine Abyss

Dive watches come in all shapes and sizes, and are available at all different price points. Most watches with a uni-directional rotating bezel and the ability to fit over a wetsuit claim more water resistance then most of us will ever need: usually around 100-200 meters. But the watches I cover in this article go way deeper than your typical diver; deeper than the current 1,220 meter Rolex Sea Dweller; deeper, even, than the Breitling Steelfish which maxes out at a comparably casual 2,000 meters. There are a handful of watches out there that can literally scrape the bottom of the deepest known parts of the ocean, and I call these watches "extreme divers".

The TechnoMarine Abyss

First up is the TechnoMarine Abyss. This avant-garde brand throws down an interesting looking watch that is ready to dive. The Abyss is a 42.5mm quartz-powered stainless steel dive watch which, at $650, represents the cheapest of the extreme divers. Although suspiciously light on details, TechnoMarine claims the Abyss can withstand 12,000 meters of water, or about 39,600 feet, which is about as deep as deep gets. This model comes in a choice of dial colors (blue, black, orange, silver, and yellow), and is outfitted with a mineral crystal. Something that sets the Abyss apart from the other extreme divers is the day of the week in additional to the date. Like all the extreme divers, the case of the Abyss is filled with silicone oil to keep the pressure equalized, and it has a very prominent air bubble which will undoubtedly draw bewildered looks and plenty of questions from perfect strangers.

Suunto, a long-time maker of sophisticated sports watches, also has a line of very nice dive computers for both recreational and professional use. In addition to standard timing features, Suunto dive watches will monitor your air pressure, measure depth and water temperature, and compute things like remaining dive time and decompression stops. These watches are not toys -- they are tools to keep divers alive, and hence are priced accordingly.

Suunto has just announced updates to the D9 which is now available with either a rubber strap or a titanium bracelet. Features of the Suunto D9 include:

• Air, nitrox, and gauge modes. Air mode is for diving with standard air, nitrox allows you to use up to three different gas mixtures, and gauge mode is for free-diving (diving without any tank at all).
• Integrated digital compass.
• Altitude adjustment in case your dive doesn't start from sea level (as may be the case with lakes).
• Optional wireless transmitter which attaches to the high-pressure port on your tank and sends pressure data to the D9.
• Low battery warning -- essential for preventing a diver from finding a dead computer mid-dive.
• Temperature measurement.
• Multiple decompression modes.
• All the expected digital watch functions (12/24h modes, multiple alarms, dual time zones, stopwatch, clock, calendar).
• USB interface with PC software for downloading dive logs.
• Graphical interface for depth and dive time.
• Maximum depth reading of 200 meters, or 660 feet.

The Vyper2, a slightly less fancy computer that can also be worn as a gauge, lacks the graphical abilities of the D9 and the pressure transmitter, but it does have all of the dive computer and logging features. It also has larger buttons than the D9 which are probably easier to operate with gloves on.

The Vyper2 will be available "early 2007" as will the titanium version of the D9. The D9 is available in rubber now with a street price of approximately $970 to $1,800, depending on the retailer.

By Paul Hubbard

For many years now, Seiko has sold a line of mechanical dive watches based on the trusty 7S26 movement (the heart of the watch). They retail for under $200, they are well made and reliable, and they are generally considered to be excellent "beaters".

The problem is that the 7S26 movement is burdened with a couple of design compromises: you can't wind it by hand, and it is a non-hacking movement, which means that when you pull the stem out all the way, the movement doesn't stop as you might expect (making it very difficult to set the watch with much accuracy). Of course, Seiko sells several other watches with better movements, but they cost more.

As of April 2007, that's about to change. Seiko is introducing three new divers based on the 6R15 movement which is more accurate, can be wound by hand, and can be hacked. With stainless steel cases, they come in black (SBDC001), blue (SBDC003), and orange (SBDC005), and will be priced at $428 (63,000 yen).

The 6R15 divers cost a bit more then their predecessors, but still represent excellent value for the money, and are generating a lot of interest on the net. I can safely predict that they'll displace the 7S26 divers from a lot of wrists.

By Paul Hubbard

I can't deny that I'm a big Rolex fan. But for a watch enthusiast to love Rolex is a little like a basketball fan saying he loves Michael Jordan. It's sort of unoriginal, and even a little pedestrian. But I make no apologies for my tastes. I think Rolexes are some of the best made and most beautiful watches in the world.

I have a GMT Master II and a Sea Dweller (review coming soon), but the quintessential Oyster Professional Rolex is the Submariner. I'm hoping to make one large watch purchase in 2007, and I'm trying to decide if it's going to be an Omega, a Breitling, or the Submariner. And if I do go with the Submariner, should I try to pick up the commemorative 50th anniversary model? While doing some research on the "Kermit", I came across some interesting Submariner history:

• Rolex introduced the very first waterproof watch in 1929 called the Oyster.
• Rolex started development on the Submariner in 1952, and the first model was introduced in 1953.
• While the Submariner was being developed, a prototype was subjected to 132 dives up to depths of 60 meters over 5 months, and came through it all perfectly.
• The Submariner was the first watch in the world to have a rotating bezel.
• The luminous triangle at the 12 o'clock position was initially intended to be red, however red is the first wavelength to be lost underwater, so testers asked that it be made white instead.
• The codename for the Submariner while under development was Frogman. Other names that were considered were the Deep-Sea Special (isn't that a dish at Red Lobster?) and the Nautilus.
• Initially waterproof to 100 meters, the depth rating was increased to 200 meters in 1954, then 300 meters in 1979.
• The first Submariner with a date complication was launched in 1969, along with the first gold model.
• In 1979, the plexiglas crystal was replaced with the nearly scratch-proof synthetic sapphire crystal still used today.
• In 2003, Rolex released the 50-year commemorative model with a unique green bezel and a redesigned dial.

I should note that the change in the anniversary model's dial is not to be taken lightly as Rolex puts an immense amount of consideration into their designs (which is why they are so classic and widely replicated). The anniversary Submariner has what is referred to as the maxi-dial which means that the hour markers are larger, and the minute hand is slightly wider (making it more visible, especially in the dark since it holds more luminescent paint). It is speculated that other Oyster Professional Rolex models (the GMT Master II, Explorer II, and the Sea-Dweller) will adopt the maxi-dial which seems to have been pioneered by the Yacht-Master.

View the Seiko Kinetic Scubamaster photo gallery.

It took a long time to add the Seiko Scubamaster "Stingray" to my collection of divers. I don't remember where I first came across this watch, but since the moment I saw it, I was smitten. After over a month of frantic and persistent searching, I finally came across someone who was willing to part with the exact watch I was looking for. That was about a year ago, and despite all the other watches I've gotten since, it continues to see more than its fair share of wrist time.

The Seiko Kinetic Scubamaster is not the most expensive watch I own, but it is probably the rarest and most unique. In fact, I think it comes pretty close to being the ultimate diver watch. It is feature rich, extremely tough, very accurate, and has a bold, distinguished look. Here's a feature-by-feature breakdown:

If you're a Seiko fan, then you've probably heard of the Seiko Orange Monster. It's a must-have for all Seiko collectors. And if you're a real Seiko diver fanatic, you might even have the Seiko Yellow or Black Monsters, as well. But now, there's a new monster to add to your collect: the Seiko Blue Monster.

The Seiko Blue Monster (Ref. SKZ213K1) is a beautiful, limited edition piece. Features include:

• Thick, brushed stainless steel case.
• Domed sapphire crystal.
• Uni-directional rotating bezel.
• Screw-down caseback.
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet.
• Screw-down crown (at the four o'clock position).
• Luminescent hands and hour markers.
• Automatic movement (23 jewels).
• Double folding safety clasp with diver's extension (to fit over a wet suit).

I have the Orange Monster myself, and it's a great watch with a very robust feel. They have a reputation for being high-quality automatic watches sold at a reasonable price, and for having unusually bright luminescent hands and hour markers. Seiko uses a material called Lumibrite which is very effective, especially on hands as wide as those found on the monster series.

American watchmaker Michael Kobold, along with one of my favorite actors, James Gandolfini, are auctioning an incredible one-of-a-kind Soarway Diver SEAL package for the benefit of Hurricane Katrina victims. Since the American Red Cross is endorsing the auction, I'm assuming the proceeds will go to them, which I believe is the worthiest cause that exists right now.

The Kobold Soarway SEAL Avantgarde is one of the most robust watches I have seen. It is waterproof to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), and is engineered to resist just about anything you can throw at it. The Avantgarde contains a second interior case constructed of thick, soft iron which shields the watch from magnetic forces, and no fewer than two separate shock-resistance systems. It contains a helium escape valve to allow divers to use the Avantgarde for saturation diving, and is constructed primarily of titanium which keeps the watch at a relatively light 111 grams.

This particular auction contains more than just an amazing timepiece. The full package includes:

• The Kobold SEAL Avantgarde with both a canvas NATO strap and a hand-stitched alligator strap.
• A wooden collector's box, signed by James Gandolfini and Michael Kobold.
• "Gandolfini thinks Kobold is No.1" poster, signed by James Gandolfini.
• DVD-set of HBO's hit TV series "The Sopranos," signed by James Gandolfini.

You can find out more about the Avantgarde, and about the auction, on Kobold's site. If you can manage to place a bid, this is really a remarkable package (at least to me as I'm both a huge Kobold and Sopranos fan). And if you can't place a bid, please consider donating what you can directly to the American Red Cross. I know to watch fanatics like us, it sometimes seems like there are few things in life as important as our hobby, but at times like these, we really need to realign our priorities.

I've always liked the look of the Tissot Seastar diver, and I like this new model even more with the addition of a chronograph. There's not a lot of information available on the new Tissot Seastar Chronograph, but here's what I've been able to dig up so far:

• Stainless steel case and bracelet.
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet (with pushers screwed down).
• Sapphire crystal.
• 3-subdial chronograph.
• Screwdown caseback and pushers.
• Quartz movement with 38-month battery.
• Date.
• Available in silver (pictured), blue, or black dials.

The Seastar's sapphire crystal is domed which apparently magnifies the tiny numbers on the subdials. No word on pricing, but it shouldn't go for more than a few hundred. You can find more information on the Tissot Seastar Chronograph product page, or by checking out the user manual.

This one isn't atomic like the Seiko Ignition Takuma Sato, but it is a solar Ignition, and it is most definitely a beautiful watch. Features include:

• Titanium case and bracelet.
• Seiko's own "Hardlex" crystal (used in many of Seiko's divers because it is especially hard).
• Solar-powered with a 6-month reserve and overcharge prevention.
• Quartz accuracy of ± 20 seconds per month.
• Double locking clasp with "one-push" diver extension (to go over a wetsuit).
• Water-resistant to 200 meters, or about 650 feet.
• Rotating bezel for dive timing (not sure if it's uni- or bi-directional).
• Screwdown caseback.

This watch does not appear to be available in the US, so the best way to get more information is to do a Google search, and click on some "Translate this page" links. And of course, you can always count on a translated version of Watch-Tanaka for good information and nice pictures. It looks like this watch should go for about $450.

Seiko continues to build amazing watches on top of their innovative new Spring Drive system. One of the latest is the Seiko Marinemaster GMT. I almost posted nothing but a picture of this watch because I think the mere sight of it says it all: it is big, beautiful, durable, and simultaneously both modern and classic.

I have an old Seiko titanium Kinetic Scubamaster which is one of my favorite watches in the world, and one of the things I really like about this family of watches is the amount of functionality Seiko packs into them. The Marinemaster has a 24-hour hand for tracking time in a second time zone, but rather than putting the hours for the second time zone on the bezel like most GMT watches do, the numbers are actually inside the bezel, around the perimeter of the dial. This leaves the bezel free for your standard dive time functionality, which means you get a GMT and a diver all in one. Of course, this makes the watch slightly less flexible purely as a GMT watch since the hours are typically marked on the bi-directional rotating bezel so that you can easily check times in other time zones (rotating the bezel clockwise takes hours off the second time zone while rotating it counterclockwise adds hours), however if you don't need the additional GMT flexibility, it's nice having the diver functionality, instead.

Features of the Seiko Marinemaster GMT:

There's not a lot of information available yet on Omega's new Seamaster Planet Ocean divers, but here's what I know so far:

• Stainless steel case (available in 42mm and 45.5mm).
• Stainless steel bracelet with folding safety clasp, rubber strap, or alligator leather.
• Unidirectional rotating bezel (inner third brushed aluminum, outer two-thirds black or orange).
• Sapphire crystal.
• Date.
• Luminescent (SuperLuminova) hands and markers.
• 48-hour power reserve.
• Water resistant to 600 meters (2000 feet).
• Co-Axial Escapement (reduces friction, improves long-term accuracy, and increases service intervals).
• Available in May of this year for an undisclosed price.

Sign me up for an orange one with a stainless steel bracelet, just like in the picture. I'll post more information when it's available from Omega's site.

Swatch continues to impress me with watches that are not only fun and affordable, but useful. First, I was won over by the Swatch Paparazzi, and now, as a recreational diver, the Swatch Fun Scuba.

The Swatch Fun Scuba comes in seven distinct styles, all but one (the black "Moray's Bite"), predictably wild. Although Swatch's site warns that the Fun Scuba is not a scuba-diving watch, and that it is meant to be used in parallel with a professional dive computer, it looks like a fun and suitable companion for recreational diving excursions.