Niceties - The Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300

It's the little things that make a watch purchase special.  Sometimes, it's no packaging, or certainly poor packaging that can sour you to a watch without even considering the watch itself.  Sometimes the packaging is 100 times better than the watch itself.  And then sometimes - as in the case of Aquadive, the packaging strikes just the right chord -

The box is nice, flip open, holds the warranty card, the watch of course, and a few surprises -

Any guesses?  Another hint -

If you haven't guessed - it's replacement spring bars!  Made in Switzerland, of course!

And to make sure that you have a personal connection to your Bathyscaphe 300, and you are fully aware of its condition before it left on its trip to your door, here is a calling card -

You can see the "bona-fides".    And mine is still holding true - I do not have the benefit of a watchmaker's timer, but if my calculations are correct, we are holding true at + 3 seconds.  COSC is all well and good, and I am not saying that this replaces it - but consider this - it gives you the same info - a rate, and it doesn't add several hundred dollars to the price!

Only a few days left in the 15 - stay tuned!

The Devil is in the Details - the subtle beauty of the Bathyscaphe 300

Okay, in all fairness we are talking about a watch that measures 47 mm in diameter and 53 mm from end to end.  So subtlety might not be a word that springs to most minds, but I continue to be impressed by the quiet way that the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 flexes its dive watch muscles.  The Bathyscaphe's HRV (Helium Release Valve) is a prime example of this -

How many times do we see a watch company go out of their way to make sure you see a large, protruding HRV nob to ensure that anyone and everyone will know what a rugged, tough guy you are?  To be clear, there is nothing wrong with this, if that's what makes you happy.  Then there are the other, more reserved design approaches where the HRV is an "automatic" (meaning you do not have to unscrew the crown), and they sit in a dignified manner - usually at 9 o'clock on the case just opposite the crown.

But the folks at Aquadive had a far more elegant solution in mind.  They placed the HRV in between the lugs of the watch case at 6 o'clock.  The result is an HRV that works just as well as those placed at 9 o'clock, and easier than those that must be manually unscrewed.  Moreover, it is protected from potential harm as the strap and spring bar must first be breached for any possible damage to befall it.

I think what I like most about this solution, is that the wearer still knows it's there.  It is hidden, not obvious, not for everyone to see - and I like that!

Subtle strength.

15 Days with the Aquadive 300

The nice folks at Aquadive were good enough to send me the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 for a 15 day review.  With BaselWorld approaching, this will probably be the last review for February.

Just the thing for a rainy day in Santa Barbara - I know what you're thinking - "is there such a thing?"  Well yes there is!

So this morning I strapped on the Bathyscaphe 300 , and prepared to face the elements.  

15 Days with the Aquadive Bathyscaphe 300 begins now - stay tuned!