Mission 31 from the Inside

DOXA Team Member Ty Alley was kind enough to take some time and give some background on Mission 31, Fabien Cousteau, and DOXA’s role.  This interview was provided by the nice folks at DOXA.

Left to right Dirk Cussler, Ty Alley, Fabien Cousteau courtesy of DOXA

So Ty, why did Fabien Cousteau choose to use a mechanical dive watch for the mission instead of a modern dive computer? 

Ty Alley -  That’s actually a very good question!  Above all else, Fabien chose a mechanical dive watch for its reliability during this long (31 day long) saturation dive.  Dive computers are modern instruments used by divers the world over.  Having said that, today’s dive computers have no algorithm programmed in to calculate such a long saturation dive as this.  Moreover, if one was used it would likely lock up, becoming non-functional after a short period of time, and resistant to the potential damaging effects of gas build up inside the computer’s case.   The DOXA SUB Mission 31 is water resistant to 1000 meters.  A dive computer isn't, and after being in and out of air and water for 31 consecutive days, it would likely explode upon decompression.

Courtesy of DOXA

There are a lot of luxury brand dive watches out there.  Why did Fabien Cousteau choose the DOXA SUB?

The DOXA SUB was created in 1967 for one purpose and one purpose only, to be reliable companion for commercial and recreational divers, and has been since, the No.1 choice of professional divers around the world.  DOXA and the Cousteau family have a long history together, going back to the original SUB 300 released in 1967.  Claude Wesley (Conshelf I and II aquanaut), helped DOXA develop the original DOXA SUB 300 back in 1967, and Jean-Michel Cousteau used the DOXA SUB on many of his his unforgettable expeditions.

Courtesy of DOXA

Can you share some more about DOXA and their significance in the dive watch world?

DOXA's involvement with diving (and dive watches in particular) goes back to the early 1960s.  Those early watches looked, and functioned similarly to pretty much every other dive watch on the market at the time.  Most of those dive watches had their roots in military and professional applications.  What none of the watch companies had yet considered was a watch that considered the recreational diver.  In the mid to late sixties there was a boom in recreational scuba diving.  DOXA recognized the needs of sport divers, and developed the SUB as the ultimate tool for them, the original DOXA SUB was a milestone in the development of dive watches in general, being the first dive watch ever to incorporate the US Navy no decompression dive table on the bezel, also featuring an orange dial to increase legibility under water, also  offering the first watch with an extending ratcheting device built into the bracelet that allowed divers to wear their watches with or without their wetsuit without the need of resizing the bracelet.

A lot of people out there liken living in the Aquarius to living in a submarine.  Of course this is a false assumption! What is the difference between living in a submarine and in the Aquarius?

In a submarine, the crew experience 1 atmosphere of pressure.  This is the same pressure we are experiencing right here at sea level.  The crew on a submarine is always experiencing “surface pressure”, so there is no need for submariners to decompress upon surfacing.  Having said that, the inhabitants living inside the Aquarius are “enjoying” 3 atmospheres of pressure!  At 3 atmospheres of pressure, oxygen and nitrogen will dissolve in the aquanauts’ blood and body tissues.  Essentially, they reach what could be termed a point of “gas saturation”.  The aquanauts can move freely about the ocean floor for hours on end, but if they want to surface they'll have to undergo 17 hours of decompression to avoid “decompression sickness” or the bends.

Courtesy of DOXA

What was your role on Mission 31?

My role was to coordinate all pre-dive logistics for DOXA here in the Florida Keys, as well as “dive” the watches down to Aquarius, so that Fabien Cousteau could use the 31 DOXA SUBs selected for mission wear throughout the project.

Courtesy of DOXA

Can you tell us more about the DOXA Mission31 watch, the availability, the specs, and how DOXA is supporting Mission 31?

The Mission31 is a limited edition version of the DOXA SUB, designed especially for this project.  The watch and bracelet are entirely made of a light white alloy titanium. The case is 44mm in diameter.  DOXA has selected a very reliable Swiss made ETA 2824-2 automatic movement to power the Mission 31 DOXA SUB .  There are 331 pieces in total, 31 of which will actually be used on the mission, where Fabien will be wearing one every day along the 31 days of the mission.  Each of those pieces will carry the marks of an unforgettable adventure soon to enter the history books.  Each watch will also come with a certificate, hand signed by Fabien, more than 25% of sales go to support Mission 31.

Can you tell us something about your experience on board the Aquarius, how long did you spend there?

For a diver of 30 yrs, this was the highlight of my diving career. Aquarius is the last scientific research facility of its kind here in the world, and to be able to dive down to it, and to do this dive on behalf of DOXA was an absolute honor.  My total bottom time was 70 minutes, and 50 of those minutes were inside the habitat.

Who is Dirk Cussler and what is the link between Mission 31, the Cusslers and Fabien Cousteau?

Dirk is the son of famed writer Clive Cussler.  Clive Cussler's hero in his adventure series, is Dirk Pitt, who wears an orange faced DOXA SUB throughout his adventures.  Dirk has co-written six of the Dirk Pitt adventures with his father, and will continue them long after his father lays down his pen.  In the world of DOXA, the Cousteau and Cussler families are legendary, so to have them both together at the start of Mission 31 made for a truly remarkable event.

Mission 31 is clearly important, but what are the benefits for those of us on “the surface”?

There's a great deal to be studied and learned throughout the 31 days.  Obviously, there is the marine biology and oceanography aspect of it.  This includes predator studies, as well as coral research.  The team will also be testing new technologies, including different types of imaging systems for underwater use.  Perhaps the greatest benefit though is the awareness it brings to mankind’s relationship with the ocean, and to reignite interest and passion toward ocean exploration and conservation.  Think about it - 70% of our planet is covered by water, and it's safe to say that it serves as the entire planet's life support system.  If we don't take care of it, then it won't take care of us, and that's just a price we can't pay.

Mission 31

So it's always fun to see what my former colleagues at DOXA are up to, and in the VERY near future they will be on hand for the start of Mission 31 in Florida.  Here is a video of the Mission 31 DOXA SUBs being presented to the team by Fabien Cousteau

DOXA and Fabien Cosuteau

DOXA will be partnering with Fabien Cosuteau on his 31 day mission -

Courtesy of DOXA

A re-run - Jean-Michel Cousteau is "all wet"

This originally ran on May 6th of last year, but it is a pretty good interview and I thought I might put it out there again. 

© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

James Henderson - What was your first watch, was it a gift?

Is there a story behind it?


Jean-Michel Cousteau – I don’t remember exactly. But I can tell you that when I was a kid, watches were different. They were valuable, expensive – special! You received one at a certain age, and you held onto it forever. It was only later that I realized the importance of a good diving watch. One that would not only tell you the time, but keep the water out.

But things have definitely changed. I think for both watches and the concept of time. I feel that young people today do not appreciate the value of a single watch – just as we do not value our time on this planet to the fullest.

© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

JH – What do you mean by that?



JMC – We are spoiled today. We are wasteful. Today we are in such a hurry to buy things, to consume things that we don’t need (and probably don’t really even want)! This doesn’t mean that the standard of living has improved – because in a lot of ways it really hasn’t! Consider for a moment how much we waste – you live here in Santa Barbara, as I do. You know the homeless people who go through our trash, our recycling, and take the bottles and cans to the recycling center to get money? I think those guys are great! As odd as it sounds, they are helping to keep the city clean.



JH - Where did you go to school, what did you study?


JMC – I studied architecture in Paris. And now many years later I am still waiting for my first “commission” 55 years later! But I am a licensed architect. After that, I worked in a shipyard in Brittany because what my real goal was something different than merely building houses and offices. You see, from the time I was a kid, my brother and I were always in the water. We were “wet” at a very early age! 

© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

JH – Well, given your famous father’s profession, had you ever considered doing something else?



JMC – I think not really – BUT – I will say that what I do today is a true evolution. I studied architecture with the idea of combining it with life in the ocean – that the future was (and will be) closely linked to the sea. This, in turn, led me to working at the shipyard in Brittany, because I wanted to better understand the nature of structures for the water. But I must say that my father in many ways was my greatest teacher. He was invaluable in helping me work in and produce film and television. Just as in architecture, each project has a beginning, a middle, and an end.



JH - Ocean Futures continues to grow and evolve - obviously a great deal of this is tied in with you and your family's efforts. What does the future hold?



JMC – I am fortunate that my children are involved, but more than this I feel that we have created a strong foundation for others to continue our work. As the population of the earth continues to grow, it is more and more apparent that our quality of life is strongly connected to the health of our planet. And the health of the planet is inseparable from the health of the oceans.



JH - What are some of the biggest challenges you currently face?


JMC – Funding. It is ironic, because people hear, or read the name Cousteau, and feel that we must be rich and that money is no problem. In many ways, the name Cousteau works against us. So I have to be out there, giving lectures, promoting the work of the organization. The single biggest way for us to promote our work is through images – be they video or photographs. To this end, we work tirelessly to compile as many images as possible.


Another challenge for us is education – but this is a challenge that we embrace! We need to get the kids “WET”. We need to introduce them underwater life – whether it’s the ocean, a river or a lake. We need to challenge the young people’s sense of curiosity and adventure.




JH – Okay, as this is a watch blog – favorite all-time dive watch?


JMC – When I started diving there were only a few companies that made true diving watches. Today, there are many choices and we are lucky that several companies have supported us over the years. I did design a watch made literally of recycled materials. It was manufactured for a short time but is no longer available.





JH - Being based in Santa Barbara, I imagine that you enjoy fairly consistent conditions for diving? If you can recall, what is one of your most challening/difficult dives?


JMC – There has been one dive in 67 years that really stands out for me. I was diving in a cave, and I suddenly realized that I would run out of air before I could surface. But – I did not panic. I motioned to my dive “buddy” and we were able to “buddy breath”. This was in Papua New Guinea in 1982 or 1983.





JH - If you weren't doing this, what do you think you might be doing?


JMC – This is the truth – either an astronaut or a farmer! That would really be great if I could have “three lives”. The sea, the land, and space!




JH - What is a typical "day in the life" of Jean Michel Cousteau?


JMC – There truly are no “typical” days and this is what keeps things interesting! For all of us here at Ocean Futures, there are constant surprises and challenges to adapt to.





JH - What do you like to do in your spare time?


JMC – What is “spare time”? (laughs).


© Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

JH - Who is the next "Cousteau" out there?



JMC – There are many out there! And luckily – they don’t have to be Cousteaus!



Get Wet with Ocean Futures -



http://www.oceanfutures.org/







DOXA SAFE DIVE

DOXA has something new in the works.  More to come, and follow the story at:

www.doxawatches.com

Orange, yellow, and the DOXA SUB

It goes without saying that most divers of a certain age, not to mention dive watch collectors can't hear the word DOXA without thinking orange.  Why orange?  Well, it would of course be easy to say that it was down to a marketing decision - all of the other professional grade dive watches were black or blue and orange was different.  Of course by now most people know that the choice of orange was the result of a series of tests at nearby Lake (Lac) Neuchatel to determine which color was most visible at a depth of 30 meters.  So orange...

DOXA SUB 1000T Divingstar

A funny thing happened a few years later.  The same team went back out to the "R & D" lab (or lake) and tried some more colors.  And it was decided that in fact yellow was the more legible/brighter color at 30 meters.  But with all things like the DOXA SUB, you sometimes are most remembered for your first dramatic act, and the Inventors of Orange are no exception!  But the Divingstar lived on and is still a member of DOXA's fleet today.  

www.doxawatches.com

The SUB 600T-Graph

I woke up this morning thinking about my pals at DOXA.  The SUB 600T-Graph has proven to be one of the most sought-after watches ever offered.  What always fascinated me about this watch was its unrivaled ability to instill a sense of near obsessive-compulsive behavior in even the most disciplined DOXAholic.  In fact, from 2008 until it recently sold out, it was the one watch that really drew in people who never had or even thought of a DOXA watch before.

The original SUB 200T-Graph represented a true breakthrough for DOXA.  In essence, the design team found a way to take a chronograph and make it waterproof.  This was down to tireless research and development 1970s style.  Think about this for a moment, no CAD drawings, etc (insert images of guys with slide-rules and protractors). These days we take a lot of things for granted in terms of design, development and technology.  40 years ago, the folks at DOXA were able to create a chronograph pusher system with special gaskets that kept the watch dry, and the water out.   I realize that nowadays we see all kinds of dive watches that can do everything from tell the time, to make a double espresso!  Okay, it hasn't gone that far, but I think we can all agree that there have been tremendous developments and advances since the T-Graph made its debut in 1970.

This is the SUB 600T-Graph 40th Anniversary - it was released to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of the DOXA SUB (1967), it was preceded by the 2005 T-Graph which was a 3 register chronograph.

Both versions were limited to 250 pieces in each series.  The 2005 version has taken on a bit of cult status and I could not tell you how many times an intrepid customer would call, write, sometimes even ask me in person when they found out who I worked for and ask me something along the lines of:
"Are you sure you don't have maybe one more hiding in the factory?"

I would smile understandingly and say something to the effect of no, sorry...

"It doesn't have to be perfect - it could be a used one - I guess I should have bought one when I had the chance.  Could you double-check?"

www.doxawatches.com

DOXA SUB 1200T...NUMA

Rick and the folks at DOXA have been working feverishly with some of their counterparts over at NUMA. For those of you not dialed-in to all things DOXA, NUMA is the National Underwater and Marine Agency - founded by none other than Clive Cussler - the creator of the Dirk Pitt adventure series.

Having spent three years handling public relations for DOXA Watches I cannot tell you the number of times someone would grab me and and say - "You have to make a NUMA SUB", or "You have to make a turquoise SUB!" Well, in fact DOXA will now have both! Keep in mind, this is a working mock-up and the final version might be a bit different, but so far it looks pretty good!

Check out the Official DOXA Forum for more info. on this limited edition:  http://forums.watchuseek.com/f34/

Something a little different from DOXA

I know that when most of you think about DOXA, you think about dive watches.  But DOXA was famous for making car clocks, and also pilot's watches.  This year DOXA released 2 versions of a pilot's watch "re-edition".  One self-winding, the other a hand-wound model.  This is the hand-wound version.

This is a nice, large, visible timekeeper and it is available from DOXA Direct.  This is essentially an "off the menu" item, so you need to contact them directly to order.  

www.doxawatches.com

(877) 255 - 5017

Ode to the high beat movement

Andy Bard and I met working for DOXA watches.  Andy is the very friendly guy you get when you call to order a watch or arrange for service.  Andy has collected all sorts of different types of watches, and now he has focused his collection on the high beat movement.  Now in his own words, Andy talks about his favorite movements.

There’s just something hypnotic about a high frequency movement. The sweep hand seems to float around the dial, and lying in bed with my wrist under the pillow I drift to sleep form the sound of 36,000 beats per hour.

It's a real shame that today’s watch companies don’t embrace the high beat movement. Yes, it is not as robust as a more sensible 28,800 movement, but just the thought of that balance wheel whirring around at that speed is mesmerizing. Today, Zenith is the only company that uses a 36,000 BPH movement on a large scale.  In the late 1960’s into the early 1970’s just about every watch company had a high frequency model in their lineup. Longines, Zodiac, Seiko, DOXA, and Girard Perregaux, just to name a few. Pictured is my early 1970’s DOXA Ultraspeed, and someday soon I hope to add a Zenith New Vintage 1969 El Primero to my meager collection.