While bidirectional rotating bezels may be quicker for wearers to turn to the appropriate spot, as a dive bezel it’s not the best option. If the bezel gets accidentally knocked, this could cause divers to miscalculate how long they have been underwater. Therefore, a unidirectional bezel is more prudent because accidental knocks to the bezel can only result in overestimating immersion time – it’s far preferable to start ascending to the surface earlier or spend longer than necessary at a decompression stop.Rolex began equipping the Submariner with unidirectional bezels starting with the Submariner Date ref. 16800, which was introduced around 1979. The no-date Submariner model received a unidirectional bezel with the introduction of the Submariner ref. 14060 in 1990.Like the previous generation, the new unidirectional bezels included aluminum bezel inserts. In 1983, Rolex introduced the first two-tone Submariner model in the form of the Submariner Date ref. 16803, which sported a yellow gold knurled bezel with a black or blue aluminum insert. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Submariner in 2003, Rolex introduced the stainless steel Submariner Date ref. 16610LV with a green bezel insert.In 2008, Rolex introduced the first Submariner models equipped with unidirectional bezels featuring Cerachrom inserts. Cerachrom is Rolex’s proprietary ceramic alloy that is not only resistant to scratching but also to fading. The 60-minute graduations are cut into the bezel and then the ceramic bezel insert is fully coated with either yellow gold (for yellow gold and two-tone models) or platinum (for white gold or steel models). The gold/platinum is then polished away from the ceramic surface until only the recessed numerals and markings are left with the metal filling.By 2012, Rolex had rolled out the Cerachrom bezels across all Submariner models and color options include black, blue, and green. A quick way to know the color of the bezel is to look at the letters in the reference number: LB (blue bezel), LN (black bezel), and LV (green bezel).
Talking about watches and inspiration can spawn some pretty interesting debates, and for good reason – especially in the dive watch category. Of course, early dive watches weren’t “inspired by” anything; dive watches were tools created with a very distinct purpose. That said, as the years went on and the dive watch category moved away from practical utility towards desirable daily-wearers, design inspiration soon came into play. Today we’re looking at luxury watches inspired by the ocean, and digging into the stories behind the creation of each piece and how they relate to the big blue beyond.As mentioned above, there is no reason to go into a Rolex Submariner history lesson here; however, the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea with D-Blue dial (a variant of the original Deepsea that was first unveiled in 2008) has a very distinct connection to our world’s deepest waters.The origins of this piece come from Rolex’s involvement in (read: sponsorship of) James Cameron’s deep dive into the Mariana Trench. Though not limited in production, the piece is commemorative of the 2012 dive, and features a gradient blue to black dial that mimics the loss of light as one descends into the ocean’s depths. Additionally, the green chosen for the DEEPSEA text on its dial is matched to the color of Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger Submarine that took a prototype Rolex watch all the way down into the trench affixed to one of its robotic arms.The legacy of Jacques-Yves Cousteau is unparalleled in the world of underwater exploration, and many years ago (back in 2004 to be precise), IWC decided to become a partner of the Cousteau Society – a non-profit organization looking to continue the initiatives set out by Jacques-Yves several decades prior. From the onset of the partnership, IWC has included special limited-edition Aquatimer models in their collections, with a portion of the proceeds of each watch headed towards the organization.Of their bigger undertakings, Cousteau’s famed research vessel (named ‘Calypso’) was raised from the sea floor after sinking on account of an incident in Singapore in 1996. Progress on Calypso has been slow-going, and a fire on the ship while docked in Turkey two years ago has slowed things further. Naturally, there are rumors swirling that a redesign of the IWC Aquatimer line across the board will appear in conjunction with the vessel’s unveiling.
Pilot is one of the most successful series IWC has ever published, it has so many classic models that a lot of people are in pursuit of them. In 2019, IWC is the winner because they unveiled several watches that deeply attracted the eyes of our watch fans, including Pilot Bronzo, Pilot Chrono Spitfire Chrono and this Spitfire IW387903. as one of the few brands that make Pilot’s watches, IWC may be is the most successful, I like the design of IWC, it is more suitable for Asian than other Swiss brands.In May 2019, I introduced one IWC Pilot replica watch that is made with bronze material, today, I want to show you another great Pilot Spitfire watch from another factory, which is Z factory. We know V6 is a big factory and they make a lot of good quality replica IWC watches, but Z factory is the dominance in replica IWC field.This replica IWC Spitfire watch from Z factory has a big advantage, that is the sapphire crystal has double AR coating, which looks a bit bluish. So, when you read the time from the dial at any angle, it will be very clear, just like the crystal does not exist.Besides the crystal, there are other two improvements Z factory has made on this replica watch. First, the circles on subdials are made more delicate, their thickness and spacing between each circle are more accurate, closer to genuine watch.
The men’s Rolex Submariner was developed in 1953 and made its official debut during Basel Watch Fair the following year. One of the first dive watches to offer a 100-meter depth rating, the Submariner essentially paved the way for the modern dive watch as we know it today. Over the years, the Submariner has seen many notable upgrades, including the addition of a date display in the 1960s, the switch from acrylic to sapphire crystals in the late 1970s, and the change from radioactive tritium to photoluminescent lume in the 1990s. The Submariner was initially only available in stainless steel; a two-tone variant didn’t become available until 1984 via the ref. 16803.That brings us to the two examples that are featured here in today’s comparison video. The Rolex 16613 made its debut in 1988 and was the final aluminum bezel Submariner. The ref. 116613 was introduced in 2009 and features a completely redesigned feature set that swapped the aluminum bezel out for a tougher Cerachrom ceramic insert and features an all-new case and bracelet design. While both references are similar, they each bring a different aesthetic to the table.The Rolex Submariner 16613 was produced for over twenty years. During that time, it became available in many variations, including either a black or blue dial and bezel set, stunning champagne or silver “Serti” dials adorned with gems, lug holes on the case or no holes, and different luminous material on the dial. Two features that remain consistent among the reference variations are the two-tone steel and gold finish of the case and the aluminum insert on the bezel.With the unveiling of the modern 116613 Submariner in Yellow Rolesor (aka two-tone stainless steel and 18k yellow gold) came a newer-style “Super Case” which, despite offering the same 40mm diameter as the ref. 16613, appears slightly larger. The lugs and crown guard are wider, and the bezel received a new mounting design, giving the case a slightly more robust appearance and refined bezel action.
