DEEP BLUE 3000m DEPTHMASTER

By TLex I'm very pleased to finally (exclusively) unveil DEEP BLUE Watches’ newest model, the DEEP BLUE 3000m DEPTH MASTER. I can't remember exactly how far back it was that I first heard of their plans for a 3000m diver; it must have been a good 18months, possibly 2years ago that they started the development of the watch. Apart from a Rolex prototype, Breitling were the first watch company to crack the 3000m depth barrier with the Avenger Seawolf, followed shortly by CX Swiss Military watches with their 12'000 Feet diver, which went beyond 3000m to 3670m.



Today the DEEP BLUE 3000m DEPTH MASTER is the 16th watch to state a water-resistance of 3000m or higher and is thus ranked joint 8th deepest mechanical; at least on paper as it is not actually required for a dive watch to be pressure tested to its stated water-resistance if it does not want to call itself a ‘professional divers watch’ in accordance to ISO 6425. [UPDATE the 3000m DEPTHMASTER is in fact ISO 6425]



Many companies do rigorously test their cases above and beyond their stated depth rating; CX Swiss Military Watches are one such company, they have their watches independently depth tested by The Oceanographic Institute of the University of Southampton. Rolex had the DEEP SEA tested by COMEX. Other companies such as UTS test their watches in-house. I would be very interested to hear from DEEP BLUE Watches about how and where they tested the Depth Master’s case and to what extent.



Nevertheless a 3000m water-resistance is a great achievement, and is still in many ways (because more and divers are now claiming higher and higher depth ratings) revered by many for its engineering feat, which even today, with the use of modern technologies such as CAD design and CNC machining still requires extensive and costly research and development. One thing is certain about the DEEP BLUE Depth Master is that it is most likely going to be a groundbreaking deep diver, when it comes to its price point. Extreme divers typically come with extreme price tags!



There are a number of areas where DEEP BLUE will have managed to keep costs down on the 3000m DEPTHMASTER. For a start it uses a more affordable Japanese mechanical movement over a Swiss caliber and then there’s the fact that DEEP BLUE Watches are a dive watch company producing large volumes of watches that they now sell on Shop NBC’s home shopping network and online store. At the moment DEEP BLUE are keeping the DEPTHMATSER’s pricing well under wraps, probably until the watch is aired on Shop NBC, but I would guess that is going to be one of if not the most affordable 3000m diver on the market.



The DEEP BLUE 3000m DEPTHMASTER, which shares some traits with DEEP BLUES’ Pro Diver 1KM most noticeably its bezel design, has a large 49mm x 19.5mm x 59mm (lug to lug) 316L stainless steel case, which as previously mentioned is water-resistant to 3000m. Its screwdown caseback is secured with double O-rings and its screwdown crown with triple O-rings. The watch weighs 300grams and including both crowns measures a whopping 53mm.



Other features include its 120-click-type stainless steel bezel with sapphire inlay and the new Miyota 9015 Automatic with: Date, 24 jewels, 28800 v/h and 42 hours of power reserve. The Depth Master comes on a 316L solid stainless steel bracelet with 26mm solid end-pieces, 26mm first link, solid pin ’n’ tube system for adjustable links with solid deployant clasp and divers extension.



I very rarely write about any of the Shop NBC divers, but am intrigued by DEEP BLUE's latest diver, it looks pretty great on paper and even greater in the photos. It is possibly poised to be the first noteworthy diver to ever go on sale on Shop NBC, too! I look forward to finding out first hand if the 3000m DEPTHMASTER can hold it’s against other deep divers.



To find out more about the 3000m DEPTHMASTER and other DEEP BLUE dive watches please follow the DEEP BLUE icon at the bottom of the post. Many thanks to Stan of DEEP BLUE Watches for choosing OceanicTime for the Depth Master's unveiling!