CW Diver Bezel

Warhol · Post by **Warhol** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 6:41 pm

Hi Guys, Chris asked me to post this:

………. I am interested in what you guys think as it does shape our thinking.

The question …. born out of a desire to challenge conventional thinking….. and as an avid diver myself….

If you were a diver, and assuming you understand diving, and further assuming that anybody that wanted a diving watch to be water resistant to 30 ATM might actually get it wet at sometime…. Then would you prefer

• A bezel marked with 15/30/45/Dot as you read clockwise….and turned in an anticlockwise direction for safety reasons …. The first 15 minutes as is common being further graduated and distinguished in some way, or

• A bezel marked with Dot/45/30/15 as you read clockwise…and turned in a clockwise direction for safety reasons……………. The last 15 minutes being marked differently, and the last 5 minutes further distinguished.

I ask the question as I personally feel the last 15 minutes of a dive is far more important than the first 15 minutes, and for most recreational – non technical dives a safety stop at the end of a dive is good common practice.

Usually at the beginning of a dive…just before “lets get wet” … a final check will incorporate the maximum bottom time of the dive…. In the second scenario a diver has the facility to set the maximum dive time and count down towards safety stop….

However if you want a diver watch so that you can time how long it takes to walk down the street…then the first method of marking may be more appropriate.

What do you think?

Hi, Chris:

Regarding the dive watch bezel question, I have asked a close friend who is a diver and he sees merit in the countdown approach. He is more of a dive computer guy than a watch guy, though, and thinks of the watch as backup. What he really wanted was interchangeable bezels for both count-down and count-up.

Me, I like having things both ways too. I find myself using the graphic-only bezel on the Peregrine in just the way you describe for countdown functions as well as the usual way for count-up. I think if "last 15 minutes of the hour" had minute markings like the ones from 0-15 on the Peregrine it would be a little easier to sight-in on when setting the bezel in this mode.

Anyway, to offer some specific thoughts, and if you will forgive some ascii art, if this is the standard dive watch bezel with /\ as the customary upward-pointing triangle at the top center:

30 | | 45 | | /\....|....|....15 | | 30

...how about a graphic to indicate the motion of time for our two-martini underwater friends:

30 | | 45>>>>|>>>>|>>>>/\>>>>|>>>>|>>>15 | | 30

or even, stripping down to the bare graphics:

|| o o o>>>>|>>>>|>>>>*>>>>|>>>>|>>>>o | | ||

or:

|| o o ||| > > /\ > > | o o ||

The one way bezel ratchet raises an issue here, doesn't it. One way would always be a little safer than the other.

Just babbling, hope it's helpful. As with all these design questions there are countless tradeoffs between functionality, style, manufacturability, cost, and tradition. You have an interesting job.

So, what kind of bezel do you prefer?

Hans · Post by **Hans** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:02 pm

I'm no diver, so my opinion has limited value. But I do use the bezel of my diver quite often for thinks like cooking and stuff like that... With that in mind, I prefer the first option, simply because I am used to that...

El Tiempo · Post by **El Tiempo** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:13 am

Though I'm not a diver, I agree with Chris. When working with time limits I think it's important to count down to when time is up, or running out. Examples: Space vehicle lift-offs, bombs in the movies, my last bank heist, microwave cooking.

Because I don't dive, I never questioned why the watch industry makes divers the way it does. Do any makers make a count down bezel? If I ever take up diving, it's what I'll want.

Good to see Chris is considering bucking industry trends, but I guess it's what he's been doing all along.

El Tiempo

Edit: Concerning the bezel designs that were suggested. Not all diving takes place in crystal clear water. I think it'd be important to keep things simple and easy to read.

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:17 am

This sounds interesting!

Looking forward to more news about it.

regards,
Gordon.

Warhol · Post by **Warhol** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:19 pm

I forgot the post what I prefer:

I'd like to see a count-down bezel, as it is more usefull and very original!

MYND · Post by **MYND** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:25 pm

I dont care really, as long as it is a nice looking diver watch with good specs. I like the shape of the peregrine for instance, that one without the chronograph functions would look great. And off course an automatic.

El Tiempo · Post by **El Tiempo** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 7:50 pm

MYND wrote: like the shape of the peregrine for instance

Meh, I'm not a big fan of the Peregrine design. I hope they do something different.

Hans · Post by **Hans** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:51 pm

This one is not very conventional for a diver, but I kinda like it, what do you guys think:

El Tiempo · Post by **El Tiempo** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:22 pm

That's internal, right? Internal definately cool as long as there's no way it can be moved by accident. I might like a solid bar in the last few minutes rather than dashes but that looks like a well designed watch. Especially the hour hand with it's high visibility.

Edit: Actually, the more I look at it, the more awsome that watch looks. I would love to own one.

MYND · Post by **MYND** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:07 pm

It is not bad but lets be honest Chris needs something more conventional, not many people will like that watch and therefore not many people will buy it. Conventional but good is my motto. Look at the marcello c nettuno 3 as an example, in terms of quality a great watch! If Chris can produce that kind of quality with an original CWL design it means it will be a succes! With the right amount of promoting on different internet forums off course.

There is one aspect that i really would like a CWL diver to have and that is a heavy bracelet with solid end links.

El Tiempo · Post by **El Tiempo** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:27 pm

I think if Chris was just going to do what everyone else does to sell units, he wouldn't have posed his original question.

Hans · Post by **Hans** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:23 am

Agree with El Tiempo. And I actually owned the MarcelloC Nettuno 3, nothing wrong with the quality (except for the loupe that doesn't work and the very bad lume that is used on the indexes and hands), and it is very heavily inspired on the Rolex Submariner. I personally hope that CW won't make another Rolex replica, but will come up with a original CW-design!

joerattz · Post by **joerattz** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:08 pm

Hans wrote:... I personally hope that CW won't make another Rolex replica, but will come up with a original CW-design!

After the conversations I have had with Chris, I find it highly unlikely he will ever intentionally create a watch that appears to be the replica of any brand. I couldn't even sell him on the idea of Breguet style hands because of that!

joerattz · Post by **joerattz** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 1:26 pm

as I understand it, the bezel only rotates one direction so that if if gets bumped, it gets bumped in conservative direction for safety as the original post mentions. I always wonder, is it not fasible to make it more bump resistant? Still make it only rotate the safe direction, but what about a safety lock mechanism that requires a button to be pressed for it to even rotate? I envision a spring loaded push button. I could see a button on the bezel itself, perhaps at the Dot position. Pressing the button disenganges the safety. Or perhaps the button is on the case, like where one of the pushers on a chrono would be. Or, make it like a child proof lid on a bottle of medicine where the bezel has to be push down, into the case, to be rotated. However, pushing down could happen if you bumped the watch in a manner that would be likely to rotate the bezel anyway. That's why I think it would be a better safety mechanism if the bezel had to be pulled up, away from the case, to be rotated. That seems like it would provide the greatest safety. Although, that would mean there is something to get your fingers behind to lift with, possibly requiring the bezel to overhang the case a bit. This would definitely be unique! Don't know how feasible it would be to do in whatever garb a diver is likely to be wearing though.

I just don't like the concept of just giving in to the 'it could get bumped' acceptance.

And, if you can get a safety on the bezel, then I also recommend an easier to grip bezel. Something with more of a vertical surface to sink your phalanges into! Although, if you had to lift the bezel to rotate it, you would have a good grip and wouldn't need any vertical surface above the bezel.

I am guessing Chris wasn't interested in getting into all this though!

Warhol · Post by **Warhol** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:31 pm

This is what CW had to say about our thoughts!

Interesting discussion....especially about the bombs in the movies..... Ive watched with interest and picked out the bonesof the thread as below....this will go into the design melting pot, and hopefully help us shape our thinking on the Divers Watch.... working title is the - Kingfisher -
Should be able to feed you some initial sketches in a short while..... lets see where it takes us

What he really wanted was interchangeable bezels for both count-down and count-up

30 | | 45 | | /\....|....|....15 | | 30

keep things simple and easy to read

And of course an automatic.

Internal definately cool as long as there's no way it can be moved by accident

it's high visibility

I personally hope that CW won't make another Rolex replica but will come up with a original CW-design!

I always wonder, is it not feasible to make it more bump resistant?

safety lock mechanism

just don't like the concept of just giving in to the 'it could get bumped' acceptance.

I am guessing Chris wasn't interested in getting into all this though..... -
wrong Joe

I think it's great that Chris really includes our opinions in the design of his watches!

Another question:
What kind of colour should the CW have?

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