The History of Dive Watches: Part II: The Saturation Years | Armand The Watch Guy

In this second installment of my history of professional dive watches, I would like to discuss the watches which were produced after 1965 in order to overcome the new technical form of deep-sea diving called saturation diving. These watches could resist extreme pressure, pressure change and truly grew to what we would recognise today with the innovation of brands such as Rolex, Omega, Doxa & Seiko.
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[@daveogle810]

What an awesome history lesson in dive watches. Thanks.

[@BarkandJack]

Absolutely superb video! Thanks for all the info, I learn a lot.

[@scottsherman5262]

Who is the one guy that clicked the "thumbs down" on this?? Armand is a brilliant young man who puts together some amazingly rich, beautiful, & informed watch vids for us dorks to enjoy, & this one (as well as Part I) is his masterwork to date. The hours of research that Armand pours into this, preceding the skillful execution of the videos themselves....his silky smooth voice & British accent (that's what really impresses us "U.S. Americans")...I'm not a huge Interwebs/KZbin guy, as I'm a very old 42yo, but I typically cannot stand vids that just talk over photos...however, Armand has escaped the form, he has somehow made talking over photos fascinating...and, it's not like the dude is making a ton of $$ (yet) at this....he does it for the love of the game - the dorky watch video game, a game all of us live for. Seriously now, who the hell gives this video a thumbs down?!? Armand, you're like the British son I never had...your Mother & I are very proud of you, please do keep up the stellar work my friend, & use these "thumbs downs" as fuel, fuel for your violently polite British engine, no doubt measured in litres, and keep producing the best talking over photos watch videos on the damn Planet of Earth, & the 2nd best watch videos of any type {I do give the nod to Tristano} Bravo! Scott Sherman

[@ArmandTheWatchGuy]

+scott sherman: Thank you immensely for such a kind defence. I am delighted to hear that you enjoy the videos and that I can provide an interesting insight into the world of watches. It must be said that this video could certainly have been more thorough though I hope that this provides a nice balance of information to length.

[@eworldtraveler]

Supreme narration , visual examples , research and content . God save the king ! (queen ) .

[@harryx6677]

Awesome videos! Need a part 3! An update of all the dive watches and new achievements from Omega and Rolex and others! Hope you’re well friend

[@Farmhouse1967]

This is an outstanding piece of work, congratulations and keep up the excellent work.... From a dive watch lover

[@winstonamaral1443]

Thanks for the tutorial Armand. The ultimate scope into dive watches. Seiko at the time made it possible for the average person, today their top level divers are pricey. I could not think of the value of these pieces, but after watching the video realised their crucial importance. I won’t miss the next class.

[@markplayford5836]

Incredible Armand, your knowledge astounds me yet again. Makes me appreciate my dive watches even more, thank you.

[@jet-settingrogue761]

Outstanding. So informative. Really enjoyed it.

[@FirestormAA]

What a complete introduction of the deep sea diver watches. Very comprehensive. Awesome in depth video.

[@dudemann6154]

Just watch knowledge. This was great! Do more subjects, and don't be afraid to go into more detail. REAL watch guys like it.

[@hughmckendrick3018]

Well done. This two part history was very interesting. Content would make a great coffee table book.

[@donrogan2812]

My comments echo everyone else's. Again another fabulous Video. My sincerest thank you for taking the time to do the research and present it in an entertaining format. Great work Armand.

[@Biblicalgiants]

Excellent videos! Thanks for your time, research and appreciation for the subject at hand.

[@davidtaysom3592]

Two very interesting videos,just watched them back to back.thanks Armand.

[@AndrewBestafka]

Fantastic!!! Great work!!! Well done, well researched and presented. Thank you for educating me!

[@lenpowell6647]

That Doxa is a beaut?????? I am convinced Phil Jupitus still dons one after seeing him gig last year? Dive watches are real workhorses.The info you give is superb.Thankyou.

[@wallytangofoxtrot4721]

Your documentation and videos are incredible. THE authority. Well done.

[@harveysmith330]

An excellent account of the history of the dive watch. Extremely informative, thanks.

[@fpoynton1604]

Thank you Armand . A truly enjoyable masterpiece reference worthy digital dissertation to add to our computerized horological libraries - for which myself and your viewers are clearly appreciative. 👍 👍 once again.

[@camrackam791]

More watch histories please! Really enjoyed these. I love to see Race, Flight, Dress, or Anti magnetic, histories.

[@FyukYiu]

I really enjoyed this series. Please make more. If you have not already, please do one on field watches!

[@MrAdjaize]

Top work yet again Armand. I love my Sbbn031 tuna. The gateway into these exceptional dive watches,price wise.

[@lorddavid5995]

Thank you I really enjoyed watching 👍

[@jb6027]

I enjoyed both episodes very much. Thank you!

[@inkitatus1]

Excellent, well researched. Thank you 👍👍

[@astrazenica7783]

Those Comex Rolex's are cool. Love the Sea Dweller too. Bet they go for a pretty penny today

[@tiburonski]

This is by far the best watch channel! Great information and well presented! 🤩

[@noelmurphy3450]

Wonderful educational and informative review Armand - thanks so much for the research into this excellent video - Noel

[@itsalgud1459]

Very thorough and nicely done! 👍

[@andrewlineberger7544]

Excellent Presentation! Thankye from Denver North Carolina

[@512bb]

Your countless hours of research is greatly appreciated & priceless, thank you Armand, your a true gentleman.

[@sportster883able]

brilliant

[@sustorres765]

Superb episodes, brilliant! Saludos

[@F3udF1st]

You forgot to mention how SEIKO solved the He-issue of the crystals popping off. On the tunas hey have, beside the L-gasket, a crystal retaining ring which is screwed into the case which holds the crystal in place even when there's force applied by the gas pressure on the inside. Also notice the caseback of the tuna in the end shot has imploded from the pressure.

[@ssvs0485]

Amazing!

[@miker5502]

Well done! Great chronology of the dive watch from its early history to present day and I enjoyed the videos very much.Thanks for the time and effort you put into this...a subscriber from Nova Scotia.

[@MrVoayer]

Yet another history lesson to be seen and soaked in several times. Packed with fascinating facts this video is a credit to all devoted engineers involved in making and producing deep dive/staturation dive watches. Great job, Armand!

[@wick-trimmer1980]

Excellent Armand.

[@stefanogoldoni5059]

Fantastic videos Armand! They are so informative and well made they can be considered as masterpieces!

[@swabby429]

I enjoyed the videos and learned a great deal.

[@paulblakey4589]

Really interesting video, some great valuable knowledge acquired. Thank you.

[@robertchantry1981]

Amazing presentation!!!

[@NWind-go9qn]

Excellent historical review.

[@markroberts5507]

Amazing information...Fascinating video....Thankyou...

[@lobserve1]

Great job. I love the photos and the ads from a bygone era.

[@markloubser2433]

That was good and interesting. Well done.

[@gregamos8793]

Outstanding content! Thank you!

[@lenpowell6647]

Very impressed with your knowledge .A man that thinks is by definition is a man in my book anyway Len

[@orwellknew9112]

I enjoyed this series very much. I lack the knowledge to know whether or not you left some watches or brands out, but I do know when I’m learning and enjoying the process. I subscribed.

[@williamwoody7607]

Really high marks-tremendously well researched and presented.Cleared up a lot of details for me. Thank you.

[@derekshearer9049]

I liked the video. Bravo

[@franktapia4090]

Lovely and wonderfully informative video, sir. I was definitely hoping for a mention of the Omega Ultra Deep at the end which as I’m sure you know, is rated to 6000 meters…. and actually beat the record set by Rolex. Nonetheless, your video was spectacular. I thank you for sharing your knowledge. 👍🏼

[@LuisLopez-qq9mp]

Loved the video thank you very much.

[@StellarAudyssey]

Brilliant stuff. Appreciate it.

[@georgegrillo7421]

Another stellar presentation! Thanks for your hard work.

[@morgan97475]

Another informative video. I had hoped to hear more about compression divers but this was still pretty good. Thanks.

[@familiatrois3813]

Great video! Learned a lot that I didn't previously know about dive watches (my favorite style) in this 2-part series. Thanks for packing so much information and sharing your research into this interesting horological history!

[@JeffreyPisarek]

Fantastic two-part series. Great job, man.

[@drwindsurf]

This was a fantastic 2 part series - very informative. Thank you for this excellent history Armand :)

[@chrislowe5462]

Two Excellent videos Armand , they must take you an age to put together , Always learn something new from you . Thanks

[@bulbhorn]

Well researched and very well presented. Thank you.

[@ararmino]

It would be nice to hear about watches used in the Tektite programs

[@kem2359]

Great job!!

[@normangekko5144]

Very interesting!!!!...maybe missing a little chapter about the Vostok Amphibia made by Belova in the 60s

[@phillyeli215]

I wish you would have mentioned the Certina DS

[@farhatbdhj]

philly eli underrated, affordable, honest and truly amazing for the quality-price ratio

[@nightswimming7538]

I am not as hot for dive watches as most. However, I do enjoy your style of presentation very much. I subscribe to several watch channels and I am becoming jaded by infomercials posing as watch reviews. I hope things go your way and you continue informative videos. I watched your entire presentation and I'd like to thank you for the time you put into this. Nicely done.

[@bigbo1865]

I think mention of the humble Vostok Amphibia could have been included. It's unique approach in tackling the waterproof problem is interesting.🤔

[@simoncrawford350]

Great work, thank you very much for sharing!!👍🍻

[@alanbloodworth2653]

Very interesting!

[@Ramblin_Man]

Wonderful work, so informative!

[@millersx9]

Thanks!

[@tomkhong9828]

Thank you Armand for such a wonderful insight of dive watches. I didn’t know Seiko was so technological advance back then against Rolex. I’m a victim of marketing.

[@Texmotodad]

Check out the Favre Leuba Bathy in 1968. Only 50m but still had some interesting features....keep up the great work!

[@kens9213]

Great video

[@johnraff9655]

Keep up the excellent work. Great job

[@formulaarena9193]

Bravo!

[@shepleonard8695]

Actually Omega was the first to build a Ti watch and dive watch. The Omega Proplof T2 was made 1969-1970.Early on, titanium prototypes of the Ploprof were developed by casemaker Schmitz Freres.

[@kris8742]

Very interesting, like to hear about the compressor type case design .

[@F3udF1st]

The grandfather tuna case is kinda reminiscent of the Speedmaster MkIII!

[@MarcoJesusPerez]

Great video! Filled in a lot. I am curious, though, as to why you referenced the Sinn as a side-note? The oil filled watch was one of the most interesting things I learned.

[@TheFlunu]

As always great video

[@JustinsWirelessWorld]

Great 2 part series and I can see your extreme affection for, though somewhat bias, the Rolex brand. You left out watches such as the Breitling 10000ft Seawolfwhich surpassed the Seadweller in the early 2000s and most importantly the original Hamilton Canteen Diver historically significant for it use in military operation conducted by the UDTs of the U.S. Navy during WWII. As former Navy Diver and with 30years of diving experience and over 5000 hrs logged under the water in depths from ranging from 30ft to 240ft. I feel more time could have been spent in the other watches in the video. That is not to say that Rolex is not significant just that others in the list have played a larger role than you have let on.

[@matahari555]

There was a brief mention of oilfilled quartz watches. I like to think this simply ends all depth battles as oil isn't compressible. Those watches in my mind deserve more than a mention as they make that Rolex Deep Sea challenger monster simply obsolete and ungainly.

[@calsurflance5598]

Unfortunately they have to be sent back to the factory for a battery change and oil refill. Currently about $800.

[@Tonkybro3]

Love the work/research you've done armand. Please change your intro music to a more upbeat one. Its so sad.

[@carbondragon]

Good video, for most of us, we will never actually own a Deep Sea and will have to be satisfied by the homages, as well as watches like the Zelos Abyss 3. Plus I thought the Deep Sea that was actually strapped onto the manipulator arm was a slightly different design with a bulging crystal (similar to the later Spinnaker Piccard). Was it EXACTLY like the watch they ultimately sold?

[@dannyt6160]

I like the two-part series in general but disappointed that it did not cover the Super Compressor dive watches. I find the Super Compressor technology interesting, and the design a refreshing change from most dive watches which are mostly copies of the Fifty Fathom.

[@malthus101]

Every time I've ever had a pressure build up in my bell, the seal has always blown.

[@ellisrgr]

Interesting video, but what about the Vostok Amphibia ? Love them or hate them, their design is unique !

[@mrfuriouser]

Roger Ellis I would guess that truly verifiable historical data on it would be hard to find, as this was during the Cold War era and the USSR was notoriously tight-lipped regarding anything they made. This also greatly limited any influence they may have had during that time, as their contributions would remain localized, not affecting the world on the whole.

[@ArmandTheWatchGuy]

+Roger Ellis: You are quite right, the Vostok Amphibia did play a role in the development of dive watches. The design of having a compression caseback was truly innovative though I found it hard to find verifiable information regarding the details of how it was used by divers.

[@ellisrgr]

I think that it would be safe to say that the Amphibian was developed by Michail Novikov and Vera Belova, but as for the military testing, that`s difficult to prove. They have always been produced at the Chistipol Watch factory.

[@calsurflance5598]

Excellent history lesson and production. Well done sir. Rolex is king but I do love Doxa!

[@Agrippa31BC]

You forgot the Yema Superman, the first dive watch successfully waterproof to 300m.

[@jordanliu6269]

What do you think of Christopher Ward's C60 Elite 1000? Can it be considered as a professional dive watch?

[@brunonjezic6208]

Great video esej! I really enjoyed it. I would love to here your opinion or a video on Vostok amphibia that was made with totally different mind set and availability of technology. I find solutions on that watches really interesting and exiting. The whole thing is made to flex and work with the pressures kind of like deep sea and tuna leter did, just in much smaller depth context

[@SexyClass4J08]

Make a 3rd video about quirky dive watches! The Vostok Amphibia deserves some loving too

[@billcosgrave6232]

Great set of videos! This is a good reference for anyone getting into watches. BTW, checkout the Charmex Swiss Military 20k. I actually own one of these monstrosities. Ridiculous watch that is totally impractical to wear, but cool none less. Take care man!

[@thermionic1234567]

Why not simply unscrew the crown when undergoing decompression? It's not like there's a lot to do when decompressing....

[@andrewnisbett7565]

Hi, Can you tell me what you think of the Superocean GMT made between 2009-2011, It is the perfect watch for a one watch owner better than the Rolex GMT? and it is quite rare...

[@simlowsb]

The voice is very soft. What is the name of this watch?

[@ssvs0485]

Armand maybe I’m missing it somewhere but I don’t see that link you promised of the video of Seiko divers going down 4000 meters I think you said before failure.

[@ArmandTheWatchGuy]

+TRUE LIBERTY: Thank you very much for reminding me. The video link is now in the description.

[@Arquelius]

No Certinas here?:)

[@spavliskojr]

so essentially unless you are a deep sea saturation diver, having a helium escape valve is a silly thing to have on your dive watch when the most you may do is swim in the pool.