IWC Schaffhausen, a luxury Swiss watch manufacturer, has launched its Black Aquatimer Automatic 2000, the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands, dedicated to divers.

The 2009 Aquatimer series of watches will consist of Aquatimer Deep Two, Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands, Aquatimer Chronograph, Aquatimer Chronograph in red gold and Aquatimer Automatic 2000.

All have the following features in common: the case dimensions have increased slightly to 44 mm, and in one particular instance even to 46 mm. Another prominent feature in all the models is the rotating diving bezel, now located externally.

IWC has always incorporated two possibilities for measuring dive times in its diver’s watches.

The first Aquatimer was equipped initially with a rotating inner bezel, which was operated via the second crown. The system is particularly secure as far as unintentional adjustment is concerned, although it is not so user-friendly when the diver is wearing gloves.

The Ocean 2000 watch model dating from 1982 – a result of the collaboration with Porsche Design – had already adopted an external rotating bezel, which the GST Aquatimer from 1997 also retained.

The Aquatimer generation of 2009 embraces this technology once again in the form of an external rotating bezel of an entirely new design. This can be rotated even when wearing gloves – and for safety reasons only in the anti-clockwise direction.

The new Aquatimer is equally suitable as a sporting all-rounder and for professional underwater use, said a statement.

For example, a lightweight hook-and-loop strap is appropriate when diving to allow the watch to be worn over the neoprene diving suit. Wearing such a strap out of the water would be unusual, to say the least.

In terms of water resistance, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 with its tested pressure resistance of 200 bar still holds the record in the watch family. It features a black dial and a black external rotating bezel with the familiar luminous yellow 15-minute segment of the previous Aquatimer in stainless steel.

The colour yellow is also used for the minute hand, which indicates the dive time, to ensure a clear distinction. A second variant has a white dial with orange or white numerals on a white or dark blue background on the rotating bezel and an orange hour hand.

It is powered by the 30110 calibre automatic movement. The Aquatimer Automatic 2000 is available with an optional stainless steel bracelet or a rubber strap. – TradeArabia News Service