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.
For a number of years, modern consumer trends have been favoring larger watches. As a result of this, Rolex’s 34mm references have become somewhat forgotten in all the excitement and shuffle that surrounds their larger, sport/professional watchlines. However, recently it seems that smaller-sized watches are starting to make a comeback, and Rolex’s once-overlooked, 34mm watches now represent some of the best values for the money among all Rolex timepieces, both vintage and contemporary.When it comes to Rolex sports watches, the Submariner and Explorer II are amongst the most beloved. And despite the fact that they are both tough, purpose-built timepieces, they’re just about as different as it gets in nearly all respects.But if you’re not very familiar with either watch, comparing these two industry titans can seem daunting. So here, I’m breaking down everything you need to know – and compare – about the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Explorer II.True sports watches, both the Submariner and Explorer II were built by Rolex with specific jobs in mind – and the hint lies in their names. Unsurprisingly, the Submariner is a divers watch, built to time out scuba dives and withstand the unrelenting pressure of 300-meter (1,000 foot) depths. In fact, this watch has been one of the world’s top diving watches since it was first released back in 1953.The Explorer II, on the other hand, was originally introduced in 1971 for speleologists who work in deep underground caverns. But like the original Rolex Explorer – the watch that provided its foundation – the Explorer II appeals to adventurers and explorers of all kinds, especially since its popular 40th anniversary remodel.
The case is fully made of black ceramic, it is a pioneering work Omega made in their Planet Ocean. The case is brushed, while the edge of lugs is polished, seeing the side, the case has a graceful arc shape. The bezel uses high grade black ceramic with silver engravings. The case back is see-through sapphire crystal, VS factory developed Omega-patented Naiad Lock system, you only need to rotate the case back a bit to lock it perfectly. Check the case back, there are unique engravings on three lugs.The dial is black, which is made of real ceramic Zr02, this is the high gloss black dial that is exact 1:1 imitation of original. The dial has a correct hand stack, hour markers and hands have silver edge and are applied with white lume material, the dial has two different lume colors, hour markers and hour hand will emit strong blue light, minute hand will emit strong green light in the dark. On the outer dial, there are 24-hour gmt markers, GMT hand in the center has an orange triangle mark that is also filled with luminescence. This Deep Black Planet Ocean is a GMT watch, if Omega makes a full ceramic Planet Ocean without GMT function, that will be very popular.
The GMT Master II ref. 16710 is one of the most iconic and influential examples of the brand’s multi-time zone pilot’s watch. It brought an upgraded case and movement to the line, making it a huge success and leading to its impressive production run of almost twenty years. The ref. 16710 was then replaced by the ref. 116710 in the late 2000s as a completely new generation of Rolex GMT-Master tool watches began to make an appearance with a brand new case and bracelet design, improved materials, and a new movement.Rolex developed the GMT-Master in the early 1950s at the request of Pan Am Airlines. Its release came during the dawn of international flight. The famous air carrier required a dual-time wristwatch to issue their pilots, and the GMT-Master was born. The GMT-Master II was released a number of years later in 1983 with the ref. 16760, and brought with it independent hour hands that allow the wearer to read two time zones on the dial and a third on the bezel.The first GMT-Master II ref. 16760 featured a bulkier case and is often referred to by avid collectors as the “Fat Lady” or “Sophia Loren.” In 1989, Rolex would release a refined variation of the Fat Lady GMT in the form of the sleeker reference Rolex 16710 with a thinner case and movement. The ref. 16710 was well-received among collectors for its upgraded case and movement, and it would go on to become one of the most successful GMT-Master II models, remaining in production for nearly twenty years.A completely redesigned version of the stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II was introduced in 2007, which meant the discontinuation of the long-running ref. 16710. The Rolex 116710 is similar in design as its 5-digit predecessor with an all-steel finish, a perpetual movement with independent hour hands, and a bidirectional bezel; however, that’s where its similarities end. The ref. 116710 is almost an entirely new watch and boasts a redesigned bezel, case, bracelet, and dial, as well as the newer Caliber 3186 perpetual movement.
Santos, the one above is equipped with a genuine ETA 2892 movement. However, I recommend the replica Santos with a Sea-gull 2892 movement, because it has a good case, dial, the movement is also quality, but the price is much cheaper.Portofino, this watch has the best version from MK factory. Perfect replica level, 2892 movement.The last one is a Jaeger-LeCoultre. It is the latest good replica in the market. The crystal has a green AR Coating, very unique. Movement uses Tianjin ST17 automatic.
The Pearlmaster is the ultimate luxury-oriented Rolex timepiece. Sitting somewhere at the crossroads of watchmaking and jewelry, the Rolex Pearlmaster is exclusively craft from precious metals and always adorned with expertly set gemstones (either diamonds, sapphires, or rubies). Although the Pearlmaster is easily the most lavish and gem-encrusted line of Rolex watches, relatively little media coverage surrounds it, as its sheer opulence places it outside the reach of many consumers.The Pearlmaster was originally introduced in 1992 as a new and slightly larger interpretation of Rolex’s Lady-Datejust line of watches. Over the course of the last quarter of a century, the Pearlmaster has grown in size and evolved in concept to become an entirely separate collection of ultra-premium Datejust watches that blurs the lines between a wristwatch and a piece of jewelry. The “Pearlmaster” name actually comes from the watch’s unique bracelet design with rounded five-piece links and a concealed Crownclasp, which to this day, is specifically reserved for Rolex’s crowning jewelry watches.Today, the Pearlmaster is manufactured in 34mm and 39mm case sizes and is exclusively craft from solid 18 karat gold (yellow, white, or Everose). As far as internal mechanics, the Pearlmaster 34 is powered by Rolex’s Caliber 2235, while the Pearlmaster 39 receives the Caliber 3235. Despite the difference in movements, both watches boast Rolex’s “Superlative Chronometer” certification, which guarantees timekeeping performance to a maximum variance of -2/+2 seconds per day (after casing).
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