Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional JAMSTEC Mechanical Hi-Beat 36000

We round up our 5 favourite watches from Seiko, Rolex, Omega and more for taking on the deep blue sea.

In the high-pressure and high-risk underwater world of divers, watches are one of the most essential gears.

In the ocean, a watch tells more than just time -- it needs to deliver that accuracy and reliably meet impact as well as provide good visibility in the shrouded darkness of the waters, while battling all sorts of pressure and resistance. 

A relationship between time and depth for a diver is therefore very critical. Here are 5 watches that we would trust our lives with in the deep blue sea.


Seiko Prospex Marinemaster Professional  Mechanical Hi-Beat 36000

Since 1965, Seiko has crafted beautiful and durable diver's watches that can withstand even the most adverse conditions. Today, it is proud to unveil a special limited edition that will never skip a beat. The Hi-Beat 36000 is named such because it has an 8L55 movement that beats 36,000 times and hour, rendering it accurate even at extreme depths of 1,000m. Made with titanium with a super-hard coating, it gleams on the wrist with a seductively sleek finish, bringing out the enigmatic dark blue-green dial that is reminiscent of the ocean.


Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deep Sea

Rolex takes on the sea with its Oyster Perpetual Deep Sea made of a superalloy -- the 904L stainless steel mainly used in high technology, aerospace and chemical industries. This model is equipped with calibre 3135, a self-winding mechanical movement that is extremely resistant to shock and temperature change, entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. What truly stands it out is its helium escape valve that comes with a spring that cleverly opens the valve when the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the watch reaches 3 - 5 bars, allowing the helium to escape, thereby protecting the watch.


Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200m

If the name sounds familiar, it's because this is the completely updated version of the world-renowned Seamaster Professional 600, a watch that is known to withstand crushing pressures and more. This new edition combines enhanced modern technology with an iconic timepiece, paying homage to OMEGA’s rich diving heritage, by means of a black bi-directional rotating bezel, numerals and diving scale painted with white Super-Luminova inside the sapphire bezel ring and a 55 x 48 mm stainless steel case, presented on a “Sharkproof” stainless steel bracelet.


Blancpain Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph

Another updated classic, this reinterpreted edition of Blancpain's famed Bathysaphe from the1950's takes on board a new self-winding F385 movement featuring a flyback chronograph function, that allows the wearer to reset and instantly restart the chronograph simply by pressing the pusher at 4 o’clock. This device proves extremely useful in taking fast measurements of successive times, a vital feature in treacherous underwater depths. This new model comes in a brushed black ceramic version with a black dial, or in brushed steel with a meteor metal grey dial, all fitted with NATO fabric straps.


Panerai Luminor Submersible Automatic Acciaio

It may be simple in design which makes for great and easy reading, but don't let its appearance fool you -- this watch calculates the hours, minutes, small seconds and date right down to the immersion time so you'll never have to worry about losing track of time under water. Powered by an exclusive Panerai automatic mechanical movement complete with a personalised Panerai oscillating weight, it is tested and certified by the COSC as an instrument stylishly and meticulously designed for diving professionals.


More watches for the active gentleman: Here are 5 highlighted sports watches from Baselworld 2015.