This week we talk about a million dollar watch and the brand new bomb timer.

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Sure, you think you’re pretty special with your Timex that’s water resistant to 100 meters. Maybe you even have a Seiko Orange monster, or something else that’ll go down to 300 meters. They don’t have anything on this Rolex, it’s been down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and came back alive.

I’m not a fan of Rolex in general, (ok, except for maybe the Daytona) but this is just an awesome story. If you’re not familiar with the story of the Trieste, it was teh experimental bathysphere that two men piloted down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench 50 years ago. Along with flashlights and a few other necessary supplies, the two men piloting the craft took a very special Rolex with them. On the outside of the ship. No human (or timepiece) had ever gone that deep before, or since. Rolex recently sponsored a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the event, and they allowed a few lucky individuals the chance to view the Deep Sea Special. One lucky blogger had the opportunity to attend, and actually interview LT Don Walsh, one of the two men who piloted the Trieste to the bottom of the sea. He took quite a few pictures which I encourage you to check out, and also wrote an excellent article about his experience.

If you’ve been following the HourTime podcasts you’ll know that I have a hatred fro three-handed watches. For some reason I’ve grown weary of divers and dress watches without complications. Luckily, the Tyndall is here to bring me back from the brink of insanity.

Designed by Jeff Kuo of San Francisco, the Xetum Tyndall is the epitome of American high-style design watches. It’s not fancy, it’s not overly beefy, and it’s made to last. If you’re tired of divers that look like pie plates and monster watches that look like manhole covers yet contain a cheap Chinese movement, this is the watch for you.
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In the vast pantheon of watches, the aviator is a timeless paragon of virtue and class. Traditionally given to folks who fly in planes (hence the term “aviator”), these watches were larger than standard watches and often had big crowns for easy winding. The IWC Big Pilots Watch is a classic in the form, with the clear, legible numbers and top triangular noon pip.

But, like great paintings, watches often stray from form, and often with positive results. If the Big Pilots Watch is “Whistler’s Mother” then the Praesto Modern Fliegeruhr is Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup cans. At once this watch is an homage, a little work of art, and a sly dig at the stuffy establishment.
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Bathys sent out their Christmas letter the other day, and included a sneak peek at their newest project, the Bomb Timer. Designed as an homage to the timers used in WWII era bombers, the Bomb Timer is quite the timepiece.
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Well, we got official word from John at Bathys today, the Benthic Ti that we told you about back in July is finally coming out. John says that it’ll be available at retailers in about 2 weeks, and you should be able to get one shortly thereafter.

Bathys also announced a new watch that they are going to be showing off at Baselworld 2009, the Damascus Bathic. Apparently, there isn’t even a rendering available of it yet, but hopefully we’ll get some pictures in the near future. It’s made from stainless Damascus steel and should be quite the show piece. We’ll let you know when we get some more information on that. 

Shore is purdy! This watch has a quartz movement with PVD-coated case and a moonphase read-out at 6 o’clock. The watch costs $795. Bathys is a watch company run by a surfer who loves in Hawaii. How’s that for provenance?

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Bathys watches are some of my favorites. Created by a young man named John Patterson who lives in Hawai’i, they’re aimed at surfers and outdoorsy types who don’t want to look like Captain Digitalpants while wearing a big, wonky wrist computer.

He just announced two new models, the Ti-Quartz Benthic (top) and the Lunar Wahine (above). The Ti-Quartz has a Ronda 7003.N movement with large date and retrograde day. It has a timing bezel and should cost about $950. The Lunar Wahine has a moon phase complication and is a bit smaller – 36mm – for the ladies. It costs $795.
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Way to go, Bathys! Our favorite US watch company is coming out with the Benthic, an improved version of their amazing Auto. Great work.

Specifications:
Size: 44.1 mm case diameter, 13 mm case height
Weight: 107 grams with strap
Movement: ETA 2892-2 21 jewel automatic running at 28’800 vph
Crystal: Domed sapphire with antireflection coating
Case: PVD coated with silver TiCN at 2 microns; engraved caseback
Water Resistance: 200M (110 Fathoms, 660 feet)
Caseback: Screw down type, engraved, PVD-coated 316L Steel
Crown: Screw down type 7.5 mm
Strap: Comes standard with 22mm Rubber Divers and 22mm Waterproof leather with matching PVD coated buckles.(Note that our mockup photo above shows a deployant folding clasp, however the watch comes on a standard leather band with a buckle and a rubber divers strap.)
Packed in a black Pelican Brand 1030 waterproof Microcase
1 year warranty from a US-based company
Swiss-Made

BATHYS Benthic Black PVD [PROFESSIONAL WATCHES]

Bathys is the little watch company that could. Founded by John Patterson, this tiny Hawaiian company sources their watches in Switzerland and offers the surfer – and landlubber – alike a little taste of that Ahola feeling.

Almost a year after the launch of their first watch, the 100 Fathoms Big Date, Patterson has topped himself. The automatic version of the Bathys 100 Fathoms is a testament to Patterson’s hard work and eye for detail.

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