OMEGA Planet Ocean sets new dive record
OMEGA’s Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional successfully sets a new world record as it plumbs the depths of the Mariana Trench at 10,928 m
At the British Museum in London earlier this year, OMEGA revealed the watch that made the world’s deepest dive – and the ground-breaking technology behind its success. When Victor Vescovo successfully piloted his deep submergence vehicle DSV Limiting Factor to the bottom of the Mariana Trench earlier this year, the 10,928m dive set a new world record.
Along for the record-breaking ride was OMEGA’s Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional. Three of them in fact: two on the submersible’s robotic arm and another on a data-gathering unit dubbed a Lander. All three took the dive in their stride and surfaced completely unscathed.
To create a timepiece suitable for The Five Deeps Expedition required an entirely new level of ingenuity and a team of experts with diverse engineering skills. Designed to withstand enormous pressures, the Ultra Deep is packed with full ocean depth technology, yet is surprisingly slim at less than 28mm.
The body of the bezel, casebody, caseback and crown were machined cutoffs from Limiting Factor’s (DNV-GL certified) forged grade 5 titanium hull, and Liquidmetal used to ensure a firm yet flexible sapphire-to-casebody assembly: an innovative hot bonding process that made it possible to reduce the sapphire’s thickness.
Though OMEGA’s goal was to create a watch for a very specific – and extreme – purpose, the Swiss brand made sure to use materials and technology that could be commercialised.
