A comparison review of three internal bezel dive watches

Although I think it was brilliant for Blancpain to put a rotating decompression bezel on their invention of the dive watch, I grew to dislike it on the dive watch that I wore through most of my teenage years.  As I began assembling my collection of watch complications I had omitted a dive watch.  Even though a decompression ring is quite a simple complication, it has historical relevance in the watch world and needs representation.  After viewing many watches I settled on a super compressor watch style made popular in the 1970s by inventor Ervin Piquerez and sold for about 20 years through his company EPSA. The unique feature being the internal decompression ring housed beneath the crystal. Fortunately, many companies have now revived this style and are currently producing watches.  I went to Bucherer a Tourneau wath dealer in the King of Prusia mall in PA, with hopes they would have some.

Bucherer had three examples of the Longines Legend Diver watch L3.774.4.50.0.

SHAPE

Round

MATERIAL

Stainless steel

GLASS

Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with several layers of anti-reflective coating on the underside

CASE BACK

Screw-down case back

DIMENSION

Ø 42.00 mm

LUG DISTANCE

22 mm

THICKNESS

12.70 mm

WATER RESISTANCE

Water-resistant to 30 bar

CASE SPECIFICITIES

Internal turning diving flange, Screw-in crown

WEIGHT    

87.6 g

DIAL COLOUR

Black lacquered polished

HOUR MARKERS

Painted Arabic numerals and indexes

HANDS

Silvered polished hands

SPECIFICITIES

Swiss Super-LumiNova®

MOVEMENT TYPE

Automatic

CALIBER

L888

MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

Self-winding mechanical movement beating at 25'200 vibrations per hour, with a power reserve of approximately 72 hours

FUNCTIONS

Hours, minutes, seconds and date

MSRP

$2300.00

The 42mm case wears smaller on my 7 ½” wrist than the dimension would have you believe.  It feel light and comfortable.  Both knobs have screw down crowns and give the feeling of security that your settings will be as you left them.  The L888 is an ETA exclusive to Longines and the 72 hour power reserve is impressive.  The watch featured a solid case back so you can not view the movement.  I like the looks of this watch and I am partial to the graduating brown and tan dial models. 

There was also a Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Automatic  REF. Q9008480

CASE

Stainless Steel

Diameter: 41 mm

Thickness: 11.2mm

WATER RESISTANCE

10 bar

DIAL

Blue, Sunburst, grained and opaline, White luminescent numerals

HANDS

Bâton à facette

STRAP

Leather, Dark-brown

Interchangeable: Yes

Lug width: 21mm

Length 12h: 75mm

Length 6h: 115mm

Buckle width: 20mm

BUCKLE

Double Folding Buckle

Stainless Steel

Buckle width: 20mm

JAEGER-LECOULTRE CALIBER 898

FUNCTIONS

Hour - Minute, Rotating rehaut, Seconds

MOVEMENT

Automatic winding, Components: 195, Vibrations per hour: 28800, Jewels: 30, Barrel: 1, Power reserve: 40 hours

MSRP

          $7300.00, with date - $9200.00, with Memovox $18,900, Perpetual Calendar $48,100.00

I was very excited to strap a JLC on my wrist and it felt like it was made to be there.  The watch wears extremely comfortable.  The crowns on the JLC do not screw down fast. This was not an issue for the knob at 4:00 which sets the time due to it’s all in position like any watch.  The other crown that positioned the decompression ring gave me reason for concern.  Any bump of that crown will change the position of the ring.  The ring moves so easily that even a bump or rub of the crystal on any surface will rotate the ring.  I imaging that the dial is never sitting at 12:00 due to it’s ease of use.  As with most JLC it is about the movement which can be viewed through the display back and stylized rotor.  The 40 hour power reserve is also a disappointment for me.  A version with date is available and another which includes Memovox timer and alarm which JLC made famous.  I love the large number face and the hands are pleasant although utilitarian.

I was shocked when the salesman asked if I had seen the IWC AQUATIMER AUTOMATIC  IW329002

Stainless steel case

Diameter 42.0 mm

Height 14.1 mm

Screw in crown

Water resistance 30 bar

30120 Calibre

Automatic, self-winding

42 hours Power Reserve

Frequency 28800.0 vph (4.0 hz)

163 Components

21 Jewels

Côtes de Genève, perlage

Mechanical external/internal rotating bezel with SafeDive system

Date display

Sapphire glass, convex, antireflective coating on both sides

IWC bracelet quick-change system

Central hacking seconds

MSRP

$6500.00

The IWC was the third watch to fit comfortably and look properly proportionate, It felt like it was extremely high quality.  This watch featured only one crown and opposite it is a helium escape valve.  In order to work the decompression dial you simply grab the polished crystal frame and twist and the dial will move with just the perfect amount of friction to hold it place. I did not care for the look of this dial as much as the others due to it’s use of all straight line indices and no numerals.  It only comes in one color and only has a 42 hour power reserve.