With an almost cult-like following, the watches made decades ago by IWC Schaffhausen for Porsche Design made a real impact on watch lovers — for a variety of reasons. However, the dive watch, designed by Ferdiand Alexander Porsche and created by IWC, was the one that made the biggest splash.
Back in the late 11970s, Porsche Design (which had been founded in 1972) and IWC entered into a unique agreement: IWC would make the watches designed by F.A. Porsche. It led to extensive research into the realms of functional Bauhaus style design and new materials, such as the titanium that had never yet been used for watches. At about the same time, the German Federal Armed Forces were asking for a durable, rugged dive watch to meet certain requirements for its elite diving unit (Minentaucher) to wear while clearing active deep-sea mines.
IWC had already done a great deal of research into the realm of anti-magnetism (vital to the task of clearing active mines), water-resistant cases and lighter weight materials thanks to its work with Porsche Design. As such, the two companies collaborated and the result was a limited number of watches, produced non commercially and just for the military. They would come to be known as the Ocean BUND watches.
While they couldn’t offer these special pieces to the public at large, IWC and Porsche Design opted to create a commercial dive watch that was highly similar: the Ocean 2000. Launched in 1982 and designed by F.A. Porsche, it was, as its name implies, water-resistant to record-setting 2,000 metres (more than 6,500 feet) and boasted a notched bezel for easy use when diving, an integrated bracelet and a Velcro strap. Crafted from titanium, it has been considered the forerunner to IWC’s Aquatimer collection.
So, in 2017, when IWC released the IWC Ocean 2000 Aquatimer watch to pay tribute to 35 years of the Ocean 2000 Bund watch, the watch-loving community was thrilled. The original 1982 watch represented so much in the way of innovation and design, and the re-edition, at an amazing 14.5mm thick, had people clamouring.
A Loyal Reedition
Created in a limited edition of just 350, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 Edition “35 Years Ocean 2000” watch (Ref. IW329101) is the thinnest dive watch in IWC’s Aquatimer collection. The titanium case with notched bezel differs from the original in that the notches are on the outer case-side of the watch instead of on the bezel. Still, it is lightweight and boasts a midnight black dial with luminescent hands and hour-markers. The seconds hand is red tipped, inspired by the original Ocean 2000.
Additionally, the rubber strap features a “lamellar-style” ribbed motif that pays homage to the original 1982 bracelet watch. It is also equipped with a unidirectional rotating bezel and the brand’s SafeDive system that ensures the bezel can only be adjusted by turning it counter clockwise. The case back boasts an engraving of a diver’s helmet. The sapphire crystal is anti-reflective. The watch is powered by an automatic movement with a mechanical external/internal rotating bezel.
This year GMT Magazine and WorldTempus have embarked on the ambitious project of summarising the divers watch since 2000 in The Millennium Watch Book - Divers watch, a big, beautifully laid out coffee table book. This article is an extract. The Millennium Watch Book - Divers watch is available in both French and English here:
