The big news
Bulova reissued the Devil Diver!
Date of reissue: Autumn, 2018
Version: 1972
The BIG spec: 666 feet water resistance.
Movement: Non-hacking Miyota Caliber 821D; 21 jewels, 21,600 vph, 42-hour power reserve; offering an accuracy of +40 seconds (max) per day.
Other names: Oceanographer Snorkel
USP
- A more affordable option among substantial, retro-styled diver watches.
- Not the usual 200 meters of water resistance that translates to 656.168 feet. The Oceanographer is built to reach a depth of 666 feet exactly; hence the name.
Why such a name?
The number 666, in modern popular culture, is a widely – probably the most – recognized symbol for the Antichrist; the Devil. Certainly, you cannot purportedly invoke Satan or the Devil wearing one of these; neither will they take you down to the depths of Hell. But truth be told, you can wear it fearlessly to hellish atmospheres on the land or under the sea and still find it gleaming, shining and performing in an awesome manner even long after the ordeal ends.
Getting to the Devil…sorry, the details
The idea of reintroducing old watches from their roster is an idea Bulova had hit quite some time back; the Devil Diver showed up once more, based on one of their vintage designs. The Oceanographer Devil Diver from the 1970s is a limited edition watch that’s historically accurate; more accurate than many other so-called re-issues.
The Bulova Oceanographer got its fame not for being a part of any special underwater mission; neither was it something that legendary divers wore on a regular basis. It exhibits no new mechanical invention in the world of underwater timekeeping. But well, it delivers the feel of being an aquanaut (as Bulova claims it and well, it does that up to a great deal) and makes you feel like one, despite snorkeling is not exactly the most glamorous activity for underwater exploration.
Whether the old Oceanographer or the new one; they are great watches alright, but so are (and were) many other watches of today and the yore. Bulova applied a rather tricky approach here; they decided to print the depth rating on the dial. Thus appeared the moniker of the Devil Diver! It’s certainly more interesting than putting up Snorkel or something equivalent alone.
There’s something more to the Devil Diver, which sets it apart from the rest of the dive (or dive-styled) watches and no, that’s not its bi-color, rotating bezel. Look into the hour markers and to your surprise, you’ll find they are embedded, transparent tubes/cylinders, filled with luminous material!
How Bulova portrays the Oceanographer
All that been said and heard, let’s end with something else that others got to say about the Devil Diver: Also, let us know what you think about it.
The Bulova Oceanographer is designed for the man who is very brave. Or, slightly crazy!
