With the HYPERBAR® DeEP DIVER SYSTEM
OUR WATCHES REACH DEPTHS OF 12,000 METERS / 39,600 FEET

At first sight, it might appear unlikely that a watch could reach a depth of 12,000 meters  / 39,600 feet.

 

Detailfoto Luftblase

Apart from a small bubble, the inside of the HYPERBAR® watch is completely filled with liquid. All of the components, including the moving parts, are immersed in the liquid.

Only our 1997 patented filling system (patent no. CH686989 exp.) makes this incredible resistance possible, which was tested and certified by the SATI - Swiss Association for Technical Inspections (test reports no. 114'937/1 and 114'937/2).

The HYPERBAR® Deep Diver System is based on a simple physical principle which starfish and sea-urchins have known for millions of years: the incompressibility of liquid. These aborigines of the sea consist of a texture that is permeable to the water surrounding them. This means the external pressure will be equalized by the internal pressure, equivalent to a force zero, allowing for starfish and sea-urchins to survive in depths up to several thousand meters.

Adopting this system into a wrist watch may sound simple. Nevertheless, from ideation to realization, it took years of research and development. One of our major tasks was to carefully choose, test and harmonize the different components and materials. For the case of the HYPERBAR® watch, it was impossible to be permeable to water like a starfish. Therefore, we had to find a filling liquid which was stable under all conditions and at the same time fully compatible with all other materials and components.

The results are evident in the HYPERBAR® watches: an oil-based mixture replaces almost all of the air in the watch case. Just a small bubble (Ø ± 8 mm) is visible over the dial. This air bubble functions as an extension chamber: it contracts in the heat and expands in the cold. Occasionally, the bubble isn’t visible, meaning it has moved behind the dial or has dissolved due to high heat (direct sunlight, warm water).

The liquid filling does not affect the precision of your watch (± 10 sec. per month). The slightly higher resistance caused by the liquid is compensated by the regulating system of the movement. Tests in our laboratory have proven that the energy consumption is within the range of "empty" quartz watches. The insulating effect of the fluid prevents craw streams and the possibility of a short circuit. As a result, an increased consumption caused by the higher resistance is compensated.

In addition, the HYPERBAR® Deep Diver System includes other salient advantages for the watch, such as:

  • Excellent readability from all angles. As the light is not refracted by the crystal, interfering reflections don't appear. At the same time the fluid acts as a magnifier.
  • Higher corrosion-resistance for all parts inside the watch case due to the oily liquid.
  • Reduced wearing of the movement due to permanent lubrication.

HYPERBAR® by Chronotime AG, Uster/Switzerland