By TLex The Admiral's Cup DEEP HULL 48 was for me one of the most significant luxury dive watch releases of 2010. Not only had Corum entered into new and uncharted territory with the DEEP HULL 48, pitting themselves against the likes of Panerai, who already had a long tradition of producing ‘serious’ dive watches. But the DEEP HULL 48 heralded a new chapter in what would hopefully be CORUM's continued production of high-end professional divers watches. They had up until 2010 only been responsible for the CORUM Bubble Diver.
I had plenty of good things to say about the DEEP HULL 48 when it was introduced on OceanicTime and was not disappointed when I conducted an in-depth review of it. My conclusion then: “I’ve always held the belief that every great watch-making house is at least capable of creating one exceptional dive watch; the DEEP HULL 48 is Corum’s. Forget the Bubble Diver, now CORUM are in the business of making professional dive watches. Let’s hope that the popularity of this watch is such that CORUM make the DEEP HULL a permanent model of the Admiral’s Cup collection. ‘’
It would appear that CORUM are now in the business of producing professional dive watches. 2011 sees the release of the Admiral’s Cup SEAFENDER 46 DIVE & CHRONO DIVE, which will both be unveiled in Basel next week. The SEAFENDER with its 46mm case will no doubt find favor with those, who found the DEEP HULL 48 a little too large or for those, who might have considered it a little outside their budget. I’m not sure of actually pricing, but would imagine that the SEAFENDER 46 DIVE will be a tad more affordable than its predecessor.
From CORUM The extreme range of the Corum sports collection welcomes two new models: the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Dive and the Admiral’s Cup Seafender Chrono Dive. Water-resistant to 300 meters, these sporty yet elegant watches are equally at ease worn over a diving suit as beneath a shirt cuff.
Corum clearly feels very much at home at great depths. Launched in 2010 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Admiral’s Cup collection, the Deep Hull 48 model marked a significant watershed in brand history by heralding the “extreme” range. Designed for extreme environments, this diver’s watch, the first of its kind within the Admiral’s Cup collection, is now joined by two new 46mm diameter variations that are both water-resistant to 300 meters: the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Dive and the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Chrono Dive.
Slightly smaller than the previously introduced version, they have been specifically designed and developed to delight divers and devotees of distinctive and sophisticated watches. These sporty and sturdy models feature powerful, taut lines that make them ideal companions for relaxing moments as well as exciting adventures.
Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Dive - With the new Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Dive, Corum achieves the perfect combination of sportsmanship and aesthetics. Reflecting the distinctive codes that have earned the collection its peerless success – a twelve-sided case and an inner bezel ring featuring 12 nautical pennants – it features a pleasing size at 46 mm in diameter and 16.05 mm thick. The subtle nature of its dial in shades of black and gray, as well as the purity of its lines carved in grade 5 titanium – the hardest material to machine – make this Admiral’s Cup the most civilized of extreme watches.
While this variation will be perfectly at home under the sleeve of a sports shirt, it is nonetheless a genuine diving instrument that meets the corresponding official standards. These include a screw-in caseback engraved in its center with the inscription “DIVE 300 METERS”, as well as the figure of a diver. The twelve convex sides of the case in grade 5 titanium guarantee absolute water resistance to a depth of 300 meters. The 120-toothed unidirectional bezel enables easy visualization of dive times, while the luminescent hands and hour-markers make this watch an authentic instrument panel that is perfectly readable in all situations.
This Admiral’s Cup model with its unmistakably strong character is equipped with an automatic CO947 movement chronometer-certified by the COSC. It beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), has a 42-hour power reserve, and drives the hours, minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock as well as a day/date display appearing through two small windows at 3 o’clock. To ensure enhanced comfort and perfect sturdiness, it is fitted with a black vulcanized rubber strap secured by a titanium pin buckle.
Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Chrono Dive - A resolutely sleek model powerfully asserting its distinctive design, the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Chrono Dive introduces an unprecedented function into the extreme watch range: the chronograph. Water-resistant to 300 meters and topped by a 120-toothed unidirectional rotating bezel, this model which is immediately recognizable thanks to its iconic 12-sided case is made from grade 5 titanium, a material known for its antimagnetic properties. Its dial featuring subtle grey shades is surrounded by an inner bezel ring with the 12 nautical pennants that have contributed to the collection’s reputation. As required by the official norms for diver’s watches, the screw-in case bears the inscription “DIVE 300 METERS” as well as the figure of a diver.
By equipping this model with Caliber CO753 – an automatic chronograph movement chronometer-certified by the COSC and endowed with a 48-hour power reserve - Corum is laying a new milestone in the creation of its extreme watch range. Handling of the chronograph function is secured in order to avoid any accidental operation. The two round pushbuttons serving to start, stop and rest the chronograph seconds hand as well as the two chronograph hour and minute counter hands are both screw-locked – which means they must be unlocked before making any short-time measurements.
Equally at ease under water as on dry land, the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 46 Chrono Dive is delivered with a black vulcanized rubber strap able to withstand even the most extreme trials.