RALF TECH WRX 'A' Hybrid® Commando HUBERT & RALF TECH

The KHB 'Commando Hubert' is a branch of the French Special Forces of the Marine National. The unit was set up by the Free French Forces in Great Britain alongside British Commandos during the Second World War and is named as such after Lieutenant Hubert Augustin, who was killed on D-Day during the Normandy landings.



The legendary unit of the 'Commando d'Action Sous-Marine' CASM 'Hubert', is the vanguard of the French Special Forces, who are deployed in the utmost secrecy on all continents and at the request of the Special Operations Command (SOC). It includes an operational company and a support company. The operational company is divided into four specific sections: Support, Maritime, Counter-Terrorism, Underwater Vehicles and Recon.



The Commandos who make up the operational company are all paratroopers and military frogmen. After a joint development with the technical staff of RALF TECH and then a year of testing at the heart of some of the most dangerous parts of the world, the men of the Commando Hubert adopted the WRX "A" to accompany them in all their combat missions.



The key points that brought about the selection of the WRX Hybrid® were:

* Quartz Cal. up to 12 times more precise than automatic movement.
* Mechanical automatic winding system.
* An autonomy of 60 days without a battery.
* Toughness tried and tested in the heart of battle.
* Anti-magnetic, so as to not disrupt other underwater instruments.
* Optimal reading of the dial



RALF TECH had delivered some watches to the Commando Hubert in 2010 for the development of their current model, 200 pieces on the 15th of September 2011 and another shipment is in progress for 2012. It is interesting that these orders were a deliberate choice, as all watches were purchased, in other words this was not a sponsorship operation. The commercial version of the WRX "A" Hybrid® is technically similar in all respects to the watches delivered to the men of the Commando Hubert with the exception of the emblem on the dial just above 6 o’clock.



MOVEMENT RTH001® HYBRID®

WATER-resistance Sealed for real diving at 50 fathoms under the current NATO specifications

CASE 316L surgical steel case with a diameter 47.5 mm (without crown)

BEZEL Steel and aluminum bezel, screwed, one-way, 120 clicks

CASE BACK Screwed and engraved with serial number

CROWN Screw-on crown and with protection

GLASS Convex sapphire crystal with anti-glare 5.9 mm

LUME Professional index luminescent C3 SuperLuminova®

STRAPS Two 26mm NATO type tactical bracelets, hypoallergenic silicone

PACKAGING Small waterproof case with NATO specifications

MSRP €1’390

AVAILABILITY 200 pieces only from December 1st 2011

ARMIDA A5 Diver

By TLex INTRODUCING Armida's 5th model, the aptly named A5. The case design will be recognizable to many as that of the Kobold SEAL, which was also adopted by the t.a.c.t.i.c.o TC1, this would suggest that it is now being offered as a factory case, so we might well see a few more of them popping up in other Boutique lines.



The A5's Stainless steel case measures 42mm (44mm inc. bezel), it has a water-resistance of 1000m and features a helium escape valve. It has been fitted with a double domed sapphire crystal and is powered by a Swiss made ETA 2824-2 self-winding movement. It comes on 22mm brick-link bracelet. Price is 799USD with a 100USD discount if you enter the OCEANICTIME code, when ordering with CCNow.

BOSCHETT Harpoon SneakPeek

By TLex A quick peek at the upcoming model from boutique watch brand, BOSCHETT Timepieces; seen here the 1000m Harpoon with its diver friendly raised bezel design, unique harpoon sweep second-hand and ceramic bezel insert . . .

IWC Aquatimer CHRONO Edition Jacques-Yves COUSTEAU (ad1)

By TLex IWC have launched a new advertising campaign in which its timepieces are rooted into a series of evocative images that bring them and their stories to life. Among the series that centers around a cinema spot and Swiss TV commercial are these two Aquatimer Chrono ads for the Jacques-Yves COUSTEAU and GALAPAGOS Editions complete with tongue-in-cheek slogans . . .



Engineered for men who get to the bottom of things . . .



Plenty of people love diving. And no one loved it more than Jacques-Yves Cousteau. As demonstrated by the documentaries he made that brought the beauty of the underwater world to living rooms the world over. Always with one goal in mind: to preserve the oceans. In his name, and with his legacy even in its diving equipment, the Cousteau Society has stood for these goals from 1974 until this day. And, since 2003, with IWC as a strong partner.



The two organisations put their skill and potential to work jointly. Ultimately, they are bound by a great tradition and represent the same basic values, such as the principle of sustainability. A glance at the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Jacques-Yves Cousteau not only tells you the time. But also that it’s never too late to do something for the oceans.

IWC Aquatimer CHRONO Edition GALAPAGOS (ad2)

By TLex Second ad. from IWC's latest advertising campaign featuring the Aquatimer CHRONO Edition GALAPAGOS . . .



Engineered for men who find friends even on desert islands.



In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 kilometres from the South American mainland, lies the Galapagos archipelago. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was decisively inspired by the incredible biodiversity of fauna found only here. But today, the paradise Darwin discovered during his expedition in 1835 is seriously under threat. Not least from human beings and disregard for Nature. Working jointly with a strong partner in IWC, the Charles Darwin Foundation is committed to protecting the highly sensitive ecological system found on the Galapagos Islands.



A significant portion of the proceeds from sales of the Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands helps the Foundation in its work. Which means that the owner of an Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands gives a twofold demonstration of his progression to the next highest level on the evolutionary scale: through (a) his excellent taste and (b) his awareness of the really important things in life.

IWC Aquatimer COLOURS of the SEA

EXTático DIVER (prototype)

By TLex This is the fist prototype case of the Spanish made EXTático DIVER. Seen here is the watch case with its buzz-saw bezel and specialized lug set-up, the caseback and inner. The EXTático DIVER will have a number of options available to customers such as; bezel markings (black, red or plain) and custom caseback engravings. Stay tuned for more . . .

VintageVDB III EX DualTime

By TLex VDB's most technical model to date; the VDB III EX DualTime with a VDB patented crown locking system that runs right through the middle of the watch case. The mechanism pulls down a full-closure crown guard to protect the crown and ensure complete safety. The lever with its knurled handle extends out like an arm and tucks neatly away when in locked mode.



The Stainless steel watch case, which measures 45mm has been bead-blast finished. It sports a unidirectional rotational divers bezel with micro-clicks, a plexi-glass crystal and vintage radium lume applied dial. The VDB III is powered by a vintage Rolex calibre 1570 mechanical movement. And because of the unique elongated minute hand design (another VDB innovation) the watch is able to simultaneously read the time in two different time zones.

RALF TECH WRX 'A' Hybrid in ACTION

By TLex Exclusive images of the RALF TECH WRX 'A' Hybrid in action with the French NAVY Frogmen of 'Commando Hubert' . . .

ENNEBI Fondale BRONZO (caseback)

By TLex Here's a peek at the case back design of my ENNEBI Fondale BRONZO . . .

LUMINOX Deep Dive 1500 SERIES

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