MAURICE LACROIX Pontos S Diver PVD

By TLex Maurice Lacroix have released a stealthy new black PVD variant of their retro-styled Pontos S Diver, which they say will help you avoid the unwanted attentions of any large and potentially aggressive underwater predators with designs on more than just your shiny new dive watch! I don't know about that, but I do know a nice looking diver when I see one!

Being a professional diving instrument, with a simple to read dial, a domed Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, a robust 43mm case with a maximum water-resistance of 600 meters, the Pontos S Diver is more than suitable for the casual ocean explorer. However equipped with a helium escape valve at 9 o’clock, it is also suitable attire for a decompression chamber, or is it?



Before returning to the surface to breathe, professional divers must first spend time in a decompression chamber, where they breathe a mixture of gases, including a high amount of helium, which being such a tiny molecule can seep inside the watch case due to the difference in atmospheric pressure in and outside the chamber.

The HEV fitted to the Pontos S Diver automatically releases any build up of gas within the watch case, preventing any irreversible damage to the watch. However, I'm not entirely convinced that a seasoned commercial or military SAT diver (those that are most likely to spend any time in such a chamber) would ever choose a watch like the Ponotos S Diver, which has 2 exposed crowns and a no protective external bezel. Certainly a nice watch but not nearly rugged enough!



The chances, of you or I actually ever benefiting from an HEV are almost negligible. Despite this, I am still in favor them; even though they are for the most a superfluous design feature. The lack of one on a professional divers watch makes a little less interesting, at least to me.

Onto the dial which features luminescent hour and minute hands which are designed to be highly legible on or underwater. A date display is located at 6 o’clock. The crown, positioned at 2 o’clock, adjusts the inner rotational divers bezel. However, to ensure it is not accidentally moved, the crown has to be unscrewed beforehand.



The Pontos S Diver is powered by an ML115 caliber automatic mechanical movement that has been rhodium plated and adjusted to 3 positions after full winding and after 24 hours. It is available on a black rubber and calfskin strap featuring black stitching and a black PVD buckle. It is due to be officially unveiled at Baselworld later this month.

Check out the Pontos S Diver MOVEMBER . . .