By TLex Here's a new brand from Belgium; Angelo Del Mare dive watches have been handcrafted and engineered by master watchmakers, Angelo Del Mare in their Swiss workshops.
There is one base model at the moment called the Royal Master, which is available with 3 different dial types.
Divers features include: a 46mm diameter, 316L Stainless steel case with; a unidirectional 60-minute graduated rotational bezel, an 8mm screw-down crown with unique triple-lock system, a screw-down caseback
a 5mm thick, highly raised vintage style Sapphire crystal with 5 layers of transparent anti-reflective coating on its inside, and a water-resistance to 300 meters / 1000 feet.
The Royal Master is powered by an automatic mechanical movement called the ADM caliber 6022, based on an ETA 2824.
The watches come on 26mm, 316L Stainless steel mesh bracelet with an adjustable folding lock safety clasp plus a 26mm, ADM personalized black shark strap with a 26mm ADM steel buckle.
Each watch is numbered in a Limited Edition, with and comes with a certificate of authenticity, testifying to its uniqueness.
These are some pretty good looking watches with plenty of nice details and a recognizable vintage style that reminds me a little of the Breitling Superocean Heritage.
I especially like the Ref. 6543 as it lacks the minute markers, so is the cleanest-looking of the three.
The AD branding on the dials might be a little too much, though. I would also like to see some different finishes offered other than polished.
MSRP is 2530€ - however ADM are offering an introductory price of 1250€ for a limited time period
Follow the link embedded below for more info.
By TLex These are crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy nights! If you ever doubted that VintageVDB were the Rock 'n' Roll brand of the dive watch world, here's all the proof you'll ever need!
They just recently had a private meet with the members of one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time with over a 100 million records - heavy metal band, KISS
The meeting took place in their recording studio in LA, where members;
Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and drummer, Eric Singer were each presented with a VDB 2014 CARBON.
Each of the rockers have their own custom engraved casebacks that are based on their own signature makeup designs. You can see Gene Simmons', The Demon and -
Paul Stanley's, The Starchild among others caseback engravings. Rock on! ;)
Other celebrities rocking VDB hardware include: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ralf Möller, check out their bespoke VDB divers, HERE and HERE.
Liked this? Check out my life pics of the VDB 2014 GMT Steel BLASTED and 2015, VDB No Limit BRONZE.
By TLex Linde Werdelin's Oktopus survives its toughest field test to date and becomes the newest member of the Frømandskorpset (Frogman Corps), the Danish Military's Naval Special Operations Force!
Although similar to its commercially-available siblings, the OKTOPUS Frogman was redesigned by so that it met the specific requirements of the Frogmen. Typical Oktopus complications such as a Moonphase or Double Date have been substituted with a simple date wheel with a window at 4 o’clock. Its case is also a little more rugged in its design and has a one-part construction in Titanium.
Excellent visibility in low-lighting conditions is essential to Frogmen, so Morten Linde designed a unique solution: a Luminova sandwich dial for maximum luminescence, which allows light to hit the numerals from all angles and activate the Luminova to its full potential. There are no superfluous lines of text or insignias on the dial.
The LW Frogman watches have been marked with each of the operative’s service number for individual personalization and are only available to those who have served with the Frogman Corps, sorry!
TESTING Development of the Oktopus Frogman became a partnership between the divers and Linde Werdelin. While every Oktopus undergoes a strict testing regime, placing it on the wrists of Frogmen was an unprecedented challenge.
“It was a privilege to work with the Frogmen and to witness them crash-testing our Oktopus, truly the best environment to test our watches,” tells co-founder Morten Linde. “Designing a timepiece worthy of them, to unite the generations, was a challenge I enjoyed. It needs to be versatile – tolerating extreme heat and cold, great heights and depths – and they needed optimal night-time visibility, a problem that required an entirely new way to apply Luminova.”
The Oktopus passed their selection requirements. “Our goal has always been to make the best dive watch and now we have achieved making a watch fit for a professional dive unit, one of the best in the world. To have Linde Werdelin be a part of Danish cultural heritage by contributing to the comradeship of the Frogmen is an absolute honor,” says co-founder Jorn Werdelin.
FROGMAN CORPS Shrouded in secrecy, Frømandskorpset (Frogman Corps) is the Naval Special Operations Force in the Danish Military. This collaboration is a rare opportunity to lift the veil and explore the uncharted waters of the Frogman Corps. Typical missions will see the fraternal unit drop into the most hostile environments to rescue hostages from pirates off the coast of Somalia, often under the cover of darkness. They have been deployed directly into the heart of the most heated conflicts.
In a rare instance of surfacing publicly, the Frogmen, through Conventus Ranae, have joined forces with Linde Werdelin to create a wholly unique timepiece commemorative of their brotherhood.
PARTNERSHIP Conventus Ranae is the formal association of Frogmen. It exists to strengthen the relationship between former and current operatives in the “outside world.”
Selection to become a member of this exclusive club is no easy task. Every year, hundreds apply. Only a handful will pass, and this is a source of pride for the men who have gone before and were able to survive this gruelling process.
As Butler (his Frogman codename for anonymity) attested, “It is a special feeling meeting with former colleagues knowing that each and every one has accomplished a long tough education that breaks the vast majority of the applicants.”
Active duty – a minimum of three years, but an average of five or six – is no easier. Missions require the utmost skill and precision to succeed. The shared experience of these demanding conditions creates an incredibly strong bond between the active servicemen, forming a natural brotherhood. Conventus Ranae exists to reinforce this bond, particularly once the Frogmen leave the service.
Thus Conventus Ranae approached Linde Werdelin. Many Frogmen describe meeting their fellow Frogmen, both present and former members, as a special feeling – to know that they share the same values and experiences. Conventus Ranae wanted to capture that sentiment in a timepiece; a shared timepiece representing a shared history. Wearing the Oktopus Frogman on the wrist is akin to carrying the entire Frogman Corps with them everywhere.
“We were aware of Linde Werdelin’s expertise as a dive watch maker and contacted them with the intention of partnering on a piece to tie us together as a unit,” explains Christian Nielsen (“CK”), chairman of Conventus Ranae and former patrol leader in the Frogman Corps. “This special edition Oktopus acts as a symbol for a life committed to being a combat diver.”
